I went and seen a couple guy's today about getting some body work done on my truck.I need to replace cab corner's,patch the floor and I figured while it's all geeting replaced may as well do the rocker panels.There is a guy a block and a 1/2 away from me who does good work,he say's it will take him a minimum of 40hrs. to do it.At $40.00 an hr.That seem's like an awefuly long time.The hourly rate is really good though.

 

Cab corners are actually pretty easy to do yourself. I have a Lincoln weldpak 100 I think it is. My brother did his last cab corner in about 2 hrs. welded in filled and primed. You can get floor pans and cab corners cheap enough and installing them isnt to big a deal. 1600$ is far to much to spend on a cab. You can get another cab in decent shape for under 300$. Myself I am just getting another cab because my current one is going to be more work than I want to do. (corners,floors,cab mounts, thin on the seams in the firewall) Picking my new one up tonight for a 100$ it's mint except for needing 1 minor patch. Basically I was looking for something for under 250$ that didnt need more than corners and/or floors. How bad are the rockers?

 

The rocker's aren't to bad but they should be done.The floor is going to be a simple fix,I don't need the whole floor pan.Just cut out a small chunk and replace.

 

When I worked for a body shop, I got my rockers done for free in the Mazda. But they got in behind, and put in some "peel and stick" light flexible aluminum, and then filled in the rest with bondo. After that, you couldnt tell where the rust posts were.

 

Ya that hourly rate is pretty good. Is 40 hrs a fair amount of time. To me it seems a little high. I am not a bodyman though.

 

depends on how much rust, how bad the holes are. 40hrs sounds about right.

 

40hrs is way to much time.In my opinion.

 

not if he is quoting, prep, work, and prep for primer & paint. If its just 40hrs for the work, then he's snorting too much bondo. If it is for everything, then 40 hrs is pretty damn good.

 

Can't you get replacement weld in replacement parts for all that stuff.

 

rockers are really touph to weld in, easier and cheaper to lay in a coat or 3 of bondo.

 

The quote is just for the work.I had an estimate a few years ago for the same work,other than it was on my '81,$100.00 to do each rocker.I'm going to Ackland's this morning,I'm going to price out a mig welder.

 

I want to borrow it.

 

They are a bunch of crooks then...

 

Have a few beers and fly at her sed. How tough can it be.

 

I bought a mig welder from an auction for 200 bucks or so. So far it does the job really well even though its not the highest quality welder out there.

Check on craigslist of you want a used one.