# Sticky  Body shop visit update



## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Saw the goat today to check on the progress and all the paint was stripped. I'm proud to say I'm in the club of "This is getting more expensive than I originally thought!" :lol: Soooo, the hunt for a new bondo free front fender starts!
Here are some pix:


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Welcome to the club! :cheers :willy:


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Looking good!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Thats the same color as my 66, but yours is more put together. Good luck, and yes it gets expensive quick. But making it rustfree will be worth it.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

It's only money. You'd just spend it on something silly... Like food or shelter...


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

facn8me said:


> It's only money. You'd just spend it on something silly... Like food or shelter...


I just tell the wife that it's cheaper than drugs!

I guess I could always sleep in the back seat if things get too pricey.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Recent update*

The new quarter panels are installed, the front clip & frame is off and the engine is stripped down. Now it's off to get the frame blasted!
Found some great, rust free fenders here in KC so that will help the cause!


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Lookin'good! :cheers


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Dropped the frame off at the sandblaster today and also uploaded some pix of the block.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Pontiac porn... I love it :cheers

What's the details on those pistons? Veeeeeery interesting.

Bear


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

A couple minor, modern tweaks to improve reliability and longevity. I can send you details if you like.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Odd minds think alike. The first thing I noticed was the pistons. They have the ideal shape of dish, and look like quality units. Tell us more!!!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

I was talking to the sandblasting shop and he make the suggestion that I should powder coat my inner fender wells. Apparently, it's all the rage here in KC (or at least that's what I was told) and the price was pretty cheap so I figured "why not?"
Anyone else have any experience or feedback on doing this?
I pick up the frame Saturday and the fender wells on Monday. I'll upload some pix when I get them back.
Plus, I've read the threads and we have been discussing mixing paint and rhino liner to paint the under body with. Were these originally painted body color or maybe even unpainted?

Now if I can only track down that elusive radiator core support...


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

My inner fenders are powder coated, no miles on them yet but they look great!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Picked up the blasted frame and the new powder coated inner fenders today and drove them to the body shop. Wow, what a difference it makes taking all that rust and crud off! And the fenders look great too!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

FlambeauHO said:


> My inner fenders are powder coated, no miles on them yet but they look great!


Yeah, I was pretty impressed with how they looked and it was pretty cheap too!
Hmmmm, what else can I powder coat?


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Planes, trains, family pets... the possibilities are pretty much endless.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

geeteeohguy said:


> Odd minds think alike. The first thing I noticed was the pistons. They have the ideal shape of dish, and look like quality units. Tell us more!!!


They're KB Performance hypereutectic pistons.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Anyone ever work with Duraglas? Stopped by to drop off the gas tank support (only to find out my guy needed the trunk pan support 'meh') and he used some Duraglas along the quarter seams. I've seen my share of bondo, but this looked like pretty cool stuff!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Little more progress*

The repro quarters are stripped, the deck lid is fitted, driver's floor pan is fitted, rear seat pan is fitted, firewall had everything removed and wire brushed and some filler to smoooooth out the lines.

Even found a rat's behind the firewall which explained why there was so much shredded padding when I stripped the interior!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

MO Goat said:


> Anyone ever work with Duraglas? Stopped by to drop off the gas tank support (only to find out my guy needed the trunk pan support 'meh') and he used some Duraglas along the quarter seams. I've seen my share of bondo, but this looked like pretty cool stuff!


Good stuff, it's fiberglass reinforced bondo. Harder to sand and more durable then bondo.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Engine coming along...but that color doesn't look right. Right?*

The engine should be done in a couple weeks or so and I'm 99.9% sure the color should be a silvery blue, right? This looked like a 70's Trans Am color. Any help here? Anyways, the short block looks awesome! 
Is it worth it to do roller rockers during the rebuild? What about a double timing chain? Questions they asked me if I wanted, but wasn't sure how to respond.
The tranny got dropped off and it was filthy! My rebuilder was nice enough to tear it down in front of me while I snapped pix. He did it in about 1/2 hour while telling me what everything was (my eyes glazed over after he got through explaining what the valve body did!) and whoever invented the auto tranny is a genius! At the end, with everything laying out, it reminded me of that Seinfeld where the mechanic stole Jerry's Saab and they found one in a warehouse. 
"Whoever did this didn't just dismantle it. I mean, they took
their time. They had fun. They were very systematic. They went out
of their way to gouge the side of every piston and the turbo was
separated from the housing and shoved right up the exhaust pipe." :rofl:


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*In primer now!*

Getting block sanded and checking for pin holes. Looks really cool in a uniform color even though it's just primer! Took my 6 week old son to see it today and he started crying. Hope he's not a Mustang fan because I can't afford to do this again! Or maybe he's upset he saw where his college fund is going! :lol:


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

MO Goat said:


> Is it worth it to do roller rockers during the rebuild? What about a double timing chain? Questions they asked me if I wanted, but wasn't sure how to respond.


It all depends on how deep your pockets are, both are nice upgrades. I'd get the roller tip rockers for longevity over aluminum rockers for a street car. The rockers aren't worth that much horsepower, and the timing chain is for longevity, but the normal chain will last forever in a limited use car.
Coming along nice, congrats.
Love the Seinfeld quote, funny.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

:agree Roller tip rockers are good for reducing friction and that's going to show up under your right foot, and also in longevity. That is, of course, provided that you get -good-ones. They are more complex, having more parts, and having one of the roller tips come apart on you isn't super cool wonderful for your engine's welfare. Just that one modification alone isn't likely to make enough difference to show on a time slip. Personally, I'd probably never use the rockers that have just roller tips but still e employ the factory style rocker balls at the pivot point. I'd use full rollers instead. 
Timing chain is another topic -- you definitely want to nuke the plastic toothed cam gear if you still have that and go with a solid steel gear. Othern' that, I've recently read an article/opinion where the position taken was that the double roller chains will actually stretch more than the factory style chains/gears with the wide teeth. I am running a double roller in the Beast, but whenever it's time for a rebuild I'll definitely look into the topic a little deeper before I decide. One advantage might be that usually double roller sets are available that permit easily advancing/retarding the cam to several different settings, but you can accomplish the same thing with the factory style gear sets through the use of offset keys.

My usual response to 'is it worth it' questions is to say that it depends on whether you think the benefit justifies the cost - and that's up to you.

Engine color should be whatever is right for the year of the car. I love the Pontiac Metallic blue engine color myself... Eastwood has it in a 2k ceramic formulation and that's what I used on the Beast.

I hear you on the tranny.... I've got an extra TH400 in my garage that I'm going to go through myself "someday" just so I can learn about them.

Glad to hear that things are coming along for you :cheers

Bear


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Finally, some paint!*

The frame got painted and looks great after it was sandblasted! The hood, front valence & bumper are primed & sanded too. It should be painted by Christmas so I'm shooting for a March "first cruise" after I get it all back together.

Plus, removed the dash, but had a casualty with the dash pad. It cracked at each corner due to the stress of removing it and its age. Are these repairable or is it best to go repro? Probably need to get new chome vents too...and knobs...and a glove box. 

Deeper and deeper I sink. :lol:

Also, who does dashboard refurb like rechroming the rings & polishing the lenses AND can go through the gauges? What about restoring the steering wheel's few minor cracks and the column? Any advice there?

Finally, who is the Quadrajet guru that can rebuild it & also redip it to look new?

Thanks!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Oops. Shrunk the file size. 

I'll put some new fittings, lines & brackets on it to dress it up from its "stealth" look.

For those of you scoring at home, that's a 1970 Challenger RT 440 parked next to my frame waiting for some funds from the owner to finish it. I've already offered to help the current owner out of this financial burden, but apparently there's a line of people willing to help!


