Great model Fitz for working on an open-ended resto like the Olds. NOBODY can ever give an exact cost or timeline to do one. The work 40 and get paid 40 is ideal. As you say if it goes belly up you're not out much. Still tons for us out here to learn working on your stuff. Your skill and technique is a bargain for us out here in YT land. Thx for all you do.
Life gets in the way seemingly forever. You are not wrong wanting to get paid for your time into a car, any car. I like the system you have with the 40hr limit. It seems very fair to both you and the customer. I hope you just keep doing what you are doing and take us along for the ride.
I did a lot of project work on the side before I retired. I looked at as business. You pay an amount of your choosing up front and I keep detailed records of time spent, ten hours before you deposit runs out Ill contact to let them know to bring more money and see progress. If a project goes cold more than thirty days, I will sell the vehicle for storage fees or just call and have it picked up as abandon vehicle. I learned early in life people will let you work for free as much as you will allow it to happen.
Tony, you are the best! Thanks for your patience. I look forward to giving you the opportunity to get back to finish the wagon. I appreciate your understanding with all the exciting life transitions I'm going through this summer. I look forward to bringing the new wife up there to roadtrip that finished car back to the states.
Totally understand Fitzee! Life does dictate how the project goes. Can only do what you can do at the time. It's just a postponement. It's taking me years to get parts for my build. But I can still look at my project and keep motivated 😊
I know how you feel, I’ve spent so many years now fixing up old trucks and putting them back on the road, I want to build one for myself. I though I was building the last one to keep but my dad fell in love with it and had to have it sitting in his shed 🤣
I definitely get the not having time for your own projects. We will be here watching whatever comes next. and will be watching when the wagon comes back.
Hey Fitzee. That is the way to run your business. Pay as you go. Yeah, cover your ass. That's the way I ran my home renovation business before I retired. Thanks for sharing.👍👍🍁🍁
I started a project car a few years ago and slated a budget of $100 a month figuring it might keep me out of the local pub so wouldn't cost me a dime. Did all the fabricating myself and now all I have to do is rebuild the front end (7 years later) I still haven't depleted my budget and I think I am into it for around $2500 total, including a set of tires. It's a 64 Chevy Corvan 95 panel van. (Corvair truck)
Life and commitment has to take priority over toy a material things like cars there simply one of life’s luxury’s . But never say never I’m sure Ben will get there one day but just not today . A sensible and wise way to address business Fitzee and the right way I think ! I’m sure you’ve been stung doing this sort of thing before mate … 👍
Tony, you don't have to apologize for others decisions, I'm sorry that the followers of your channel don't understand the way to make a living is not by giving your time away. You do a great job and you are a wise businessman.
Thanks for the update. Until you said it's your last customer project it crossed my mind you might enjoy doing metal work on a 68 beaumont to keep the content going. It may appeal to Chevelle and Beaumont enthusiasts. But alas, I will enjoy using the techniques you have taught me through this chanel.....sooner than later i hope!
No worries the cruiser will be back , I’ll be sticking around for what ever you’ve got going on , he’ll I’ll watch you weld the lids back on soup cans lol
I know how it is when doing thing's for someone and thinking they'll pay when you've finished I've been burnt twice and now I tell em deposits up front so good luck and looking forward for your videos to come thumbs up 👍
Get the same problems in the UK, well pointed out how costs can get out of control very quickly. A car restoration guy myself really like watching you in action work in a very similar way. Great videos.
Fitzee is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met through my 45 years in the automotive hobby , a genuine nice guy I’m proud to call a friend . My profile pic and name will have him guessing who I am though 😉 . I look forward seeing you tackle this project whenever Ben is able to resume the build!
I am glad that you and him can work together this well. most of us have had to shelve someones car for a while for them, it is part of life. though it sounds like he is waiting on it for some very happy reasons.
Thank you. That is quite a bit more information that is needed, I believe, for the average viewer. You are right, that Scenicruiser is very rare, and needs a special touch. As said in comments, money may never materialize for this car. I think we're talking 5 figures here. Best thing for everyone is to put into dry storage with all parts and a good inventory. That way owner can divest if necessary, and nobody is harmed.
