How long did it take your bodyshop to finalize your Z? I heard 22 Months for a friends Charger... Then I have heard four months from another Z owner. What has been your experiance? Thank you.

2 years so far.......probably six more months to completion.

3 years come April but comma for 4 weeks and 6 months recovery included in that. Individual doing the work had a bad accident.

Body shop alone (stripping shell to bare metal, metal work, prep, bodywork, prime, paint, rub) took about 9 months.

The entire restoration including initial disassembly and reassembly took 2 years.

It can vary greatly depending on the quality of work and cost.

The relatively minor amount of repairs plus paint required 6 weeks for my '70.

My body shop guy has an artists approach. He works on the car when he is inspired. NEVER tell them "no hurry" or "get to it when you can" . If nothing else, they will take these to phrases to heart. I did tell my guy no hurry, and I sort of meant it. He isn't doing a rotisserie, but he is disassembling the car piece by piece and stripping. I am more than impressed with what I have seen so far and the price was very fair. We agreed on a fixed price prior to start based on known issues so I am not worried about the clock. "Clock" shops often put inexperienced kids doing the menial stuff but still charge the same hourly rate. Often someone with experience can do the same job in a fourth the time, especially when the experienced guy has to come back and fix issues created by the new guy. (however, everybody has to start somewhere). After all of that, I should be driving in a year from drop off.

7 months, exterior and body damage repair only.

My first Z was in for a week for under body work.

What I think your trying to gage is how long it will take fr your car?

That is a hard question how much work is needed depends on how long to rework a shell might take 1 week to a year on the shell alone. It depends more on what is needed, but I'd plan on at least 6 months, and if they are doing the whole restoration 1-2 years minimal for an average small shop.

My completely stripped shell to 6 weeks to primer and jammed, inside completely painted with new floor support rails welded in. I was at the shop every other day to check on progress and pointed out a few flaws in his work that required a redo. I have the shell at home now to install the engine and put it back together.

After that it will be another week or so to do some more blocking (noticed a few flaws) and topcoat.

I would say that if a shop had to do it all it could take upwards of 3 months to do a very straight car correctly and quickly.

From stripping of paint to delivery of freshly painted body was 27 years 2 months 11 days. :disappoin

First body guy got every thing up to jamming, 1 1/2 months, then quit. :tapemouth

Very mad, out of money and lack of interest it went into storage. For 26 years.

It took a year to talk Painter Ray into finishing it. In the agreement I was allowed to work and observe the entire prosess. He was very impressed with the previous work as he had 2 hours charged to body prep, the rest was paint. From pick up to delivery was 26 days. I took it apart in 1980, so it was up to me to put it back together and running. Did all that in 6 months. (with lots of information on this site, thanks)

This is the roll out of the 26 year sleep and after Painter Ray did his thing.

Bonzi Lon

To date: Three years, one month, 11 days, 1 hour, 27 minutes, but who is counting?

The refresh of my Blue 72 - strip the body, replace the entire rear tail light panel and repaint - about six months. My neighbor did it in his garage - and it was a beautiful job.

The refresh of my White 72 - strip the body, fix door dings etc and repaint the entire car - about two months. This was a shop that did only Custom & Collector Cars - no collision work.

The repair of my White 72 - I bent the hood, Left Front Fender, bumper, lower finisher panels...Yeiks!! Replaced every part with NOS parts, stripped and refinished the entire car to assure matching paint - - with all delays receiving parts - this took about 4 months.

The BRE Z - body shop time only - strip the body, fix a couple small dents, prime, 3 color paint job - -about three months. {the entire process of finding parts, rebuilding, restoring etc... about 4 years..but I enjoyed every minute of it}

FWIW,

Carl B.