Folks, Recently purchased a 63 lesabre vert and am getting ready for the bodywork and paint. Due to logistical issues, I am probably going to farm out the work. What can I reasonably expect to pay for this work? Some minor dents and major ROT behind the front tires and aft in the rocker panels. I am going to try and post pictures. Anyone who can look at my car and compare it to theirs and give me a ballpark I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance! John
Don't see the rot in photo, but you can count on $2K to (the sky's the limit) based on who does it and how nice you want it.
I'm NOT a body man but I think in most cases, rot is a most see it first thing. Even they I think many shops will want to have a little flex room in the quote. I had a 72GS done at a shop years ago that needed quarter patches on it and a full re-paint. I was quoted 2 weeks and $900. 3 months and $1300 later, it was done. I took it there because a guy who worked there had a GS and I thought he would treat my car nice. Turns out the owner who was way past retirement insisted on painting it and it had a few BIG sags in the paint. Not too bad overall but the rust repair work was not done as well as I would have liked which often seems to be the case I'm afraid. After putting all the money into the car with an Isky cammed 350, TH400, headers and exhaust, etc. I sold it when I saw the first sign of rust showing! Many shops don't like rot work and others will do it in a quick non-lasting way. The good ones just charge a good bit of money but it takes time to be done right! Ken
Hi John, That is a neat looking Buick. Rust repairs are very time consuming and often involve much more than originally thought. Without very detailed pictures of the areas involved it is almost impossible to give an estimate. I will say this. If you want show quality on the shiny side, and the rust is significant, your going to be looking at least a 10k investment.
