Major Set Back...

[chapdog105]

After pulling the rear end of the car I really got under it today and couldn't be more disappointed. She looks good up top, but below I've got a mess. I'm very disappointed in the job the "body man" did on the bottom of this car.
The didn't fix anything. He half-assed dura-glassed or did nothing at all.

I will have all this fixed, but this is obviously a major setback.

 

[BBillyC]

I feel for you. I know first hand how that kind of shit can get under your skin. Is the guy going to come clean for you or is this a trip off to another body man. OUCH

 

[Steve]

He obviously doesn't give a toss about his reputation as....and I use the term lightly "body repair man".Was he hoping you wouldn't notice :huh:

 

[abodybill]

Wow!!

I know what you are going thru as I had the samething only not as bad.

Hope the bodyman stand behind it and does you wright.

 

[mtdrydock]

:facepalm:

If it makes you feel better, your roadrunner still looks much better than mine and makes me green with envy.

 

[george68hemirr]

i guess thats why he got done so fast

 

[chapdog105]

I talked to the "body guy" on the phone today. He said "I thought I did a good job on underneath." I can't believe this guy!

I had to call my welder/fabricator father in to save the day (and the car). He looked at it and we've decided that instead of sending it to a body shop we are going to fix up the underbody ourselves. I really didn't want to put this on my old man, but he's going to help me out and I'm very thankful.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet about the body guy in terms of reimbursement. Something has to happen, I paid him to do work he didn't do. He's coming to the house tomorrow so I can show him all the shit he messed up, like he doesn't know that he half assed it.

No BS, I pulled body filler caulk out of the rear frame rail holes today. It's all pretty disappointing...

After having my dad check it out I'm confident we can salvage the project and make it right. I wish I would've caught it sooner, it would've been SO much less work. The top of the car looked good, and I trusted the guy. Big time life lessoned learned the hard way on this experience.

On a side note, I'm pretty sure he brazed-in and fiber glassed the quarter panels in. I'm a bit concerned about it. My dad thinks we should just focus on the bottom and rear end of the car that is messed up. He said the quarters may become problematic down the road, but should last a long time if he did them right. They look good, but after seeing the mess this body guy left me with I have no confidence in anything he's done.
Anyone have experience with brass welded quarters?

 

[SomeCarGuy]

That is a kick in the dick right there. :soap:

I think your father is right, just get the frame good and hope for the best otherwise. Any work now up top will ruin the paint. So...


Just be sure to brace the area and have at it. Might find a chart with the OEM "X" measurments handy.

 

[69B5]

This type of thing really gets me upset!
I'm in business too, although not car related, and it dosen't take much more effort or expence to do the job correctly once your into the project.
I wish you the very best.
69B5

 

[Basketcase]

man that really sucks. I'm sure there not all bad, but I'm starting to rank bodymen right down there with lawyers. I had a "friend" screw up my '68 Charger like that. pulled the trigger, bought new panels, thought I was doing it right.
as far as brazing, the first car I ever had done, guy was an old time bodyman. brazed any patch panel the car needed. never broke out, and looked good for years.
my 2 cents...I'd fix the underneath and get some enjoyment out of the car for a while. in the meantime, maybe take some welding and bodywork classes at the local tech school, and when needed redo the car yourself, then you'll know the bodyman will do the car right.

 

[meepbeep69]

I feel your pain. I got nicked when I bought a car out in New York.

The fellow I bought it from recommended a shop down the street to freshen it up. I talked with that guy and got a decent price for a few things I knew needed to be done. He sent me pictures of the progress.

Then he calls and says well it needs this and this. Pictures never came.

Thought what the heck let him do a few more minor things. He was fair on the first few things. Well that was the bait and switch....

Next thing I know I'm getting billed close to 9 Grand. They tried to bill me $1,500 for tracking down a right side door light that would not work. The under dash harness is about $450. I did not even get a new harness. Instead I got my old one with two nice large pink splices out by the light. And they call themselves a restoration shop. What a bunch of streetwalkers!

