Fantomworks -the money, wow!

[Mopsquad]

First, I really enjoy this show. I do not pick and dissect. It's entertainment.  What is amazing is the money spent on these cars. A lot are tied to the sentimental connection. But wow! Spending 150k without blinking on a 35k-50k car is a common theme.  A customer finally pulled out when his '60 Bel Air (with already 80k in) was gonna cost another 125k + to finish.  I guess the sentimental back story is good entertainment but the fiscal outcome is insane.   

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: And his hourly shop rate is sort of reasonable. From what I've seen Alan is the best value out there. I think half of it is that Alan knows his gig and doesn't have to research how stuff is done when he spikes another E-body together. He has proven suppliers as well and there is no wasted motion.

[1 Wild R/T]

I know of so many horror stories a few played out on websites but most through first & second hand tales..... 

One guy in particular had a 49 Beetle restored by a well known shop in Colorado.... Original estimate was 27-30K    Very basic car, no options, painted bumpers, painted hubcaps....... By the time he finally got his car back he was out over $150K....  I got the info directly from him & I know he wound up selling things that he treasured greatly in order to pay for his resto costs...

Fact is when another friend was planning to take his car to a well known resto shop I was able to get the two of them together hoping to convince the second guy to think long & hard about his path......  It didn't help & guy #2's car is still sitting in a shop ......

Alan is an anomaly.... He gets cars done fairly quickly & at a very reasonable cost.... I may not agree with some things he does but for  the average customer I can't fault most of what he does.....

[anlauto]

Who the heck is this "Alan" guy ?

[anlauto]

Alan is an anomaly....

Did I ever tell you guys my Mother's maiden name was Gallant "before" she got married.....that might explain a lot 

[anlauto]

I really like the show Fantom Works as well...but there's a tremendous difference between my business model and 99% of the restoration shops out there.
I work closely with other companies to get the cars done which allows me to maintain very little overhead, meaning I can pick and choose the cars I restore. I've turned so many cars away because they don't interest me....Mustangs, Camaros, even early 60's Mopars....I just don't need the work to "make ends meet" or to "keep the lights on".
By doing so, I've become quite efficient restoring E Bodies and can turn them out fairly quickly....YES I'll still restore a Road Runner, the odd Dart or Duster...but my real passion is rare E Bodies....

That efficiency is reflected in the over all cost.

I get a kick out of these shops like Fantom  Works that will restore anything and everything.....No wonder the amount of hours goes crazy...they have to do more research just trying to figure out what's right and what's wrong on all the different brands of cars....Yes they turn out nice work.....but I think if you want a Corvette restored, find a corvette shop, you need an early Ford pick-up restored, find an expert in that field, etc...etc...


Got a Cuda...give me a call (but not now I'm too busy)

[JH27N0B]

 Someone told me Counts Customs of "Counting Cars" charges something like $200 an hour?? 
I'm certainly far from poor, but I know there is a class of people that seem to have unlimited amounts of money to spend on passions, and I suppose those types of people can pay these shop's bills without blinking an eye.  At employee meetings for the MCACN show we've been told some people spend $20,000 to transport multiple cars from the west coast and back, travel and lodging etc for their weekend at the show.  At the vintage races at Road America I see cars from all over brought there, in toter home haulers that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And I go to air shows and drool over restored WW2 P51 Mustangs that are worth over 2 million and cost over $1000 per hour to fly.
I just can't imagine being to afford these things.
I really felt screwed by a local primarily Mopar shop here that finished the body work already much done at another shop,  painted, and partially reassembled my T/A to roller status. To the tune of $70K, all while treating me like a burden after the owner realized I am not a 1%-er.  I'm still working on fixing some things they screwed up.  Really left me with a bad taste in my mouth!
If I'd sent him the car from the get go, had him search out all the original and NOS parts I gathered over the years and parts I'd sent to various places for restoration, I have no doubt my bills would have been well over $200,000.

[JH27N0B]

To clarify, I think that if I'd had the Illinois shop do my car from start to "turn key" my bills would have totaled over $200K.
I think back to a Muscle Car Review cover a few years ago about a OE gold Superbird restoration Mike Mancinis shop did titled "could this be the first million dollar superbird?".  I laugh thinking how I was tempted to write MCR for clarification.  Are they questioning if it's value is 1 million, or if the restoration cost 1 million? 
But seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if that restoration cost close to a half million.

