I've got a 1980 Z-28 I'm working on, for the original owner. He drove it until around 10-15 years ago, and then stored it in a garage near the Jersey shore (yeah, saltwater in the air!) When he pulled it out, he brought it to a bodyshop, to put in new floors. They proceeded to take apart the entire car, and never put the floors in, but did other work (not sure exactly what). The owner then brought it to a body guy who said he worked for a Ferrari, or Lambo dealership in PA. He worked on it after hours at a shop he worked at. Then he left that shop and went to another, doing the same. Finally he ran out of shops, and gave the car back.
So, lots of hands have been in this car. I knocked out the floor, and the owner asked me to finish up the rest of the car ( a bare shell at this point) I felt bad for the guy getting jerked around, so I took the job. But every time I work on a panel, I find something suspicious. I keep finding: body filler over rust, filler over the original paint (the first shop swore they stripped it to bare!) filler over paint, that had filler under it, that was put over the original paint. Now, I finally stripped one of the doors to bare (it was primered, but supposedly bare under that). Yep, rust, and the bottom edge of the door replaced. Bondo over a tack welded piece of metal. And they didn't even replace the swiss cheesed metal completely!
I really can't believe the poor quality of the work on this. The guy paid good money, according to him, and really got screwed. And I really cannot believe these people putting filler over original paint! One door, was entirely covered with filler, sanded nice and smooth, but over the paint, and there were only a few door dings in it. Who does that kind of stuff??
Sorry, but just had to rant to guys who understand my frustration, and increasing workload on this project!

Understand. Seen it lots of times. Not just restorations, but repair work as well.

The most difficult part is explaining to the customer that he got shafted by the previous repairer and the whole lot needs to be done again....and paid for.

yep there's a lot of that out there, i've seen my share.
Jay D.

On my signature car, someone had stuffed a shirt into a rust hole, then some window screen to hold it in place before the filler was applied.

Here's the left side of the bed on a '62 Chevy truck a guy paid over 6k to have painted just a couple of years before he brought it to me:


Then this '65 Buick where they covered a lot of stuff up. Bondo was over an 1" thick on this so-called panel repair:


Shoddy work seems to be everywhere on the older vehicles for sure.

chopolds wrote:I felt bad for the guy getting jerked around, so I took the job.

Hey Bro Do not get emotionally involved! This is Business and you know that far better than I do.
Some times a car is just a parts car and better left that way, their owners just haven't realized it yet but they need to realize the facts they cant do it right that's why they are talking to you plus they cant afford to do it right or they would be talking to a Big time Pro shop that would turn them away.

Just because you can resurrect a POS doesn't mean they can afford it!
Do not give your time away! Your not helping them.
I had a guy two weeks ago singing the same blues wanted it done right but wanted it cheap This guy had money too, He was a flipper not hard to tell after you talk for a bit.
I still sent him back down the street politely. (Ya I can do it but I got this that this other one and then this one all in front of that before I can get to it.

I am guilty of resurrecting junk that should have went to the crusher but they are my own and I knew full well what I was getting into.