A car like that is a no win situation. Best of intentions, try to make it safe, but I saw this happen to a friend who owned a body shop. Customer brought in a supposedly freshly restored 70 Barracuda and underneath the paint was the same mess you found on this Mustang. Customer originally wanted a repaint for a color change, but was completely blindsided by all the shoddy work and at the end of the day, blamed the shop owner for the shoddy work done by the so called restorer. Ended up in court. Walk away from this one!
This is a classic case of the owner being emotionally invested, blinded by the appearance of a complete and running car that before it was butchered together was a rusted out piece of scrap iron fit for parts picking only. I got caught out in a similar way when I was a kid, alloy patches pop rivetted over significant structural rust holes, with silicone over the edges to disguise the bodge. Took a few useful parts off and called the scrap yard to take it away, couldn’t sell it on with a clean conscience because even as a kid I knew the thing was a death trap. Excellent video and hopefully it opens a few peoples eyes to the dressed up and prettyfied rubbish that is out there.
just an after thought to add... your vulnerability in doing this job is compounded by the fact the customer is trying to micro manage, not wanting to authorize needed work you have pointed out. Here is the deal, he came to you. You know what needs doing, he obviously does not since he walked into this mess of his own volition. He should be coming with "hat in hand" ready and willing to give you the reins on that Pony! Wish him well, suggest he find a high school auto shop or trade school that wants to use the car for training and let them attack the majority of the evil lurking in that pile of sheet metal, he needs to find a source of essentially free labor and skilled workers. You do not want to risk your welfare or the welfare of your family with the risks associated with this mess.
As I said before, I wouldn't touch this thing no way no how! The owner would be getting this junk out of my shop. I just wouldn't put myself in a situation where the "what if" could happen.
You are obviously a pro! Don’t tarnish your good name by having anything more to do with this! As others have pointed out, it could be a legal issue for you
I am very proud to see a mechanic that places safety over profits. I have watched a number of Uncle Tony Flipper videos and this car is as bad as the convertible Mustang Kiwi showed him. Also, documenting everything you do and what the owner approves for work is your best friend. Good luck with this project.
This is criminal to do this to someone who only looking at the colors, the shiny cosmic things this is a lawsuit waiting to happen or at least report that to someone so people will be more careful in buying old vehicles. Thanks for your videos 😊😊
You are a good man with integrity in making it safe. Anyone who would do that to anyone, much less an older guy needs to be directed to the wood shed. As for the car...one piece at a time like the Johnny Cash song. What gets me even more is those patch panels probably were made overseas. A great video series for sure though in the making.
I wish you all the best in trying to get this car so it won't fall apart on the first bump it hits. When someone gets emotionally attached and all starry eyed over a car, it's impossible to get them to see how bad and how difficult it is to make it safe/road worthy. I feel for you because when all is said and done the person who did the shoddy work when he bought it will be forgotten, and it's your name and reputation on the line when it's "repaired".
I would get the floor tied in with the subframe. Put in the subframe connectors and send it on its way. You do anymore it’ll be a frame off resto to get it right! Good luck and God bless
This car is going to cause you unending problems and heartache. I have been in the Body Shop business all my life and it took me years to learn that "no" is a complete sentence. If you attempt to make this car safe, then you would become the last shop to work on it. Down the line someone will be looking for some deep pockets to pin that mess on and you will be the one to get sued. Don't let your good intentions to help get you in over your head in a law suit. I guarantee the guy that you are trying to help would be the first to throw you under the bus when things go bad. You'll lose a customer, but I think you'll be way ahead with the peace of mind you'll gain. Walk away!
It's to bad he will not listen I hope he never takes his grandkids for a ride in it in this state. Part it out for your other car and feel good you did it!!!! Thanks for sharing.
The thing that scared me the most was the tack welded crossmember under the engine. As small as the crossmember is it is an important part of the structure of the front end of the car. They may have removed it, then when they went to put it back on they could get only one bolt in.
