SteelSteeds Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Last week I returned from a week long vacation with my family. My Shelby was tucked in the garage with a cover on it. We have major work being done on our front porch, so contractors were hammering away all that week directly over the garage (my garage/shop is under the house). Monday morning I pulled my Shelby out of the garage to head to work. As I was backing up, there was resistance. I got out to look around, and discovered some items laying under the passenger side of the car. With great dread I pulled them out, and backed the car out to look. Apparently, all of the hammering caused some items to fall off the wall. I hadn't noticed from the driver's side, and there is very little clearance between my car and the wall on the passenger side. The items of course fell onto the car. On inspection, I found three spots. One mild one that I figured would buff out, one dimple the size of a dime that would need a paintless dent removal process and some buffing, and one mark the size of the head of a pin that went all the way to the metal. I was sick to my stomach all morning. I felt stupid for being so wrapped up in it, but even after the shock wore off, it ate at me. The contractor was great about it. It totally wasn't their fault, but he insisted on paying for half of the repair cost. Friday I went to the dealership I bought the car at, and got an estimate. The body shop rep was extremely helpful, even took the time to mix up a batch of touch up paint and do the small spot. The paint matched perfectly, but there is a dimple in the metal there too, and it's still visible. I know I could get the PDR done on the one spot, buff everything, and would only be left with the one small dimple, but it *bugs* me. To get it completely fixed is almost $600, and requires replacement of the side stripe (even though the damage is at the top of the door). Would you do it? The paint will no longer be factory on the passenger door, but it should look as good as new, vs. having it all original with a small, not easily detected flaw. The car is just shy of 9 months old, and has 1530 miles on it as of this morning. The first new car I've ever bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Lance, I feel very bad for you. It will always bug you, as it would me. Get it fixed....I would. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Lance, I feel very bad for you. It will always bug you, as it would me. Get it fixed....I would. Rob Is there any possibility you could upload some pics of the damage? I would like to see the extent of the damage to get a better idea of how minor/major it is. Sudguy4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPRSNK Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 I had to fix my rear quarter panel due to the bbq hitch swinging open on it while I was walking by....at like 1200 miles. I've gotten over it and it's fixed now. My car has quite a bit of road wear now though. Including a dove I hit at 135mph that is imbeded into the front bumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 SteelSteeds, I feel your pain. Last fall I was cruising around the outerbelt on my way to a photo shoot of the car and got wapped by an errant rock. The SOB came outta nowhere. I was as you saiy, sick to my stomach. I was left with a "down to the metal" rock chip on the driver side front hood. I have tried touching it up but obviously this isn't acceptable. The only way that I will ever feel right about it is to repaint the hood. Ouch! As opposed to the front hood section, the chances of re-damaging your door section of the car are slim. So, in your case, I would get it fixed properly. You won't feel right until you fix it right! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcobra Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Lance, this is clearly not the popular opinion here, but I am not sure I would have it painted. Get the PDR and buff out what you can for sure...then decide. I am not a fan of repainting unless there is no other choice and it is going to seriously bother you. Rock chips the size of a pin head are inevitable (assuming you drive it at all)....I would argue most of us here have at least one somewhere. Just another opinion, but it wont cost you much to go the route of trying to avoid repainting. I agree with sudguy...post pics if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Lance, this is clearly not the popular opinion here, but I am not sure I would have it painted. Get the PDR and buff out what you can for sure...then decide. I am not a fan of repainting unless there is no other choice and it is going to seriously bother you. Rock chips the size of a pin head are inevitable (assuming you drive it at all)....I would argue most of us here have at least one somewhere. Just another opinion, but it wont cost you much to go the route of trying to avoid repainting. I agree with sudguy...post pics if you can. +100 :happy feet: My '96 GT was never the same after it had it's first paint/bodywork....the car looked great, but I could ALWAYS tell that it has been worked on....lost interest in long-term ownership of the car after that...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMO-GT500 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 while rerouting the wiring on the inside of my trunk lid, I put a small ding in the top of the trunk lid (from the inside). Removed the spoiler and stripes and had the ding fixed, paint and clearcoat done. Restriping went good (after they used up a spare set finding out how to do it ) and I am a happy but poorer guy. Glad I had it done, and no one could ever see the fix, except that the paint on the top of the trunk lid is a better job by far than the rest of the car Have it fixed, but make sure you have some comfort level about the body shop, check out references Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMO-GT500 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 +100 :happy feet: My '96 GT was never the same after it had it's first paint/bodywork....the car looked great, but I could ALWAYS tell that it has been worked on....lost interest in long-term ownership of the car after that...... good body work should never leave you feeling like that. I do have some poor experiences in the past, but I have learned to find out a lot about a body shop before I use them. My last two encounters with body shops have been nothing short of spectacular, and both have been ford shops. Just find good people who are still energetic about their work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 good body work should never leave you feeling like that. I do have some poor experiences in the past, but I have learned to find out a lot about a body shop before I use them. My last two encounters with body shops have been nothing short of spectacular, and both have been ford shops. Just find good people who are still energetic about their work. I agree with you, but honestly, I have NEVER seen a car come back from a body shop that you could not tell it had been worked on. I detailed cars for years, so my eye catches anything that is not factory spec. My Ford dealer bodyshop did a great job, but it was not factory perfect....I guess my point with my responses in the thread are this....you have to weigh the risk of having it done, which means it could go either way, and the fact that your car now has "paintwork" which does lessen the value of the car somewhat in the long-run. No matter what anyone says, when/if the time comes that these cars are collector cars, one of the first questions asked by anyone as to the value of your car will be: 1. Has the car ever had any PAINTWORK or BODYWORK? Again, I am not saying a car is worthless because it gets a little touchup work from the road use, I am just saying that one needs to keep in mind the long-term ramnifications of paintwork. Some things have to be repaired, I agree, but it boils down to what the individual will be happy with in long-run. Hope this response simply adds a little further analysis to this member's questions rather than to stir a hot debate...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelSteeds Posted June 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 My leaning is to have it fixed. I have an appointment scheduled at the Courtesy Ford body shop. I've seen their work, and it's good. I'm completely unconcerned with how this work could affect future value of the car as I don't intend to ever part with it. My current cars show how I feel about hanging on to vehicles: '77 Cobra II (first car) - owned for 21 years '78 King Cobra - owned for 15 years '79 Bronco - owned for 14 years My only concern here is whether or not I'll be able to spot the repair easily. If so, I will be very unhappy. I also have worked at body shops and detail shops in the past, and spot defects/imperfections/poor work readily. That's the problem with the current damage. I'm confident that 2 of the 3 marks could be made invisible again. The third one cannot without paint work and a tiny dab of body filler. I will be paying a tad extra to have the other ones get the PDR procedure to avoid any filler in those areas. Worth it, IMO. I only have one other issue on my car, a small defect on the hood stripe at one of the windshield squirters. I see that every time I get in the car, and it's tiny. Again, I can step outside myself and regard how silly this is, for such an insignificant thing to bug me. But, it does. I only wish to avoid making it worse. Can this shop do a job that will be invisible to my scrutiny? It's a gamble. I'd say there is a high probability that I will be happy. Since the contractor is footing half the bill, I will be out less than $300. If I am unhappy with it..... I'll try to get some pictures this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Lance, I think you've answered your own question with your last response. If future value/originality is not a big factor to you, but rather something looking impeccable, then getting a good body shop to do the work is what counts. Good luck with whatever you decide......I will say that showing the guys who work on your car interest and respect really pays off......I got to know the paint and body guy who worked on my GT well, and they took a special interest in my car because of that....they were more than willing to show me little things they worked on to make me feel better about the situation. So, that is my advice....treat those guys who work on your car well, and they will show respect in return. :banana piano: Sudguy4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Get it fixed Lance, You'll forget all about it in time..... Don't fix it and you will always look at that spot. Good luck with it bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthedealeroff Posted June 27, 2008 Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 Get it fixed Lance, You'll forget all about it in time..... Don't fix it and you will always look at that spot. Good luck with it bud. Look even Carroll Shelby's 69 which went to auction for big dollars had been painted...as years go on most cars get repainted...no future value is affected. I think we're all getting a little anal about these pieces of metal. When you're not in this world is it really going to matter anyway. Use your energy in helping people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelSteeds Posted June 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 Here's a shot I took this morning: The #1 at the top is the small one that went to the metal. I took another photo of that, but it didn't turn out. The body shop matched the color perfectly when they touched it up, so the only way you notice it now is the slight pucker and dimple around it. The #2 spot is about the size of a dime, and at its deepest point a little thicker than a dime. The #3 spot is a scratch only, and I don't believe it went all the way through the clearcoat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelSteeds Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Update: I got a call from the body shop. The same gentleman who helped me initially did all of the work, and he says the door turned out beautifully. I could hear the "but..." in his voice, so I asked what went wrong. He then hesitantly told me that he must have put the new stripe on too soon, and that it had bubbled up badly. It was bad enough that he had to peel it off and order a new one, which won't be in until next week. I guess I'll just have to take the top off the Bronco for the weekend. Can't wait to have my car back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Glad to here the paint work is done. Too bad about the stripe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Lance, I forgot to tell you Friday because you ran over to talk to your wife and kid before we went out riding. YOUR PAINT WORK LOOKS GREAT. The stripes on the bottom of the door turned out great too. I am happy for you that it worked out. I snapped a couple of pic's of your car where you had the paint done while you were inside. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 .....and one of the otherside for good measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Looks like a happy ending! The car does look fantastic. Keep it away from falling objects! Grabber, I'm glad you have an "Alloy" friend up north representing...I can only spread out so far! Sudguy4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Looks like a happy ending! The car does look fantastic. Keep it away from falling objects! Grabber, I'm glad you have an "Alloy" friend up north representing...I can only spread out so far! Sudguy4 I have another alloy friend up here to. Putnamdo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabber Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Last summer, Putnamdo coordinated a ride with a couple of us local guys. It was a blast. These are my favorite pic's from that ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 I have another alloy friend up here to. Putnamdo. Alloys are good people...treat them kindly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRQuarto Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Very nice repair work, glad to see a fellow injured Shelby return back to full duty at 110% :happy feet: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharabi Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 I have another alloy friend up here to. Putnamdo. What a breath taking nature in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh8SnakeDriver Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 SteelSteads, Your car looks great. Glad that they could fix'er up for you. Alloys are good people...treat them kindly. And we have the fastest cars :bowdown: Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelSteeds Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Thanks for the pics and good words, Grabber! I think they matched the color and the metallic look of the paint perfectly. I cannot tell at any angle, or in any light that there was paint work done. The only downside at all, being the perfectionist that I am, is that there are some very, very small imperfections in the paint. I found a couple of dust-mote sized inclusions, and a couple of tiny fish-eyes in the surface of the clearcoat. These are invisible from more than a foot away, so they really aren't an issue. But, as anyone who's had paint work knows, no re-paint will ever equal the OEM quality. Overall, I'm glad I had it fixed. The minor imperfections will not bother me nearly as much as the prior damage would have. There is nothing hanging near my car anymore! Grabber can attest that I have very little room in my garage. I fit all 4 cars in my signature into that garage, with barely enough room to work. CRQuarto, I've been following your saga also. I hope that when you get your car back that you are even happier with the paint work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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