1989 C3500 w/ 454 project

So I have a little update. This past weekend I drove the truck from Savannah to Atlanta(approx, 290 miles. It runs great but lacking the power. Should I was thinking of upgrading carb, changing oil and spark plugs, flushing trans and coolant. What about cam? Suggestions?? Oh, forgot to mention that the 400 turbo trans shifts hard/jolts when I put it in gear.

I'm about to have the square painted. Just wondering if the quote is standard. $2000 for bodywork and paint? Unfortunatly I'm not as talented as some of you guys. Wish I could do it myself. Just wondering if its reasoniable. Planning on painting it "titanium".

Thats a hell of a deal.. Myself and others wouldnt even touch a complete color change on a normal sized vehicle, let alone that thing for that kinda dough..

Guess I better stop bitchn and take the deal, huh. Thanks for your insight.

^^^ yeah I wouldn't touch a paintjob this size for under $4,500 if its inside and out. ^^^ I'd say if they do good work, you just made score of the year. Just remember sometimes you get what you pay for? Hope it turns out exactly how you want.

Wow, $4500! I can buy a new truck for a little more boot. Well I guess I better run down there and let him get started this week, before he catches word that he's under charging.

Sn: I think I'm gonna start painting if you guys make this much.

I can tell you've never block sanded a 22 foot long 20+ year old vehicle before.....takes time....and lot of it....and even more time if you want the gaps to line up cause they sure weren't great new...and hell paint for my truck is gonna cost me over a grand....guy is def undercharging you

I guess I'd say if you think you can buy a new truck for a lil more than 4500 you should let us all know where to sign up, lol. Seriously until you have blocked until your fingers bleed, and your arms hurt worse than an intense workout at the gym you have no idea. Everything I paint gets striped down to bare metal, because I refuse to paint over someone else's crappy job. Then like ^he^ said gaps suck on these older trucks, not to mention the rust repairs, you should have a whole new respect for a really nice paint job. The last car I painted completely had over 140 hours of striping, rust repair, body work, primering, blocking, painting, then blocking again to buff it out. Not to mention the guy had $2,500 in paint and sand paper, at my discounted price with no markup. I have been painting for 19 years and its getting old, but I can't afford someone else's shop rate for something I can do, and I'm too picky to let anyone work on my stuff.

Guys, I'm definitely not knocking the auto body market. I wash and wax cars for a part-time living so I know how hard it is. I will post pics and updates. I forgot to mention that the guy does this on the side as well. Currently he works for a larger bodyshop in Savannah. Either way I'm hoping for the best. I actually don't mind paying market rates. I posted a ad on CL and several p0eople responded. He just had a few more experience and a stunning custom Belair.

I'm not trying to sound like a d*ck I just don't want a fellow D.S. member to get taken for his $. Just check out the guys work, if he has any kind of reputation he will gladly show off photos of his work, money is hard to come by these days and I know when I paint I hate fixing someone elses nightmares. I should also note I do this as side work also, and I only work on select vehicles, not modern average cars, like deer damage or things like that. I'd rather shave doors and do candy paint jobs vs. cleaning deer sh*t out of a door jamb. That sucks, I did that enough as a G.M. body tech. Good luck, keep us posted on the paint job I love to look at a beautiful paint job, who knows if the guy does well it might drum up some more side work for him. Remember PICS or it didn't happen.