I would probably replace the floor pans. The welds are so bad better to just cut them out and weld in new. Parts aren't that expensive for those and are readily available. It will get worse before it gets better
You have seen the light on this project ( in more ways than one) kudos for taking time to at least make this hack structurally safe. It could be anyone on the road, sidewalk, crosswalk etc that could become a victim. I'm appalled that anyone would sell something like this to an unsuspecting buyer.
You seen overwhelmed by this as there is simply so much repair needed in so many places. However, you seem to have a plan which helps a lot as well as documenting your work as you "resolve" the issues. This is definitely where CYA is necessary! Ethically it's impossible to send the customer on his way as you look away. For it to break and wreck hurting him would be bad enough - for an additional innocent person as well would be tragic. With you being identified as the last to work on it, could you be involved as well? Interesting points to ponder! Good luck my friend!
My first car was '65 Mustang. It was six years old, and lasted a year before it was rusty, leaky, unrepairable mess with a front suspension that wouldn't hold one wheel vertical. A rear spring shackle popped up into the trunk, so I tossed the spare tire on top of that rusty hunk, such that the trunk lid held the spring down, sort of. Scrapped it.
Walk away. Just walk away. You cannot win. If you fix it reasonably correct, this customer will complain about the costs. The customer is fixated on the shiny paint and nothing else will matter. I had a co-worker who bought a classic Plymouth that had a nice paint job. Underside was tar and rags shaped to mimic the stamped sheet metal. He didn't care until the rear of the springs finally pushed through the remaining rusty metal. I think he got about a year out of it.
i built one of those in a 68. I'm no expert but I replaced a lot of the metal. I solid welded everything because i was concerned for the same reasons you found here. It was by no means perfect, but it was solid and safe. Good luck my friend...
1. The owner got ripped off; no amount of denial and hardheadedness will fix it. 2. Your reputation is on the line; allowing an ignorant person to control you makes you look bad. 3. I just don’t understand this argument.
that so bad ! your doing the right thing and i hope the owner understands you trying to save his life from driving that deathtrap it needs to be fully stripped down and fixed or just scrapped due to how bad it is
I watched the first video, and kind of felt sorry for the buyer, but he didn't do his due diligence, and bought a pile for a pile of money. Then, I watched this video, and found out that the owner has another '65 roller! So, im trying to figure out what this owner is thinking. He's not, I guess. I just subbed, and looking forward to seeing how you get this pile back square, to have something to build off of.
I'm hoping as this one gets further and further apart he will see how bad this one is.. From the pictures of his other car I could make him one very nice car out of them both that is safe and a ton better cosmetically
You should make sure you have him sign something documenting on the stuff he does not want to address. Since he doesn't want to listen to your expertise. This way the liability if anything happens puts the blame on him on what you repair. Donor is definitely the way to go in the long run. Good luck and cannot wait to see how far you cut and repair.
In the uk we say I wouldnt touch that with a bargepole, best bet would be other than a better shell would be do enough to make it square eg floor pans, sills.rockers and sell on honestly to a younger person to finish the rest of the body work. Its scrap/spares as it is.
That's a shame he doesn't or can't afford to fix it correctly. Just do what you can to make it safe, and make sure he signs a release of liability with everything listed on it... that's what I (have to do) if a customer declines a proper repair... I can't put my livelihood at risk because someone can't "or won't" fix something that needs fixed, another great honest video 👍
Wow, good luck and I'm sorry you can't talk sense into this guy. It's a whole basket of sad, wrong and no-win situations rolled together. I feel for your work and the next owner😢😢😢😢
Wow. That is criminal that the pig got lipstick and sold as a solid car. A $30k lesson. The owner should have the car inspected before laying out the cash next time.
I have to admit, im invested now, i know youre going to fix this car and i will enjoy following along. But oh my goodness, the more you look. The worse it gets
Sorry to say, but it is not worth even attempting to fix. Rule number one when I look at a car to buy is crawl underneath and inspect it before looking at the shiny stuff that makes it pretty.
It's not even a convertible or fastback. The hardtops are the LEAST valuable "Stangs. Tried to fix up my ''65 back in the mid-70s.- serious rust everywhere!
