Wallace

[majdomo]

Reconfirmed 6/22 with my paint guy earlier this morning. Ordered a bunch of trim from W&N and Blunt to replace the subpar anodized trim that I got back from the shop about a month ago. I should have done that earlier, but have plenty to get through once the car gets back. 

 

Some shots I took for King of Trim and Speedway to do an estimate. Please excuse the feet.   I haven't heard back from Speedway and don't feel like waiting, just going new and throwing my wallet at the situation. Bought new drip rail trim as well from W&N. Car is going to look all bling when it gets back... someday soon I hope!

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by majdomo

[majdomo]

We're going backwards here, wasting probably 6 weeks in the process. It's a long story, always is. I'm going down there on Friday to write a plan with them to finish this and get it back as soon as possible. The other option is to pull it and have someone else finish it, but my concern there is that any other paint / body shop worth their salt won't trust someone else's work, and I'll have to go to the back of their line while likely paying way more to finish, possibly starting over.

 

I am frustrated with the situation, but see no other way out than through. The sh*tty part is that this is really sapping my enthusiasm for the car. I have a garage full of parts that are gathering dust, and meanwhile the summer will be gone before I get a chance to drive it. What a clusterf*ck.

 

As it sits today, no joke.

 

[ray_]

Do not despair.

 

I'd echo staying with that shop. See what you can do to help motivate them ... without pissing them off

 

Cheers,

[majdomo]

12 minutes ago, ray_ said:

Do not despair.

 

I'd echo staying with that shop. See what you can do to help motivate them ... without pissing them off

 

Cheers,

Thanks. There's been some medical problems, which obviously no one can predict, but then he wasn't happy with the work one of his guys completed. To his credit he's gone back and re-done the blocking to make it right, but the medical problems have meant more time than he was expecting. There's a new person in the mix starting Friday, so the idea is to go down and see them to build a checklist and a timeline.

 

I really don't know, looks far from done to my uneducated perspective, but it sounds like the major part of the body work is finished and what's left is final blocking, jambing, then wrapping up paint and reassembly. He's also got to pull the engine, finish the engine bay, and then install the headliner and front / rear windows. All in it's probably a few weeks worth of work, but again I don't know for sure.

 

Point well taken about pissing him off, he's closing up his shop and wants to finish this just as much as I do. I think it's just overwhelming and there are a lot of moving parts for him. It's a point of pride for him to finish, I just wish we'd gotten here 6 weeks ago.

[Jam3422]

I also recommend sticking with the shop.  My car spent 9 months at the paint shop, just paint, no metal work  - someone else that had their car painted there said "that's not too bad".  I am convinced without some very careful prodding and encouragement, my car would still be there two years later.  The key was, as Ray said, not to piss them off.

[majdomo]

On 6/21/2021 at 8:48 PM, Jam3422 said:

I also recommend sticking with the shop.  My car spent 9 months at the paint shop, just paint, no metal work  - someone else that had their car painted there said "that's not too bad".  I am convinced without some very careful prodding and encouragement, my car would still be there two years later.  The key was, as Ray said, not to piss them off.

Just as a point of reference, when I checked in with another shop and included those photos, was told it would be $20K for paint and body work. This sounds like the "I don't know / start over" price, to be honest, but at least I got a response. 

 

Good progress through yesterday, heading down this weekend to write up a list and deadline for each step with them. Was very clear I'm not doing it to piss them off, just so I can learn and manage my own expectations, as well as help them exit the business as soon as possible. May also offer financial rewards for hitting the deadline and putting up with my babysitting.

[majdomo]

Alright - saw the car yesterday, met the new paint and body guy he’s brought in to finish it, and set up a timeline to finish. At this point it’ll probably be done by 7/23 or so. However, basically all the blocking and jamb work is done, with the exception of the roof and the tail section which both need some more shaping, but that’s all pretty close. After that, one more round of primer / final blocking / primer (week of 7/4) and then it’s off to paint (7/11). Then, headliner and glass (7/18). Trunk is pretty much finished, they pulled the fuel tank and will be welding up the tow hook underneath the spare tire as one of the welds had popped off. Motor pulled this week for subframe and final work on the engine bay.

 

I also got over to 2002AD yesterday, to pick up a new headliner bow as one of mine was seriously bent. I met Andres, who was working on a sweet Touring that he said he’d converted from RHD to LHD (!!). Had a short opportunity to look around, and could be lost in there for days. Amazing something like that is available locally!

 

Also, pulling the trigger on a 245 and the full 5 speed conversion. Because, well, why not.

 

If I can get it done for Legends of the Autobahn….. 

 

[majdomo]

245, rebuilt by Jack Fahuna. 4 bolt flange though. May keep, we’ll see. 
 

[majdomo]

More progress photos. Engine is coming out this week. (I've heard this on 4 different occasions, at least.) Once that's done, reinforcing the driver's side mount and spraying the subframe. Then, blocking / final primer on the engine bay, and then it's off to paint.

 

I might see it back home in 2-3 weeks, at earliest.

 

 

 

 

[majdomo]

More good progress. Paint sometime next week. (He said tomorrow.) Apparently they've had a tough time fitting the front fenders, but they look pretty solid now. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by majdomo

[ray_]

How'd they do the seam?

 

Here's a thread ;-)

 

 

[majdomo]

7 minutes ago, ray_ said:

How'd they do the seam?

 

Here's a thread ?

 

 

 

Welded. Better than tossing some filler in there and hoping for the best, but not 100% factory either.

[majdomo]

Progress!! Will weld in the IE support for the driver's side mount and paint subframe. Bay prep will continue.

 

 

[majdomo]

Getting closer, doors are off and they were aiming to spray jambs today. Pulled all the old sound deadening out of the interior. Need to order some Dynamat. 

 

 

 

 

 

[majdomo]

Finally getting closer. Jambs and interior done, exterior is next. 3x paint, 3x clear. Confirmed the serial is covered up and just primer, though looks like I'll need some new boots on the rear shock ends.