Resto mod company suggestions

[appleco1]

I have a 63 convertible that has been half way done and I am looking to finish it to the next level. Any suggestions of shops that know Lincolns and the convertible tops?

[1Bad55Chevy]

My guess is you have bottomless pockets if your looking for a shop to do a total build on a complete car.

Check with these people, they have turned out a good number of heavily modified lincolns.

https://metalworksclassics.com/

[TonyC]

Indeed; that's a five-figure venture, and the first figure is usually higher than "1." One needs an advance on a rich aunt's will to pay for that. Not my thing so I can't help with suggestions, but I know it's a thing for others.

---Tony

[1Bad55Chevy]

Indeed; that's a five-figure venture, and the first figure is usually higher than "1." One needs an advance on a rich aunt's will to pay for that. Not my thing so I can't help with suggestions, but I know it's a thing for others.

---Tony

The crazy part about putting a car together in 2023 is how far $20k dosen't get you anymore. For an entry level decent paint job that would include door jams is going to start at $10k and something that would include the engine bay and under the vehicle you will start around $30k. If you take a car to a reputable shop and had full cart blasted, under coat, engine bay prepped/painted, exterior prepped/painted, interior, air suspension, new glass, wheels/ tires, late model EFI engine/trans installed you will easily drop over $200k. My wife is going to vinyl wrap her Mark because she is very good at it and the material will cost her about $500.

[TonyC]

Exactly what I have suspected for years; you'd have to be a drug-trafficker to afford that type of customizing, and with today's inflation you still risk bankruptcy. I always estimated that bodywork to Frankenstein, to the standard I would command, would start at $10g's...and that 10g estimate was arrived at well before CCCS and the consequent inflation. It's liable to be much higher now...which is why prettying up the skin is the last thing on my mind.

---Tony

[LithiumCobalt]

$10k for body work and paint would be the low end in my experience. You could get a nice job for that price probably 10-15 years ago, but show quality strip and refinish is upwards of $20-30k now. Seems rather ridiculous considering a lot of our cars aren't even worth that on a good day, but whattaya gonna do? Labor has gone up, supplies have gone up, EVERYTHING has gone up FFS

[mge825y]

$10k for body work and paint would be the low end in my experience. You could get a nice job for that price probably 10-15 years ago, but show quality strip and refinish is upwards of $20-30k now. Seems rather ridiculous considering a lot of our cars aren't even worth that on a good day, but whattaya gonna do? Labor has gone up, supplies have gone up, EVERYTHING has gone up FFS

It definitely takes $20-$30k to have a premium paint job done these days on an old Lincoln.

[mge825y]

Exactly what I have suspected for years; you'd have to be a drug-trafficker to afford that type of customizing, and with today's inflation you still risk bankruptcy. I always estimated that bodywork to Frankenstein, to the standard I would command, would start at $10g's...and that 10g estimate was arrived at well before CCCS and the consequent inflation. It's liable to be much higher now...which is why prettying up the skin is the last thing on my mind.

---Tony

Tony - Maybe you've just named your own job? Sounds like Frankie would appreciate the infusion

[LithiumCobalt]

Exactly what I have suspected for years; you'd have to be a drug-trafficker to afford that type of customizing, and with today's inflation you still risk bankruptcy. I always estimated that bodywork to Frankenstein, to the standard I would command, would start at $10g's...and that 10g estimate was arrived at well before CCCS and the consequent inflation. It's liable to be much higher now...which is why prettying up the skin is the last thing on my mind.

---Tony

Tony - Maybe you've just named your own job? Sounds like Frankie would appreciate the infusion

[frasern]

I know some of these threads go stray, but I don't think the OP needs paint, judging by his pics. Probably looking for interior.
appleco; we need to better know what you have in mind, and a location.

[1Bad55Chevy]

I have a 63 convertible that has been half way done and I am looking to finish it to the next level. Any suggestions of shops that know Lincolns and the convertible tops?

I wasn't trying to be a dick before. You have a really bad ass looking car and if it was me personally I wouldn't do much of anything to it. You don't want to end up with a car that is over the top nice that cant be driven anywhere ever again. When people say things like "take it to the next level " that quickly turns into a bottomless hole of money that can never be recovered. My suggestion is to pick out the true weak points of your car and target those and by doing that people here can better help you find a shop.

[TonyC]

Tony - Maybe you've just named your own job? Sounds like Frankie would appreciate the infusion

Maybe, Mark...but for me, that price tag for bodywork just went significantly higher yesterday: Fresh collision damage.


---Tony

[Lee]

What happened, Tony?

[frasern]

Ouch! Hope you and Frankie are okay.

[TonyC]

I'm okay; Frankenstein, on the other hand, is still being examined.

Yesterday, in Killeen, TX, I was sitting at a red light in a lightish but soggy rain shower, waiting for the arrow to turn left. A kid of high-school-senior/college-freshman age in a Mazda 3 took a right turn too fast on the slippery pavement and slid headlong into my front fender. Below are shots of what the damage looked like. I had to pull out the spare because the hit wrecked the valve stem of the tire, causing it to leak. So far, listening carefully for noises I'm not hearing any pops or grinds from that wheel, and I have not seen any damage to the spindle, nor any fresh bends or breaks apart from the surface. I'm hoping I lucked out and was spared having to replace everything on that side; I'll find out for sure when I go to the tire shop for a new pair of tires tomorrow or Monday.

I went to Discount Tire today about that damaged stem, and they said the outer wear on both fronts warrants outright replacement; so I have a new pair on order.

So, here is what Frankenstein looks like now. Warning: It doesn't look pretty. I'm keeping fingers crossed that it only remains as looks. From the caving of the bumper extension, I think the brunt of the impact was there. The slippery road may have saved me from worse damage, because he shoved my front end out of the lane when he hit. Again, !

---Tony