What kind of $$ to fix the roof ? I dont know how much things like this cost

Your best bet is to take it to a couple of body shops and get an estimate. Be ready for sticker shock as this type of work is time consuming and they will more than likely recommend a repaint on your vehicle, since the paint is nearly 20 years old.

The shops around here have labor rates in $90 an hour range but it varies depending on your location and the amount of competition in the area.

This is why the question of how much the car is worth to you keeps coming up.

I was just trying to get ballpark idea so I knew I wasn't getting ripped off.

Yea, it's not necessarily the idea of the cost versus worth of car. I'm weighing it against the cost of replacing it with another vehicle. The car is low miles for the age around 70K miles

shoebox wrote:I
Yea, it's not necessarily the idea of the cost versus worth of car. I'm weighing it against the cost of replacing it with another vehicle. The car is low miles for the age around 70K miles

I hear you--at least you know the car and that in itself is worth something.

You won't know until you get an estimate or two.

It's hard for any of us to look at a picture and throw you a quote. Even a ballpark guesstimate could be off by a thousand dollars or more.

'68 Coronet R/T wrote:You won't know until you get an estimate or two.

It's hard for any of us to look at a picture and throw you a quote. Even a ballpark guesstimate could be off by a thousand dollars or more.

That is so true. Please let us know what a couple of shops quote you. I have been asked a few times to do stuff like that and turned it down simply because I had no idea how much time I would have into it. I'm just a hobbyist at best though.

I'm not sure an estimate from a bodyshop (NOT a restoration shop) is a good idea. Regular body shops in my area are not equipped, not are the people there trained to do quality rust repair, or sheet metal fabrication work. Kids today, and even 10-20 years ago, aren't trained to do this in auto body courses. I would be suspect of a regular shop giving a reasonable estimate, and doing the work "right".
Case in point: I recently had a friend of a friend, come to me to do a small repair on the roof of his 55 Chevy. Since it was small, I brought him in when I had a spot open. It, indeed, was a small patch that had to be made, and welded in. Around 3 1/2" by 2", at the edge of the rain gutter. I did in in around an hour, hour and a half. It hardly needed any compound curve, on my English wheel. In fact, it could have just been bent around a gas cylinder, and welded in, with a small amount of body filler.
The 55 was getting it's bodywork done at a local Ford dealership, using it for fill in work. The do nice work, but I can't imagine they couldn't do this job easily. But they refused, so he brought it to me.
Part 2: He later brought me one of the doors, that had a corner rotted out, on the inner structure, not even affecting the outer skin. I cleaned it up with some phosphoric acid, patched it, and treated it with rust preventative. But I noticed a bit higher up on the door, holes with filler worms coming out! They had drilled and pulled a slight dent, and then just filled it. I removed the filler, welded it, hammered it better, and then finished it. Can't believe they would do a shoddy repair on this, esp. on a nice classy vintage car!
As I said, I don't believe most shops can do fab work, and serious rust repair, correctly.

Perfect timing of this post. I was about to ask, is there some credential to look for so I know they are qualified to do the work? So restoration shop not body shop is who I should be targeting?

chopolds wrote:I'm not sure an estimate from a bodyshop (NOT a restoration shop) is a good idea.

Great point.
Yes, a restoration shop is the proper place.

That's a tough question. When I turn down a job, due to too many jobs to do, I recommend one or 2 other people I know who do good work. Most likely, they, too are booked for at least a year out, for intensive rust repair/restoration.
Next best thing is to go to local car shows, or cruise nights, and ask around. If you see a well done car, ask who did it, how fast, and if they don't mind, how much. And the most important thing, how long ago was it done. I've seen gorgeous cars that seemed to disappear after a couple, few years, then resurface, with new paint. I personally have redone several cars done by shops, that I hadn't heard a lot of bad things about, that had very shoddy work done. The proof is how long it holds together and still looks good.