Background:
I am having most of the panels replaced on my 67, and in June of last year took it to a local shop that specializes in Camaros here in Houston to have the work done. Guy estimates 2 months, I think 4, as these things always take twice as long as you think.
It has now been over 9 months and the car is sitting in roughly the same shape it was at month 2: cowl, dash, floors, trunk, and inners/outers done, quarters missing. The story for the past 6 months has been that the quarters shipped were damaged, then they were unavailable, then says the quarters came in but he's waiting on the roof, "I'll have it next week," etc etc. There's always a reason why no work has been done on my car. I even offered to source the parts myself and bring them out to him, but he claims his supplier hand-picks the straightest panels, it'll save me money, etc.
So February 1 I told him I wanted the car done by the end of the month, that I was tired of waiting. When I show up March 1, the car is sitting in the same state as it was a month ago. I ask him about the car, what possibly could be wrong now. He claims he's waiting on quarters.
At this point I lost it. "WTH do you mean waiting on quarters? I SAW the quarters! You've told me three different quarter panel stories, WTH happened to my quarters? And where the heck is the roof?"
So now he claims that they accidentally sold my quarters, that they never were damaged, just sold, and he's "still waiting" on the roof, just like a month ago. I break out the cell phone and start calling the towing company. Guy pleads with me for more time, that I won't be disappointed, he'll cut me a break on the roof (which was out of the original scope of work), etc. etc.
I really like the guy. He does good work and is one of the nicest people I've met in the hobby. So I agree that he can have until the end of March, and he promises me that the work will be done.
It's the middle of March. I went out to see the car and he still has no panels. There is absolutely no way I am leaving the car past the end of the month, and I am almost certain that nothing will have been done about the car, so I have some questions:
1. Is it safe to flat-bed the unibody and bare subframe without the quarters (it does have the inner/outers though) ?
2. Does anyone know a good bodyman/welder in Houston that will do the work on-site?
3. If #2 doesn't exist, any Houston bodyshop recommendations?
4. Anyone with similar stories? I'd like to think I'm not alone. This isn't even paint and body, just panel replacement!
Robert
I am having most of the panels replaced on my 67, and in June of last year took it to a local shop that specializes in Camaros here in Houston to have the work done. Guy estimates 2 months, I think 4, as these things always take twice as long as you think.
It has now been over 9 months and the car is sitting in roughly the same shape it was at month 2: cowl, dash, floors, trunk, and inners/outers done, quarters missing. The story for the past 6 months has been that the quarters shipped were damaged, then they were unavailable, then says the quarters came in but he's waiting on the roof, "I'll have it next week," etc etc. There's always a reason why no work has been done on my car. I even offered to source the parts myself and bring them out to him, but he claims his supplier hand-picks the straightest panels, it'll save me money, etc.
So February 1 I told him I wanted the car done by the end of the month, that I was tired of waiting. When I show up March 1, the car is sitting in the same state as it was a month ago. I ask him about the car, what possibly could be wrong now. He claims he's waiting on quarters.
At this point I lost it. "WTH do you mean waiting on quarters? I SAW the quarters! You've told me three different quarter panel stories, WTH happened to my quarters? And where the heck is the roof?"
So now he claims that they accidentally sold my quarters, that they never were damaged, just sold, and he's "still waiting" on the roof, just like a month ago. I break out the cell phone and start calling the towing company. Guy pleads with me for more time, that I won't be disappointed, he'll cut me a break on the roof (which was out of the original scope of work), etc. etc.
I really like the guy. He does good work and is one of the nicest people I've met in the hobby. So I agree that he can have until the end of March, and he promises me that the work will be done.
It's the middle of March. I went out to see the car and he still has no panels. There is absolutely no way I am leaving the car past the end of the month, and I am almost certain that nothing will have been done about the car, so I have some questions:
1. Is it safe to flat-bed the unibody and bare subframe without the quarters (it does have the inner/outers though) ?
2. Does anyone know a good bodyman/welder in Houston that will do the work on-site?
3. If #2 doesn't exist, any Houston bodyshop recommendations?
4. Anyone with similar stories? I'd like to think I'm not alone. This isn't even paint and body, just panel replacement!
Robert
Now the guy is a retired body man. he actually is the uncle of a good friend of mine. He said he would give me a real good deal on the body work "IF I WASN'T IN A REAL BIG HURRY" for the car. If I wouldn't rush him that is. I was thinking maybe 6 months but dang! I figured hey while he's got the body I can get the motor, tranny, interior done, order the glass etc..etc... Ok so now I have the my whole garage full of interior parts, brand new crate motor that's still in the crate for over a year. The thing is that it's soooo close to being done I can taste it! The good news is that he has no choice but to hurry up and paint it because the shop he was leasing just changed ownership and he's going to have to move by the end of April. So I will have my car by then!! I feel bad for the guy that he's going to lose his place though.
