Body Work Questions

[born2drv]

OK so I'm definately wanting to get body work done in the next 3-6 months, and I don't want to get it done half ass.

I want to know what it would cost to get a complete FRAME-OFF restoration done like say Overhaulin' style.... $5,000? $10,000? More? What would you think a fair price would be?

I'd like them to completely strip the engine bay and paint in there as well. Same color (black). There is a fair amount of rust in pretty much all 4 wheel weels, especially the back ones, and on the doors, parts of the hatch floor, etc.

What would you think is fair for this type of restoration? What do you think is a fair time for a shop to get it all done in?

 

[Yellow 13]

If youve got the time take a college class and save a ton of money. Free tools and youll save yourself a ton of cash.

 

[supraman7mgte]

Dam,if your body has that much rust,why not get another chassis?

 

[oneandgone]

Dam,if your body has that much rust,why not get another chassis?

Agereed, cheaper in the long run to start with a solid car. Otherwise, $10K.

WTH does this car have so much rust? You're in Cali, not Michigan!?

 

[shaeff]

my car is a rustbucket. i'm slowly in the process of repairing it all. everyone who says "get a new chassis" is just helping to contribute to the mkiii junkyard population. that's too bad. i'd rather fix what i have, but that's just me. even if i could get a cleaner mkiii chassis than mine, for LESS money, i'd rather prevent another from going to the scrapyard, which is where mine would end up if someone else got it.

-shaeff

 

[supradan22]

Some people get moraly attached to there chasis mine isnt that bad I only have surface rust on a quater pannel and the drivers side door.

 

[shaeff]

it's not even an attachment issue. it's just that someone else would look at my car, (and MANY do) and think it's a total junker. when, it actually hands many high class cars their asses on the street. it just doesn't look the part, yet.

-shaeff

 

[supradan22]

I wasnt saying yours is an attachement issue and I know the feeling of people thinking its a junker thats one thing everybody thinks till they look in my garage and see whats soon to be under the hood of it but for some reason im moraly attached to this particular ma70. I think it has to do with showing the previous owner what I did with his old supra.

 

[shaeff]

oh, i meant for me it's not necessarily an attachment issue. (but i AM attached to this chassis)

that's odd that you say that. i wish i could find the origional owner of my car, and show up at their house after i get it painted. i bet they'd be delighted to see it in such good repair. i've thought about that a lot, actually.

-shaeff

 

[born2drv]

I used to live in Toronto, Ontario (I've owned it since I was 17 in highschool, so I've had it for 11 yrs now).

I've sworn to never sell it, too many good memories.

So now I'm in the process of restoring it, I'm starting with just getting it running perfectly and getting the interior in mint shape. But I know I have a lot of bodywork to do soon.

I'd rather have soeone else do it to be honest, I dont' feel like going to a class and doing it myself.

Is $10,000 really a fair number? I mean if that's what it takes then that's what it takes, I just don't want someone to take advantage of me. What's a reasonable amount of time I should give a shop for a project like this? I don't expect it done in a week or something like overhaulin, but I don't want them to stretch it out forever either.

 

[Supra777]

Just picked up a 1987 and I have rust on the doors and hood. I also have under the rear wheel wells... I know it is not enough to swap panels however I what to have a Targa top cut out.... CAN This be Done. I know the body will have to be reinforsed from the bottom. Has anyone heard of this mod...

 

[Justin727]

i would strongly suggest NOT doing this mod

 

[derK]

damn, overhaulin style would cost a pretty penny i would bet. It would be something for sure, but IMO not worth it unless you have a vintage car.

 

[s383mmber1]

A little rust is fine, but to spend 10k+ on jsut restoration is a little over the edge IMO.

Shaeff, your not spending 10k's right?!?!?!

 

[Jeff Lange]

"Frame-Off" restoration doesn't exactly apply to a unibody car like this, however, if you want to get it fully restored, you'll basically want to be buying a lot of new parts from Toyota, no aftermarket junk.

New fenders, new hood, new hatch, etc. Everything that has any sort of a problem that can be got from Toyota for a semi-decent price should be bought. The car should be totally stripped and any rust on the structure/unibody should be cut out and new stuff welded in. Rear quarter panels can't be got new anymore from Toyota, (just recently discontinued), so you'll have to repair them.

If you do the work yourself, it won't cost $10,000, but it's still gonna be a few anyways, depending on what you can do, and what you need to pay other people to do, and how nice of a paint job you want, etc, etc.

 

[Adjuster]

Well, as someone who trains insurance adjusters to repair vehicles, I have some insight into this.

1) Rusted metal has to be treated or removed and replaced. The act of welding in the new metal also creates hot spots where rust will start again anyway, so the factory body, with no rust is the best place to start.

2) Since there are quite a few MK3's out there with NO rust, why spend 5x the money on restoring yours when you can buy a complete car with no rust?

3) Do not cut a targa into a hardtop body. It will kill you in a hard impact.

4) Good luck.

 

[jdub]

Jeff is correct...there is no "frame off" on a Supra and you do want to replace parts (w/ Toyota OEM) that are going to take more labor to fix than it's worth.

My paint job cost about $5K...the shop stripped it, filled in all the little dings, and block sanded for prep. Replaced front & rear window trim too. The color is Pearl White with "blue iridescence"

A few pics:

 

[Justin727]

mine probably costed under 1500 with parts and tools.

 

[Yellow 13]

is just helping to contribute to the mkiii junkyard population.

-shaeff

Ive sent 3 to the JY:nono:

 

[supra90turbo]

My paint job is gonna cost $2,000!
It helps to have the hook up.
It's getting sprayed Inside and Out.
I like to call it "subframe off" restoration.


Jeff L: So front fenders are still around? I was gonna buy some, but my local dealer who's been really good to me the whole time I've owned this car, told me that they are discontinued...
You'll be my hero if you tell me he was wrong