I have kicked cars out of my shop due to owners not wanting to have proper repairs done. I suggest you do the same. Those floors are ridiculous. Anyone who has installed floor pans knows that no matter how correct new floors are supposed to be, you normally have to massage them into place in order to get a good solid weld. That thing is a rolling death trap. It might make good race car fodder though, everything’s loose for cutting it up lol.
You, can make it solid and rigid. It won't be pretty work, but it will be safe to drive. Congratulations on this vedio series, popularity. You, deserve it.🙂
With a owner thats obviously suffering from willful ignorance you should send him away with a big fat no because the more work you do the more you run the chance of getting blamed for everything you had nothing to do with. This customer doesn't want a safe fully functioning car that he can rest easy knowing it's safe and fully functioning, he wants a car that looks pretty and he can brag about. This owner is an egomaniac who clearly has some cognitive dissidence going on and is trying to compensate for something, please walk away from this trainwreck it aint worth it.
Run, don’t walk away. These things can’t be fixed without putting 3-4 times the value of the resulting vehicle. You can’t charge enough and won’t make enough to ever come out. You work on it, you own it forever.
I fill your pain on that vehicle as a RV body man painter technician I had a friend ask me to look at his travel trailer it had a bad roof leak and the person who tried to fix it to sell the trailer to him did a really bad job 5 feet of wood rot I told him no because once I open it up I own it
I would highly recommend getting some sort of signed contract that clearly states that you have shown the owner of all of the issues with this car, AND recommended to not try to fix due to the extent of shoddy workmanship in its current state.
I ran across the original then this update. Very sad! I own a couple classics and thankfully I know what to look for and pay. Not a body man so bear with me on this question. Is the only way to somewhat square this car up is to cut the quarters off? Would it be feasible to get the mig welder out and lay down a ton of beads on those tacked and screwed seams? You better believe you have a new sub here! Best of luck!
If you're set on doing any further work on this car, I'd get any legal affairs in order, have it inspected by a state licensed repair/body shop, etc. The owner should at least do that himself! At least if they flunked it, he would have solid proof in a court case. Looks like you're gonna go for it, so good luck.
Some of the issues with the car would take just a few hours total to sort out. No need to make a mountain out of some of the smaller mole hills... Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of bad stuff there, and there is indeed a big "mountain" to deal with, but the rest of the little "mole hills", while appalling, can be easily sorted. The owner doesn't seem to care about the butcher job under the shiny red paint, so you can let him know about it, and then just make it safe. He must sign paperwork stating all the issues you've advised him of, those which he has authorized repairs on, and those which he has declined. It's either that, OR, you tell him you can't work on the car due to the state it is in.
If the owner refuses to fix or replace any of the crucial unattached panels I would refuse to do any of the work, You are looking at major lawsuit if an accident happens and someone gets injured
Ahhh. Ok that makes sense. It really should be criminal to have no standards in car repair. All of those issues you are showing was committed on purpose by some crook. They should be held liable. This stuff really is dangerous.@@HotRodGuyGarage
Might be best if the customer paid for new floors and replace them, that would make it safer than it is, I really don’t think those floors can be used.
First video noted vehicle was brought to you for a disc brake upgrade & to go over vehicle & make sure it was safe . You had noted several times that vehicle is not safe . Have to ask , why did you bother installing disc brakes ?
This is unfortunate for the owner, having been involved in the motor trade for 45 years and 15 of that in restoration and repair, if the customer doesn’t understand what’s involved in making it a safe and structurally sound vehicle I personally would refuse to do it,and have, I did it once to try and help someone, as it wasn’t a full restoration I made it safe etc but then it actually hurt my reputation as other areas that were reasonable people thought was something to do with me so never again
I expect you've already had him give you a budget. With that, like you said, square it up and make it safe. Beyond that, there's probably nothing more that an unlimited budget would be needed to do.
The buyer needs to come to grips with reality, learn their lesson and cut their losses... That thing needs to go on a scrap heap, and the scammers who bodged it need to go to prison
This car is a disaster waiting to happen. Here in Ontario if a car is in that shape the mechanic can tell the customer they cannot legally drive the car away, that it must be towed. Good luck making it safe! That is miles worse than the 1990 Volvo 240 stationwagon I took off the road in December because it was going to be prohibively expensive to make safe. It was a shame, as it had been my mother's last car. 34 years of service and 400,000 miles combined to make it a losing proposition.