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

MO Goat wrote:"Also, who does dashboard refurb like rechroming the rings & polishing the lenses AND can go through the gauges? What about restoring the steering wheel's few minor cracks and the column? Any advice there?"

For the dash bezel/glove-box door and trim escutcheon, I am very happy with the work that I had done recently. The company I used was Vacuum Orna-Metal in Romulus, Michigan. Here's the thread:http://www.gtoforum.com/f12/plastic-plating-vacuum-orna-metal-excellent-39516/









The colors look black in the pictures, but they are the exact, correct green/blue. There are more pics in the thread...they did a great job.


My steering wheel was cracked iin several places; I did it myself. "Vee" out the cracks and use PC-7 or similar epoxy to fill the gaps. You can find "How-to" articles on the web. The process is fairly simple, but time consuming.

Pics of my wheel before/after:
BEFORE...All the white areas are the first layer of epoxy filler after opening up all the cracks. As you can see, there was a lot of repair work to be done:








AFTER:


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Very impressive! Thanks for the tip and I'll give them a call & look up some "how to" articles on the web for the wheel.

Did your gauges function properly or did you have an electronics shop go through them? I'd like to be sure I'm not pulling the dash off again.


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## bondobill (Oct 24, 2011)

Mo 
Brent sent his 68 gauges..speedo, oil, temp to Precision Pontiac..Peter Serio.
Should have them back next week.

He purchased a dash cover from PY. 
With the dash pad off it was a simple install, fit good and looks good.

Bill


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Any rough prices on gauge service? My tach needs reman.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*And a little more progress...*

The body lines are all set so the doors are off and the dash, door jambs and hinge areas are being worked on. I was very pleased to see he took out the striker and door latch. Such a turn off when you open the door to a restored car and the striker and door latch are painted the body color.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

FlambeauHO said:


> Any rough prices on gauge service? My tach needs reman.


Earlier this week, I sent my gauges off to Auto Instruments in VA and talked with them yesterday about what I wanted to have done. They can can do a full resto with new numbers/letters. etc. or do a cosmetic restoration with an acid dip. Since mine weren't in too bad of shape and since my car isn't anything special, I opted for the latter and am having them redo the fuel gauge since it yellowed pretty badly, repaint the needles, convert the clock to quartz, recalibrate the speedo, polish the lense and reset the odometer to "0" miles. They're also beadblasting the casing and repainting it at no extra cost. They can do a custom package for what you want so it's probably best to call them, but I think just a tach rebuild is about $175. (Link below)

Speedometer Repair Tachometer Clock and Gauge Restoration for Musclecars and Vintage Automobiles

I found them easy to work with, very friendly and very helpful. I can tell you more regarding their work when I get them back in a few weeks.

Hope that helps.

Anyone you recommend to rechrome the dash? I'm leaning towards Performance Restorations in Keller, TX.

My Quadrajet has been sent to the Barker Gang Garage in Denver and my bumper is at LMK in MN getting rechromed so things should be coming together nicely after my car is painted in January.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Last minute details before paint.*

Stopped by today to pick up a rear vent window with a snapped off roller (new post coming soon on what to do! :lol and took a few more pix. Still really happy to see the entire striker out and even though I didn't take the picture, the latch was removed from the door too.
A few pinholes in the bottom of the doors, but Duraglass took care of that. Glad the new Legendary door panels will cover the speaker holes the previous owner cut out.
He told me I'd never know a trunk patch panel was in there...and he was right! Especially after some splatter paint!
It was interesting to see the unweathered Springmist green paint on the inside of the door. Probably not the most popular color of 1968, but I haven't seen a GTO in person in that color yet.


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Looking great! Anxious to see the Legendary panels, may get mine first!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Yes, I'm sure you will! I just made the decision after seeing the posts, but haven't pulled the trigger on them yet...with Christmas bills and all.
Let me know what you think of them when they arrive.


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Will do, I may wait til tax returns come in... im after carb and remote mirror now.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Carb work*

Barker Garage got my Q-jet disassembled and looks like it was in rough shape. In addition to the broken float hinge, it was warped 1/4" from front to back AND side to side. Guess that explains why fuel poured out of the sides and onto the intake manifold when I was trying to prime it! They say they can get it back to better than new and correct the 41 factory faults (I think that's what he said) at the same time.

They may have some extra carbs for sale or know where to get one if you want to give them a call.

Automobile Customizing and Restoration - Barker Gang Garage Web Site


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## gjones (Oct 8, 2012)

*warped carb*

Whoooo... Never seen a carb. warped that bad before! Someone must have set the engine on "broil" mode!


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Got my correct # carb on the way, gonna try to rebuild it myself first, thanks for the tip! Looking great by the way.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Engine is almost done*

But what part about "stop painting it because it's the wrong color" don't they understand? So frustrating! :shutme 

I'll have my body guy paint it the correct Pontiac silvery blue.

Also found this tag on the transmission. I assume the "P X" is a code for the 400 TH? Also found it painted on the casing after it was cleaned and I'm going to have it restenciled back on.


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## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

PX - 400CI 4V NON-Ram Air. I've got one at home under the bench out of a '69.


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## rc67gto (Jan 31, 2013)

What did they use to take the body to bare metal ?


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Just a DA and hand sanding. My guy does it out of his house, works on referrals only and loves getting old muscle back on the road. It's not an "Overhauling" 7 day turnaround, but he takes his time and does it right. It's coming up on 1 year, but it also allows me to work some more to save more money!

I did have the frame sandblasted though.


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Had mine soda blasted. 3 hours =900 bucks and bare metal car. When my shop f%&#@ up the primer I came in with 50 harbor freight 80 grit DA discs and 50 120 grit. Coupled with a bit of hand sanding 3 of us had it back in bare metal in 4-5 hours. Of course fresh primer comes of quicker than old paint...


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Had the radiator tested before it goes back in and it needed some repairs (along with the entire A/C system! Ouch!!!)
Since I didn't want to go repro, I had the radiator re-cored and it has the Harrison logo on the tanks along with the tag, but I noticed two of the numbers say "74" on it. Could this be a newer radiator from 1974 or does it mean something else?


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Carb pix...part 2!*

I tried to reformat the carb pix from my iPhone so they look better. In person, the carb looks awesome! Thanks to Dennis Barker Gang Garage in Denver!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Transmission is done too!*

Looks brand new and too bad it's underneath the car so no one can see it! Just a mild shift kit to firm up the shifts, reattached the ID tag and the "PX" stencil repainted on it that we found after degreasing 44 years of grime off it.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Gauges are back*

They look great and I used Auto Instruments in Martinsville, VA. Great to work with, high quality work and I'd recommend them if anyone is looking for gauge service.

The service I had was to have them acid dipped, cleaned, recalibrated, needles repainted, lenses polished, speedo rebuilt, clock converted to quartz, casing blasted, new bulbs and odometer set back to "0" since this car will be pretty much brand new!

One step closer!


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Looking good! I'm gonna yank my gauges back out in a year or so to tweak backlighting and fix my dash tach.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Getting there...*

Haven't posted in awhile on my progress, but got the bumper replated, the dash pad back from Just Dashes and the dashboard back from Performance Restorations. I'll get some pictures posted later, but the bumper looks great and I had it done through LMK. The dash pad looks amazing AND it came back in the timeframe that was quoted to me from Just Dashes. As far as the dashboard, I don't know if I had my hopes up too high, but I wasn't blown away. It took twice as long as quoted (never received a call back after inquiring about when it would be done three times), I noticed some small specks in the chrome, the veneer was lifting up in the tight areas and it wasn't a snug fit around the gauge openings. I called to inquire and Darryl called me back to explain the veneer was in a tight area and that's why it was pulling up so I should use Super Glue to glue it back down. He then said the veneer wasn't tight around the gauges because it couldn't be cut that precise and that's how the originals were and why there's the texture on the plastic behind it. Not to mention, he didn't send back the glovebox door, hinges and shift plate veneer panel I ordered yet.
Maybe my hopes were too high or this truly was how they came from the factory. Anyone else have any experience like this or can offer some insight?
Also, who redoes seat belts? 
Bought an OEM set of 14"x6" wheels and one had a ding in the lip. Just heating it up with a torch and pounding it smooth the best way to fix this?
Thanks!


