Owner came and picked up the '54 yesterday. The terms of the original agreement on the restoration got altered by the owner, which created an impossible to complete in the time required condition. Oh well, not my problem. A little disappointed, since it was looking so good, but he wanted it done asap, and I told him that wasn't possible. Since I do not have a sealed paint booth, I have to be able to paint, and sand, and paint some more in order to make it perfect, and I couldn't do that in the time frame I was given.

 

That's a bummer. I was really enjoying watching your progress. It was looking so good. You were making good progress too.

 

Yeah, I'm a little bit irritated by it. Such is life though. I think the part that actually bugs me about it, is that it was really close to completion. If the paint part were done, it was a days worth of parts installation away from being assembled, and ready to drive. About a month and a half back, he asked if I wanted one of his buddies to handle the paint, and body work. I told him that wouldn't be a bad idea, as it would greatly decrease the amount of time spent on the truck, and eliminate any potential paint issues associated with less than stellar conditions. He opted to leave the body here, because it would be a hassle to truck the body to the paint shop, and truck it back. Oh well, not my problem. No worried on my end. We made sure to put in the labor agreement that either party could end the project at anytime for any reason, and it would not be either parties fault, or problem. I still have my Big Job.

 

Sad to hear that Joe. I have been following your other post about the project. Unfortunately some truck restoration projects have become just like society today. People think it should be restored just like on tv. Heck they can completely tear down and rebuild a classic truck in 7 days. Why can't we do that? The reality is much different. MOST people don't realize the time, money and skill that goes into restoring a classic truck.

I use to restore air-cooled VWs for a living. More than once a customer would bring in their rust bucket and ask "how much to restore my car?" I always told them $20,000. Most of them, after they picked their jaw up off the floor, would say that's too much. Was it really? In some cases yes, but people don't realize that when a certified shop and/or experienced craftsman works on their car it takes money to do that. By the time you add you parts, labor, overhead, pizza, beer, Jack Daniels (for those stubborn late nights fighting rusted bolts) and all the other things that come up during a restoration, you can't properly restore anything cheap. That is why I am always amazed when looking at new potential purchases and the current owner tells me a couple of days work, some sanding and a fresh coat of paint and the truck will be "good as new". They rarely realize how much time and money it will take to restore it.

Nowadays, I pick my projects and do my own work. If, at the end of the restore, I feel like selling the truck, I do so. Either someone wants to buy it then or they don't. I don't have to deal with a customer telling me they wanted a shade darker on the paint or a different set of rims. They either like it the way it is or they don't. I wish you the best on your Big Job.

 

Bummer Joe...real shame...

 

Oh well, I won't lose any sleep over it. It'll just sit, and rot, until he's able to get it finished, which isn't really my problem. I was nearly finished, more than two months ahead of schedule. The only thing that was left, was to finish out the paint, and assemble it.