That's life Tony, you are not a charity and bills need to be met, as long as you have been paid up so far, all is well, lovely explanation of the situation. Thank you for all the fascinating videos you make....
Unfortunately, I'm not surprised in the least. This car needs a ton of work, and restoration hours add up quickly and are not cheap. No disrespect to the owner, but if they don't have cash for the project now at such an early stage in the restoration process, there is little chance they'll have anywhere near the amount of cash needed to resume the project in the fall and see it through to completion. I started with something more solid and easier to restore and had a $40k USD budget socked away for it. Now that it's nearly done 5 years later, I've spent over double that amount. It's easy to underestimate how much this type of project actually costs. Now this car is in a million pieces, which make it much more difficult and expensive to transport, as well as easier to lose parts along the way as it sits for years at a time.
Ain't real life a tricky ol' thing? Wondered what was going on with this car, figured it was something along these lines. FWIW, my own "Crusty" ('97 Mustang vert drag car) has been sitting in storage for so long I think it's put down roots...sometimes "playing with cars for kicks" just gets shoved aside for bigger priorities. They'll all get finished in their own time, and with any luck we'll live to enjoy 'em, yeah?
I wondered what happened to the wagon project. Sucks when this happens but thankfully the owner was honest about the situation. A guy needs to pay the bills at the end of the day though. Business is business.
Time for the owner to realize that the car needs to be sold he needs to realize that time costs money and having that custom W-30 hood made out of metal should have been the tell tale sign there is an aftermarket company that makes them there is a little difference between factory and the aftermarket but getting the body work on the car itself done then worry about the hood after now I know you have all the parts for the car probably all labeled out in bags with the proper screws but in one way I would like to purchase it but I would never buy a project in a basket just in case parts are missing then it's more work finding replacements.... Sorry to hear about the situation your in on that project I would have been a nice one I would have loved to have fully restored to new condition.. Looks like it might be a case where the owner takes it all and sells it or just hands you the ownership and you finish it and put it up for sale because selling it as is is a lot more difficult
@@fitzeesfabrications a guy local to me (Ct USA) was getting near $150 an hour plus materials. He did a Jeep FC-150 cab for around $8k just prior to Covid. My customer asked how long it would take and the guy said 48 man hours. It was picked up just over a week later. BTW, that Jeep now sits in storage because the owner died about a year ago. (non covid related) That's what happens when you put a project on the back burner after age 70.
Sad for Ben, I've been there. This hobby is expensive. You have to be at a certain point in your life to have this kind of spendable funds. As a kid, I rode in one of these vista roofs.
Like the old saying goes " Man makes plans and God laughs at him". Life happens and at least the owner was up front with you so this will go forward at the right time. Thanks for the heads up .
I hear another version, same idea: "Life is what happens while you make other plans." I'm past Fitzee's age with a dozen projects, sidetracked personally 25 years ago now, and prospects of getting back to, let alone finishing any of them are pretty dim.
Last summer we had a nice vacation abroad, and came home to an AC unit that had completely crapped out (got up to 88F in the house before things were fixed) and was a $12k repair. I completely get the "God laughs at him" since it seems to happen quite frequently to some of us. Glad Fitzee's a good guy and not racking up tons of bills for the poor soul.
Thanks for the update Fitzee; I was wondering what was going on with the wagon. I appreciate your sensible approach to the business side of restoration. 👍
That's what sucks in this type of situation. The interruption in labor earnings, the extra start- stop and also storage...idk I'd say it takes a special person to deal with this. That's you, dude! Great videos Tony, I really appreciate your efforts. Thanks.
That's a good arrangement you have with doing 40(+) hours work and then getting paid for that work. It's like having a job where you get paid weekly, but in your case it's when you get the hours up. It suits you and it suits the customer. With the wagon on hold for now, you might be able to get more work done on Crusty as well as finishing Wendy's Mustang.
