A friend of mine offered to replace the heads and intake on my 85. I don't like to take up anyone's time without compensating them. It is a set of Edlebrock heads and TPIS Mini Ram/Fuel Rail, roller rockers etc...

Would $1000 be fair compensation for the work? I will be helping him of course.

 

In my experience depending how well you guys know each other he might try to take none of it at all. IMO that's when you insist that he at least take some of it.

I did some work for a friend that involved changing harmonic balancer, finding TDC, installing roller rockers, setting valve lash and timing on an engine he couldn't get to run for 3 months because they had a neutral balancer on an externally balanced 383, didn't I know where timing was set, etc. Also removed an old efi wiring harness, as the PO went carb in a 3rd Gen Camaro. Rewired his MSD, cleaned up the engine bay big time.

I had about 20 hrs in it total. He offered me a set of wheels for my DD that I declined as I didn't like the style. After that he just walked away without any type of counter offer. I wasn't upset but he doesn't value other people's time the way I do. I don't like to feel like a freeloader and like to compensate people who help me unless met with fierce resistance.
​​​​​​Just my 02.

Jeremy

 

Do your own work or farm it out to a reputable shop... Friends & relatives should remain just that, Friends & Relatives! Saves a lot of hard feelings when things go south.

 

I was quoted $2,200 to install head gaskets on my 89 ...I did the job myself for around $400.00 , that was taking the heads to a machine shop, all the gaskets and fluids..That means the shop was charging $1, 800 labor for the job..It took me about 20 to 22 total hours to do the job myself taking my time... This means if you give him $1,000 he would be making about $50.00 an hour.. Thats not bad money for doing someone a favor.......WW

 

with you helping assuming he knows what hes doing 1000 is pretty fair on his end.
If you trust the guy and are big on details maybe better for you both to tear into it.

 

I tend to agree. If he is a friend (and you want to keep it that way) have him help you drop the car off and pick it up at a reputable shop. Let the shop deal with the headaches and take the responsibility.

You will keep a friend and you get a warranty on the parts and labor.

 

Replacing heads and intake wouldnt be that hard. Hardest part would be getting the old intake off. I would probably offer 800 and thats without you helping. Thats pretty good for a non certified mechanic.

 

Some car guys with car habits like to work on cars, like to see and play with new parts, and if they get paid to do it it is a bonus and helps their car hobby fund for free essentially. Some guys feel guilty about blowing a ton of regular money on their hobby, or just plain can't.

I was lucky enough to have member Bjankuski do a ton of work to my car in fact he made stuff work I had no chance of doing if I wanted to. I don't know your buddies talents, but in my case Bjankuski knows his way around cars and is an accomplished engineer, dyno tuner, fabricator, etc he made parts work.

The plan was to do 1k and get it going that was parts and tuning. On my end I just could not justify money in to what the car was, so essentially he was able to build my dream c4 I thought I would never build or pay for. I just had no interest.

It seems it worked out for both of us.

If your buddy is a good guy, has time and can use some extra cash and you can dish out 1K+ to him for his time and work it is a win win.

Another way to look at it is some people have skills and things, but no money to buy parts or no car to install them on so if you pay them they are very happy.

 

I'm the kind that refuses payment. If I know how to do something and you don't, then odds are you know how to do something that I don't and when I need your help, I expect you'll be there.

If I'm asked to help and neither of us know what the hell we're doing, we'll learn together and again, no charge.

If you know what to do and just need help, I'm there and you'll do the heavy lifting.

Now, I'm the opposite when someone helps me. I want them to take the money.

 

friend deals RARELY work out. And then you are out a friend.

 

ACTUALLY the guy doing the job is getting ripped off. A shop charges 110-130 per hour. 1k is more than fair to pay For the job.

 

Very good point. I don't do business with family and try no to with friends and always a contract.

Realistically it is about the people involved.

I was fine working with him since he has a real reputation as an upstanding professional type person. I would have never trusted the average joe to do it. It would have stayed parked.

I respected his time and life and so I went with no time expectations, I did miss one or 2 things I hoped it was done for, but the importance was 1/10 and was a bonus if done.

He was very good about getting things done, and done right, he was open to communication and offering input, budget conscious.

I knew it was a large project so I tried to buy things right away of if he thought it would help, again respecting his time I'd buy what he recommended.

Best case: Both parties respect each other and work together on their ends of the deal however they can, knowing it is a project and things go wrong and escalate.

Worst case: You don't really know him and his abilities and he does no know you and your expectations and or financial limitations.

In my case again, it was supposed to be small, it ended up being a car build up. I wanted it and he was able to provide. The project cost went from 1k to over 20,000+. The labor was more than fair and good knowledgeable labor. So that was parts and labor for that particular part of the build.

If you are lucky maybe he will chime in on this with his experience. I felt like the car was a nightmare for him. It's a devil but he always figures it out. lol, maybe he says no way it is horrible.


Trust and respect on both ends and make sure money is no object and it will go fine. The easiest part is the money.

 

I used to do work all the time for friends and all I expected was help when I needed it. Pulled many trans, rear ends, tore down engines, you name it. The final straw was when a former friend needed trans lines on his snow plow truck. I spent an entire Saturday under a rusty truck, driving him to the dealer to pick up the parts he didn't before hand etc. All I asked for was the next BIG snow we get, you come over and plow my drive......Never happened. He started advertising for help ( plowing) and bragging how much coin he was making. I started asking when my drive was getting done. He got pissed off at ME! End of that friendship. I find that if I can save someone some major money, then we both win. I do it as a hobby, I have the tools and experience. They feel good that I can save them money and I make some extra. Win Win. I will not work for free anymore.

 

Hell if he's a real friend he's just trying to be helpful. I put an engine in a buddy's truck some years back just to help him out. He and his wife ended up taking me and my wife out to a fancy steakhouse. Worked out well for him, he got an engine swap for a few hundred dollar meal and he got to enjoy the food too. lol. I was happy. I didn't do it for compensation I did it to help a buddy out.

 

Bingo!!!

 

I think so, for a friend deal. That's fair.

Offer him the money in hand.. Insist that he take something, anyway.

 

I have never thought it wise to pay friends for something like this. It can lose a friendship.

I have never paid a friend to do my work either. With some friends, we simply help each other out. Sometimes on my stuff and sometimes on theirs.

Frequently when I help out someone and do work for them I keep it light and say something like buy me a beer and call it even. For a big job it might be a 12 pack. That way they feel like they thanked me and we also get to have a beer.

I guess I value the friendship more than the money and potential for loss of the friendship.

Good luck.

 

I help friends all the time and never expect nor do I take money for helping. If I were to take money, then I'm an employee not a friend. Just make sure what ever you decide to do with friend in reference to payment, it's known before work is started

 

I sure wish that car was near me. I`d completely pverhaul the engine for $400 labor. This is a friend? DOUBTFUL!!!

 

Why don't you set a certain rate and keep your trap shut. Pay him at the end of it so he doesn't feel pressured to rush. $50 an hour is about what I pay for my friend who is a tech and doing it on the side. You can also see what book time is and pay him $50 multiplied by number of book hours.