We can't see eye to eye on this, Joe. I just don't equate money and talent. Lots of artists never make a dime until they're dead.

You know I'm as good as half the metal men in this country and the ones better than me a really good. Did you ever see the 911 front fender I did that came off a car that flipped and was flat as a tray on top? I straighted it out and finished it with no plastic filler and less than an once of lead at the bucket.

I also formed from a flat sheet the top front part of a 356A fender just behind the bucket. Big time compound curve and I welded it in. I don't even have an English wheel.

I'll send you pics if you don't believe it. Yet, I don't have anyone knocking on my mailbox trying to get metal work done.

It's not whether I want a highly paid person working on my car. It's whether he/she can do the work.

BTW, if I went to work here in CA for someone at 40K/yr., I would cost them 60 and they'd have to bill my time at 90-100/hr. while I made 20 just to make a decent profit after general overhead.

some folks are proud of their work..
others charge for for showing up..
diff..a few bucks...
or folks like Milt would perhaps decline take a tip..
for a job well done..
the others..
expect same for .for just showing up..

Rika

whoa!!

did you do it all on a wooden buck or what??

I used a wood buck for the 356 piece, but a shot bag was better. I tuck formed over a steel mandrel but most of the work was hammer and dolly.

Now let me tell you the secret: you mostly free form the piece, then weld it in place. Now you have things secured where you can go after the thing with a vengeance.

I learned this on the 914 rear flares. Beat the crap out of them from the inside with a BF ball pein hammer making hellacious dimples that you simply work down with a slapper and a dolly. Everything "grows" into shape.