� Alexander Bilan Offered us all the following upon Body work �
> > and put a Ford 9" with a Detroit locker, 380 gear set and strange
> > engineering axles. Including Chrome parts on the motor it ended up over
> > $3000 dollars in work.
>
>The fancy stuff costs money. I'd image the ford 9" set up for the
>Tempest wasn't exactly equal on price to a GM axle, 10 or 12 bolt. 
 Wasn't that fancy really. As for price equality, I wouldn't be able to
guess. I have never bought those two merely thrown them away ;>
The Ford 9" was actually very cheap. I haven't had a real problem with
it in the past either. I used a 3/4 ton ford rear axle that I got
without the pot for a measly 30 dollars. Trimmed and re-welded the
flanges to the same size as the Tempest rear I pulled, and ordred two
axles from Bear axles (they make strange engineering axles here in
canada) in ontario. The most expensive part was the axles but I refuse
to put stock axles back in any vehicle I swap on, the price could be
your life if they snap...
 The gear set and locker came from a friend who had it for sale, the
whole shebang cost me about 1300 dollars and about 1100 of that was
axles.
 For 1300 dollars I don't consider leaving the stock rear end in worth
it at all. I have spent to much time at the track to even consider chevy
rear ends a quality product never mind a ford 9"'s competition.
> > The problem is Bodywork.
>
>It always is. Once you do have it completed, theres that darn upkeep.
> =) 
Ewww, low blow!  I never wash it (it's black) I just wait until it rains
and go for a drive ;>
> > worked out that the most I could afford was close to 1500 dollars,
>
>I suspect that this resto shop will do EVERYTHING right. No short
>cuts, proper clips, all metal bodywork, put back the way the factory
>did it. And yes, these shops cost a good chunk of change. But they do
>turn out the quality jobs.  Your task will be to find someone who will
>still do a quality job, but at a less price, with acceptable processes
>and outcomes. A most difficult task to say the least.  
 They would, we are talking acid dip frame whole shebang here.
But I am not interested in that level! I want someone to correct my
minor problems and give a quality paint job. Most of it is
fairly minor, stuff I have noticed over the years of owning it
and measurements for installing things.
> > possibly 2000 at the most for paint work. Since a parts matching car
> > was only worth 6600 american I definitly wasn't interested in that
>
>I would, if possible, go closer to $3000.  That will get you a better
>outcome.  Most of the money goes into labour.  And if your rear
>fenders are in need of some serious metalworking, thats a lot of hours
>to do things right.  
 I guess I can save up 3000 if I leave it until next year.
The rear quarters are pristine, the wheel wells were replaced with
plastic or fiberglass (Impossible to tell which) and although the job
was top notch, as in you won't tell at all looking or running a straight
edge looking for seams, the one side was fractionally different than the
other.
> > route. So I looked for someone else to do it locally. I found one other
> > fellow, a retired bodyman, who said he would do it for 1500. But when I
> > asked he was saying things like pop riviting the clips for the rear
> > window trim on and said he would pick out the paint for me.
>
>Run! don't walk away, don't look back.
That's sort of what happenned :>
>You need to do a lot of leg work now.  Visit everybody shop in your
>locality that you want to. Bring your car, tell them what you want.
>(Be sure you know what you want done, like restoring the rear quarters,
>and repainting--which in your case will probably entail stripping the
>entire car)  Ask them for estimates, ask them what they plan on doing,
>how much time it will take approximately. Don't be in a rush on this
>matter!  Some shops will gladely work on an old car, but MOST are for
>the fast insurance company turn-arounds. Old cars take the skill and
>patience of a bodyman, thats where the money goes, and it takes time.
>My own car spent over 6 months in the shop, but I was happy with what
>they did, they did more than what I had intended, they ended up
>stripping every bit of chrome off the car, stripped everything, and did
>an excellent prep job on it. Yes, it took time, but I went to the shop
>every week to look at how the car was, saw progress most of the time,
>all in prep work, but they where not rushing the job. They easily could
>have done a quick chrome strip, quick sanding, and painted the car and
>be done with it.  They took it on as a personal project to have a
>decent end product. 
 Sounds like you have a far better quality of bodymen :>
I have checked out some of the shops here, most with little success.
Some are obvious ICBC insurance shops, others are ma and pa deals that I
get scared looking at the "show" cars. I have found one that does fairly
top notch work but they still seem far beyond my range price wise asking
their previous customers. I am ranging farther and farther afield in
this search and really getting exhausted and desperate. Ideally I would
like to get some of the people in the area who redo the Hot Rods and
coupe's etc. to take on the project but although they do excellent work
they are alway's to busy. I think one thing that REALLY works against me
is that I am only 21, though I have one completed restoration, a
dragster and this car here under my belt most shops don't take me
seriously and seem to think I am wasting their time.
 
>The good places will talk to you, tell you things without you having to
>push them for answers, they will go to your car first and poke at it.
>Also, check out places that do customization work.  They often end up
>doing their own fabrications, so a simple repair would be peanuts to
>them, but you'll have quality on your side, along with a shop that
>works old cars, and is used to doing things for show vehicles, and it
>rubs off on the regular work as well.
 I thank you greatly for your advice, This is the first time I have had
to deal with this. My cousin in Orangeville Ont. did my first
restoration (A numbers matching 1965 GTO) and he took the time to
do a thorough and complete job. As I now live in BC I am unable to find
someone who I can both trust with the job and am able to afford.
But I will keep looking in the summer when the Tempest comes out of
storage, at least it is able to impress alot more people now that the
driveline is done ;>
 (Coming soon: should I go to the big block...)
*Chuckles*
... Death - the ultimate equalizer.
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