I have been given a estimate (not quote) of 16 hours @ $37 to
replace both inner sills on an MGA by an experienced LBC body shop
that I know well and which does superb work. This requires
removal of the good condition outer sills. Except for some
perforation on the inner sill there is no other rust or
undercoating.
Since I already have new outer sills it has occurred to me that
buying the inner sill panel, sill plate, A & B post bottom repair
pieces would greatly reduce labor. I will check to see if these
additional parts were assumed in the original labour estimate.
They add another $260 in parts to the $60 for the outer sills.
My experience is that the shop hours can add up faster than an
Arabian flea market abacus, so new parts with any complex shape
are usually a good investment.
What takes a good body man 2 days would take me 2 weeks or 2
months, and possibly I would screw it up with door fits and all.
On the other hand one can get a the mig welder and tools for the
labour cost of one job. But, I have a feeling I will once again
defer my tin man degree for another project.
IMHO you should find out how much of the 18 hours is for removing
undercoating and do at least that yourself. I also think that
floor pans could be a good simple project to justify buying the
equipment and save all of the the $850 labour.
Maybe going to a community school for mig welding classes first
would give you some confidence that u have a latent talent for
"pulling stick". I've done some welding and watched pro's and
machine shop hackers - the consensus is that mig is easier than
arc even though you are working with thin stock.
Look's like you're in for a grand one way or another, unless you
have a friend.
Mike L.
60A,67E,59Bug
----- Original Message -----
From: Craig D. Niederst <niederst@telerama.com>
To: MG List <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: June 5, 2000 9:53 PM
Subject: Ouch!!! (floor pan replacement)
> Took the B this afternoon to a local repair/body shop that I was
hoping
> would replace my floor pans. They do a lot of both mechanical
and body work
> on LBC's (counted 7 MGA/MGB/Midgets on the premises), and also
have used
> them for my Audi. But I was appalled at both the estimate amount
and the
> work they wanted to do to replace the floors. I should have
known I was in
> trouble when the guy asked if I wanted a cheap repair or the
work properly
> done. The passenger side pan is in terrible shape, and
definitely needed
> completely replaced. The guy estimated 18 hrs of labor (@ $34 an
hour) to
> remove the old pan and weld in the new one. I thought this
number seemed
> extremely high, considering it sounded like they would just cut
out the old
> pan (not drilling out the spot welds and air chiseling out the
pan). He said
> a big issue was the fact the car was undercoated (by the DPO),
so all the
> undercoating anywhere near the area would need to be removed
before it could
> be welded. The driver's side pan is in better shape, but still
has a couple
> of holes in it. All 4 seat mounting bolts are rusted away and
gone from the
> floor, and I have found some other "weak" areas. The guy did not
want to
> replace the driver's side floor, but just cut out and replace
the metal in
> the two places where there are holes. Wanted 4 hours of labor to
do this. I
> mentioned I wanted the entire floor replaced, but they said it
would be a
> waste of time. Total on the estimate was over $850 (and I would
supply the
> floor pans). Guess its time to find another shop to do the work.
I thought
> of doing the job myself, but I do not have a mig welder, air
chisel, angle
> grinder, etc required for the job. Anyone else out there had
floor pans
> replaced, and how much did they pay for the job (or how many
hours of labor
> were involved)? I appreciate any BTDT's. Thanks.
>
> Craig
> '71 B
>
>
>
|