boyd coddington,s upolster quote .......

[BCOWANWHEELS]

i was watching AMERICAN HOT ROD on TV the other night and they took a old vette to gabe,s custom upolstry to get done and i seen there web site on the wall so i contacted them for a quote on my 1972 pickup. i wanted blue & white leather on the stock seat frame, door pannels, headliner and a cover for the stock dash pad. well several days go by and i get a email back. so i anxiously open it and there my quote. 10,000.00 to 12,000.00 bucks and they,d work it in .WOW doesnt look like they will be doing mine. guess those cow hides cost a bunch huh. pretty good profit for 2 days work.i was going to let them do it for 2000.00 but guess i was dream,in
bob

[kyull67]

That's expensive!

[ChevLoRay]

I guess that is for the quick turn-around that they give Boyd on his last-minute rush jobs. A whole lot of the quote that you got is for the Gabe's name on the finished job.

It's easy to see why the cost of so many of the "nice" customs we drool over easily exceeds $100-250K.

[Long Roof]

I would imagine that with the exposure he gets on American hot rod he probably has crap loads of work. I think he gave you that price hoping you would just go away. If not then, wow, one hell of a profit. This happens when you are in demand.

[70cst]

Ok BCOWANWHEELS...Its only $$$$$.
If you let boyd coddington to your interior I will pay for your site supscription for next year. Just think of it...you will be the only one among us who would have their interior done by boyd coddington. That's got to be worth at leat $50,000.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

boyd dont do interiors he farms them out !!!!!!!

[70cst]

Oh I see ...its gabe,s custom upolstry....
Well that changes my offer. I will pay for 6 months instead of one year. People who pay this kind of money are out of my league. Just think...they charge more for their interior jobs than what a lot of our trucks are worth. Now I can see whay many of these street rods are worth so much money. Interesting info.

[N2TRUX]

Just so you know Gabe had a name loooong before American Hot Rod. His prices have been in that range for quiet some time, and you have to get on a loooong list. If you miss your time slot, you go to the bottom of the list.

His quality is renowned....

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 70cst

... Just think...they charge more for their interior jobs than what a lot of our trucks are worth. Now I can see whay many of these street rods are worth so much money.

Having a high price tag & being worth alot of money are two very different things.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

yes to me having tons of cash in a hot rod that someone else built makes it not so valuable to me. guess thats why the rich fella dont keep em long and most truely arnt happy inside when you talk to them. another thing i noticed is when you go To talk to the ones who didnt build there ride they really dont want to talk to ya. most wealthy people i know are unhappy folk and seems like the lower income folk find happyness alot easyer in more simple things.
JMO
BOB

[CJ5 Convert]

with Scotti

[72armyswbtruck]

Yup,
Gabes Upholstery work has been award winning for years, featured in many hotrod magazines through out the years.

[bad6772]

His son did a 67/72 >i think it was orange....and had a killer <go figure interior.....anyone else see it, i thinkn it was in C..C.T / C/T

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by bad6772

His son did a 67/72 >i think it was orange....and had a killer <go figure interior.....anyone else see it, i thinkn it was in C..C.T / C/T

Yep.... I remember the truck. Gabe's does do excellent work.

[70cst]

SCOTI speaks wisely...Having a high price tag & being worth a lot of money are two very different things. It's amazing how many "Barrett Jacskon" trucks are still sitting in barns and knee deep in mud. When asking about these trucks the reply is: "These here are collector trucks and there are not many of these left. It may be rusty but it is a valuable collectable truck." Or you hear "I'm going to fix her up, she's not for sale." Then you go back and the truck is still sitting but just a little more rusty.
A Gabe's interior would sure blow my budget on my rebuild. Again...an interesting thread.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Having a high price tag & being worth alot of money are two very different things.

As long as it's worth it to enough people to keep him well paid, then his prices are just right.

[72 longhorn BB]

If you rationalize that you can or should spend 10-20 thousand on your interior, than you are just looking for the prestige of telling the story behind your nicely crafted job.

Kinda like a woman buying new shoes or expensive Jewelry, but in the manly way.

I can think of 2 or 3 high end upholsterers out here that would easily match that kind of work for even HALF the price.

Its braggin rights man, high priced bragging rights.

Hey, it makes good conversation, but I'd rather spend the $$$ somewhere else.

IMO

[67ChevyRedneck]

If that's a serious quote (not one to scare you away) I can't even imagine how much a burb would be

What about a 57 Nomad? 30K?

[c10addict]

His prices are not out of line with the rest of the world as far as "high end interior" goes.. My friend builds over the top hot rods and spends 12 to 20 grand for a full custom leather/suede interior on a car.... I agree this is way the heck out of my league.... I hate paying $300.00 for covers

I have great appreciation for the guys who pull off the mexican blanket look!

[68,69 K20]

Gabe's gets tons of exposure from American Hot Rod, so he can pretty much charge whatever he feels like. I'm sure most of his business comes from people like Boyd who are not concerned about the total cost of the project. They do outstanding work at gabe's and if you can't afford their quote, probably no big deal to them, as their waiting list of paying customers is a mile long.

[jay6891]

Here is a pic of Gabes sons truck. I can't believe so many people like it when it has a, gulp, newer stepside bed on it.

[Andy4639]

I hate to say this, but that's why our hobby of building cars & trucks has gotten in the shape it is now.
A good paint job 20 years ago was $1000.00.
Now just to get someone... anyone to paint a truck is $3000.00 or more easy. I'm not saying anything about the work at all in no fashion just the price.
Where is there anyway $10,000 to $12000.00 worth of work in a cab of one of our trucks!
This is why our hobby has come to you do it yourself or don't do it at all inless you have a nice fat bank account.

I could care less about his name. I would rather say I did it, or at least say I found someone who did it for $2000.00 and did just as good, if not better job.
I have done pretty much everything to my truck except paint it. If I knew how and had the place to paint it I would do that also.
It may not win a car show but at least I could say I did it instead of my money.
I'm not knocking money, just how it's used. If people pay this kind of money for interior work then in the future it's going to cost us more!

[68gmsee]

re: Gabes son's truck....

I had to look a second time to notice the bed is different with that mannikin looking young lady in front....

The demand is there and the people with the money to do it seem to be in constant supply these days.

A local restorer here can pretty much get what he wants and basically tell you that he can't give you a date for completion. But he is good! So he will get the clients.

[weasel29gm]

Here one for you guys. I saw the quote, on 57 truck... Seat recovered, door panels,headliner, carpet and tonnoue cover from green to gray. $750-$850 This guy is in SE Ohio and has done the interior in the same buddys 31 coupe for $1100 or $1200. Excellant work and my buddys got the trophys to prove it. Like some has said alot is how big the bank is.

[jay6891]

Yea that girl probably has more plastic and body work than the truck.