I drove out there with a truck paid him off a little over $7 grand cash!!! We put it on the trailer and brought it back home.

I never drove the thing and it sat in the garage for two years. I put the RR together and recently removed everything and it is back to a rolling shell. I have noticed and I'm being liberal here $3-$4 grand in work done out there. And that's at reportable retail prices. He did a decent job. But we will have to weld and fill a few areas.

It was no where close to the "You'll never notice it was worked on" crud he told me. For ten years of my life I wrote auto wrecks as an insurance adjuster.

Next month it's going into my friend's shop where I can work on it with him at my leisure and get it done right.

Seeing yours brings back some really ill will feelings toward that guy.

On a happier note you and your dad working on it together will be great moments to share. Keep the doors on and keep it straight.

Take pictures with your dad along the way and enjoy the time together.

:chuck: :redx:

 

[dobie]

:facepalm:

If it makes you feel better, your roadrunner still looks much better than mine and makes me green with envy.

+1. Same here man. It's no consulation I know, but your car is 100x nicer than mine. Im no body guy, so I really dont know how hard or exspensive these fixes will be.

I'm working on mine with my uncle, but only when he has time. The car hasnt been touched since October if that says anything. I know that if I took my car elsewhere things would get done, and at the very least it would be respectable. Taking the time though with him gives me piece of mind that things are done right, and I get to see the progress every day we touch it. Plus, I learn little things every working day.

Enjoy the time with your dad. I really believe that I have the best father in the world, and he has taught me so much over the years. Most importantly, he taught me the true definition of being a man and a father. That said, he was out of cars once my mom and him got married. Growing up, I wanted him to get an old car and work on it during my high school years. That never happened as he was busy teaching classes to take classes, and working full time as a school administrator. Nowadays, we do get to work on things together as he retired last year. Still, though, I wish I wouldve gotten an early start on cars. Consider this a blessing that you and dad get to spend some time together.
:cheers:

 

[chapdog105]

:facepalm:

If it makes you feel better, your roadrunner still looks much better than mine and makes me green with envy.

+1. Same here man. It's no consulation I know, but your car is 100x nicer than mine. Im no body guy, so I really dont know how hard or exspensive these fixes will be.

I'm working on mine with my uncle, but only when he has time. The car hasnt been touched since October if that says anything. I know that if I took my car elsewhere things would get done, and at the very least it would be respectable. Taking the time though with him gives me piece of mind that things are done right, and I get to see the progress every day we touch it. Plus, I learn little things every working day.

Enjoy the time with your dad. I really believe that I have the best father in the world, and he has taught me so much over the years. Most importantly, he taught me the true definition of being a man and a father. That said, he was out of cars once my mom and him got married. Growing up, I wanted him to get an old car and work on it during my high school years. That never happened as he was busy teaching classes to take classes, and working full time as a school administrator. Nowadays, we do get to work on things together as he retired last year. Still, though, I wish I wouldve gotten an early start on cars. Consider this a blessing that you and dad get to spend some time together.
:cheers:

Thanks for the kind words fellas. I'm confident it will all work out. I am still determined to get her on the road this summer.

I know the life of a school administrator. I'm a high school assistant principal going to school full time wrapping up my masters, then on to doctoral school.

There's not a ton to fix on the car, and we should be able to get it done in a few weekends. It just pisses me off that I paid to have the car 100% done and done right, and that's not the case. It's never easy to screwed over!

I should be putting in my heater box and dash, not re-patching metal on the frame rails and undercarriage that I already paid someone to fix.

The whole thing just sucks, but what can you do. Life is all about learning lessons I guess...

 

[abodybill]

Yep your right about life learning lessons but we put so much trust into fellowman and then get the shaft and it is always a hard lesson to swallow!

I keep telling the wife I must have STUPID burnt into my forehead as many times as I get taken.

It will all work out in the end it's just the extra time and $$$$ that we have to go thru.

