Shops that repair old trucks.

[tdangle]

I do all my own work also. No one really wants to touch these trucks. I do have a alignment guy who has worked on this truck when my Dad was still around. After I rebuilt the front end and converted to disc brakes he set the front end up on an old school rack with old school equipment. Said the new stuff doesn't work well on these trucks. I'm pretty much at the step now to finish body work (I learned how to weld and have replaced some areas) and will probably be painting myself. I've done it in the past but it's been years. I would love to take it somewhere and have paint done, but not willing to leave it for months or years and pay 20 grand or more. The checking I've done is everyone wants to entirely strip it to bear metal and start over with the paint job. Not happening.

[Steeveedee]

Given the cost of materials, I don't blame the body shops for doing a complete strip job. I'd sure hate for something to come back for repair/repaint.

[Mike_The_Grad]

I have a buddy that dropped his 69 longbed off at a local body shop that does mostly classic cars. The shop turns out really nice work and there's always cars coming and going. So it made sense to my friend to have them do the work. He was given a quote and eta. Well that date has come and gone and it's at least a few more months until the truck is finished. But one of the upper management guys told him, "hey if you want to jump to the front of the line, you could pay another $10,000." My friend was pretty offended to say the least. He said, nope. I already have a quote from you guys and time is on my side. He is semi-retired so he does what he wants. He is really good at being able to talk to anyone for a long time. So I told him to go in there everyday with your newspaper and cup of coffee. Then you will see how fast they get your truck done, just to get you out of their hair! Ha ha.

[davischevy]

I painted the red and white truck in the OP myself in the late eighties. That picture was taken last year.

[davischevy]

I have this truck in the shop now. I did the body work and farmed out the paint because I don't have a good place to paint. That went really well, but the painter moved on so I'm in limbo again.

[special-K]

I went from doing my own bodywork and paint to having that done. I was busy, so making good money, and wanted top quality. Now I'm broke, so back to doing my own. I got out of HS, didn't know what I wanted to do, but figured no matter what way I went I wanted to be able to do things for myself, even if I ended up rich. Plus, those skills can get you a job.

[72c20customcamper]

Only time I had someone work on my truck was when I had the A/C converted to 134. And the occasional alignment . The shop is local and the owner as well as the mechanics all have old cars . They offered the use of the spray booth but they can only use waterborn paint . Never sprayed it .