project "big challenge"

i inherited my uncles 70 challenger and i am going to need to do the same things your doing in this series. my question is, i can figure out what the parts roughly are going to cost to replace the metal from a source like year one. how much for the media blasting? what does a shop that does restorations like this charge for their labor and how much do you think it would cost in labor and parts to get as far as you guys have got in the dec 08 issue?  

TK, Media blasting could vary, but roughly speaking, I would guess between $700 - $1,200 depending on how "clean" you want everything. As far as resto shop labor costs, again it varies. I would guess that a good resto shop would cost roughly $75.00 - $90.00 an hour. I really wish I could give you a ballpark figure about what it would cost to get as far as our Big Challenge (affectionately dubbed Project Tetanus Shot at the office) is in the December issue, but after I got started, I really didn't WANT to keep track of the hours involved.  
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Sometimes you just gotta say...

lets say worst case, 90.00 an hour. do you think your at 3 weeks (40hrs./week) yet? if so, then thats 10 grand without paint yet. i better hit the lotto or learn how to weld. unless you have some better news???  

TK, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I can say that we are definitely at three weeks--if not a little more.  
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Sometimes you just gotta say...

how is "big challenge" getting along?  

if you go auto rust technitions web page,click on the 70 aar cuda. they did an awsome job of bringing it back. they spent about 200hr on it times 90 buck an hour plus parts,and that does'nt include paint. it is a 340+6,4spd numbered car. was it worth it? i think so, but a tough sell in todays market. iam watching "big challenge" also as i picked on a 72 challenger in the same condition[maybe worse]. so with lots of time and limited money, iam going to learn to weld and fit panels.i already have collected about 60% of the sheet metal required. just need full rockers so i can start. 200hr? more like 2000. but thats not the point. when iam done i can say " i did it".  

Guys, i just finished replacing the firewall and cowl section. it took longer than I expected because of travel and such, but we're getting there.  
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Sometimes you just gotta say...

hey rb, have you thought of puting this build on dvd?  

i have seen most of the sheet metal for sale  @ year one. can you get new rocker panels too? mine r in need of lots of rust repair.