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Heating up with a torch and pounding it out may change the appearance of the outside of the rim. Might wanna call who you got them from and get that one rim swapped out with shipping damage.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

I bought them from a guy I've been buying my parts from up in Omaha who has a barn full of parts. They were used and got them for $100/set when I pointed out the ding so I can't complain too much.

If the outside lip does distort I figure I can cover it with the trim ring.

Thanks for the tip!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Okay, been a LOOOONG time since I've posted due to my resto guy's personal life and may be looking for another shop to finish the job. But that's for another post. :banghead:

On the A/C side, I've heard many stories that it's better to buy a complete new system (compressor, evap, condenser, etc.) than to restore my existing system so you eliminate any issues due to age. Any input on that?

If anyone has had success restoring, who have they used? Someone like Classic Auto Air?

Thank you.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Well, pretty much lost interest for awhile since my body guy went MIA, but I've rekindled the fire a little today by talking with another body guy (the other one I considered before choosing the "bad" one) and he's going to do a few parts for me so I can get back on track and get it finished.

Regarding the Hurst "his/hers" shifter, how do you get that pin out so I can get the shift lever out to get rechromed? I started to take a hammer and screwdriver to it, but it wouldn't budge. I didn't want to hit it too hard for fear of breaking something. Is there a cotter pin in there or something?


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

I don't mean to "pick a scab" here, but seeing that you started this topic in April of 2012, I have to ask why so long? How much of it was your doing vs the shop if any? Is it a regular body (collision) shop? I'm asking because I'm in the restoration business. This is work that can never be quoted to an absolute until the whole car is dismantled and properly assessed for condition and repair. Then there's the question of authenticity in the details, things like under the car and the use of sealants, overspray, color. None of it is really harder to do nor requires that much more time. Then there's the rate and frequency of payments. I personally bill every week. Keeps the cash flow right on my end, lets the client know the pace and progress. I've been asked many times too numerous to mention "...what _body shop_ is good for..." and I give same answer. "None of them". Their business is routine collision repair. Their money is pre-determined by insurance companies and the techs earn by how well they can "beat the clock". If there's 4hrs to replace a 1/4 panel they need to do it in 2 or they make like $17/hr. That's chump change in the collision biz. Of course they need to cover all the requirements of that job too. "Our" work is based on quality, discipline, attention to detail and how well we serve the client's request/expectations. My ad budget over the last 40yrs wouldn't buy enough paint to refinish your whole car. 99.9% of my work is referred by those I've served prior, most of them become friends too. This business is as much about relationships as it is quality work. I am indeed working on 1 car that I've had for 2yrs and the circumstances have changed on it several times. A higher end street rod build that has now become a full build vs just fit and finish. It happens. 

Again, I don't mean to pick a scab and I feel for you waiting so long and now your shop/rsto guy is MIA. I hope he at least kept track of the small detail parts that can become very costly to track down if missing. Good luck and I hope it all works out.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

