Top Chop ???? $$

Had a guy show up at my garage today with a friend, he has a 50 Chevy sedan alot like mine and he wants it chopped. Loved mine and wants it about 2"s lower. My question is what would be a reasonable price to do it? He wants it in rough primer with all the garnish moldings done.
I know what I told him and he thinks it is outragess.
What would you think it would cost?

For what it's worth; A Wyo-Tech graduate we have helping us finishing up the body work on the Rolls say's good body guys are knocking down about 110 per hour.

Maybe I should ask a different way.
What would you expect to pay for that kinda job?

offroadrolls said:

For what it's worth; A Wyo-Tech graduate we have helping us finishing up the body work on the Rolls say's good body guys are knocking down about 110 per hour.

Click to expand...

Hummmm. well I have about 50 hrs in mine and still have 4 more garnish moldings to do. So at the rate you posted I was way cheap.
The reason I ask is because I really could use the work being layed off from my 8 to 5 job but don't want to give my time away.

if he aint got no respect for your time he can do it himself

proper with low skills have no respect for the the skills of others.
people of low intelligence do not recognize intelligence in others but they do most always over estimate their own self worth.

Torch said:

if he aint got no respect for your time he can do it himself

proper with low skills have no respect for the the skills of others.
people of low intelligence do not recognize intelligence in others but they do most always over estimate their own self worth.

Click to expand...

That is a true statement.

cosmic12 said:

Hummmm. well I have about 50 hrs in mine and still have 4 more garnish moldings to do. So at the rate you posted I was way cheap.
The reason I ask is because I really could use the work being layed off from my 8 to 5 job but don't want to give my time away.

Click to expand...

Yet somehow he heard, "I'm independently wealthy and I chop tops as a public service." [S

Charge what you think is fair... or... take his job and hand him the saw.

.

Dr Crankenstein said:

Yet somehow he heard, "I'm independently wealthy and I chop tops as a public service." [S

Charge what you think is fair... or... take his job and hand him the saw.

.

Click to expand...

Can always count on you for a good post![cl

I would expect to pay at least $2000 for what you describe if done well.

Hi,
I have not chopped a top, yet, but I am opinionated. I am a long time businessman so I look at the worth of things. My feelings are that you should charge the cheap guy by the hour, for you, your skills, your shop and your tools. That would not be cheating him. You know, you sound like you were considering cheating YOU. Is that cool? If you put the word out that you chop tops, there's a good chance that you'll get a real customer of two.
Keep on tinkering. L.B.

And that, boys and girls, is why we see so many guys doing their own work. Even at 50 bucks an hour you're looking at thousands of fun tickets for a good top chop. The days of a C-note weekend whack job are looooong gone.

42chevy said:

I would expect to pay at least $2000 for what you describe if done well.

Click to expand...

Would you do it for that? I can give him your info.

here is how i do things at the shop. i set a monthly budget with the customer, and charge hourly and material to that budget per month. get paid for the work, move on to the next months budget. an estimate on the chop would be $52 hr x roughly 150 hours = $7800 that is no glass, finish paint or interior work. and that price is flexible in both directions since it would all be by the hour

cornfield customs said:

here is how i do things at the shop. i set a monthly budget with the customer, and charge hourly and material to that budget per month. get paid for the work, move on to the next months budget. an estimate on the chop would be $52 hr x roughly 150 hours = $7800 that is no glass, finish paint or interior work. and that price is flexible in both directions since it would all be by the hour

Click to expand...

Thank you, that is exactly where I am heading spot on![cl

cosmic12 said:

Would you do it for that? I can give him your info.

Click to expand...

I meant absolutely no less than $2500, just a guess like how long is the piece of string I am holding? . It is like a whats it worth thread, I do not know what you quoted. No idea what kind of time it takes or supplies required. I do not chop tops nor will I ever, so no offence meant. I re read your time estimate and you said 50 hours at $40 an hour with 4 garnish moldings left, my math is at $2000 at where you are with yours. So there are 12 hours to do 4 moldings, maybe my math is wrong.

I have a shop but as a rule I don't do work for people off the street. but my last 2 jobs for "EX" friends have made me a believer in getting everything in writhing. Do not cut your self short.[

friend just paid $3000 for body work and primer on a clean 55 chevy...............a chop is worth more. That ain't no A model!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

42chevy said:

I meant absolutely no less than $2500, just a guess like how long is the piece of string I am holding? . It is like a whats it worth thread, I do not know what you quoted. No idea what kind of time it takes or supplies required. I do not chop tops nor will I ever, so no offence meant. I re read your time estimate and you said 50 hours at $40 an hour with 4 garnish moldings left, my math is at $2000 at where you are with yours. So there are 12 hours to do 4 moldings, maybe my math is wrong.

Click to expand...

No harm no foul I see what where you went with it. All is good.

I've only chopped one top and it could have come out better. It's not as easy as it looks. I get potential welding customers that all but pass out when I tell them 50.00 per hour plus materials like steel and hardware etc. That doesn't cover gas,wire,grinding discs,safety supplies , electricity, heat, tools ,welders ,torches,and the list goes on and on plus knowledge and abillity. YOUR TALENT AND KNOWLEDGE ARE VALUABLE. Don't cut your own throat and by doing so any one else's. You don't have to get rich but don't cut yourself short.

I said that price was fer choppin...not puttin her back tegither or making her look purdy