My '56 F-100 bodywork is at the painter's and he is winning about all of the work and he doesn't have a body guy. He wants me to order up new bedsides, rear fenders, and running boards. Oh, he wants me to change to color I selected to a single stage lighter solid color and has a very impressive estimate (almost what I paid to get my 40 foot motorhome & 22 foot enclosed trailer painted). I am not real sure that he wants to job. Right now he has everything in black epoxy primer. I am going to his shop on Monday to go over everything.
The problem that I have is we are moving to Savannah, GA in April. I need to get the truck back together as a roller before then so I can trailer it to GA. Another problem is space at the new house...I will only have a two car garage instead of my current five car.
I am not real happy about giving up most of my hard work, but I can get the new bodywork delivered in about 3 weeks. While I really liked the color I selected, I could be happy with a baby blue or an off white color. My concern is all of the new bodywork will not have been fit up with old parts. So I will be doing that after they have been painted. There is the schedule to consider. 
Another way to go would be to just get the bodywork back in primer. Do the fitment during a temporary installation for the move. Then find a body shop to do the bodywork and paint in the Savannah area. Anyone have any recommendations? 
What would you do?

Personally, I would dump the winer, but that's just me.
Rowen

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca

This is typical body shop crap. If he gave you a price, he now is trying to figure a way to make more profit. You are about to be put in "BODY SHOP JAIL" He will never get the job done on time. Pay for the primer job and get the hell out of there. Atlanta has pretty good weather,something can park outside till you can get the truck ready to paint. Get on Jalopy Journal.com and ask for a shop in Atlanta area. You will be better off. 

Gary Ryan San Antonio.TX.

Get in touch with Charlie McCraney on this site. He lives near Atlanta and is a Y-Block truck guy. I expect he could help but would also be good to know in a new area. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

If you picked a color you really like don't paint it what someone else thinks would look better! It's your truck, the hell with with that paint shop, he's going to screw you. Better to take the truck in primer, put it together as a roller and take your time to find someone to paint it after you move ! Larry Short

Find a new shop. You are paying him to do YOUR truck not his. Gather your parts tell him to kiss your ass and find a shop that will do it the way you want.

Durham Missouri

I was able to get to the body shop today. After discussing each part he explained that it would take around 200 man hours to get everything ready to shoot color. With that amount of labor, he was not able to commit to meeting my short timeline. He checked with a body man who works on hot rods but that guy couldn't meet my time line either. We agreed that he should complete the initial black epoxy. Then I will pick up the bodywork next week. I will have to come up with a plan on how much of the truck I re-assemble for the move.  I am thinking that I need to hang all the big sheet metal back on the chassis. I would like to do just enough wiring to make it ab le to move under it own power. That would help out with loading and unloading. I am not sure if I should install the sound dampening material inside the cab. I need to install the front windshield so it doesn't get damaged. No wood in the bed and no running boards.
Does anyone know of or can recommend a good body shop in GA, North FL, SC?

I haven't got to paint and body yet and it's nothing I see happening soon, so I have no recommendations.

I would assemble it only as much as necessary for transport.  When you get to Savannah, go to local car shows and ask who the locals recommend.  There's probably no need to go as far as Atlanta for that.



Lawrenceville, GA

Good to hear your using epoxy primer, anything else will get rust under it if exposed to the elements.

I picked up the bodywork from the painter this morning.  The black really highlights the areas that need to be still worked...so I won't be able to forget when I restart the project in Goergia.  I have been in conversation with a body man in Agusta, GA. who does very good work.   So it looks like things are sorting themselves out.  Now if I can get my engine back from the shop...