 

[Big John]

The brazing will probably be OK as long as he cleaned the flux off completely. I seem to remember that some guys use to do something to neutralize the fluxed area too, but I don't remember. But... anyway... yea, work on the undercarriage now and just watch what happens. FWIW, I've seen some brazed panels last a long time.

Oh... and I really miss my Dad.....

 

[george68hemirr]

The brazing will probably be OK as long as he cleaned the flux off completely. I seem to remember that some guys use to do something to neutralize the fluxed area too, but I don't remember. But... anyway... yea, work on the undercarriage now and just watch what happens. FWIW, I've seen some brazed panels last a long time.

Oh... and I really miss my Dad.....

SORRY JOHN.....DID YOU DAD JUST PASS??
i miss both my parents

 

[Big John]

The brazing will probably be OK as long as he cleaned the flux off completely. I seem to remember that some guys use to do something to neutralize the fluxed area too, but I don't remember. But... anyway... yea, work on the undercarriage now and just watch what happens. FWIW, I've seen some brazed panels last a long time.

Oh... and I really miss my Dad.....

SORRY JOHN.....DID YOU DAD JUST PASS??
i miss both my parents

1993. Mom in 2004. Miss them both very much.

 

[Basketcase]

Mom in Oct 2005. miss her everyday. dreading the next phone call. hope it's years away.
now..back on track...at least as we get here...does your ex bodyman have kids in your school? you could flunk'm...

 

[moparchris]

I think every car guy has a story of how a body shop has screwed something up.....bad. I have plenty to share but one that comes to mind didnt even happen to me. Back when I was in my early twenties my boss (a great guy ) had a 55 T-bird that he bought in 1960 and he decided it was time to make it concourse. So he drops it off at a world renowned T-bird resto shop and gives them a 10 thousand dollar deposit. The very next month he gets a call from the Sherriff to bring the title down to this guys shop. So fearing the worst he asks me to come with and bring my trailer. When we get there the Sherriff tells us that the car is in there and he needs to verify what car is what and that the guy is in serious trouble with the law for theft. We didn't even get to see the car we just got turned away. Fast forward 3 months and we get another call from the Sherriff to come and get it. Well to say the least it had been parted out and all we got was the shell and some small parts. Basically out ten grand and now his pride and joy (which was a pretty nice unrestored T-bird mind you) is totally f-ed. Well thirty grand later it was finished by a real proffessional. He was so pissed about it and didn't even show or drive the car for months after the resto. Later though he enjoyed the crap out of it as time wore on. I guess my point is that you need to watch these guys like a hawk and go over daily or weekly and take pics and poke around. I think that your quarters will be okay and that once you finish it, it will be worth it. Your car still looks good by the way! Sorry you have to go through this crap! No one deserves that.

 

[Big John]

Body Shop story:

I bought a 77 New Yorker from my buddy Dave. It was yellow with brown interior and the yellow looked horrible. At the time, Dave was selling a used car or two and his brother Bill was painting them as needed. Well.... Dave said, we have a bunch of brown paint left over from a couple cars... Bill is gonna mix it together and if you help him mask it, he'll paint it brown. OK... sounds good to me.

I stop by the shop and start to help Bill mask off the Chrysler so he could paint it that night.... Well... Bill is a typical painter, and he's drunk... so drunk I figure it's gonna be another day before I get the car because there's no way he's gonna stay verticle for much longer.

I go there the next day and the car's brown... and it looks like a drunk painted it. The paint has so much orange peel in it that it looks like a golf ball. I need the car though and at this point I don't care what it looks like. I drove it a couple years, even brought my second son home from the hospital in it.

I got into a minor fender bender and crunched the front, taking out the headlights on one side. I get a new front valance and grille from a local yard and decide to paint it. After two years, I figure there's no way I'm going to match the brown, but geez... at least the car will have headlights. Just for laughs, I stop at Daves... and there in Bill's paint cabinet was a gallon can marked "John's Chrysler" with about a quart of paint still in it!

So, I painted the front again... and I'm actually not too bad at spraying paint... so it comes out really nice. But... it doesn't match the "textured" finish on the rest of the car. :lmao: