GTOguy

Did anybody see the Fantomworks episode that recently aired that featured a red '61? The issue was mysterious oil burning. They did a compression test, all was ok. So they pulled the engine to tear it down and found a bad intake manifold, sucking oil. I was surprised that they didn't at least do a leakdown test, even though that wasn't the problem. It's the second thing I would have done. Before the defect was revealed, I bet that the intake seal would be faulty, just a hunch based on what I've run across on this forum! They got a replacement oem dual 4 intake that looked like the thermostat housing hole was eroded away on for $450 and got the car back in shape. I love the show, but was really surprised they pulled the 283 out of that '61 so fast before finishing the diagnosis. Different strokes, I guess....

Frankie the Fink

I saw that Jeff and was dissapointed in the approach. Then it seemed like they ceramic coated the exhaust manifold to justify the engine ******. $450 for that intake was BS too.

dennis6605

That show always gives me "sticker shock".

Nowhere Man

that show is fun to watch but at the end it proves that he finds the people with more money then brains. the 70 Chevelle color change one proves the point

Frankie the Fink

Plenty of examples of that .... the Buick on the same episode under discussion had to have been about $75K underwater with all the shoddy work done by the previous 4 shops and then Dan Short's partial payday (SUPPOSEDLY they waived the labor charges because the owner died during the restoration).

I understand loving an old car but at some point your financial DNA has to kick in...

SDVette

I generally like the show, but the'61 was just a side-show to the main story about the couple with the '51 Buick.

I would have liked to see how they fixed the window on the '61 myself!

Frankie the Fink

Since they didn't say they bought a regulator its dollars to doughnuts somebody had just run the window down past the Rube Goldberg stops and then needed readjusted - a common problem...and maybe an hour fix - labor only.

Still like the show; its the best of the worst...

If I see that Gas Monkey, goateed, greaseball dripping jewelry yell Woooo! and throw gang sign one more time I'll throw up

HoldHard

^^^^^ THIS !

I cringe every time the commercial comes on of him doing the burnout / donuts with the '67 (or '68) Mustang fastback.

Why would I pay someone to beat the living snot out of my restoration?

HH

Frankie the Fink

Such antics are pre-arranged and the owner prob got a work discount and new set of tires thrown in by the show's producers. I don't think he was thrashing that car as much as it appeared.

DZAUTO

I NEVER watch those kinds of shows because they just totally insult my intelligence! Not to mention the stupidity. The older I get, the more I detest stupid.

GCD1962

I guess it was re-run I saw the other night on the blue '70 Corvette. Didn't even do a frame off, or take the engine out (or do anything to the engine).
Claim he had $25k in parts, and about 750 hours of labor - guess he was milking that one. I did a frame off on my '62 and bought a ton of new parts and I only spent $10k. When I had it painted a few years ago they stripped the car in about a day with paint remover - Fantom must have spent a week grinding it off. Almost the entire nose on mine was replaced and a lot of body work to make a better fit. That, and all else, including the paint was only $16k.

Fantom claimed 750 hours, that's almost 19, 40-hour weeks, 8 hours a day- kind of hard to swallow that. No way it would take that amount of time. In the end the owner spent about $75k for a car worth half that.

hedgehead

Pilot Dan

All good points. I'm right there with GTO about the engine diagnosis. That car looked too nice to have a major problem. So where did all that oil supposedly go if it was not in the crankcase and was not coming out the tailpipe??? What was it, a quart every 100 miles
It's still fun to see our cars on TV, it is kind of like watching an action film stunt and knowing how it was done on CGI at the studios, untrue in the real world but entertaining.

Desert Nomad

I was kinda wondering what his shop labor rate per hour is.

GTOguy

Interesting to know if they charged for an engine R&R when all it really needed was an intake and new intake gaskets. Would have liked to see the window and axle seal repair as well. As for the 75-100k '51 Super 4 door (converted to suicide doors!!??) a pristine one can be had all day long for 6-15k. I see a lot of non-car people that are emotional about a car go off the deep end, and get taken advantage of. I felt sorry for the couple, and feel for the wife's loss, but Dan handled it very well and helped her out. I like watching Dan a lot, and would love to hear the back stories of all the 'vettes that are in the background shots!

GCD1962

My guess for the area would be about $75-$80 hr conservative. Around $56k for the 70 Vette - Totally outrageous for the type of work done.

Frankie the Fink

I think I did the math when the show first started and he was more detailed in his cost wrap-up. I think he's closer to $100/hour. I went to college down the street, grew up in the Norfolk area, and know the vicinity well and visited Dan and the facility last year. He is turning down so much work now its ridiculous. He has a wide variety of work and restores boats and memorabilia as well. As I said, I like this show above all the others but I don't think you hear half of what goes on and the other half is dramatized a bit.

tuxnharley

Meh - it's a TV show, mostly staged, and aimed at a different audience then the folks on this Forum - most of whom are pretty knowledgeable and see right through these kinds of BS "docudramas".....

Ya can't take that stuff seriously, gotta laugh!

Maybe the shop name is more revealing then it first appears - phantom engine work billed for?

GUSTO14

Frankie, my thoughts were along the same line and then I thought, the production company probably thought what a great story, we'll pay for it. Small price considering what it costs to produce the show.

We're a few hours south of Norfolk and down here labor lates are $90 and above an hour, so $100 up there is not at all out of the question.

GUSTO

vetsalsman

Dan used to participate on this forum. There were some heated exchanges regarding the restoration of the 63 convertible and also the split window hardtop he made for that car.