Average Joe Restoration

Should you take you Mustang to a body and paint shop or should you do-it-yourself? This is a big decision and will hinge on your budget and you ability to complete the job yourself. There are pros and cons that come with either choice; continue reading this article for some insight to help you make your decision.

Body and Paint Shop

Finding a body shop can be as easy as or referral or meeting a shop that you like however, you should be warned that not everybody that can do body and paint will actually deliver a quality finished project on time and within budget. Most of the stories I've head involved longer than usual production time, confrontation, inferior quality and craftsmanship as well as estimates escalating well beyond the projected budget.

If you get lucky, have the budget and find a paint and body shop that can actually produce results then you will spare yourself from having to purchase the supplies and tools to get the job done however, the is always the possibility that your project can end up in paint shop prison.

Pros

• You keep the mess out of your shop
• You wont have to purchase the tool required to do the job
• You wont have the educate yourself on body and paint procedures
• you can concentrate on restoring other components of you project while your car is out being worked on

Cons

• A complete job can cost between $3,000-10,000
• Progress could go much slower than you would like
• You could end up disappointed with the finished product
• You may end up with a good paint shop gone bad and potentially end up in paint shop prison

Do it Yourself Body and Paint

Doing the body and paint yourself will provide a lot of flexibility with your time and budget, can save you thousands of dollars and you project will be under your complete control and direction.

If you decide to go the DIY route then you should be prepared to put in some long hours of hard work, purchase the tools to get the job done and educate yourself on body and paint techniques.

As a do-it-yourselfer you'll also have the option of sub contracting out portions of the work like welding and structural repairs, or you may higher some help from the local high school. You will also avoid all of the pit falls that come along with sending the entire project to a shop and you'll never end up in paint shop prison.

Pros

• More affordable, usually half the cost of sending it to a shop
• You can choose what to contract out or even high some help
• You are on your schedule and your project is completely in you control
• You never have to worry about paint shop prison

Cons

• It's messy work, you will spend a good portion of time sweeping the floor
• You will need to purchase the tools to get the job done
• You will need to educate yourself on body and paint techniques
• you may need to rent a paint booth