Damn sick of it all. What do I have to do?

[Scotch]

I cannot get a car painted. Period. I've tried paying up front, putting a down-payment, trading work, trading parts, supplying everything from sandpaper to all the paint materials. I've worked with friends, strangers, the best-known and the unknown.

I cannot get a car painted.

I got a call this AM from the bodyshop where my 32K-mile arrow-straight 1950 Buick Super has been residing for over a year. The lease is up, the building owner is tired of the complaints from other tenants, and the shop has to be outta there by Halloween. My car is currently about 60 percent ready for paint. The glass is all out, the chrome is all off (and completely re-dipped), the side trim I've chosen has been totally refurbished to better-than-new condition, and the orginal trim I'm re-installing has been buffed to excellence. The car is so close to being my dream come true its scary, and now another wrench has been tossed into the machinery. This is the second body shop it's been at; the first took me for a complete engine rebuild and a bunch of new stuff, and they were supposed to pay this (second) shop when they could not get the car done. Now, the second shop is toast, the first shop won't return my calls, my car is in pieces and I want to break something, or someone. I live in Southern California and I cannot get a car painted.

Something is hideously wrong with the forces of the Universe. There is some sort of mystery vortex surrounding me, and if I only drive primered cars for the rest of my days on this planet, it will not be because I think primer is finer.I want a painted black custom & I've paid for it to be that way...now I'm left with a partially-assembled "project" that I'm sure to lose pieces of, and I have little doubt I'll end up paying "extra" for someone to finsh the work begun by another.

I feel sick about this. I just want my damn Buick back, and I want it to have paint on it. I deserve it.

Sorry to vent. I figured y'all would understand FRUSTRATION and the NEED to drink heavily when someone else drops the ball.

Scotch!~

[rickyracer1962]

did you ask donnie?

[Smokin Joe]

Go get your car ASAP. You don't wanna be on the sidelines bitching when the building owner slaps a lien on the shop and everything in it. Get it the hell outa there. I'm sure the shop owner is thinking about other things than finishing your car. DO IT NOW! I've been there.

[hatch]

Got a garage?...if ya do...buy a small compressor and do it yourself. If you don't know how....learn.

[rickyracer1962]

imperialcustoms.com ???

[Mai Ki-Ki]

Go get it now!
Grab a flat bed..a few friends and rock over..

maikai

[Scotch]

I'd LOVE to do it myself...but the 2-car garage I share with my roomie (another gearhead/custom guy) is loaded with 2 other car projects, and we've got more in the driveway. I farmed this one out because I wanted it done right...really right...and this Buick is honestly the nicest car I've ever owned of any year. It's so clean, I wanted the best for it. Now I'm just plain pissed off.

[hatch]

Make room in the garage. The best job you will ever get is the one done by you. Even if you have to do it one panel at a time, and it takes longer, you will be happy you did it.

[Smokin Joe]

Like he said, take some friends. Big ones. Explain to the guy that you don't want your car to be in the middle of his problems. Be firm but polite. Show up early in the day with the guys and transport. Odds are you won't have a problem with the owner if he sees you're ready and able to get the car. Hell, he'll probably give in and help you load it and maybe give some of your money back. Don't worry about the money tho until the car and parts are out of the shop and on your truck. Once the car is back in your possession, you can argue money any time.

The problems you're experiencing are why so many HAMBers learned to do things for themselves.

[Deuce Rails]

[ QUOTE ]
Scotch originally wrote:

I feel sick about this. I just want my damn Buick back, and I want it to have paint on it.
I deserve it. I figured y'all would understand FRUSTRATION and the NEED to drink heavily when someone else drops the ball.

[/ QUOTE ]

You think that we would understand your need to drink heavily because you "deserve" to have your Buick painted but you're geting blown off by your shop?

I'd say you should either take matters into your own hands, or you should sell a few gold chains. But keep drinking heavily, if it helps.

[BARNETT]

Lots of talented people on this board...I'm sure somebody here can do it if you don't wanna tackle the job.

[prime mover]

cant help find another shop but if you have a hard time getting your car out of there we'll go with you, just let us know when and where.

[AHotRod]

DAMN...Now I'm sick too !
I've got business friends out there (I'm in Florida) maybe we can find you a Honest, Trustworthy shop?

[SKR8PN]

STOP your damn whining,and get you ASS over to that shop,AND GET YOUR DAMN CAR.........NOW!!
If you don't go get it,RIGHT NOW,you WILL be SCREWED..........
The three worst fuckings I have EVER had,were handed to me by "reputable" body shops........
NONE of which is in existance now................
THINK the shop owner CARES about what happens to your Buick?
THINK AGAIN........
GO GET YOUR CAR............
Tomorrow,it may not BE your car.................

