Body work costs

[DaPrato300]

I have never go into a car this deep before. I purchased a 72 Plymouth Barracuda to restore and the car is rather solid. However the trunk pan, two 8x8 inch squares (one on each front fender), the drivers side drip rail, and the deck filler panel has been removed. I've have heard horror stories about taking things like this to the body shop. I am curious if anyone knows what the going rate per hour is on work for rust repair?

I am not looking to have the car primed and painted just yet. I am just looking to get the panels put in place. The final body work will come later.

ANY INPUTS WILL HELP!!!

[realcoray]

Originally Posted by DaPrato300

I have never go into a car this deep before. I purchased a 72 Plymouth Barracuda to restore and the car is rather solid. However the trunk pan, two 8x8 inch squares (one on each front fender), the drivers side drip rail, and the deck filler panel has been removed. I've have heard horror stories about taking things like this to the body shop. I am curious if anyone knows what the going rate per hour is on work for rust repair?

I am not looking to have the car primed and painted just yet. I am just looking to get the panels put in place. The final body work will come later.

ANY INPUTS WILL HELP!!!

The rates vary of course but at a shop I would expect somewhere between 50-100$ an hour, and it'll probably take longer than you'd think to do it right.

[96z28ss]

Originally Posted by DaPrato300

I have never go into a car this deep before. I purchased a 72 Plymouth Barracuda to restore and the car is rather solid. However the trunk pan, two 8x8 inch squares (one on each front fender), the drivers side drip rail, and the deck filler panel has been removed. I've have heard horror stories about taking things like this to the body shop. I am curious if anyone knows what the going rate per hour is on work for rust repair?

I am not looking to have the car primed and painted just yet. I am just looking to get the panels put in place. The final body work will come later.

ANY INPUTS WILL HELP!!!

shops are $50 to $80 an hour around here in Portland. There is a big difference in quality, it all depends what your looking to accomplish.

[elitecustombody]

Originally Posted by DaPrato300

I have never go into a car this deep before. I purchased a 72 Plymouth Barracuda to restore and the car is rather solid. However the trunk pan, two 8x8 inch squares (one on each front fender), the drivers side drip rail, and the deck filler panel has been removed. I've have heard horror stories about taking things like this to the body shop. I am curious if anyone knows what the going rate per hour is on work for rust repair?

I am not looking to have the car primed and painted just yet. I am just looking to get the panels put in place. The final body work will come later.

ANY INPUTS WILL HELP!!!

It seems to me,that average person should be able to manage installing the parts that are removed,instead of paying someone having them installed,buy a little welder and do it yourself.

[realcoray]

Originally Posted by Sparky67

Well, I have seen some average people get in over their heads. Weld jobs were a mess... There is another option, and typically these guys are lot cheaper than your shop rates. Sometimes around $30 an hour, but they work out of their garage. If you chose to do it yourself, then have someone that knows how to do bodywork to teach you. My friend's Dad helped me, but he started doing bodywork at age 16 and still doing it now...He is in mid 70's.

Jeff

It's very true that people do work at lower than shop rates, but for every person who does good work at reasonable cost, there are probably four who do garbage work or no work at all.

[g356gear]

Most shops I talked to seem to end up about 75%-100% more cost than what their initial estimates are. Its not usually their fault, more of what you find after the car is blasted down to metal. There are always hidden secrets, even on a solid car. I just learned that myself. Original quote for repaint was 11K...then 14K.....then 18K.....and ended up at 20K. I could have stayed at probably 15K with just patch work, but if the car was apart I was going to do it right the first time.