I have built a shit load of cars and own a licensed repair shop and I can tell you right now, you are 100% correct. A simple strip and re paint with minimal dents and no rust is still gonna take 200 to 300 hundred hours
As somebody who has worked in a couple of restoration shops, I couldn't agree more! All the dumb shows on TV that portray cars being completely restored inside 2 weeks and selling for huge profits are to blame.
And for sure they are people that have never attempted to restore one lol. I've done 3 going on 4 restorations for myself, in my backyard..and they have come out great. BUT...they take many many many hours and the cost is insane even doing everything myself. It's a catch 22.…bodymen can't hardly charge enough to make it worthwhile for their time and the customer car isn't valued worth the cost of the hours it takes to restore one of these old cars. In my experience it takes 800-1200 hours to restore a car and that's when they are in good shape....it's a real problem
@@loganshotrod4x464 oh I can see that. I'm an odd bird 😂 I have panic disorder, specifically when I'm driving so I prefer the tedious process of the build more than the driving. My wife and Daughter are at an amusement park and I'm anxious so I'm outside with a spot light sanding on a 46 Chevy truck lol. Can only imagine what my neighbors think of me
@@teabag402: Your neighbors might not understand but I certainly do. I didn’t understand why I fell into a depression when I finished my 31 Ford. I think it was because I was so used to “working on it” that it felt strange when I wasn’t. That, in tandem with the realization that it’s going to endure wear & tear now that it’s finished & driven regularly, it’s a big change & it took me a while to adjust. Eventually, our work on one project has to come to an end with high performance results or it’s impossible to justify the cost of what we put into it. A 46 Chevy… I’ve had the itch to get one, but I promised my wife I’d finish the projects I already have before I grab another one. Cheers Homie! 👍😎
@loganshotrod4x464 I know that's right. I promised myself the same thing and it's hard when you see a smoking deal on a project. I'm almost done with the 46 and then I'll pickup another and build this one to sell since I'll be out of space. For me setting and accomplishing the goals and looking at what you've accomplished and burning off some stress makes it something I hope to do for a very long time Lord willing.
Dude, you are my hero! I do think though that a lot of people just have no clue how much time goes into quality work that they want to have. Time is money...but also not considered that you brought up is that a seasoned pro such as yourself can get so much more done in a lot less time than some shade tree hack like myself. In the end, when it comes to the hours and the money needed there are definitely times where I know I'm better off "writing a check" and having a pro do it, then take my happy ass to work for some overtime that I'm actually good at to pay for it.
Been watching your videos over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy the antics for a chuckle but mostly appreciate the tips that have obviously been learned through experience. Thanks!
Your are 100% correct. My son and I lost our ass over the last few years restoring old cars. The amount of hours it take to make everything straight does not pay good. Not even factoring in paint supplies. We’re finally getting into collision work.
How About The "Lifetime Warranty" The Insurance Company's Want Shops To Carry On The Clear Coat!!! Hell The Original Manufacturer Didn't Give But A 3 Year 36 Thousand Mile Warranty But The Repair Shops Should Give A Lifetime Warranty On Something They Did Not Make!!!
Guess who's gonna come into your shop and dictate your labor rates, tell you how to do the repair cheaper(not better), find the cheapest parts for you to use. It's a battle. Insurance companies are the same across the board. Home, health and auto.
Good ain't cheap and cheap ain't good !! As a guy who has literally built a body from scratch, forming flat sheet stock over hand made bucks, I can truthfully say that THAT hard job is actually easier than resurrecting many of the beat up , bondo slathered, rusted , salt attacked cars that many body men are faced with. People nowadays have been trained with a generations worth of cheap Chinese products dominating their lives that have screwed up their sense of what real goods and skilled services cost ....... The same guy who bitches about what a bodyman charges drives away in his $75,000 - $100,000 "HD" pickup truck (which is an over priced, over rated pile of crap ego trip). I agree with this rant !!
Yep , restorations take twice as long as expected , aftermarket parts don't fit . It's a battle start to finish . Restorations don't make you rich . These clowns that think it's easy don't know which end of a screwdriver to hold . Well said you are 100 % correct
I did a 72 chev k20 for a friend rockers cab corners floors kick panels rust repair in doors cowl drip rails fixed fuel doors in bedsides that were patched with shit over the top and rusted the bedsides. moved the gas tank under the bed Installed 4l80e trans with efi vintage air turned the non a/c dash to an a/c dash painted and cleared the whole thing new bed wood. had to repair the Chinees tailgate that was put on 10 years before because he didn't want to buy doors or tailgate. I am a Mechanic and a very good one at that but a body man I am not even less a painter. Had I charged $20 an hour he would have paid $50,000 dollars I took money from myself to finish it he called me in September and said their was a bubble in the passenger door at the bottom where I MISSED THE RUST. it has been 3 years he called me back and said we were disconnected we got disconnected again. I did the job because the truck once belonged to a friend of us both and was his pride and joy.
Ok I’m a girl who doesn’t do that HOWEVER my best friend he’s a 60 year old body guy been doin it his entire life it’s hard ass work ppl! It tedious as fuck! Y’all deserve every single penny you make! My husband not a body or paint guy learned how n painted his Corvette it took such a long ass time that’s a hard sometimes toiling job 🤷♀️🤦♀️ I hear you my good sir I loved this post! He’s preaching some truths! ❤
I've been there myself many times. I once replace quarter panels inner and outer on both sides of a 69 Chevelle for under a grand including the panels for a friend and gave it back in primer. My friend said it looked amazing and was super happy and then cried about the price when i gave him the bill. That was 10 years ago, he still hasn't called me again. He was thinking 200 dollars or so LOL. You nailed it brother, stick to your guns and to hell with the haters. I hit subscribe.
Yep, for some reason a lot of people think this work is always negotiable. Like every dollar charged is pure profit. Mechanics don't seem to have this problem at almost 3x the rate.
When I was in high school at a 79 Firebird, anyways I worked part time in the body shop in high school! On the first door as I ever had to shim was on a Camaro or Firebird, I can’t remember, but those long doors are almost impossible without extreme skill. You need to have a Jack platform underneath it to lift the door up properly and put it up a quarter of an inch higher on the one end and then let it sink back down.
Good video Dude… I feel yer pain. I’m a concrete guy, same thing everybody thinks we’re RICH because materials are crazy expensive (TRIPLED in five years!) and we still make under $25/hr with 35 years experience. I can only afford my ‘35 Chevy hobby because I don’t count the hours (25 years!) and yes your time is your own- Good thing I’m not paying ME…. I couldn’t afford to hand out $25 hr and that is NOT A HIGH WAGE. But it sure doesn’t buy a very skilled BODY EXPERT… like you say, you’re supposed to make sure it’s pretty and BODY PANELS FIT! In the end, people who DONT DO ANYTHING can easily DE-VALUE anybody.