[briggs&strattonChev]

amen

[Deyomatic]

Like they said, get your shit back TOMORROW, the sooner you get it back, the more time you have to go through it and see if everything is all there. This way you have time to go back and raise hell if he says that he doesn't have things that were missing.
Good Luck. I think that pretty soon, through the law of supply and demand, Lawyers rates are going to take a plummet, because we'll all be needing them on a daily basis to fix everybody's incompentence. I have an idea how you feel, you need to hold a gun to people's head just to get shit done right nowadays.

[Glen]

What about "The Lordz of Chopperzzz", arent they in so cal? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Besides, its j"just" a BUICK http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[SwitchbladeTeeth]

For fucks sake, Scotch that really sucks, good luck though getting it all back AND in the condition they got it in. You have been a big help when it comes to my Buick and you deserve to get something done finally.

Glen, "just" a Buick. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif You should be locked up in a looney bin for saying that.

[ESnacky6]

Good luck dude..!!!




I'd talk to Donnie...aka lownslow...

www.imperialcustoms.com (http://www.imperialcustoms.com)

[Broman]

Ouch.

I have been waiting to see you get that car done for a looooong time. It's too bad that you don't live closer. Me and my dad could get your car done by X-mas. Dad has done a half dozen cars just since the beginning of this year.

[autocol]

mate, i feel for ya, that totally fucking sucks.

it's always the body-shops that screw guys like us over, i swear. 95% of the horror stories i've ever been told involves the words "panel beater"...

stories like that convinced me that, and i'm dead serious, no-one, but NO-ONE, EVER touches my cars, but me! needed a paint job on my ute, so i've pulled that bitch apart, bought a welder, learned to weld, bought a spray gun, learned to spray, and i'm 'bout two months out from finished... (i hope!)

but hey, that's not helping your problem right now i guess huh? still, i agree with what's been said. you LOVE that car, we can tell, and NO-ONE will show it the respect it deserves, like you will. if you practice painting a little bit, even if it's the first job you've ever done, i can almost guarantee it will be better than the job some dumb-fuck will do when, even though he's painted a million cars before, he just doesn't care.

good luck. post pictures too!

[BELLM]

I have heard this same story 50 times. Guy who cuts my hair (only charges $6)has had a 57 Chev @ a shop for about 4 yrs now. Body shops take these jobs in as filler for when things are slow, put better paying/quick turn collision work ahead of this stuff, then never get to it. I did complete restoration on several early Mustang convertibles in early 80s, guy had them at a shop. long term, he actually caught a shop employee driving one of his cars instead of working on it. Money wasnt the problem, he spent $10 to $12,000 on each one with me, total restoration, when you could buy a nice finished car driving for about $7500. Next time get an agreement in writing, signed, for a specific time period, pay top price, regular production body shops will do old car work at a lesser price if they can let it set around & be filler for dead time. Its hard to beat flat rate on restoration work. Only pay them small amount up front, pay rest as work done, etc unless they take it in and turn as a regular production job. On the other hand, I still have a gallon of Wimbeldon white acrylic enamel that I bought for another Mustang I was doing, guy quit paying monthly draws, I had about $500 labor never paid for, fdinally had a mutual friend come get the car out of my way. Good luck!

[porknbeaner]

The advice to go after your ride is jam up. Go post haste.

If you were closer I'd paint it for you for materials, and you could even help.

Best advice I got is borrow a gun and compressor (or buy the same) snag an old hood to practice on and start painting 'til its just the way you like it. Read the directions on the can, or get the guy in the paint store to print out the sheet for ya. Like pullin' lines or just about anything else in our world its just practice.

[Glen]

Switchblade.....Scotch knows im joking, I own a Buick too.

Scotchy, good luck.

[flyin'eye]

Go to your local community college and ask about enrolling in a painting class. Here in Portland, they have a weekend/evening "auto restoration class". Most community colleges will let you bring your car in as a project, and you'll get to use their equipment, and tap the knowledge of the instructors. Tuition is a helluva lot cheaper than paying a shop.

[SwitchbladeTeeth]

Glen, I wasn't paying attention I know who you are now.

[roadstar]

He's complaining about the shop that has HIS car.

To turn this post into a bitch session on all body shops OFFENDS me http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[porknbeaner]

[ QUOTE ]
He's complaining about the shop that has HIS car.

To turn this post into a bitch session on all body shops OFFENDS me http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

Not all bad just the ones that Scotch frequents. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hell Scotch, load that baby up with the paint and bring it back here. I don't have a shop any more but I know I guy that'll le'me use his spray booth. I'll hang a sag or two on it then you can learn how to repair a bad paint job. We'll make a year of it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. It couldn't cost you any more than you already dropped on it. Forget the paint, just snag a gallon of clear laquer, I got a gallon of butt ugly green metalic that someone gave me that I'll donate. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

by the way, your situation sucks, le'me know if there is anything I can do to help. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

if it don't get ya dirty it aint yours

[Scotch]

The latest info:

Shop number 1 (who gladly took the motor I custom-built to suit their needs and a bunch of other parts they wanted) has agreed to pay me back 1500 and replace all the materials I provided (primer, reducer, paint, clearcoat, etc.). Saying this is one thing; making it happen is another. I've decided to retrieve the car in its current state, go over the bodywork myself with a couple more-expereinced honchos (who need engine work, natch) and get a local shop to simply lay paint once we're satisifed it's flatter than Gwen Stefani and straighter than a plumb bob line. I know I'll lose some parts, but I can find them. I know it'll be tough to get it all back together, since the guy who disassembled it at the body shop was less than organized. I know it'll turn out well because I'm so fucking anal about it...I am used to working with engine tolerances, so bodywork tolerances are obscenely huge to me.