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: Everyone enjoys the hobby in a different way. I've always enjoyed doing it all with my own hands but some others do it a different way. Some of the work I have seen on Fantomworks and some of the desecration is not what I would do but it's entertainment.

[kdcarman]

First, I really enjoy this show. I do not pick and dissect. It's entertainment.  What is amazing is the money spent on these cars. A lot are tied to the sentimental connection. But wow! Spending 150k without blinking on a 35k-50k car is a common theme.  A customer finally pulled out when his '60 Bel Air (with already 80k in) was gonna cost another 125k + to finish.  I guess the sentimental back story is good entertainment but the fiscal outcome is insane.   

I enjoy Fantom Works and found that '60 Bel episode fascinating. I thought that guy was going to cry when the Fantom Works guy told him it was going to cost another $125k and the next scene was the owner packing up the car to take it home.  It was interesting because the show detailed the "ugly" side of the classic car restoration business.   

[kdcarman]

Who the heck is this "Alan" guy ?

I am wondering who this Alan guy is and what he does wrong for the average guy?

[340challconvert]

Yes: Everyone enjoys the hobby in a different way. I've always enjoyed doing it all with my own hands but some others do it a different way. Some of the work I have seen on Fantomworks and some of the desecration is not what I would do but it's entertainment.

Personally enjoy all of the car restorations "entertainment" shows, especially the ones focusing on Mopars, I generally take them for what they are; entertainment and advertising for the shop.  As Sheldon already said "I don't always agree with what they do to the cars"
I cringe when I sometimes see what Foose does to some nice cars!

I do a lot of the mechanical work myself as as fix my Challenger A66 vert,
I enjoy working with my hands and it works in my favor (cost wise)
My mechanical skills are old; worked as a mechanic in my younger days so my old skills are great for my old car (have to refresh occasionally on procedures I have forgotton)

My weak link; I am no body man and will attempt to install a new trunk floor and lower quarters myself. Only did oxy acet welding back in the day.
Picked up a mig welder and doing a lot of practicing.
Being retired gives me the time to try the work (old adage- measure twice-cut once)
The advice from the ebody sites from others has been very helpful as I move ahead.
Once in a while the shows do offer some relevant advice on restoration!



Just can't afford the money it takes today to have a lot of the work done by professionals

[Mopsquad]

It must be difficult to make a day to day business interesting for the viewer.  I think that's true of many of these reality follow-a-business shows. Drama is compelling. Dan always seems stressed out. I really hope that's not his real life experience.  His cortisol levels will fast track him to the cemetery.

[Chryco Psycho]

This is why there is always a demand for me to help out , the cost of living is so high I just could not make it in Canada though

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Yes: Everyone enjoys the hobby in a different way. I've always enjoyed doing it all with my own hands but some others do it a different way. Some of the work I have seen on Fantomworks and some of the desecration is not what I would do but it's entertainment.

Personally enjoy all of the car restorations "entertainment" shows, especially the ones focusing on Mopars, I generally take them for what they are; entertainment and advertising for the shop.  As Sheldon already said "I don't always agree with what they do to the cars"
I cringe when I sometimes see what Foose does to some nice cars!

I do a lot of the mechanical work myself as as fix my Challenger A66 vert,
I enjoy working with my hands and it works in my favor (cost wise)
My mechanical skills are old; worked as a mechanic in my younger days so my old skills are great for my old car (have to refresh occasionally on procedures I have forgotton)

My weak link; I am no body man and will attempt to install a new trunk floor and lower quarters myself. Only did oxy acet welding back in the day.
Picked up a mig welder and doing a lot of practicing.
Being retired gives me the time to try the work (old adage- measure twice-cut once)
The advice from the ebody sites from others has been very helpful as I move ahead.



Just can't afford the money it takes today to have a lot of the work done by professionals

Kind of sums it up for me too. With the exception of I'd never try to hang Q's on my car. And I went to body school way back when.   

That 60 build was nuts I think the guy did the right thing by bailing out. I quit keeping track of spending on NIKKI years ago... I can "guess" how much... it' s TOO MUCH. But I dont golf/hunt/bowl/hit local casino's, so thats my own mental justification. (kidding myself right?).