No worries at all and to give you the backstory, I interviewed several shops and this one was one of two recommended by a very reputable engine builder in the KC area. He did them out of a shop at his home and I checked over his previous work. We went over the car together, what I wanted done, assessed all the areas that needed attention and agreed on a price. Things went really fast at first with the teardown, paint stripping and bodywork. I paid him in stages so I'm not in the hole. 
Then in 2013 he started to really stall out. Wouldn't answer calls or texts and when he finally called, it was always that he was going to get to it. And then I found out his wife lost her job and he had to take a job so they could have health insurance. That part I understand. Life happens. I get it. But the part that frustrates me is that he calls me about every 3-4 months and says it will be done soon..and never is. Don't know if it's a pride thing or what that he won't admit he can't finish it or he may have the best intentions, but I'm going to go pick it up and go elsewhere. 
The parts should all be in his shop but I have most of a them restored and in a storage locker.
Yeah, it's really left a sour taste in my mouth with this project, but it could always be worse. There are people wondering where their family's next meal is coming from or losing their jobs so I've tried to keep it in perspective.
Thanks for the well wishes and if I still lived in Michigan, I'd bring it to your shop!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Maybe I'm on a really extended episode of "Overhaulin"?


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## dan woodland (Jul 24, 2013)

MO Goat said:


> Maybe I'm on a really extended episode of "Overhaulin"?


How frustrating, I feel for ya. I spent all summer dropping off and picking up uncompleted work from one place after another - on a smaller scale that yours but no less frustrating. I finally paid a little more than I wanted for some stuff but it got done. It took me all summer to get done what should have taken a month. I ended up doing most of it myself!

Good luck with your restore, let us know how it goes. Dan


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

As long as you're handling it ok it's all good. I hope I don't leave the impression that I'm a saint in this regard. I'm not, and work like this will indeed get under your skin at times. On my long term build I went down 3 different times with a back condition that laid me out for 2-4 weeks each time. It's heII not being able to do a thing and then piling the worry of the client on top of it. I should be on disability but I just can't do it. I'm fortunate in the fact that my client understands and has the patience to wait it out when it happens. He expresses more concern for me than his car (remember, "relationships"). I've also been generous with him for that because most things in life worth doing go two ways, yours/theirs. Again, as long as all is well and you haven't lost anything I'm glad for ya. It's hard enough to get a good car and even harder to do it up. My schitt sits around most of the time (barefoot shoemaker syndrome).


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks guys. I definitely have my moments where I get really upset thinking about it, but I'm going over there to see what the deal is. I've since left several other voicemails terminating the relationship and trying to arrange a time to pick up my car with no response so my Spidey sense is tingling.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

MO Goat said:


> Okay, been a LOOOONG time since I've posted due to my resto guy's personal life and may be looking for another shop to finish the job. But that's for another post. :banghead:
> 
> On the A/C side, I've heard many stories that it's better to buy a complete new system (compressor, evap, condenser, etc.) than to restore my existing system so you eliminate any issues due to age. Any input on that?
> 
> ...


I am doing the A/C myself and the only age issue so far is the plenum.
I just put mine back together, I was able to source another unit with a good metal side to hold the new heater core but the fiberglass outer shell was so brittle on both units I did the repairs with JB weld on the best of the two then re glassed the part with fiberglass cloth and resin.
I also repaired the leaf switches on the control, replaced the vacuum cans and bench tested the unit with a vacuum pump.
I had to fabricate the half of the clamshell clamp that seals the end of the plenum to the kick panel, that part is made of unobtainium.
On the engine side my compressor was fine, a new dryer and a recharge.
I don't know about the aftermarket units, I want this car to be original so I just restored the original parts.


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

You might try to source a unit or parts from someone with a modern build going on. Also, if you have access to a Hollander interchange manual you'll find how many cars used the exact same parts. Many with little to no value restored so their parts are cheap.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Well, time to involve the authorities. I stopped by twice and no one would answer the door even though the dogs were in the house and there was smoke coming from the chimney. I left two, polite notes to please call me and he hasn't taken one of my calls or answered any of my texts.
I don't know if he's run off, dead, got divorced, sold my car for drugs, etc. 
I spoke with the sheriff's department and they said they would go get my car for me after I tried to make contact with no success.
Very frustrating it came to this especially when it started off so well. I kick myself for getting myself into this, but hindsight is always 20/20. So now I have to figure out what to do from here. If it wasn't such a financial loss, I'd sell it off and be done with it, but I know it's worth more after I finish it. A good friend at work builds hot rods and he said he'd paint it for me for $1,000 if I helped him so that may be a route to take.
At least I have two healthy sons (who will have to wait awhile while dad gets a muscle car to take them to car shows in) and we're provided for. Could be worse...but it could be a lot less frustrating.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Best of luck - please keep us posted on developments.