I had a similar work ethic as not everyone has a huge lump sum to throw at what is a hobby, I used to have at least 2 projects on the go for different people, that were usually done in stages that way there wasn’t large amounts of pressure on the customer to pay large bills and 2 I was guaranteed an income as we all have to live, fair play to Tony,and hopefully Bens situation gets back on track
Life does get in the way...and there's nothing wrong with that. Thanks for sharing Tony. Best of luck to the owner and his family. ... Looking forward to what you are working on next... Either way will watch and learn.... !!
I do one off builds similar way across the pond the owner is always in control he/she would pay me x pounds per month every month for labour/parts if at any time the owner could not afford the payments after a agreed set period of time, the vehicle would always be in a position where it could be loaded onto a trailer and returned to the owner. with no hard feelings.
Wow, the ramp. I can’t wait. Please don’t skimp on the detail on the ramp. I saved up 4 days before I watched crusty’s wheel tubs. Quite a curly one I bet? Super fan. Thank you.
Exellent explanation, telling it like it is. I used to work on other people's projects for next to nothing and my own projects suffered big time. Thanks for telling it like it is.
Thanks for the update, a lot of channels on YT just stop a series with no explanation, sounds very fair way to do business good you have some local storage places over here throw them out quick as becouse there's no storage space or it cost more than the project is worth (in a big city in UK)...
What a genuine, decent Fella. Can't be any fairer than that Fitzee!
Great model Fitz for working on an open-ended resto like the Olds. NOBODY can ever give an exact cost or timeline to do one. The work 40 and get paid 40 is ideal. As you say if it goes belly up you're not out much. Still tons for us out here to learn working on your stuff. Your skill and technique is a bargain for us out here in YT land. Thx for all you do.
Life gets in the way seemingly forever. You are not wrong wanting to get paid for your time into a car, any car. I like the system you have with the 40hr limit. It seems very fair to both you and the customer. I hope you just keep doing what you are doing and take us along for the ride.
I did a lot of project work on the side before I retired. I looked at as business. You pay an amount of your choosing up front and I keep detailed records of time spent, ten hours before you deposit runs out Ill contact to let them know to bring more money and see progress. If a project goes cold more than thirty days, I will sell the vehicle for storage fees or just call and have it picked up as abandon vehicle. I learned early in life people will let you work for free as much as you will allow it to happen.
Bills have to be paid. I like the way that you charge. I hope that he is paying the Storage! THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.
#STAYSAFE
#PHILLYPHILLY 🇺🇸
Personally that's why I don't tear nothing apart until money in hand at least 3/4 of it this is a perfect example thanks for the lesson Tony
Tony, you are the best! Thanks for your patience. I look forward to giving you the opportunity to get back to finish the wagon. I appreciate your understanding with all the exciting life transitions I'm going through this summer. I look forward to bringing the new wife up there to roadtrip that finished car back to the states.
Totally understand Fitzee! Life does dictate how the project goes. Can only do what you can do at the time. It's just a postponement. It's taking me years to get parts for my build. But I can still look at my project and keep motivated 😊
That’s sad I was interested in the wagon and was glad to see it back. But most of all your a fair man! Hard to find these days.
It’s really nice Tony goes the extra mile for people
I know how you feel, I’ve spent so many years now fixing up old trucks and putting them back on the road, I want to build one for myself. I though I was building the last one to keep but my dad fell in love with it and had to have it sitting in his shed 🤣
I definitely get the not having time for your own projects. We will be here watching whatever comes next. and will be watching when the wagon comes back.
We appreciate the explanation and look forward to the future builds . #stickaround
Good for you to clarify that project Tony. I am looking forward to the ramp being operational to save you time getting to the hard to reach jobs👍
This is a great explanation of how it works best for you.
Also all the best to Ben.
Cheers 👍💪✌
Hey Fitzee. That is the way to run your business. Pay as you go. Yeah, cover your ass. That's the way I ran my home renovation business before I retired. Thanks for sharing.👍👍🍁🍁
Oh god if he’s getting married he’ll never touch that car again. Great time to buy it off him Fitz!!
