Storage or Body Shop

[71340Duster]

Within the next 3-6 months we are going to sell our house and will be in a transition period for some time while we build shop and house on our property. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to store Duster or put it in a body shop. An option I wish I was ready for was to start the construction on the shop and put the car along with our household stuff there but we're not ready for that yet. Storage is expensive and hard to get out here, will cost around $300 per month for a 10x30. If the cars in the body shop the storage size needed will be significantly less. My body man does great work, did my sons firebird with excellent results but he's a terrible business man and we almost came to blows a couple of times. I would like to work out a piece by piece restoration so that the work gets done and I can better control how much I'm paying out, money will be tight as we have a septic and well pump to put in etc. Holy crap I'm rambling, any advice on a plan for the body shop (I'm talking with him pretty soon) or storage ideas, I'm bummed that I won't be able to work on the car no matter what happens....for awhile.

 

[fishmens67]

I think it's a no brainer, throw 300 away on storage or give the 300 to the body man.
300 doesn't go very far with body work and paint, but it will get you in the door and a start.

 

[red67gts]

buy a car hauler and when you get shop built you can sell it

 

[Dana]

Usually storage and the body shop are one in the same. 3 months turns into 13 pretty easily. So just call down to the shop every couple months ask how everything is going, and say "good, good, take your time and make it right" and you golden for at least a year or so! Just my experience. I know a gentleman who is using his body man's work ethics to store his super bird as we speak.

 

[halfafish]

I've been in your shoes.....if it was me I'd do the body shop thing. Paying for storage space is throwing money down the toilet. At least you'd be getting something for your hard-earned cash. If I had a previous mis-communication with my body guy, I'd set out very specific expectations in writing as to what would be done, for what price, and completed by when. Good fences make good neighbors, and all that...

Sounds like you're on the best track available at the moment. Things will improve greatly with your own place and own shop.

 

[71340Duster]

Usually storage and the body shop are one in the same. 3 months turns into 13 pretty easily. So just call down to the shop every couple months ask how everything is going, and say "good, good, take your time and make it right" and you golden for at least a year or so! Just my experience. I know a gentleman who is using his body man's work ethics to store his super bird as we speak.

You're right, him taking his time would be a good thing. Again, terrible businessman, wife answers the phone because she runs a U haul, makes it sound like he's too busy to talk to you, tells you "well I guess I could have my son run the cell phone out to him", Wow, I'm a customer right??? This happened yesterday when I finally decided to call after several months of thinking about this, he gets the phone and says he's trying to get work done but he keeps being bothered by phone calls. Glad to see his customer skills are right where they were when he did my sons firebird LOL.

 

[71340Duster]

I've been in your shoes.....if it was me I'd do the body shop thing. Paying for storage space is throwing money down the toilet. At least you'd be getting something for your hard-earned cash. If I had a previous mis-communication with my body guy, I'd set out very specific expectations in writing as to what would be done, for what price, and completed by when. Good fences make good neighbors, and all that...

Sounds like you're on the best track available at the moment. Things will improve greatly with your own place and own shop.

I'll give you some quotes he's said that might make some run away from this body man. "I don't want to do anything for under $1000." He also did a materials charge when he started my sons firebird, things like sanding wheels etc. I think it was around $400. Some said at the time he should have had all that stuff, I'm on the fence of that idea because it would be rolled up in the cost of work anyway.
So the setting of written expectations and prices for section by section work is a must along with a time expectation. I guess if he wants money up front we won't have a deal, don't want the car held for ransom. I did read a good thread on this written on FABO a few years ago, some good guidelines in there as well.