I understand, I had it done, complete tear down, stripped, blasted, metal replacement by a master metal fab guy, body and paint and 100 of hours maybe well over a 1000 hours. $44,000 and perfectly done and I know it was done right, nothing skipped or hidden, better then new. Well worth it to know what you got WTH no mistakes later.
Seen a guy on his channel said it best. Just because I’m TV famous doesn’t mean I can overcharge market price. And he’s very well TV famous. I’m a road tech, $150/$160 for me to walk in the door. Thennnnn start the process of finding the truck, figuring it out, ordering parts if needed then when they show up, come back and repair. I make 1/5th of that hour. Respectable but no where near shop cost. The van, insurance, information available, office people, gas money. That’s all under that $150/hr. I bring my body, tools and knowledge.
I agree. BUT! The $ 20,000. Paint job that covers up the $5,000. Worth of work , when you pick it up TWO years later! And you complain about something they start telling you how bad the car was. I’m not the body man,you set the price, I agreed, then after it’s painted you tell me how bad the car was? This is not every one or every case but you talk about these very people quite a bit. Thank you , and enjoyed the video.
Agree with you 100% I started working on a body shop 1968 after 20 years all I got out of that deal bad back bad knees bad eyesight you have to know how to do suspension work paint work and deal with a****** customers no benefits no pension just hard work
You are right, and that’s exactly why I do all myself for 3 decades. Restoring a car takes loads of time and unless you have lots of money to pay someone all the hours, it’s impossible to let fully restore a car and keep the hobby affordable. That’s why your job is stamped as expensive, because… it is in the end! That the bill is honest and reflecting the work done is irrelevant. And you are in north America, imagine what we as Europeans have also to pay to keep these old us cars running. Basically 2 to 4x more for every single parts we import.
The saying that "restoration works a labor of love, because there is no money in it" is very accurate. Insurance jobs on new cars where the money is at
Working auto shop in high school, I’m a 50-year-old Contractor restoration renovator old character. Homes are the same thing people don’t realize I think for 10 grand. Can I fix up this old house no for 10 grand you can get some flooring in your bedroom and some new baseboards, and maybe a window.
What's the difference between need and want? A Plumber / Carpenter / Electrician / Mechanic, when a customer needs one of these trades they Pay up and shut up. When somebody wants body work, they never have enough money for it and all they do is complain. Do not give guesstimates. Qualify your client in the first 5 minutes. Materials and Cost per hour, double It. Auto body workers should make twice what a carpenter makes. I know I’ve done both.
My policy on restorations is charged time and materials, no estimates. Too much trash covered up on these old vehicles. Don't know what you're walking into.
I'm not a body man, but I really felt you, and I agree. I'm getting ready to send my 67 Mustang off to be painted and I am prepared to spend a small fortune on it. And that is fine as long as it's done to my satisfaction. The paint, and more importantly, the bodywork is the most important and impressive part of a restoration. If you skimp out on that, it will show and will bother you every time you walk up to it. The only solution is to do it all over again and spend even more money. Paint and body work isn't just a skill. It's an art. Sure, you can find someone to do it cheaper but you'll regret it.
I have sorted out a few owner restored cars - gapping panels, adjusting the windows to work correctly,(without helping them up or using "tricks") adjusting latches and strikers, etc etc
Where I live in South Carolina, mechanic's flat rate is $178.00 per hour.... body techs get $48.00!!! (If you're any good, you might get 50% of the flat rate, or, you're a hack and get $18.00 per.) As I like to tell my over paid, parts hanging, wrench turner friends..."You'll impress me with your skill when I see you cut a carburetor in half, section it with half of a junkyard carburetor, where your welds don't leak and the car runs smooth as silk ..." Plus, installing a new throttle body or carburetor does not compromise the cars structural integrity, something a body tech has to deal with seriously or people could be hurt in their next accident! I will leave you with the words a well known car customizer told me my first day working in his shop in 1969, "Your job here is NOT to make things look like they have never been fixed...it's to make things look like they NEVER NEEDED to be fixed!" Carry on.
I don’t know why people get so mad about restoration body men. It takes a lot of time and effort and skill as well as materials have astronomically risen in cost since the pandemic. I’m always happy that I have a shop that will do refinishing and restoration for me and I understand that cost money. If people don’t wanna do it then just don’t get into it, or learn the skills and learn how to do it themselves.
Yeah man! I was ordering the paint for my project at car quest. The guy suggested maybe I get someone to spray it and gave me the guys number. He said he'd do it for a grand, which was ok. But I painted the car apart, assembled it, and finished painting the exterior.took me a week. The paint was about 1200 bucks. It's gotta be a 30k paint job had I hired someone to do it. But I took 8 years of "spare time" to built it so far.bits almost there. At the end of the day, it's only gotta be as good as I can do it, sob8 can actually enjoy it. I'll admit I'm a carpenter, and just watched a ton of you tube to learn some great tips😊
Yes, I totally get it, and agree. There’s no shortage of characters or there that will take your money and do half-assed work. IF I can even find a guy/shop that will DO old cars up here, they all will charge a living wage for the work that they do. For example, right now I’m looking to get one of my cars into a guy. One is an American, has a shop.. I know his extended family. His work will cost around 15k for my car. For the SAME car, there’s this (non US born/not great English speaking) guy who is saying that he’ll do it for $2000. Both of these are without paint. It seems like the “cheap” guy does decent work.. but the language barrier and fear of being ripped off scare me. That’s too good to be true. Lots of shops around here charge like 20k or more for full car bodywork.
The last “cheap job” i did was a just a hood (thank God). The bodywork was horrendous. The guy who recommended the painter to me decided it was “just the guy having a bad day”, ignored the job he did on my hood, had the guy do work on his car, and is now re-painting his entire firebird. I’m totally fine being cheap, but I won’t give someone a job unless I can physically see a completed project they did.
New subscriber here. I’m with ya the whole way! Fkn people, they don’t get their priorities straight then expect someone else to fix their shit for em. I’m an equal opportunity hater, I hate everybody, and don’t trust anyone until I get to know ya. Well sir, I’ve seen 2 of your vidjuhz and I’m a lifer now. You’re honest, and that’s the most important thing in a person.
I did body work in the 80s. I got out for 2 reasons. I really didn't like doing it. I never really made much money. Damn insurance companies are damn good at cheating. I am glad that i know how to do it though, i can domy own shit. That's about all the good i can day sbout it. Like your channel, always good for a few laughs.