Nah... You haven't seen the last of the car.
I started a project car a few years ago and slated a budget of $100 a month figuring it might keep me out of the local pub so wouldn't cost me a dime. Did all the fabricating myself and now all I have to do is rebuild the front end (7 years later) I still haven't depleted my budget and I think I am into it for around $2500 total, including a set of tires. It's a 64 Chevy Corvan 95 panel van. (Corvair truck)
smart way to handle work on any project Tony. hope to see you tackle the rest of this job in the fall.
Life and commitment has to take priority over toy a material things like cars there simply one of life’s luxury’s . But never say never I’m sure Ben will get there one day but just not today . A sensible and wise way to address business Fitzee and the right way I think ! I’m sure you’ve been stung doing this sort of thing before mate … 👍
Tony, you don't have to apologize for others decisions, I'm sorry that the followers of your channel don't understand the way to make a living is not by giving your time away. You do a great job and you are a wise businessman.
Bummer, I was excited to see work on the wagon!
It will be interesting seeing the ramp put back into working condition after being a platform for Peanut to sit on.
You're as honest as the day is old. There needs to be more people like you. Thanks Fitzee. Ronnie.
Thanks for the honest update. A very fair approach to how you work. great on you for sharing. Kudo's to Ben !
Thanks!
Thanks for the update. Until you said it's your last customer project it crossed my mind you might enjoy doing metal work on a 68 beaumont to keep the content going. It may appeal to Chevelle and Beaumont
enthusiasts. But alas, I will enjoy using the techniques you have taught me through this chanel.....sooner than later i hope!
You're a heck of a good guy Tony most guys would just push it outside and say come and get it.
🎶if you got the money, honey… I got the time🎵. Smart Fitzee😁😁
Hi Tony. Thanks for the update. Hopefully everything works out for Ben.
Way to go Ben, congratulations!
Tony you're a Saint!
I'm still watching your progress on all the projects. 😊
To bad. I wish i had a guy like you near me. I would have restored my square body.
No worries the cruiser will be back , I’ll be sticking around for what ever you’ve got going on , he’ll I’ll watch you weld the lids back on soup cans lol
I think we all would watch him weld soups can lids on...
You're a legend Tony. Honest as the day is long. With you, people get what it says on the tin.
I know how it is when doing thing's for someone and thinking they'll pay when you've finished I've been burnt twice and now I tell em deposits up front so good luck and looking forward for your videos to come thumbs up 👍
That is the best way to do these projects Fitzee. Keep after it and doing whats right.
Congratulations Ben!
Thank you!
You are a good and honest man Tony!
Indeed he is!
Get the same problems in the UK, well pointed out how costs can get out of control very quickly. A car restoration guy myself really like watching you in action work in a very similar way. Great videos.
You're a good man.
It'll be a sweet car when it's done.
I look forward to all your videos no matter what you're up to.
Cheers from B.C.
Fitzee is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met through my 45 years in the automotive hobby , a genuine nice guy I’m proud to call a friend . My profile pic and name will have him guessing who I am though 😉 . I look forward seeing you tackle this project whenever Ben is able to resume the build!
Yes.... I haven't got a clue who you are. Haha.
I am glad that you and him can work together this well. most of us have had to shelve someones car for a while for them, it is part of life. though it sounds like he is waiting on it for some very happy reasons.
Very KOOL Tony I totally understand
FITZEE I really don't think anyone is disapointed you will come back as you do, thank you for your videos
I got to give it to you Fitz, most would have handled it A LOT different, including me.
I work in exactly the same wY Tony. Otherwise the risk is with you and not the client. It has ti be balanced 👍🏻👋🤚. Joe
I'm excited to see the future progress on Crusty
ur a good man may yah bless u
Thank you. That is quite a bit more information that is needed, I believe, for the average viewer. You are right, that Scenicruiser is very rare, and needs a special touch. As said in comments, money may never materialize for this car. I think we're talking 5 figures here. Best thing for everyone is to put into dry storage with all parts and a good inventory. That way owner can divest if necessary, and nobody is harmed.
The owner could have said something before you stripped it down.like anybody can check their bank account.love your videos Fitzee.
That's life Tony, you are not a charity and bills need to be met, as long as you have been paid up so far, all is well, lovely explanation of the situation.
Thank you for all the fascinating videos you make....
Unfortunately, I'm not surprised in the least. This car needs a ton of work, and restoration hours add up quickly and are not cheap. No disrespect to the owner, but if they don't have cash for the project now at such an early stage in the restoration process, there is little chance they'll have anywhere near the amount of cash needed to resume the project in the fall and see it through to completion. I started with something more solid and easier to restore and had a $40k USD budget socked away for it. Now that it's nearly done 5 years later, I've spent over double that amount. It's easy to underestimate how much this type of project actually costs. Now this car is in a million pieces, which make it much more difficult and expensive to transport, as well as easier to lose parts along the way as it sits for years at a time.
No mun no fun. Thanks for the update.
More than fair mate, you can't build it for free. The customers are lucky to have you building their cars. You always build them properly.
You're a good guy, Fitzee. 👍
Totally understandable.
👍
🇨🇦
I have similar issues . Just not a good time for the old cars right now. But it will improve drastically.
That is exactly how you do it, you can never estimate a restoration.
Its always the cars that get put on the back burner
Ain't real life a tricky ol' thing?
Wondered what was going on with this car, figured it was something along these lines.
FWIW, my own "Crusty" ('97 Mustang vert drag car) has been sitting in storage for so long I think it's put down roots...sometimes "playing with cars for kicks" just gets shoved aside for bigger priorities.
They'll all get finished in their own time, and with any luck we'll live to enjoy 'em, yeah?
I wondered what happened to the wagon project. Sucks when this happens but thankfully the owner was honest about the situation. A guy needs to pay the bills at the end of the day though. Business is business.
Time for the owner to realize that the car needs to be sold he needs to realize that time costs money and having that custom W-30 hood made out of metal should have been the tell tale sign there is an aftermarket company that makes them there is a little difference between factory and the aftermarket but getting the body work on the car itself done then worry about the hood after now I know you have all the parts for the car probably all labeled out in bags with the proper screws but in one way I would like to purchase it but I would never buy a project in a basket just in case parts are missing then it's more work finding replacements....
Sorry to hear about the situation your in on that project I would have been a nice one I would have loved to have fully restored to new condition..
Looks like it might be a case where the owner takes it all and sells it or just hands you the ownership and you finish it and put it up for sale because selling it as is is a lot more difficult
The wagon hood is not same as the W30 hood. You s
Need all the front , grill, bumper as well as the hood.
Very fair and very honest by both parties , sound business on all sides , no surprises - cuts through the BS. thanx
That’s pretty shitty. They shouldn’t have put the burden of long term storage on you.
We should Always talk about the commission first😎
He's getting married = dead project.
More time for finishing Crusty! Lol!
Maybe we'll take up a Olds Wagon Fund and get this project rolling.
I'd definitely welcome it, but it's not necessary...
Patches Patches Patches Patches 😂😂😂
Just means more variety and interesting projects on the way
What does I typically cost an hour for that kind of restoration
Depends where you are too. Anywhere from 30 to 200 and hour
@@fitzeesfabrications a guy local to me (Ct USA) was getting near $150 an hour plus materials. He did a Jeep FC-150 cab for around $8k just prior to Covid. My customer asked how long it would take and the guy said 48 man hours. It was picked up just over a week later. BTW, that Jeep now sits in storage because the owner died about a year ago. (non covid related) That's what happens when you put a project on the back burner after age 70.
$150/hr (USD) + materials where I live.
Sad for Ben, I've been there. This hobby is expensive. You have to be at a certain point in your life to have this kind of spendable funds. As a kid, I rode in one of these vista roofs.
It's just a car... It's exciting but getting married and starting a new chapter of my life is WAY more exciting :-)
@@ChaplainSkelton btw, are you the owner?
🥓
I wish Ben all the best!! Sometimes life will kill a project. Hopefully he can get back on it soon! It'll be great to see you get the lift working!!