I hope this works. I hope the car looks as good as I've been dreaming.

I'll keep ya'll updated...pics to come soon when I head down to pick up the pieces.

Scotch!~

[FONZI]

Hey Scotch,
Gimme a call. I know of a few good painters.

FONZI

[Broman]

I hope to god this pans out. I want to see this f*ckin' car in a shade other than "minty fresh".

BTW
I dug the piece on the new Dodge truck. I couldn't agree with you more on the whole thing. I can't wait to see those on the road. You do good work .....

[modernbeat]

So, bad luck with body shops?

I never trust a shop. Engine shop, body shop, hell, I don't even trust a barber shop.

I trust people.

Develop a relationship with a person. They don't have to be the actual guy doing the work, but they have to know how to do the work. If my new barber moves shops, I'll move with her. I stuck with the last one 'till he died.

When I'm ready to paint a car, I've got a long relationship with an excellent metal/body/paint guy that I trust to the ends of the earth.

As far as the sugestion of grabbing a spraygun and doing it yourself, in the time of laquer where all it took to get a good paint job was more labor and no intelligence or experience, that was good advice. But if you want a good GOOD paintjob these days, with modern paints, you really do want to find someone with experience doing the type of job that you want done. The dangers posed by modern paints are not something you want to experiment with. The best advice that someone gave if you want to persue the DIY paintjob is to enroll in a class. Paint CAN kill. I've got a friend with a malfunctioning liver and another with one lung and a poor liver that hurt themselves with modern paint.

Paying for a paintjob. This sucks. Most shops want it all up front. Most shops also do colision work. Don't work with either of these guys. Also, watch out for small shops with a huge number of cars lined up at the shop. They've taken deposits from those guys and you'll go to the end of the line while your disassembled car and all it's parts wait at their fairly unsecured shop.

The most equitable billing situation that I've come across is that the painter only does restoration type paint jobs He usually keeps three cars in his shop (one being metalworked, one being bodyworked and one being assembled). He supplies the customer with a materials list about two weeks in advance of needing it. The customer can supply the materials before the day they are needed, or can pay the painter the estimated materials cost. The customer is billed at the end of every week for the work done that week. If the customer doesn't pay that week, the painter doesn't do any more work untill he is paid.

He's got other projects to work on while he waits for the cusomer to make payment, but not so many that he never gets around to working on that customer's car, or so few that the customer chokes on a 40 hour bill every week. That way the painter isn't holding throusands of your dollars before he has done any work. That way the painter hasn't invested weeks of his time without being paid, and if the two of you should split the blanket, neither of you is indebted to the other too much. As a bonus, because they weren't paid up front, the painter has no reason to accept other work in front of yours. He's paid by the hour to bodywork and paint the car, so as long as he's got work to do, it might as well be yours. The customer can pay a weekly visit to the painter to check the progress of his project and make sure that what he is paying for is being done.

A lot of this advice comes from my paint and body friend. It's no accident that I've kept a relationship with him. Not because he's a good painter, but because he's a conciencious person and a good pal. Anything he chose to do would be done right. He's told me a score of stories about customers being screwed by shop after shop before they came to him. I've seen it too. Some of the work was just criminal.

[Scotch]

Modernbeat-

Your advice obviously comes with wisdom on the side. It's much appreciated and I dig the "weekly billing for work accomplished during that time period" plan. It's fair, and should things hit the fan, both parties know the score.

Luckily, I work with Fortier, and he's got someone in mind to help me out. This whole mess won't be cleaned up until the car is in one piece again, but I'm getting a feeling things are looking up. I'll be pulling everything out of the half-ass shop(s) soon, and the next chapter will begin.

Broman-

Thanks for the compliment on the Dodge truck story. It may require a Part II, as I recently saw a Hemi-powered Durango in the posession of a Chrysler VP. It was a pre-production vehicle, and the new Hemi fit beautifully. This means a Hemi version of the Dakota is next, and it'll be an outstanding "little brother" to the Viper-urged SRT/10 fullsize truck...at a much more affordable price. Keep an eye out for the "Hemi 'Kota" !!

Scotch!~

[Broman]

wow.

[modernbeat]

This was sent to everyone in my roadster club...

I met a guy that has a 2003 Dodge Truck with the new Hemi engine in it. The truck has been rolled and totaled. The engine runs and has 1188 miles on it. He wants $7500 for the engine, trans and rear axle including wiring harness. He can start the engine. His name is John Mosley 713-203-7438.