The restoration begins! Options

[993inNC]

So I hadn't been terribly active here lately since deciding to jump into the resto fire. I had hoped to have a driver i could restore, what I ended up with (from what I can tell) is a good candidate for saving. So I have been stripping it since September of last year. Took the holidays off and just this week really jumped in heavy.

Quick update, its a 75 L13 (Summer yellow) 1.8L and has had a few paint jobs (terrible ones) over its life.

I found a media blaster here locally (finally) and I have to admit, I LOVE soda blasting. Makes 35 year old metal look like brand new (other than damaged areas). Was considering sand before finding this guy, but he has convinced me. So far he's done the doors, deck lid and hood (threw my 993 track rims in there since they were looking ratty too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ).
Next week, his rotisserie is supposed to be available, so we'll load it up, he'll blast it down to metal (may sand blast the floors to get the nasty rust off and see whats left) and he's going to let me have the rotis for 1 month to give me time to replace the pans etc....

Now the questions

Who really has the best price and product when it comes to the replacement metal? I know Auto Atl and Resto Design have them and there seems to be a decent price difference. I know a good many of you have experience with both and since I have none with either, I'd like to rely on what you guys have to say. I'm going to need pans, inner lower firewall, engine tray (holds the engine rubber) under the battery tray, and maybe a couple other small metal bits.

I'll need this stuff pretty quick if I don't want to pay for the rotis after a month, so who can I rely on?

I'll be posting pics soon for a complete diary of the restoration. Hope I can live up to some of the amazing work I've seen here. I plan to do the pans etc myself, but there is rust in tight spots (underside of doors and small area on the rear decklid) that I don't have the talent for. The blaster was a Mercedes body man for many years and I'll defer that intricate work to him.


This is going to get expensive, I can already tell (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh as a bench mark, he said its going to run between 12-1400 to do the entire car. Sounded high but what are my alternatives .....? It is pretty work though, and I think is the right thing to do

TIA

[scotty b]

In his defense it's a hard business these days. We deal in discretionary income, and when times are tight guys like us take the first hit. If he is primarily a blaster, he will stick with the blasting as he is known to be one of few. I am known for metal and paint, and not blasting, yet it is still hard to make ends meet. We are a specialty line of business, the first to lose work when times are tight. If he is good, give him a break. the end results will be worth it in the long run

I am having to take n work that I would turned away 3 years ago. Unfortunately my regular customers have suffered. I try my best to keep in touch with them and let them know what is going on. So ar all have been very understanding and supportive. Give him a reasonable break if he has a good rep.

[993inNC]

In his defense it's a hard business these days. We deal in discretionary income, and when times are tight guys like us take the first hit. If he is primarily a blaster, he will stick with the blasting as he is known to be one of few. I am known for metal and paint, and not blasting, yet it is still hard to make ends meet. We are a specialty line of business, the first to lose work when times are tight. If he is good, give him a break. the end results will be worth it in the long run

I am having to take n work that I would turned away 3 years ago. Unfortunately my regular customers have suffered. I try my best to keep in touch with them and let them know what is going on. So ar all have been very understanding and supportive. Give him a reasonable break if he has a good rep.

I can appreciate hard times and having to prioritize, but blasting the car is a good days work.....ok maybe two, the car sat for a year + with no protection after the initial blasting. I would have been fine with finishing and giving it back but he strung me along and added insult to injury by telling me to bring all my parts over and that he'd make things right for me and promising me a finish day that came and went long ago. That to me, as a person of a few businesses, is uncalled for. Communication is key and I got none. He's an okay guy personally, that's not what this is about, he just sucks as a businessman. My lesson learned.
I'm just happy I got it back and its not to bad off. It also seems like the grinding of surface rust is a lot easier to remove than all those layers of paint, so again another bright side. I've got about half the car ground down, work on the rest next week and get it washed down soon.

[scotty b]

In his defense it's a hard business these days. We deal in discretionary income, and when times are tight guys like us take the first hit. If he is primarily a blaster, he will stick with the blasting as he is known to be one of few. I am known for metal and paint, and not blasting, yet it is still hard to make ends meet. We are a specialty line of business, the first to lose work when times are tight. If he is good, give him a break. the end results will be worth it in the long run

I am having to take n work that I would turned away 3 years ago. Unfortunately my regular customers have suffered. I try my best to keep in touch with them and let them know what is going on. So ar all have been very understanding and supportive. Give him a reasonable break if he has a good rep.

I can appreciate hard times and having to prioritize, but blasting the car is a good days work.....ok maybe two, the car sat for a year + with no protection after the initial blasting. I would have been fine with finishing and giving it back but he strung me along and added insult to injury by telling me to bring all my parts over and that he'd make things right for me and promising me a finish day that came and went long ago. That to me, as a person of a few businesses, is uncalled for. Communication is key and I got none. He's an okay guy personally, that's not what this is about, he just sucks as a businessman. My lesson learned.
I'm just happy I got it back and its not to bad off. It also seems like the grinding of surface rust is a lot easier to remove than all those layers of paint, so again another bright side. I've got about half the car ground down, work on the rest next week and get it washed down soon.

Oops I wan't paying full attention. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I missed that it took a year just to get blasted. That IS uncalled for. The car also should have been etched and sealed immediately after the blasting was done so all that flash rusting would have been prevented. Carry on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[993inNC]

In his defense it's a hard business these days. We deal in discretionary income, and when times are tight guys like us take the first hit. If he is primarily a blaster, he will stick with the blasting as he is known to be one of few. I am known for metal and paint, and not blasting, yet it is still hard to make ends meet. We are a specialty line of business, the first to lose work when times are tight. If he is good, give him a break. the end results will be worth it in the long run

I am having to take n work that I would turned away 3 years ago. Unfortunately my regular customers have suffered. I try my best to keep in touch with them and let them know what is going on. So ar all have been very understanding and supportive. Give him a reasonable break if he has a good rep.

I can appreciate hard times and having to prioritize, but blasting the car is a good days work.....ok maybe two, the car sat for a year + with no protection after the initial blasting. I would have been fine with finishing and giving it back but he strung me along and added insult to injury by telling me to bring all my parts over and that he'd make things right for me and promising me a finish day that came and went long ago. That to me, as a person of a few businesses, is uncalled for. Communication is key and I got none. He's an okay guy personally, that's not what this is about, he just sucks as a businessman. My lesson learned.
I'm just happy I got it back and its not to bad off. It also seems like the grinding of surface rust is a lot easier to remove than all those layers of paint, so again another bright side. I've got about half the car ground down, work on the rest next week and get it washed down soon.

Oops I wan't paying full attention. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I missed that it took a year just to get blasted. That IS uncalled for. The car also should have been etched and sealed immediately after the blasting was done so all that flash rusting would have been prevented. Carry on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

No worries (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's not that it took a year to get blasted. He jumped on it pretty quick at first and got it about 75% done.......then time stopped. It still isn't quite done but I think I can strip it with grinders and chemical strippers. The Ospho is a wonderful etching chemical and cleanser and I don't think he'll have done much damage other to have wasted my time (and his since he word for basically free). Can't wait to get it done and painted, so looking forward to it...........been saving for an entire year+ for it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Peter, to bad. Keep in touch on the thread, hope the move has treated you well.