No money no funny
Like the old saying goes " Man makes plans and God laughs at him". Life happens and at least the owner was up front with you so this will go forward at the right time. Thanks for the heads up .
I hear another version, same idea: "Life is what happens while you make other plans." I'm past Fitzee's age with a dozen projects, sidetracked personally 25 years ago now, and prospects of getting back to, let alone finishing any of them are pretty dim.
Last summer we had a nice vacation abroad, and came home to an AC unit that had completely crapped out (got up to 88F in the house before things were fixed) and was a $12k repair. I completely get the "God laughs at him" since it seems to happen quite frequently to some of us. Glad Fitzee's a good guy and not racking up tons of bills for the poor soul.
Congratulations Ben!!
Thanks! I appreciate it! She is a wonderful woman!
That's why I like your Channel Tony you don't sugar coat anything and you tell the bottom line
Thanks for the update Fitzee; I was wondering what was going on with the wagon. I appreciate your sensible approach to the business side of restoration. 👍
That's what sucks in this type of situation. The interruption in labor earnings, the extra start- stop and also storage...idk I'd say it takes a special person to deal with this. That's you, dude! Great videos Tony, I really appreciate your efforts. Thanks.
That's a good arrangement you have with doing 40(+) hours work and then getting paid for that work. It's like having a job where you get paid weekly, but in your case it's when you get the hours up. It suits you and it suits the customer. With the wagon on hold for now, you might be able to get more work done on Crusty as well as finishing Wendy's Mustang.
I'll be watching your channel no matter what you have going, so just get to it when you get to it!
Not many like you left out there .
I had a similar work ethic as not everyone has a huge lump sum to throw at what is a hobby, I used to have at least 2 projects on the go for different people, that were usually done in stages that way there wasn’t large amounts of pressure on the customer to pay large bills and 2 I was guaranteed an income as we all have to live, fair play to Tony,and hopefully Bens situation gets back on track
Life happens. I will eventually get done.
Thanks for the update. Can wait for more of your great work.
Life does get in the way...and there's nothing wrong with that. Thanks for sharing Tony.
Best of luck to the owner and his family. ...
Looking forward to what you are working on next... Either way will watch and learn.... !!
Good news on the update.....thanks
Fitzee, sir, all that is life and you take it like a gentleman, BUT don't forget to show your cat at the end 😊. Thanks . Am watchin' ya boy 😂🎉
hey, you got it right about Peanut the cat.
I do one off builds similar way across the pond the owner is always in control he/she would pay me x pounds per month every month for labour/parts if at any time the owner could not afford the payments after a agreed set period of time, the vehicle would always be in a position where it could be loaded onto a trailer and returned to the owner. with no hard feelings.
Too bad. Wagons are cool.
442 Vista Cruiser ! 😉
Something life gets in the way of projects.
Thanks for the update Fitzee. Take care my friend 👍.
I wondered where that thing went
Translation: Ben's life is not his anymore, lol.
I got remarried about 8 yrs ago. I was stupid twice. Run, Ben, RUN.
I can assure you both this is a great thing for me and my sons! She is an amazing woman! ❤
Wow, the ramp. I can’t wait. Please don’t skimp on the detail on the ramp. I saved up 4 days before I watched crusty’s wheel tubs. Quite a curly one I bet? Super fan. Thank you.
That is a very good way to work with people
I couldn't have asked for a better man to restore this car and to call my friend!
Very honest
Exellent explanation, telling it like it is. I used to work on other people's projects for next to nothing and my own projects suffered big time. Thanks for telling it like it is.
I hope since the wagon is going to storage Patches will return! That’s my favorite project. Let’s see Patches 😃
Thanks for the update, a lot of channels on YT just stop a series with no explanation, sounds very fair way to do business good you have some local storage places over here throw them out quick as becouse there's no storage space or it cost more than the project is worth (in a big city in UK)...
These wagoons are so cool my mom had 2 I saw half of America from the back seat Im so gratefull to my parents kudos to the owner