CALLING ALL EXPERTS! Need Advice!

More of an art than a science - discuss metalworking and welding here.



Non-Lurker
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:25 am

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 11:45 am
I am not a body guy and I have been given quotes that are all over the place. I really need advice into what a correct job entails on my project and how many hours I should expect? I have a 1987 Grand Wagoneer that is down to the body. It does not have a quarter panel but the remainder is rust free and straight. I have a doner vehicle that has a rust free quater that will need to be cut off. I have included a pic of my project. I am trying to understand how many hours would be appropriate for this project. I want the new(used) quarter attached and primer put on. I do not want to paint at this point. Again, I am getting soooo many different stories. Advice on generally how many hours I should expect a professional to handle this project? Thanks in advance for the help.
Attachments
grandwagoneer.jpg



Top Contributor
Posts: 6217
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:17 pm
Location: Pahrump NV.
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 9:43 pm
I hate to say it like this because, if you got to hire someone to do it for you well your at the Mersey of whomever? and what ever their experience level is and kind of work they do good or bad? Good work and good experience is hard to find, and expensive when you do!

Buy another Truck thats in good shape and use all your good parts to fix it! Lots cheaper in the end!
After all its only a Jeep Wagoner lots of rust free ones around for less than 2 grand. If it was a CJ5 0r an older cj7 or a J20 pick up ya fix it but its just an old Wagoner?
Even with sentimental value thrown in.

Your gonna spend north of $2k after getting a Quarter panel and putting it on not to mention sitting in some ones body shop jail forever as fender benders come and go and your project sits in the corner of some lot collecting dust waiting for a day with nothing better to do.

That said looks it looks like your in a Yard that knows Jeeps.
Dennis B.
A&P Mechanic, FCC General radio Telephone Operator
Line Maintenance A&P Mechanic and MOC Tech specialist.



No Turning Back
Posts: 592
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:36 am

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2020 8:04 am
I don't do a lot of work on "modern" cars, but the principle is close to the same. If a replacement part is available for an old car, I almost always opt to use it. Often, though, there is nothing on the repro market for some cars. Then I have to fabricate one, or find good used, and put it on. As in your case, often the cost of finding, shipping, then trimming out, stripping old paint, fixing any problems with the OEM panel, welding it on, often costs more then using a new one, since labor rates are not cheap.
If you can find a new replacement, there are labor books that tell you how many hours the job should take, Maybe find something online?

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 9878
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:40 pm
Location: ARIZONA
PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2020 9:29 am
You are looking at a minimum of $1200 in labor to prep and weld the panel into place.
Add to that the cost of the replacement panel, shipping, materials used and any labor spent preparing the used panel to be installed.

Check with some shops in your area and let us know what the estimates are.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

Return to Welding & Metal Fab

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests