Rear End Install Shop in NorCal

If I charged this guy by the hour, even at the new BS $20 minimum wage, it would be a hard kick to the wallet for him.
It isn't all on him though. There are a lot of options that I've tried that a more experienced guy wouldn't even try because they'd know it is a dead end.
If the same sort of project heads my way in the future, I'll have this experience to serve as a guide for what works and what is pointless to try.