This reminds me of an old Slade Song; "Run Runaway!" 😵 I did this stuff for 40+ years and there is NO WAY I would be touching this one for my own peace of mind and reputation. Your best intentions will only see you become the Bad Guy in the end. 😒 The old Guy made a big mistake buying it, not you...
Like I commented on your other video, knowing when to politely decline potential jobs that are not advantageous to your business and wellbeing is an invaluable necessity. If I ever ignored my inner dialogue I would suffer the consequences and end up regretting it. I could read people pretty quick and realize that they didn't have reasonable expectations, and or were just unreasonable people. Nope, on to the next job. If you, the professional, is telling him that what the job actually requires, and he fails to accept it, realize that thinking process is what got him in the mess to begin with. I'd suggest telling him to come pick up the car and cut your losses.
you need to just tell the owner theres no way you want to go any futher with out a good donor mustang or tell him to tow it away from your shop and have him sign a liabilty disclaimer
I know you're in business, but I really think you should load it up with all you took out, call him to come and get it, and write out a disclaimer that you are not responsible for the unsafe condition of this car. Wash your hands of it.
Like i said in the other video, this guy brought this on himself because the second i seen just the trunk alone, id be outta there!!! He didn't have to even examine it any further than that, the trunk alone told the whole story. Even if i examined the car up and down I still dont think I'd buy it for even 6-grand, it needs way more than its worth and theres hardly anything to work with here or build on, you need another car to make one out of both of them. At minimum, my estimate for someone who's capable of doing the work themselves, it would take 10-grand and God knows how many hours, now to have it done by other people it would probably be closer to 30-grand and a year wait time or more😢
A car like that is a no win situation. Best of intentions, try to make it safe, but I saw this happen to a friend who owned a body shop. Customer brought in a supposedly freshly restored 70 Barracuda and underneath the paint was the same mess you found on this Mustang. Customer originally wanted a repaint for a color change, but was completely blindsided by all the shoddy work and at the end of the day, blamed the shop owner for the shoddy work done by the so called restorer. Ended up in court. Walk away from this one!
An owner like that is a no win situation.
The owner of this car is beyond delusional.
This is a classic case of the owner being emotionally invested, blinded by the appearance of a complete and running car that before it was butchered together was a rusted out piece of scrap iron fit for parts picking only. I got caught out in a similar way when I was a kid, alloy patches pop rivetted over significant structural rust holes, with silicone over the edges to disguise the bodge. Took a few useful parts off and called the scrap yard to take it away, couldn’t sell it on with a clean conscience because even as a kid I knew the thing was a death trap. Excellent video and hopefully it opens a few peoples eyes to the dressed up and prettyfied rubbish that is out there.
Hopefully it makes some people think before they buy!
I wouldn't sell it either. Use the part to fix a more solid one. There's no way around it, unless the guy invest twice what he already paid for.
just an after thought to add... your vulnerability in doing this job is compounded by the fact the customer is trying to micro manage, not wanting to authorize needed work you have pointed out. Here is the deal, he came to you. You know what needs doing, he obviously does not since he walked into this mess of his own volition. He should be coming with "hat in hand" ready and willing to give you the reins on that Pony! Wish him well, suggest he find a high school auto shop or trade school that wants to use the car for training and let them attack the majority of the evil lurking in that pile of sheet metal, he needs to find a source of essentially free labor and skilled workers. You do not want to risk your welfare or the welfare of your family with the risks associated with this mess.
You should walk away from that. It will never be right. There have been many friends and customers lost over things like this.
I looked at many mavericks until I found one that was solid I'm thankful for videos like this that saved me from a buying a shiny turd
Unibody are problematic no matter what they are
As I said before, I wouldn't touch this thing no way no how! The owner would be getting this junk out of my shop. I just wouldn't put myself in a situation where the "what if" could happen.
You are obviously a pro! Don’t tarnish your good name by having anything more to do with this! As others have pointed out, it could be a legal issue for you
sue the car dealer. use these videos in court
This thing looks like a High School Shop Project, where the high school kids kinda learn things.............and failed!
I am very proud to see a mechanic that places safety over profits. I have watched a number of Uncle Tony Flipper videos and this car is as bad as the convertible Mustang Kiwi showed him. Also, documenting everything you do and what the owner approves for work is your best friend. Good luck with this project.
Thanks for watching
This is criminal to do this to someone who only looking at the colors, the shiny cosmic things this is a lawsuit waiting to happen or at least report that to someone so people will be more careful in buying old vehicles. Thanks for your videos 😊😊
Scary stuff. I wouldn't touch it because I don't want to get sued if something bad happens. You never know. For me it would be a "part out" car.
Your honesty and common sense is why I subscribed to this channel, your workmanship is amazing.
I appreciate that!
Run away!! Run away!! Do not invite trouble by touching it!! No win situation...
You are a good man with integrity in making it safe. Anyone who would do that to anyone, much less an older guy needs to be directed to the wood shed. As for the car...one piece at a time like the Johnny Cash song. What gets me even more is those patch panels probably were made overseas.
A great video series for sure though in the making.
I wish you all the best in trying to get this car so it won't fall apart on the first bump it hits. When someone gets emotionally attached and all starry eyed over a car, it's impossible to get them to see how bad and how difficult it is to make it safe/road worthy. I feel for you because when all is said and done the person who did the shoddy work when he bought it will be forgotten, and it's your name and reputation on the line when it's "repaired".
If the customer doesn't want to fix it right i would wash my hands of it.
I would get the floor tied in with the subframe. Put in the subframe connectors and send it on its way. You do anymore it’ll be a frame off resto to get it right! Good luck and God bless
This car is going to cause you unending problems and heartache. I have been in the Body Shop business all my life and it took me years to learn that "no" is a complete sentence. If you attempt to make this car safe, then you would become the last shop to work on it. Down the line someone will be looking for some deep pockets to pin that mess on and you will be the one to get sued. Don't let your good intentions to help get you in over your head in a law suit. I guarantee the guy that you are trying to help would be the first to throw you under the bus when things go bad. You'll lose a customer, but I think you'll be way ahead with the peace of mind you'll gain. Walk away!
I’m reading all these comments that say say you should walk away. I disagree you should runaway.
I wonder if I worked on that in the 80's. Looks like something I would have done when I was 15.
I'd walk away from that one for sure. The liability can be denied in writing, but morally I couldn't take a man's money on something like this!
It's to bad he will not listen I hope he never takes his grandkids for a ride in it in this state. Part it out for your other car and feel good you did it!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Wow thats a real brush and shovel job, you have some serious hours of welding ahead of you!
The thing that scared me the most was the tack welded crossmember under the engine. As small as the crossmember is it is an important part of the structure of the front end of the car. They may have removed it, then when they went to put it back on they could get only one bolt in.
Absolutely
I would probably replace the floor pans. The welds are so bad better to just cut them out and weld in new. Parts aren't that expensive for those and are readily available. It will get worse before it gets better
I wouldn't touch it. It's a lost cause and if you do touch it and it gets in a wreck guess who they gona blame.
I know he has a good heart and wants to help. But your right.
To do everything that needs to be done to make this car road worth and safe would probably cost at least 100k
You have seen the light on this project ( in more ways than one) kudos for taking time to at least make this hack structurally safe. It could be anyone on the road, sidewalk, crosswalk etc that could become a victim. I'm appalled that anyone would sell something like this to an unsuspecting buyer.
You seen overwhelmed by this as there is simply so much repair needed in so many places. However, you seem to have a plan which helps a lot as well as documenting your work as you "resolve" the issues. This is definitely where CYA is necessary! Ethically it's impossible to send the customer on his way as you look away. For it to break and wreck hurting him would be bad enough - for an additional innocent person as well would be tragic. With you being identified as the last to work on it, could you be involved as well?
Interesting points to ponder! Good luck my friend!
