What is your estimate in hours, to R&R rocker panels?

[sailchef]

I’m looking to resolve some rust issues on my 1980 SC. Typical rocker-rust, and, replacing the section of front body panel that the bumper shock mount is attached to. Over the last couple of months I have purchased all the panels needed. Inner/outer rockers, door latch panel, kidneys, and front corners cut off another car.

Because I have been thinking of doing the repair work myself, I have taken a 72hr welding class in preparation for this. Looking for options because time and experience are an issue, I went out to talk to a reputable restoration shop in my area. They can do the work, and, keep track of time spent working on the car via a punch clock. They charge $80 hr when working on antiques.

My question:

If I go with the shop how long should it take to replace the inner/outer, door latch, kidney if done by a professional shop and they don’t run in to problems. A simple cut it out / weld it in scenario completed so it’s ready for paint. I’m looking for a baseline labor cost.

I will remove the A/C lines, oil cooler lines, peel back the interior etc, I’ll do what I can to make their job easier.

For a labor reference point, they cut and weld, prep for paint, that’s it.

The same for the bumper mounts. I remove bumper, fenders, window washer, oil cooler, horn assembly, etc, they cut and weld.

I may still attempt it myself, I’ve taken the welding class but when it comes to the actual “chop, cut, rebuild” I’m getting cold feet. I would like to weigh the cash layout against the “stress factor” of doing it my self. My cash reserves are a bit more flexible than my stress level right now.



Milt, Darryl, Village Idiot, Squidmarks ?

Oh yes, the mandatory photos follow.



Both sides of the front end look like this.









The rust on the passenger side is much worse than the drivers side.




OK guys, what are your estimates for labor, in hours, not dollars.

[rattlsnak]

Im doing a front right corner just like your piece at the shop right now and I think the book time was @ 10-12 hours, so in your case, doing both sides, I would say 18 -22 hours or so for the front pieces with you taking off all the parts you mentioned.

dont know about the rest, but i can look in the book later this week if no one else answers.

[Zeke]

Snake is on the money, AFAIC.

AFA the sills, I say 8 hours per side for the inner and outer rocker.

Here's the twist: you have to take to doors off to get at things, but you need to doors back on to align that sill piece to the bottom of the door. The kidneys are no fun at all. I've done it twice and used 2 different approaches. My log says I spent about 6 hours a side on those alone.

You will probably need to buy a R and L dogleg from Stoddards. Maybe not, I can't see in your pics that well.



I formed that one, but then I found out here that you can buy it.

[sailchef]

Rattlsnak,
That would have been my guess @ 10 hours +/- a little for a professional.

Would you say this is a fairly straight forward Cut, remove, replace, procedure for the DIY-er?
Looking at the first picture would you cut the top edge along the red line or cut below the lip along the blue line to maintain that original metal for fit.

[sailchef]

Hey milt, I was following your post on gas welding, very cool.

The dogleg you mentioned looks like it fits over the jack tube. That area looks pretty good on my car. I'll go out a take a picture.






Actually there seems to be a little surface rust but when I have jacked the car up recently using the jack post it hasn't seemed to move. I checked it last time and the door opened OK so hopefully the tube is not bent.

Looking at some of the other threads I would have never thought that the Kidney would be so difficult. I realize that a portion of the rear quarter needs to be cut to gain access. Is that where the dogleg comes in ?

What is the hardest part of that process?

I like the thought of some one else doing the work, but at the same time I'd like to be able to say " I did it".

After I get some idea from the forum on the labor cost I may go "up north" to Wilmington DE, and speak to another shop.

I need to decide soon who or where the work will be done. Rust waits for no one.

[rattlsnak]

i thought you were replacing the whole piece in the picture. For just the bumper support, i would go with the blue line. Cut the original one as low as you can to aviod the rust, and cut the new one 1/4 more so you have some overlap. DOnt try to butt them together. It does look like the rust goes up almost to the fender on the first pic, so you may have to go with the red line, but will be a little harder as the area in the front where it connects to the center header panel is going to be difficult.

[Gearbox]

When working on our own cars, hours are inconsequential. Shops are there to make a profit, and the extra hours I spent on my car, no shop would replicate in their right minds. Not that all shops do shoddy work, rather once you open up the rockers, you see other things you should do "while you are in there". Things such as spraying rust solvent in the channels, washing them out, and painting all the normally unaccessable areas with POR 15. Also you may find other small rust areas that you should cut out and fabricate a piece to fit and weld. Key is "No Fear". You end up learning a great deal as you go, and this and other forums are loaded with guys that have gone down this same road that would be more than willing to help you out. PM me with you e-mail and I'll walk you through. Take the plunge, Good luck, Allan PS, try to get NOS OEM parts if possible, the repros will need some pounding and trimming to fit correctly. The dog leg repo was so bad, I ended up taking a flat sheet (like Milt) and hammered it into shape which worked out much better. Just go slow and it'll be fine.