Sorry you're having to go through this crap...

Bear


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

No updates despite repeated attempts to contact so it's time to pull the plug on this one and go to the Sheriff's office.
On a good note, one of my GTO parts resources agreed to sell me his 1969 GTO matching #'s convertible for a pretty fair price.
Hmmmm, so what can I get for this partially finished project?


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

whats taking you so long to get your car out of there????????????
seems like it has been almost 2 years since this started going south.
hopefully the car is still there and he hasnt sold it off to support his meth habit.
I though my body shop story has bad, but at least after 16 months my car was painted.
Good luck


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Thank you and you pose a fair question. Part of it is the denial that this is happening. I've been so thorough with this project and research everything to the Nth degree before making a decision that I think it's still going to get done. It's SOOOO close! All the body work is done, it's primed. JUST PAINT IT!
If it was gone, that may be the best case and then turn it into insurance.
The second part is the hassle of going to get it, finding a storage locker, getting another guy lined up, deciding on legal action, etc.
I'll keep you posted on how this whole thing turns out.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

MO, if you aren't more aggressive and don't take action immediately, you are guaranteed to lose everything you have invested. Just the way these things work. Get the car back now, and figure out the rest later.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

With the help of a couple friends and the Sheriff's deputy, I got the GTO picked up today. I left voicemails & sent texts that I was coming to get it with NOT ONE response and when we showed up today the body was on the chassis with all the parts inside and in the trunk ready to load up. WTF. I'll let the frustration simmer down before I decide what to do, but at least it's all in my possession now.


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## tiretread (Sep 28, 2015)

Wow. I'm so glad you got the car back. What a freaking ordeal.


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Good deal, post pics of the progress when you get it stationary.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks guys and I'm glad to at least have it in my possession. 
After I picked it up, it was obvious the guy didn't do sh*t with it over the last 2 years and I took it directly to a more reputable guy for an evaluation of what it would cost to finish it up. He said for what the guy charged me, he wasn't close to the price I should have been charged. Said it looked like a lot of primer was sprayed to make it look like he was doing work. He showed me some really small details in the lines of the car that should have been correct.
Fortunately, I know a lawyer that has experience in cases like this so I'll be contacting him this week to get his thoughts and my options. I have no problem paying someone for their work, but this guy didn't live up to his end of the deal. 
Right now, it's sitting comfortably in a storage locker till I decide what to do, but I did take some parts home to clean up and polish to get the inspiration back.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Went to court today and we ended up settling with him actually paying me a majority of the funds on the spot. I didn't get the total amount he owed me, but close enough to give me some closure and he even brought the radiator to return to me. Now comes the decision on what to do. Current thoughts are to take the money, sell off the rest as a project, suck it up and move on. Continue on the path to restore it to original but having to invest more into it and then keep it or sell it. Lastly, continue the restoration, but change the Springmist Green to Black, leave off the vinyl top, add some modern advancements like disc brakes, electric headlights, take out the A/C to clean up the engine bay, etc. Black with blacked out front grills just looks so sinister!

I've got some time to decide, but for now I'll just enjoy the victory. One question is how much does changing the color on a numbers matching car affect the value? I've seen figures of 15-20% but does anyone have any hard data?


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

I just got paid the rest of the money owed to me and after much debate, I just couldn't sell it off. It really started off as a fun project 5 years ago and I want that to continue so it's going into a REPUTABLE shop in about 30 days to get finished. My son, even though he's only 3, has really gotten attached to it. At his request, we drive over to the storage locker just so he can see it. It will be fun to see what he thinks when we go for our first ride!
Regarding the direction, even though it's a #'s matching car, I'm still leaning towards a fresh start and going with black and if budget allows, some upgraded wheels, posi and disc brakes. Make it into the car I'd want to drive.