My first car was '65 Mustang. It was six years old, and lasted a year before it was rusty, leaky, unrepairable mess with a front suspension that wouldn't hold one wheel vertical. A rear spring shackle popped up into the trunk, so I tossed the spare tire on top of that rusty hunk, such that the trunk lid held the spring down, sort of. Scrapped it.
Sounds like a Milwaukee or Chicago special !
I’m glad something is attached solidly in that car,sadly it’s emotional.😊
Walk away. Just walk away. You cannot win. If you fix it reasonably correct, this customer will complain about the costs. The customer is fixated on the shiny paint and nothing else will matter. I had a co-worker who bought a classic Plymouth that had a nice paint job. Underside was tar and rags shaped to mimic the stamped sheet metal. He didn't care until the rear of the springs finally pushed through the remaining rusty metal. I think he got about a year out of it.
i built one of those in a 68. I'm no expert but I replaced a lot of the metal. I solid welded everything because i was concerned for the same reasons you found here. It was by no means perfect, but it was solid and safe. Good luck my friend...
That's what matters, make sure to check the latest video out on it.
Darn those booger welds!
I think what you might not understand . ione self-tapping screw = four spot welds . Two self-tappers = 7 pinch welds 😉
Thanks for the update.❤
No problem 😊
1. The owner got ripped off; no amount of denial and hardheadedness will fix it.
2. Your reputation is on the line; allowing an ignorant person to control you makes you look bad.
3. I just don’t understand this argument.
that so bad ! your doing the right thing and i hope the owner understands you trying to save his life from driving that deathtrap it needs to be fully stripped down and fixed or just scrapped due to how bad it is
C.Y.A. my friend. Always follow that golden rule!
Pretty sure its going to be cheaper to find another car for this engine and transmission.
Absolutely true
I watched the first video, and kind of felt sorry for the buyer, but he didn't do his due diligence, and bought a pile for a pile of money. Then, I watched this video, and found out that the owner has another '65 roller! So, im trying to figure out what this owner is thinking. He's not, I guess. I just subbed, and looking forward to seeing how you get this pile back square, to have something to build off of.
I'm hoping as this one gets further and further apart he will see how bad this one is.. From the pictures of his other car I could make him one very nice car out of them both that is safe and a ton better cosmetically
Dead car rescue has a car that maybe the saviour of this. He just uploaded the vid. Ur welcome
Very grate full for your opinion sir. Blessings!!!
You should make sure you have him sign something documenting on the stuff he does not want to address. Since he doesn't want to listen to your expertise. This way the liability if anything happens puts the blame on him on what you repair. Donor is definitely the way to go in the long run. Good luck and cannot wait to see how far you cut and repair.
Money doesn't buy happiness. This job should have been turned away.
In the uk we say I wouldnt touch that with a bargepole, best bet would be other than a better shell would be do enough to make it square eg floor pans, sills.rockers and sell on honestly to a younger person to finish the rest of the body work. Its scrap/spares as it is.
That's a shame he doesn't or can't afford to fix it correctly. Just do what you can to make it safe, and make sure he signs a release of liability with everything listed on it... that's what I (have to do) if a customer declines a proper repair... I can't put my livelihood at risk because someone can't "or won't" fix something that needs fixed, another great honest video 👍
Holy cow. What a shame. Hope you can do something with it
Wow, good luck and I'm sorry you can't talk sense into this guy. It's a whole basket of sad, wrong and no-win situations rolled together. I feel for your work and the next owner😢😢😢😢
What can this car be worth? How much will it take to get there?
Wow. That is criminal that the pig got lipstick and sold as a solid car. A $30k lesson. The owner should have the car inspected before laying out the cash next time.
As long as it's an around town errands car, you can probably get it in ok shape for that. But the FREEWAY, NO WAY.
I wonder if I'd ever have a chance working on cars, if I don't have a beard...
I have to admit, im invested now, i know youre going to fix this car and i will enjoy following along. But oh my goodness, the more you look. The worse it gets
Yup I find something new weekly
Sorry to say, but it is not worth even attempting to fix. Rule number one when I look at a car to buy is crawl underneath and inspect it before looking at the shiny stuff that makes it pretty.
It's not even a convertible or fastback. The hardtops are the LEAST valuable "Stangs. Tried to fix up my ''65 back in the mid-70s.- serious rust everywhere!
I have kicked cars out of my shop due to owners not wanting to have proper repairs done. I suggest you do the same. Those floors are ridiculous. Anyone who has installed floor pans knows that no matter how correct new floors are supposed to be, you normally have to massage them into place in order to get a good solid weld. That thing is a rolling death trap. It might make good race car fodder though, everything’s loose for cutting it up lol.
You, can make it solid and rigid. It won't be pretty work, but it will be safe to drive. Congratulations on this vedio series, popularity. You, deserve it.🙂
With a owner thats obviously suffering from willful ignorance you should send him away with a big fat no because the more work you do the more you run the chance of getting blamed for everything you had nothing to do with. This customer doesn't want a safe fully functioning car that he can rest easy knowing it's safe and fully functioning, he wants a car that looks pretty and he can brag about. This owner is an egomaniac who clearly has some cognitive dissidence going on and is trying to compensate for something, please walk away from this trainwreck it aint worth it.
Run, don’t walk away. These things can’t be fixed without putting 3-4 times the value of the resulting vehicle. You can’t charge enough and won’t make enough to ever come out. You work on it, you own it forever.
I hope you are getting him to sign a release form and keeping all info to not hold you responsible.
I fill your pain on that vehicle as a RV body man painter technician I had a friend ask me to look at his travel trailer it had a bad roof leak and the person who tried to fix it to sell the trailer to him did a really bad job 5 feet of wood rot I told him no because once I open it up I own it
You're a good man! Its gonna be brutal but you get where hes coming from 👍 Will be watching fpr updates
My guess.....another Barrett-Jackson sale....not a new subject
I would highly recommend getting some sort of signed contract that clearly states that you have shown the owner of all of the issues with this car, AND recommended to not try to fix due to the extent of shoddy workmanship in its current state.
Agreed 💯
This is a fantastic channel, subbed.
Thanks there's all kinds of stuff on here
Awesome. Thanks for the video.
I ran across the original then this update. Very sad! I own a couple classics and thankfully I know what to look for and pay. Not a body man so bear with me on this question. Is the only way to somewhat square this car up is to cut the quarters off? Would it be feasible to get the mig welder out and lay down a ton of beads on those tacked and screwed seams? You better believe you have a new sub here! Best of luck!
The quarters and rear panel have fitment issues and are part of the structure and need to be installed correctly
If you're set on doing any further work on this car, I'd get any legal affairs in order, have it inspected by a state licensed repair/body shop, etc. The owner should at least do that himself! At least if they flunked it, he would have solid proof in a court case. Looks like you're gonna go for it, so good luck.
As all will soon see, this client's emotional attachment will almost turn into your emotional breakdown.
It's getting close to paint and I've not lost it yet 😆
Some of the issues with the car would take just a few hours total to sort out. No need to make a mountain out of some of the smaller mole hills... Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of bad stuff there, and there is indeed a big "mountain" to deal with, but the rest of the little "mole hills", while appalling, can be easily sorted. The owner doesn't seem to care about the butcher job under the shiny red paint, so you can let him know about it, and then just make it safe. He must sign paperwork stating all the issues you've advised him of, those which he has authorized repairs on, and those which he has declined.
It's either that, OR, you tell him you can't work on the car due to the state it is in.
If the owner refuses to fix or replace any of the crucial unattached panels I would refuse to do any of the work, You are looking at major lawsuit if an accident happens and someone gets injured
What dealership sold this car? They had to know that this thing really is not a driveable car by any standard.
Individual car seller (marketplace style flipper)
Ahhh. Ok that makes sense. It really should be criminal to have no standards in car repair. All of those issues you are showing was committed on purpose by some crook. They should be held liable. This stuff really is dangerous.@@HotRodGuyGarage
Might be best if the customer paid for new floors and replace them, that would make it safer than it is, I really don’t think those floors can be used.
Run from that thing!!!!