Hey Tony! Just recently found your channel and I gotta say, I'm a fan. I don't know if you read these comments, or even give a shit, but I'm already spreading the word to my buddies about your channel. I really hope you continue to make these videos, cause the industry needs more of your honesty, humor, and truth of what it takes to do this kinda work.
This rant reminds me of a time when I was a kid and my father came home and vented about how customers had started leaving complaints that were being put on his record, but the compmaints were just either a generic "it costs too much" or(the one that really got to him) claiming he was "not doing a good enough job and they were gonn go elsewhere next time" even though it was his boss telling him to cut corners or get fired. Granted, he was a mechanic, but still it makes me sympathize with you, man.
Things must be different here in the US. Pretty much no shop wants to touch these old cars so shops can charge whatever they want. An hourly restoration employee at a small shop makes 80k+/yr. The problem with these restoration shops is the owners run them like a hobby and not a business and take years to do a job that should have only taken a few months! Then they look back and say I only charged x amount and it took 2 years. I'm not making any money! 😂 The only time you are going to have a 1k hours or more in a car is if it is a custom SEMA build! A nice cruiser sheet metal, bodywork, and paint 2-300 hrs, frame off 3-500hrs.
Yeah the whole “treat it as a hobby job” is annoying af. There are some great shops out there, but I know a few that the people waited so long they just cut their losses and took their car back in parts.
I Bet You Have NEVER Built A Car!!! What Magical World Does The Average Guy Working In A Restoration Shop Make 80k??? You Say That Metal Work, Body Work (2 different skills) and Paint 2-300 Hours!!! That's 36 Thousand Dollars Labor In My Shop!!! That 2-300 Hours Is Not "Clock In On Monday And Don't Stop Until This One Car Is Done"!!! That Time Is Spread Over Years!!! Why? Because Life Happens!!! These Jobs Are HUGE Rabbit Holes!!! You Find Times When You Can't Get Something Done Because You Are Waiting On A Part That Is In The Mail For A Week or Two!!! You Think A Car Can Be Completely Restored In A Few Months But It's Just Not True!!! Not In Small Shops!!! And Certainly Not For A Price You Are Willing To Pay!!! I Have A 1965 Ford Falcon In My Shop That I Have Been Working On For A Year and A Half!!! Came In For Inner Rocker Panel Problems!!! That Quickly Escalated Into Complete Floors And Frame Rail Restoration!!! I'm Only Billing For 100 Hours!!! That's 12,500 Dollars Labor!!! I Had To Hand Make EVERYTHING On This Job!!! That Takes A Lot Of Time!!!! And Money!!! This Hobby Is For Only 2 Types Of People!!! 1;Those Who Can Do The Work Themselves!!! 2; And Those Who Can Write The Check To Those Of Us Who Can Do The Work!!!! Everyone Else Does Not Qualify For The Club!!!!
@@rockerpat1085 FYI I just finished a 1971 mach 1 mustang. Took 9 weeks straight (297 hrs, $19305 labor bill). Replaced floor pans, trunk pan, full quarters, doors, fenders, hood, trunk, front and rear valences, lower core support. Stripped the rest of car to bare metal. Did bodywork, prime, block, full base/clear, all correct mach 1 stripes and paint on colors, full reassemble of exterior, wet sand and buff! PS the guy who works for me was paid $40/hr at the last shop he worked at. If you are charging $125/hr you can afford to pay a top tech at least $40/hr. Try sharing the wealth a little!
@MAn-ti3ul Your Numbers Don't Add Up!!! According To Your 19305 Dollar Bill Was 297 Hours!!! That's 65 Dollars Per Shop Hour!!! Your Help "Got Paid 40 Dollars Per Hour At His Last Job"!!! So You Pay Him More??? At 40 Dollars An Hour And You Billed 297 That's Almost 12000 Dollars You Paid Him!!! That's 7305 Dollars For The Shop!!! The Rent Was 3000 A Month At Least and You Said It Took 9 Weeks, So That's 6 To 7 Thousand Dollars Of The 7305 You Had Left!!! So The Shop Now Has 305 Dollars For The Owner To Live Off For The Last 9 Weeks Of Busting Ass To Get The Job Done!!!! Yeah The Math Just Don't Add Up!!! And Yes I Charge 125 An Hour!!!
@@billbob4856 I'm amazed that people let their cars sit that long at these shops. We did a 1975 Torino Starsky & Hutch tribute car that sat at another shop for over 3yrs. They had done maybe one days worth of work on it. We stripped the whole car to bare metal, did bodywork, prime, block, and base/clear paint in 25 days! It really doesn't take that long to do these cars if you know what you are doing!
There’s no doubt you’re correct. The problem is the dollar,it ain’t worth much anymore. I’m into my 67 Camaro probably 100K and I’m doing it myself. My local mechanics make $160 an Hour,well that’s what the shop charges. No one can catch up it seems,inflation is killing the average family. If in the future my car starts to get ratty I’m just gonna make sure it’s clean metal and do a cheap paint touch up myself. I don’t need a perfect ride,just a clean metal one.
@@matthewgibbs6886 It’s not right but the overhead now is insane. The subscriptions alone to keep up with the scan tools,etc are crazy. Electricity has almost tripled in my area in the last five years. Businesses are closing left and right. Things need to turn around
Well said. People think reality car shows are actually reality. They watched a show on Discovery so they know everything. I used to enjoy doing bodywork, not so much anymore. Tired of the people.
100% on your side.... Pay the worker his wages cause he or she earns it... Its when the tool talking crap picks up a tool and actually does some work that he or she learns its not as easy as it looks!.... Good quality work is not cheap and those who do good, long lasting work are not easy to find anymore.
Good points as materials are very expensive today. People who watch the "shows" think it takes one week to turn dents and rust into a show car 😂 I tell folks I can turn _hit into ice cream, but it runs on hundred dollar bill$$$...
Im not a body guy and I say, "You are DAMN right!" The owner might make more, but usually the small shop males only enough to get the workers some good money and pay the shop bills. People just don't have any idea.
Bodywork is time-consuming. And a lot of things can go wrong. That is why it's expensive. And if you can't afford to pay someone to do the work, do it your damn self and you will find out that is why you have to pay so much 🤷🏻♂️. And if you're a body guy and your time is free, do what you do 🤷🏻♂️ And all the tools and equipment you need to buy to even do the job . How about when you can't even get a body panel anymore? And you have to fabricate one out of sheet metal. You need bead roller, and a bunch of dies. An English wheel planishing hammer, shrink and a stretcher hammer and dollies a bunch of them. Before you know it, you got a crazy amount of currency tied up in just the tools. Nevertheless, the time it took to learn how to use the tools and produce a good product. And clients they want absolutely perfect and like this man said, do you work for two dollars an hour? Fuck no!!!
