lear4406

Well my son and I went out Thurs. morning looking for some estimates on body and paint work. We had a list of shops that his girlfriend made off the internet along with a map. #1 shop on the list does not exist any more. #2 looked like the last shop I had do it, so mark that off the list. #3 was a big shop down from Charlotte Motor Speedway and were too big and busy with insurance work to even give me an estimate. #4 was a shop off 49 and they came out to look at the 2 guys in the white Challenger. I looked around this big shop and all I saw was Hot Rods and muscle cars. The owner talked to us for an hour and laid out how they would proceed with the work. And he took us around to show us completed and partial restros. He said he would have to strip the body down to metal to see what he would have to work with. Then he would give the estimate on cost. He also said that whatever we wanted to do as far as buying parts and putting on rubber parts we could do. He would do it all or just what we told him to do. I liked the straight forward approch and asked when they could start. July 1 is the date and the transformation will begin. It will be costly but worth every cent. His work is backed by a lifetime warranty. Now I have to wait for 2 Challengers. So now I will not have the benefit of my 71 Challenger to curb the wait on the 2008. 2008 will be a good year!

jdb840

Sounds like you found a nice paint shop. Are you keeping the same color?
I'm happy with the shop that did mine, but it could've been a lot better quality. They spend a little of a year to paint it, and I think the cost was about $3500. Also beware what you might find once all of the paint is removed. I had rust holes everywhere, replaced both quarter panel skins, and they had to do alot of work above the windshield.

I would try to wait until the summer is over before putting it into the shop though, but I guess the sooner the better. Good luck and hopefully you won't have to many problems.

lear4406

The color will be the same only this time it will look really good up close also. The price is more than I had saved for, but the quality that I saw at his shop made up my mind to send the car there. He also said that they would have to take it down to metal to see what damage was done and so forth. I have owned the car since 1978 and it has never been wrecked. The quarters are solid and I have a brand new goodmark fender to go on the one that is slightly wavey. I wish I could wait until fall, but the car needs to go now. I will be taking the GTX in next if the job is done as they have said. I have no doubt that it will be awsome. it better be for the price. The cars that were in the shop were really nice and the body seams sraight as an arrow. They took alot of pride in the cars that they were working on. I guess I better be patient now and just wait it out.

McDonald

Sounds like a good shop man.. Just dont have a heart attack when he tells you a price. Its a lot of work to restore a car and do it right. I will have my own hot rod shop one of these days hopefully one of these soon days.

lear4406

Well the qoute is 5 digit. But you really need to see the cars that he has done, really,really nice. And I will have a whole year to pay for it. I've had the car since 1978 and I believe it will only be in the 4digits. The car will not need quarters and the only questionable body part I have is already purchased. I have the bumpers paid for and am waiting to recieve from yearone. Also all the chrome parts are brand new and I have all the rubber replacement parts. I'm thinking when the body is stripped, he will see that it is a solid car. I hope that is the case, if not then he will repair the car and I will still have a nice car to drive around in. Keeping my fingers crossed.