It seems like you're taking on a lot of risk Even trying to repair this car
First video noted vehicle was brought to you for a disc brake upgrade & to go over vehicle & make sure it was safe . You had noted several times that vehicle is not safe . Have to ask , why did you bother installing disc brakes ?
Because he insisted
@@HotRodGuyGarage
🤷🏻♂️
This is unfortunate for the owner, having been involved in the motor trade for 45 years and 15 of that in restoration and repair, if the customer doesn’t understand what’s involved in making it a safe and structurally sound vehicle I personally would refuse to do it,and have, I did it once to try and help someone, as it wasn’t a full restoration I made it safe etc but then it actually hurt my reputation as other areas that were reasonable people thought was something to do with me so never again
get rid of it, scrap it or give it back to him as is.
I expect you've already had him give you a budget. With that, like you said, square it up and make it safe. Beyond that, there's probably nothing more that an unlimited budget would be needed to do.
I had him agree to a weekly budget based on hours invested
The buyer needs to come to grips with reality, learn their lesson and cut their losses... That thing needs to go on a scrap heap, and the scammers who bodged it need to go to prison
That’s the trouble. People get taken advantage of by other people that have no moral compass.
I can’t stand that.
Looks like the same one that was on Uncle Tony's garage a few years back
Could possibly be I haven't seen it
This car is a disaster waiting to happen. Here in Ontario if a car is in that shape the mechanic can tell the customer they cannot legally drive the car away, that it must be towed. Good luck making it safe! That is miles worse than the 1990 Volvo 240 stationwagon I took off the road in December because it was going to be prohibively expensive to make safe. It was a shame, as it had been my mother's last car. 34 years of service and 400,000 miles combined to make it a losing proposition.
Walk away, if the guy crashes it, the guys widow will have you sued for not walking away.
In a minor collision, this thing can explode. Don't take the job, keep your sanity.
you said he could be sued for selling so why doesn't he sue the people that sold it?
He is a super nice old guy that lives by "I just got took" I learned my lesson style of thinking
This reminds me of an old Slade Song; "Run Runaway!" 😵
I did this stuff for 40+ years and there is NO WAY I would be touching this one for my own peace of mind and reputation.
Your best intentions will only see you become the Bad Guy in the end. 😒
The old Guy made a big mistake buying it, not you...
Like I commented on your other video, knowing when to politely decline potential jobs that are not advantageous to your business and wellbeing is an invaluable necessity. If I ever ignored my inner dialogue I would suffer the consequences and end up regretting it. I could read people pretty quick and realize that they didn't have reasonable expectations, and or were just unreasonable people. Nope, on to the next job. If you, the professional, is telling him that what the job actually requires, and he fails to accept it, realize that thinking process is what got him in the mess to begin with. I'd suggest telling him to come pick up the car and cut your losses.
I would stop working on it. At best this is a donor car. The best way to address it would be to purchase an entire new body.
This car is the reason I, as an old car lover, would never touch a mustang with a ten foot pole no mater the price.
Is there any good news at all?
The motor and trans seems to be solid
Looks like it would be much less expensive to replace the entire body with a reproduction. Then move the remainder parts from this mess to it.
When a motorcycle is safer than a car you bought the wrong ride .
I hope you get paid for your time. And please get the customer to sign a waiver. I part this p.o.s. out of it were me.
you need to just tell the owner theres no way you want to go any futher with out a good donor mustang or tell him to tow it away from your shop and have him sign a liabilty disclaimer
You are going to have to take it all a part and redo the hole car
I know you're in business, but I really think you should load it up with all you took out, call him to come and get it, and write out a disclaimer that you are not responsible for the unsafe condition of this car. Wash your hands of it.
Like i said in the other video, this guy brought this on himself because the second i seen just the trunk alone, id be outta there!!! He didn't have to even examine it any further than that, the trunk alone told the whole story. Even if i examined the car up and down I still dont think I'd buy it for even 6-grand, it needs way more than its worth and theres hardly anything to work with here or build on, you need another car to make one out of both of them. At minimum, my estimate for someone who's capable of doing the work themselves, it would take 10-grand and God knows how many hours, now to have it done by other people it would probably be closer to 30-grand and a year wait time or more😢