I hear ya, as a HVAC technician I had the same rants about my trade, it comes down to supply and demand. Unfortunately restoring old cars is just not a huge demand for it, in comparison to commercial heating and air conditioning. Maybe when there are only a hand full of old cars left on earth and no one left that knows how to do it, some gozillinare will pay you a fortune to restore one, one day,... maybe.
Yep. Heard that too. And they'll most likely buya flip with cheeseburger wrappers mudded into rust holes. Then they'll bring it to you to fix later. For cheap, I'm sure.
Nothing good is cheap and nothing cheap is good when it comes to doing this shit.... I do mostly all the work on my cars myself.... it does take a shit load of time and money for a car to turn out right.... the problem is people see this shit on TV and think I can do that 😄😆🤣 they buy (overpay) for a POS rusted out turd.... blow it all apart and suddenly realize they don't have any fucking skills at all.... lol that's when they come looking for help... and expect someone to help them turn their shit into gold cheap and within 3 months because their so an so is getting married and they want the car for the wedding, anniversary, dads 60th birthday... whatever..... those people are clueless and should just go to Barrett Jackson / Meccum and buy them something and forget about it.... Time, expertise, skills, and materials all cost money.... just the way it is. !!
Brother I'm with you 100% but I still laughed my ass off watchin your rant. Sorry😁 I was a partner in a body shop back in the 90's and it was tough but I enjoyed what I did. I went back to being an electrician. I'm retired now and working on all my own car projects. I'm glad that I don't have to satisfy anyone but myself.
I did bodywork over 25 years in CT and never made much money. I built a lot of cool cars from restorations to chop tops and even convertible conversions. I like doing cool cars but we closed the shop and I said no more bodywork at least for customers. Now I do auto upholstery work and still don't make much money but I also don't deal with all the chemicals.
@@kars_tony Glue and wax and grease remover is the 2 main chemicals I deal with now. I still do some bodywork on my own stuff. I am currently doing a frame off on my 7 GMC and a convertible conversion and paint on my brothers 89 Blazer.
I like the people that are going to help you 5 minutes in and they're done everybody thinks it's so easy too many of them damn shows I graduated from Auto body trade school in 1977 did it off and on all my life and it never got any easier really and talk about hard on your health
The collision industry needs UAW representation. Insurance companies have a stranglehold. It's the only field I know of that can be told what your shop rate will be. And dictate repairs.
Been in this for years one thing is just because you are one that works slow doesn't mean you push that expense off to your customers to ! And say it took longer than I thought so it's 5000 more
That's where many time stamped pictures and documented hours come in. Gotta prove you have nothing to hide. And yes, touch time and calendar time are two different things.
...i think people get this idea that auto body men/women make boo-koo dollars..is watching to much TV..Kindigit/chip foose/overhauling,etc.....the shop is making the money not the body man/painter....and dont get me started on material cost...insanity...
@@kars_tony In all seriousness, I couldn't do what you do. I don't have the patience or the skill for it. So I understand that it cost what it cost. All the best to you.
@@kars_tony kind sir, I’m 48 and all I do is think about having an opportunity to work on an old car. Sanding, filing, doing body work etc. but I’m disabled. So I don’t get that luxury, it might help to simply be thankful for what you are still physically capable of doing. Love goes out. 💯
Lol, gonna get worse before it gets better....... at least in collision. Conglomerates are buying up independent shops all throughout the States. Most of the techs and painters I’ve talked to see reductions due to insurance and what they won’t pay. I’ll stick to custom and classic restoration. At least I know the clientele will actually pay for what they’re getting.
Figured as much. I know plenty of guys that have combo’d (body/paint)to make it and still run a fraction of the time we’d run in the late 80, early 90’s They’re going broke.
Really. If you are not ment to be in the business you will rant. I could give a fuck what about the customer says😂. I will build that car and it will show I built it. If you want to make big money, move on. You are literally that back yard guy. It comes with vision and compassion, not a paycheck.
I have built a shit load of cars and own a licensed repair shop and I can tell you right now, you are 100% correct. A simple strip and re paint with minimal dents and no rust is still gonna take 200 to 300 hundred hours
As somebody who has worked in a couple of restoration shops, I couldn't agree more! All the dumb shows on TV that portray cars being completely restored inside 2 weeks and selling for huge profits are to blame.
The same people who say we’re expensive are the same people who can’t go 24 hours without a Starbucks.
And for sure they are people that have never attempted to restore one lol. I've done 3 going on 4 restorations for myself, in my backyard..and they have come out great. BUT...they take many many many hours and the cost is insane even doing everything myself. It's a catch 22.…bodymen can't hardly charge enough to make it worthwhile for their time and the customer car isn't valued worth the cost of the hours it takes to restore one of these old cars. In my experience it takes 800-1200 hours to restore a car and that's when they are in good shape....it's a real problem
@@teabag402: Same here! You have to enjoy the “build” as much as “drive.” It’s not worth it if you don’t…
@@loganshotrod4x464 oh I can see that. I'm an odd bird 😂 I have panic disorder, specifically when I'm driving so I prefer the tedious process of the build more than the driving. My wife and Daughter are at an amusement park and I'm anxious so I'm outside with a spot light sanding on a 46 Chevy truck lol. Can only imagine what my neighbors think of me
@@teabag402: Your neighbors might not understand but I certainly do. I didn’t understand why I fell into a depression when I finished my 31 Ford. I think it was because I was so used to “working on it” that it felt strange when I wasn’t. That, in tandem with the realization that it’s going to endure wear & tear now that it’s finished & driven regularly, it’s a big change & it took me a while to adjust. Eventually, our work on one project has to come to an end with high performance results or it’s impossible to justify the cost of what we put into it.
A 46 Chevy… I’ve had the itch to get one, but I promised my wife I’d finish the projects I already have before I grab another one.
Cheers Homie! 👍😎
@loganshotrod4x464 I know that's right. I promised myself the same thing and it's hard when you see a smoking deal on a project. I'm almost done with the 46 and then I'll pickup another and build this one to sell since I'll be out of space. For me setting and accomplishing the goals and looking at what you've accomplished and burning off some stress makes it something I hope to do for a very long time Lord willing.
I've been a body man for over 40 years. You are 100% correct !!
Thank you.
Agree! Quality bodywork isn’t just about tools - it’s an art form, years of skill, and a commitment to perfection, not a race to the bottom on price!
Dude, you are my hero! I do think though that a lot of people just have no clue how much time goes into quality work that they want to have. Time is money...but also not considered that you brought up is that a seasoned pro such as yourself can get so much more done in a lot less time than some shade tree hack like myself. In the end, when it comes to the hours and the money needed there are definitely times where I know I'm better off "writing a check" and having a pro do it, then take my happy ass to work for some overtime that I'm actually good at to pay for it.
Body work is the hardest trade PERIOD. Considering the skill needed to do “real show stopper”. This trade is hell!
Hell on wheels
28 years cant wait to get out
Body work= NOT BODY FUN!!
Been watching your videos over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy the antics for a chuckle but mostly appreciate the tips that have obviously been learned through experience. Thanks!
Your are 100% correct. My son and I lost our ass over the last few years restoring old cars. The amount of hours it take to make everything straight does not pay good. Not even factoring in paint supplies. We’re finally getting into collision work.
Collision work is no better. Insurance wants you to put aftermarket and rusty junk yard parts on 40-80k cars.
@@justing6594 We are going to try our luck in copart or Iaa
How About The "Lifetime Warranty" The Insurance Company's Want Shops To Carry On The Clear Coat!!!
Hell The Original Manufacturer Didn't Give But A 3 Year 36 Thousand Mile Warranty But The Repair Shops Should Give A Lifetime Warranty On Something They Did Not Make!!!
@@rockerpat1085 If they want the best clear coat have to pay for Glasurit (BASF) $1015 a gallon kit lol
Guess who's gonna come into your shop and dictate your labor rates, tell you how to do the repair cheaper(not better), find the cheapest parts for you to use. It's a battle. Insurance companies are the same across the board. Home, health and auto.
Good ain't cheap and cheap ain't good !! As a guy who has literally built a body from scratch, forming flat sheet stock over hand made bucks, I can truthfully say that THAT hard job is actually easier than resurrecting many of the beat up , bondo slathered, rusted , salt attacked cars that many body men are faced with. People nowadays have been trained with a generations worth of cheap Chinese products dominating their lives that have screwed up their sense of what real goods and skilled services cost ....... The same guy who bitches about what a bodyman charges drives away in his $75,000 - $100,000 "HD" pickup truck (which is an over priced, over rated pile of crap ego trip). I agree with this rant !!
Yep , restorations take twice as long as expected , aftermarket parts don't fit . It's a battle start to finish . Restorations don't make you rich . These clowns that think it's easy don't know which end of a screwdriver to hold . Well said you are 100 % correct
I couldn’t have said it better! I luv your videos, you are spot on!!👍👍👍
Thank you kindly
I did a 72 chev k20 for a friend rockers cab corners floors kick panels rust repair in doors cowl drip rails fixed fuel doors in bedsides that were patched with shit over the top and rusted the bedsides. moved the gas tank under the bed Installed 4l80e trans with efi vintage air turned the non a/c dash to an a/c dash painted and cleared the whole thing new bed wood. had to repair the Chinees tailgate that was put on 10 years before because he didn't want to buy doors or tailgate. I am a Mechanic and a very good one at that but a body man I am not even less a painter. Had I charged $20 an hour he would have paid $50,000 dollars I took money from myself to finish it he called me in September and said their was a bubble in the passenger door at the bottom where I MISSED THE RUST. it has been 3 years he called me back and said we were disconnected we got disconnected again. I did the job because the truck once belonged to a friend of us both and was his pride and joy.
Good on you for having the disconnection with that dude!
I've told people to loose my number...
So you did the job and this “friend” didnt talk to you for 3 years till this? Fk him!
That's the best way to be, shows pride in his work, and not afraid to educate others.
Shaftmaster? lol
Ok I’m a girl who doesn’t do that HOWEVER my best friend he’s a 60 year old body guy been doin it his entire life it’s hard ass work ppl! It tedious as fuck! Y’all deserve every single penny you make! My husband not a body or paint guy learned how n painted his Corvette it took such a long ass time that’s a hard sometimes toiling job 🤷♀️🤦♀️ I hear you my good sir I loved this post! He’s preaching some truths! ❤
Awesome rant, and it's true right down to the last bolt, nut and shim.
I've been there myself many times. I once replace quarter panels inner and outer on both sides of a 69 Chevelle for under a grand including the panels for a friend and gave it back in primer. My friend said it looked amazing and was super happy and then cried about the price when i gave him the bill. That was 10 years ago, he still hasn't called me again. He was thinking 200 dollars or so LOL. You nailed it brother, stick to your guns and to hell with the haters. I hit subscribe.
Thank you sir
Yep, for some reason a lot of people think this work is always negotiable. Like every dollar charged is pure profit. Mechanics don't seem to have this problem at almost 3x the rate.
When I was in high school at a 79 Firebird, anyways I worked part time in the body shop in high school! On the first door as I ever had to shim was on a Camaro or Firebird, I can’t remember, but those long doors are almost impossible without extreme skill. You need to have a Jack platform underneath it to lift the door up properly and put it up a quarter of an inch higher on the one end and then let it sink back down.
After 33 years, i have sooo much to add in your defense but it would be so long no one would read it. 😂 Im with you brother!✊️
Graveyard cars replaces 98% of body. Well, it has the “spirit” of the original car. Title sez so.
Awesome rant, been doing bodywork for over 20 years. He is so spot on.
😏
Good video Dude… I feel yer pain. I’m a concrete guy, same thing everybody thinks we’re RICH because materials are crazy expensive (TRIPLED in five years!) and we still make under $25/hr with 35 years experience.
I can only afford my ‘35 Chevy hobby because I don’t count the hours (25 years!) and yes your time is your own- Good thing I’m not paying ME…. I couldn’t afford to hand out $25 hr and that is NOT A HIGH WAGE.
But it sure doesn’t buy a very skilled BODY EXPERT… like you say, you’re supposed to make sure it’s pretty and BODY PANELS FIT!
In the end, people who DONT DO ANYTHING can easily DE-VALUE anybody.
I understand, I had it done, complete tear down, stripped, blasted, metal replacement by a master metal fab guy, body and paint and 100 of hours maybe well over a 1000 hours. $44,000 and perfectly done and I know it was done right, nothing skipped or hidden, better then new. Well worth it to know what you got WTH no mistakes later.
Seen a guy on his channel said it best. Just because I’m TV famous doesn’t mean I can overcharge market price. And he’s very well TV famous.
I’m a road tech, $150/$160 for me to walk in the door. Thennnnn start the process of finding the truck, figuring it out, ordering parts if needed then when they show up, come back and repair. I make 1/5th of that hour. Respectable but no where near shop cost. The van, insurance, information available, office people, gas money. That’s all under that $150/hr. I bring my body, tools and knowledge.
I agree. BUT! The $ 20,000. Paint job that covers up the $5,000. Worth of work , when you pick it up TWO years later! And you complain about something they start telling you how bad the car was. I’m not the body man,you set the price, I agreed, then after it’s painted you tell me how bad the car was?
This is not every one or every case but you talk about these very people quite a bit.
Thank you , and enjoyed the video.
Agree with you 100% I started working on a body shop 1968 after 20 years all I got out of that deal bad back bad knees bad eyesight you have to know how to do suspension work paint work and deal with a****** customers no benefits no pension just hard work
You are right, and that’s exactly why I do all myself for 3 decades. Restoring a car takes loads of time and unless you have lots of money to pay someone all the hours, it’s impossible to let fully restore a car and keep the hobby affordable. That’s why your job is stamped as expensive, because… it is in the end! That the bill is honest and reflecting the work done is irrelevant. And you are in north America, imagine what we as Europeans have also to pay to keep these old us cars running. Basically 2 to 4x more for every single parts we import.
The saying that "restoration works a labor of love, because there is no money in it" is very accurate. Insurance jobs on new cars where the money is at
costs OH PREACH BROTHER , 1 gal of good base coat yellow even 711 bucks then a 490 dollar clear dont forget hardener for the clear at 150 .
Working auto shop in high school, I’m a 50-year-old Contractor restoration renovator old character. Homes are the same thing people don’t realize I think for 10 grand. Can I fix up this old house no for 10 grand you can get some flooring in your bedroom and some new baseboards, and maybe a window.
What's the difference between need and want? A Plumber / Carpenter / Electrician / Mechanic, when a customer needs one of these trades they Pay up and shut up. When somebody wants body work, they never have enough money for it and all they do is complain. Do not give guesstimates. Qualify your client in the first 5 minutes. Materials and Cost per hour, double It. Auto body workers should make twice what a carpenter makes.
I know I’ve done both.
My policy on restorations is charged time and materials, no estimates. Too much trash covered up on these old vehicles. Don't know what you're walking into.
This just popped up in my feed I’ve been saying this for years. You earned my subscription good rant!
It just occurred to me why this disconnect happens, it's because you're dealing with dreams.
You got my sub! You got to charge by the hour and materials only way you don't get hosed.
I'm not a body man, but I really felt you, and I agree. I'm getting ready to send my 67 Mustang off to be painted and I am prepared to spend a small fortune on it. And that is fine as long as it's done to my satisfaction. The paint, and more importantly, the bodywork is the most important and impressive part of a restoration. If you skimp out on that, it will show and will bother you every time you walk up to it. The only solution is to do it all over again and spend even more money. Paint and body work isn't just a skill. It's an art. Sure, you can find someone to do it cheaper but you'll regret it.
I have sorted out a few owner restored cars - gapping panels, adjusting the windows to work correctly,(without helping them up or using "tricks") adjusting latches and strikers, etc etc
Where I live in South Carolina, mechanic's flat rate is $178.00 per hour.... body techs get $48.00!!! (If you're any good, you might get 50% of the flat rate, or, you're a hack and get $18.00 per.)
As I like to tell my over paid, parts hanging, wrench turner friends..."You'll impress me with your skill when I see you cut a carburetor in half, section it with half of a junkyard carburetor, where your welds don't leak and the car runs smooth as silk ..."
Plus, installing a new throttle body or carburetor does not compromise the cars structural integrity, something a body tech has to deal with seriously or people could be hurt in their next accident!
I will leave you with the words a well known car customizer told me my first day working in his shop in 1969, "Your job here is NOT to make things look like they have never been fixed...it's to make things look like they NEVER NEEDED to be fixed!"
Carry on.
I don’t know why people get so mad about restoration body men. It takes a lot of time and effort and skill as well as materials have astronomically risen in cost since the pandemic. I’m always happy that I have a shop that will do refinishing and restoration for me and I understand that cost money. If people don’t wanna do it then just don’t get into it, or learn the skills and learn how to do it themselves.
And then try to get someone to fix what you dun yourself.
Yeah man! I was ordering the paint for my project at car quest. The guy suggested maybe I get someone to spray it and gave me the guys number. He said he'd do it for a grand, which was ok. But I painted the car apart, assembled it, and finished painting the exterior.took me a week. The paint was about 1200 bucks. It's gotta be a 30k paint job had I hired someone to do it. But I took 8 years of "spare time" to built it so far.bits almost there. At the end of the day, it's only gotta be as good as I can do it, sob8 can actually enjoy it. I'll admit I'm a carpenter, and just watched a ton of you tube to learn some great tips😊
Man you got a way with words!, definitely a hard way to make a living for sure.
You're not making much of a living
Yes, I totally get it, and agree. There’s no shortage of characters or there that will take your money and do half-assed work. IF I can even find a guy/shop that will DO old cars up here, they all will charge a living wage for the work that they do. For example, right now I’m looking to get one of my cars into a guy. One is an American, has a shop.. I know his extended family. His work will cost around 15k for my car. For the SAME car, there’s this (non US born/not great English speaking) guy who is saying that he’ll do it for $2000. Both of these are without paint. It seems like the “cheap” guy does decent work.. but the language barrier and fear of being ripped off scare me. That’s too good to be true. Lots of shops around here charge like 20k or more for full car bodywork.
The last “cheap job” i did was a just a hood (thank God). The bodywork was horrendous. The guy who recommended the painter to me decided it was “just the guy having a bad day”, ignored the job he did on my hood, had the guy do work on his car, and is now re-painting his entire firebird.
I’m totally fine being cheap, but I won’t give someone a job unless I can physically see a completed project they did.
New subscriber here. I’m with ya the whole way! Fkn people, they don’t get their priorities straight then expect someone else to fix their shit for em.
I’m an equal opportunity hater, I hate everybody, and don’t trust anyone until I get to know ya.
Well sir, I’ve seen 2 of your vidjuhz and I’m a lifer now.
You’re honest, and that’s the most important thing in a person.
Move out to the country, that's what I did...
I did bodywork in the early 80's, made way more money driving a trash truck.
I did body work in the 80s.
I got out for 2 reasons.
I really didn't like doing it.
I never really made much money. Damn insurance companies are damn good at cheating.
I am glad that i know how to do it though, i can domy own shit. That's about all the good i can day sbout it.
Like your channel, always good for a few laughs.
the shops that make the real money always have a forklift. So they can move the gold bars around! lmao!
I'll hit marketplace right away
Hey Tony! Just recently found your channel and I gotta say, I'm a fan. I don't know if you read these comments, or even give a shit, but I'm already spreading the word to my buddies about your channel. I really hope you continue to make these videos, cause the industry needs more of your honesty, humor, and truth of what it takes to do this kinda work.
@@tobinthomas8401 I read all comments and respond, thank you!
This rant reminds me of a time when I was a kid and my father came home and vented about how customers had started leaving complaints that were being put on his record, but the compmaints were just either a generic "it costs too much" or(the one that really got to him) claiming he was "not doing a good enough job and they were gonn go elsewhere next time" even though it was his boss telling him to cut corners or get fired.
Granted, he was a mechanic, but still it makes me sympathize with you, man.
Cars is cars; mechanical or body...
Things must be different here in the US. Pretty much no shop wants to touch these old cars so shops can charge whatever they want. An hourly restoration employee at a small shop makes 80k+/yr.
The problem with these restoration shops is the owners run them like a hobby and not a business and take years to do a job that should have only taken a few months! Then they look back and say I only charged x amount and it took 2 years. I'm not making any money! 😂
The only time you are going to have a 1k hours or more in a car is if it is a custom SEMA build! A nice cruiser sheet metal, bodywork, and paint 2-300 hrs, frame off 3-500hrs.
Yeah the whole “treat it as a hobby job” is annoying af. There are some great shops out there, but I know a few that the people waited so long they just cut their losses and took their car back in parts.
I Bet You Have NEVER Built A Car!!!
What Magical World Does The Average Guy Working In A Restoration Shop Make 80k???
You Say That Metal Work, Body Work (2 different skills) and Paint 2-300 Hours!!! That's 36 Thousand Dollars Labor In My Shop!!! That 2-300 Hours Is Not "Clock In On Monday And Don't Stop Until This One Car Is Done"!!! That Time Is Spread Over Years!!! Why? Because Life Happens!!! These Jobs Are HUGE Rabbit Holes!!! You Find Times When You Can't Get Something Done Because You Are Waiting On A Part That Is In The Mail For A Week or Two!!!
You Think A Car Can Be Completely Restored In A Few Months But It's Just Not True!!! Not In Small Shops!!! And Certainly Not For A Price You Are Willing To Pay!!!
I Have A 1965 Ford Falcon In My Shop That I Have Been Working On For A Year and A Half!!! Came In For Inner Rocker Panel Problems!!! That Quickly Escalated Into Complete Floors And Frame Rail Restoration!!! I'm Only Billing For 100 Hours!!! That's 12,500 Dollars Labor!!! I Had To Hand Make EVERYTHING On This Job!!! That Takes A Lot Of Time!!!! And Money!!!
This Hobby Is For Only 2 Types Of People!!!
1;Those Who Can Do The Work Themselves!!!
2; And Those Who Can Write The Check To Those Of Us Who Can Do The Work!!!!
Everyone Else Does Not Qualify For The Club!!!!
@@rockerpat1085 FYI I just finished a 1971 mach 1 mustang. Took 9 weeks straight (297 hrs, $19305 labor bill). Replaced floor pans, trunk pan, full quarters, doors, fenders, hood, trunk, front and rear valences, lower core support. Stripped the rest of car to bare metal. Did bodywork, prime, block, full base/clear, all correct mach 1 stripes and paint on colors, full reassemble of exterior, wet sand and buff!
PS the guy who works for me was paid $40/hr at the last shop he worked at.
If you are charging $125/hr you can afford to pay a top tech at least $40/hr. Try sharing the wealth a little!
@MAn-ti3ul Your Numbers Don't Add Up!!!
According To Your 19305 Dollar Bill Was 297 Hours!!! That's 65 Dollars Per Shop Hour!!! Your Help "Got Paid 40 Dollars Per Hour At His Last Job"!!! So You Pay Him More??? At 40 Dollars An Hour And You Billed 297 That's Almost 12000 Dollars You Paid Him!!! That's 7305 Dollars For The Shop!!! The Rent Was 3000 A Month At Least and You Said It Took 9 Weeks, So That's 6 To 7 Thousand Dollars Of The 7305 You Had Left!!! So The Shop Now Has 305 Dollars For The Owner To Live Off For The Last 9 Weeks Of Busting Ass To Get The Job Done!!!!
Yeah The Math Just Don't Add Up!!!
And Yes I Charge 125 An Hour!!!
@@billbob4856 I'm amazed that people let their cars sit that long at these shops. We did a 1975 Torino Starsky & Hutch tribute car that sat at another shop for over 3yrs. They had done maybe one days worth of work on it. We stripped the whole car to bare metal, did bodywork, prime, block, and base/clear paint in 25 days! It really doesn't take that long to do these cars if you know what you are doing!
There’s no doubt you’re correct.
The problem is the dollar,it ain’t worth much anymore.
I’m into my 67 Camaro probably 100K and I’m doing it myself.
My local mechanics make $160 an Hour,well that’s what the shop charges.
No one can catch up it seems,inflation is killing the average family.
If in the future my car starts to get ratty I’m just gonna make sure it’s clean metal and do a cheap paint touch up myself.
I don’t need a perfect ride,just a clean metal one.
tech are making 28.50 if the shop rate is 160 if they are lucky
@@matthewgibbs6886 It’s not right but the overhead now is insane.
The subscriptions alone to keep up with the scan tools,etc are crazy.
Electricity has almost tripled in my area in the last five years.
Businesses are closing left and right.
Things need to turn around
Well said. People think reality car shows are actually reality. They watched a show on Discovery so they know everything. I used to enjoy doing bodywork, not so much anymore. Tired of the people.
I'm with ya.
100% on your side.... Pay the worker his wages cause he or she earns it... Its when the tool talking crap picks up a tool and actually does some work that he or she learns its not as easy as it looks!.... Good quality work is not cheap and those who do good, long lasting work are not easy to find anymore.
They're not easy to find cause they're hiding.
There's a very good reason show car paint jobs and divorces are expensive, thats because they're worth it.🤑😮
Good points as materials are very expensive today. People who watch the "shows" think it takes one week to turn dents and rust into a show car 😂
I tell folks I can turn _hit into ice cream, but it runs on hundred dollar bill$$$...
Y'all think we get paid too much, do it yerself. I'm so glad I can pick and choose WHO I work for, some folks ain't worth messing with.
Amen
Im not a body guy and I say, "You are DAMN right!"
The owner might make more, but usually the small shop males only enough to get the workers some good money and pay the shop bills.
People just don't have any idea.
Amen SIR!!!❤
People know everything they just can't do anything.
Awesome.
Bodywork is time-consuming. And a lot of things can go wrong. That is why it's expensive.
And if you can't afford to pay someone to do the work, do it your damn self and you will find out that is why you have to pay so much 🤷🏻♂️.
And if you're a body guy and your time is free, do what you do 🤷🏻♂️
And all the tools and equipment you need to buy to even do the job .
How about when you can't even get a body panel anymore? And you have to fabricate one out of sheet metal. You need bead roller, and a bunch of dies. An English wheel planishing hammer, shrink and a stretcher hammer and dollies a bunch of them. Before you know it, you got a crazy amount of currency tied up in just the tools. Nevertheless, the time it took to learn how to use the tools and produce a good product.