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## SIK67SS (Apr 5, 2016)

Talk about an ordeal! Glad everything seems to have worked out (best it could given the circumstances) and you're on a new fresh road to resto-completion!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks and it feels good to have that behind me with a plan in place to move forward. I drop off the engine tomorrow and then the body in a couple weeks so we can strip off all the primer to check the previous guy's work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that one. If everything is good, it will free up the budget to add a posi & disc brakes.


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Here we go again!*

It wasn't late May like I thought, but my GTO is finally in its new home to get finished up. Feels good to get this project back on the road to completion!


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

*Fastener kits*

After going through and cleaning all the buckets of fasteners, so many are stripped or damaged. Not to mention, I don't know how many are missing. Since this is going on a rotisserie now, I'd like everything to look new. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on fastener kits? After doing some research, looks like AMK Products makes some good ones but any other thoughts or suggestions?


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## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

I can't believe it's been 5 years since I've posted, but my car is finally at the finish line. Unfortunately, the body shop that was supposed to finish it stopped doing resto's after a 67 Mustang and 66 GTO right in front of mine. (Why not, right?) Fortunately, one of the parents (who restores cars out of his house) of one of the shop's employees stopped by, saw my car, struck up a conversation with the shop owner about my story and said he'd finish it up. He jumped on it right away and had the body work done, engine installed & running and brakes complete in just a few months. From there, he gave me the contact info of a glass shop only 5 miles from my house where the other side of the business was a resto shop! It arrived there this fall and it's already been painted and they were doing the wiring when I stopped by yesterday. The glass goes in soon and the seats are done at the upholstery shop who's waiting for the car to finish up the carpet, headliner, etc.
It's been such an ordeal. I wanted to quit on it so bad and even asked the former shop if they wanted to buy it, but my gut told me to keep on keeping on and feel good about where I'm at.
Over the years, I decided to go away from the stock original look and made the car I wanted. It's nothing over the top but I changed the color from Springmist Green to black, added MSD ignition, Hooker ceramic headers, Vintage Air, electric hideaways, posi rear end, 3" Magnaflow exhaust, all new glass, full sound deadening, custom stereo along some other things I'm probably forgetting. 
The last piece is picking out some wheels and am leaning towards Cragar SS's. Always wanted a set on a car. 

Anyways, here's how it looks right now.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Looking great! Perseverance, focus on the end results, and patience helps. I have not touched my '68 Lemans in almost 5 years due to another unexpected project, a rebuild of my brother's 1948 International box truck that he bought off Ebay thinking it just might need a few items and it would be rolling/driving. NOT! So I am getting close to being done and tackling body repairs/paint as my poor Lemans quietly sits under a tarp with the frame/suspension/brakes done and body set down on the new fame bushings. Got all the engine parts done on the 455 and ready for assembly, have the TKO-600 and clutch set-up, have the new parchment interior ready, dash cluster completed, new complete wiring harness, new glass, and who knows what else as I have been buying parts over the years so when I jump back on it, it should go together quickly once I massage all the body rust/rot - a project unto itself.

Like that you decided to build it the way you envision it. I am doing the "resto-mod" and it's not about restoration for me as I want it to look the way I see the car finished. I am going mid-70's era look as that was the era I graduated and recall the jacked up rear ends, big & little tires, tunnel rams & dual carbs. I recently added the slotted aluminum rims from Summit to my pile of parts; 15 x 10 rears, 15 x 7 fronts. Have the Hoosier 15" x 29" tall x 12.5" wide tires for the back. The slotted aluminums were popular back in mid 70's as were the Cragar SS, Keystone spokes, and American racing mags with the blacked out center spokes.

Keep moving forward.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Great color... 

Bear


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## Duff (Jan 12, 2020)

Very nice endura to fender gaps, someone knows what they're doing. Congratulations!


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