Paint and Body Restoration prob

[Magnet86]

Hello everyone. Need some advice. Here in Western PA, I cannot find anyone that restores cars or is willing to do that kind of work on the 86GT which needs metal work, body work, and paint. There are many places that advertise but when I stop in I get excuses and the run-around. Plus sky high prices. Most places only do insurance work these days.

Can anyone sugest a shop somewhere in the region that actually does this work? I can drive a few hours if needed and the shop is willing. I can;t drive the car as it doesn't pass PA inspection due to rust holes underneath. I'm at the point where it must be done- I can't put it off anymore. And I know it will cost but I'll deal with that. I need a place that is honest and really does this sort of thing. I don't do body work and paint at all and don't know anyone that does. I got the run around in western Maryland a few years ago also so it seems this is common. Otherwise it will just rot away. I refuse to sell it.

Thanks much.

 

[AeroCoupe]

@95steedamustang

This is the guy but like anything worth while it isn't going to be cheap.

 

[dgollem]

Unfortunately good paint and body work is really expensive these days and fox mustangs are usually not worth the money it cost to bring them back . Even with FOX prices going up it is not uncommon to pay $10 grand just for a fair to good paint job. Even MACCO is getting $2 grand plus just to spray paint with no body work. Supplies are expensive, have you check on the price of paint and all the additives? Even at summit, cheap paint isn't cheap. Body work also takes time and ties up shop resources so the shops are reluctant to take on big projects. Also with rust what you can see is almost always just the tip of the iceberg. I offer a few thoughts, what is the car really worth to you? are you willing to drop $20k or more? What level of restoration are you wanting, Show car perfection will double or triple the price. Does a MACCO level paint job work for you. You said you don't do paint and body work, do you do your own mechanical work, Often with these FOXes you can still find a roller/body for a few grand and if your mechanic skills are good swap the parts over. If you really want to keep that car, paint and body work can be learned OR are there any schools that take on projects? sometimes they will do the work for the cost of materials, they just take a semester or two to get it done. Sorry for the long post and bad news. If you do find a shop make sure your expectations and their cost are well known and documented. many cars need double or triple the work once stripped and quickly outrun the budget. GOOD LUCK and post what you end up doing.

 

[2000xp8]

I don't envy your positiion.
This is why i tell people all the time, worry most about paint and body and forget mechanicals (anyone can fix that stuff).
Recently i had a friend on an 84 vette kick (kinda cool car, but i wouldn't want it). He was looking at a 9k car that needed some body work and a handful of other things. I did the math, if he got the car for free, it would have costed more than to buy a low mileage mint garage kept car.

I do the electrical work for a few body shops in NJ (no it won't help you, they barely want to help me, lol), but they suggest that while weather is worse in the winter, people drive less so they crash less. May help to wait a few months and see who could use the winter work to keep the guys busy.
Maybe see if some locals know a backyard body guy that does it on the side at his house.