And clients they want absolutely perfect and like this man said, do you work for two dollars an hour? Fuck no!!!
YEAH!!!!
I hear ya, as a HVAC technician I had the same rants about my trade, it comes down to supply and demand. Unfortunately restoring old cars is just not a huge demand for it, in comparison to commercial heating and air conditioning. Maybe when there are only a hand full of old cars left on earth and no one left that knows how to do it, some gozillinare will pay you a fortune to restore one, one day,... maybe.
I swore off restorations for the final time when the customers says,” well I could of bought one done for what I have in this”
Could have bought for cheaper I'm sure.
Yep. Heard that too. And they'll most likely buya flip with cheeseburger wrappers mudded into rust holes. Then they'll bring it to you to fix later. For cheap, I'm sure.
Talk about hitting the nail squarely on the head. 👌
Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel! 😂
Nothing good is cheap and nothing cheap is good when it comes to doing this shit.... I do mostly all the work on my cars myself.... it does take a shit load of time and money for a car to turn out right.... the problem is people see this shit on TV and think I can do that 😄😆🤣 they buy (overpay) for a POS rusted out turd.... blow it all apart and suddenly realize they don't have any fucking skills at all.... lol that's when they come looking for help... and expect someone to help them turn their shit into gold cheap and within 3 months because their so an so is getting married and they want the car for the wedding, anniversary, dads 60th birthday... whatever..... those people are clueless and should just go to Barrett Jackson / Meccum and buy them something and forget about it.... Time, expertise, skills, and materials all cost money.... just the way it is. !!
These are antique vehicles, alot of rust and dents have happened in all that time, unless they have been in a climate controlled garage all its life.
Brother I'm with you 100% but I still laughed my ass off watchin your rant. Sorry😁 I was a partner in a body shop back in the 90's and it was tough but I enjoyed what I did. I went back to being an electrician. I'm retired now and working on all my own car projects. I'm glad that I don't have to satisfy anyone but myself.
I did bodywork over 25 years in CT and never made much money. I built a lot of cool cars from restorations to chop tops and even convertible conversions. I like doing cool cars but we closed the shop and I said no more bodywork at least for customers. Now I do auto upholstery work and still don't make much money but I also don't deal with all the chemicals.
I'm sure you can still come up with some glue to bring back the old days...
@@kars_tony Glue and wax and grease remover is the 2 main chemicals I deal with now. I still do some bodywork on my own stuff. I am currently doing a frame off on my 7 GMC and a convertible conversion and paint on my brothers 89 Blazer.
I like the people that are going to help you 5 minutes in and they're done everybody thinks it's so easy too many of them damn shows I graduated from Auto body trade school in 1977 did it off and on all my life and it never got any easier really and talk about hard on your health
Body guys are actually way underpaid. It's like being a school teacher. You're not doing it for the money you're rolling in
Sing it sister! lol
I recently retired from collision repair for that exact reason.the jobs i take on now are what i want to do at thr price i say or i wont do it.
The collision industry needs UAW representation. Insurance companies have a stranglehold. It's the only field I know of that can be told what your shop rate will be. And dictate repairs.
@class5bodyworks unless the shop is non drp.
@@TheRotaryPoweredGarage
The ones I've dealt with treat every job and shop like they are drp. It's frustrating sometimes.
This is why i paint houses. Ill pull 10k a week instead of 2 months ro paint a car. I do paint cars too customs though...
Listening to this, he kind of sounds like Rowdy Roddy Piper.
😂
You don't wanna look up MY kilt....
Been in this for years one thing is just because you are one that works slow doesn't mean you push that expense off to your customers to ! And say it took longer than I thought so it's 5000 more
Yeah, that would be dishonest. I work slowly. I’m not a body man. I AM anal about what I do, so everything takes long lol.
That's where many time stamped pictures and documented hours come in. Gotta prove you have nothing to hide. And yes, touch time and calendar time are two different things.
...i think people get this idea that auto body men/women make boo-koo dollars..is watching to much TV..Kindigit/chip foose/overhauling,etc.....the shop is making the money not the body man/painter....and dont get me started on material cost...insanity...
Take a pill already ! The guy meant nothing by that statement
Geeez buddy
I agree with you on pay for these people I was one
That was beautiful.
Aww, gosh...
@@kars_tony In all seriousness, I couldn't do what you do. I don't have the patience or the skill for it. So I understand that it cost what it cost. All the best to you.
Here they altady take 400 Euros wage per hour
You never work a day of your life if you love what you do. 💯😊
Unfortunately you starve .
Specially if that's sleeping!
I could use a good weight loss program
@@kars_tony kind sir, I’m 48 and all I do is think about having an opportunity to work on an old car. Sanding, filing, doing body work etc. but I’m disabled. So I don’t get that luxury, it might help to simply be thankful for what you are still physically capable of doing. Love goes out. 💯
Lol, gonna get worse before it gets better....... at least in collision. Conglomerates are buying up independent shops all throughout the States. Most of the techs and painters I’ve talked to see reductions due to insurance and what they won’t pay.
I’ll stick to custom and classic restoration. At least I know the clientele will actually pay for what they’re getting.
Our collision industry is dictated and controlled by insurance companies here.
Figured as much. I know plenty of guys that have combo’d (body/paint)to make it and still run a fraction of the time we’d run in the late 80, early 90’s They’re going broke.
just the rent and utilities on a shop space ain't free grinders and welders drink money like juice 1000 hours about 12 weeks
"Well its in pretTy goOd shApe, fOr wHat iT iS"
Nope!
Ready for restoration, good one.
Nice Rant,, now get your mask and goggles back on. Git to work 😂
Yes Sir!
my materials went up 125% last year i should resell them for less mmmm no
lol...bodymen were lowest paid trade out there....been there...
Well said
Too bad your not on one of them shows
...or better yet...go to chads shop n talk to him...he cant keep any help...that would be easy to watch.
Maybe Mean Jolene is the problem!
You are truly correct on everything. That's why I just do everything myself. No one is happy about anything you do.
Ok, I had to subscribe after that one.
Thank you!
TRUTH!!!!!!!
I speaketh
I figute my year is around 2200 hours
Really. If you are not ment to be in the business you will rant. I could give a fuck what about the customer says😂. I will build that car and it will show I built it. If you want to make big money, move on. You are literally that back yard guy. It comes with vision and compassion, not a paycheck.
Good Fast Cheap
Pick two.
Good, cheap!
Hey - at least you're not upset about it.
Not to speak of, no.
Yep
Mint
Tits outta ten!
You need to change professions
Tell us how you really feel! 🤣🤣🤣
They'd ban me...
Oil patch!
That's for the floors...
Language mister