Dan, what these videos are making perfectly clear to people is that if they’re not well off, don’t even think of bringing their classic car to you or even buying one. This is why I do all the mechanical work myself and will never bring it to a body shop for a car show appearance. I made the interior all brand new and that’s where it ends.

I enjoyed watching his show because he would actually say the price of the project when finished. No other show ever did that. .

Dan, my daily driver is a ‘70 Deville for exactly what you mentioned, when I turn that key, my dad is with me. I remember the day we went to take delivery like it was yesterday. I will drive it till the day I die. Funny, I also have a 12 year old German Shepherd, lol

Good morning. Thank you for being honest on shop rates!!!! This is why classic car restoration is dying. Not only is it expensive to restore a classic car, but the quality craftsmanship is bad. As you well know, again, my friends, thanks for the honesty,

"Providenced" ?????????? Might you be meaning "provenanced" ???? What I don't understand, Dan, is why you are being so defensive about this. Your work should stand for itself and previous customer testimonials and before and after photos of prior work should be enough for potential customers to decide what they want to do. A lot of the "restoration" jobs today are more likely described as "barely get it back on the road so it can fall apart on the interstate at 90 mph" jobs. You can see them all over KZbin.

I always loved watching Fantomworks every week! It was my favourite automobile restoration/customization show hands down. Stuff happens to businesses, it’s part of life…. It’s unfortunate. I look at the work that they do, their honesty and passion for restoration! And I definitely see that Fantomworks with the direction of Dan does exactly that. When I finally buy my C3 corvette, it’s definitely going to FANTOMWORKS for restoration.

You really don't want to pay someone to do this type of work. It's straight hourly pay. 1 gallon of PPG costs $600 bucks.

Because of all this this is why car restoration is going to become extinct younger generations. Can't afford it

Great insight about being self employed and how difficult it is to make money.

My freind oete did a story in yhis same scam

Great show too long

You’re full of crap, for this kind of money you could be buying the most expensive cars in the world brand new nobody is paying that kind of money and if they are, they’re idiots Barrett Jackson is getting nowhere near those kind of prices for a restored muscle car

You are a good person Dan. So sorry that they took advantage of you with the fantomworks car show, which is still the best car show ever. So wonderful you have this passion and working for good purposes.. 😊

I like dan but man he could have picked a better mechanic to talk to..

Great Job - you and your team are a class act ! i wish your shop was in PA

I don't see the point of the stress he feels about this and the subsequent rant depicted here. This shop is high end, high dollar, Pebble Beach level work. The show has brought fame and trust from beginners so they call with total ignorance and talk about these numbers. Just like the disreputable shops that will get you in the door and start adjusting your expectations, you get them in the door and give them an education on what it costs. Or don't bother and refuse the work with an explanation that it is unreasonable and suggest they do some research. Having a show puts you in unheard of levels of name recognition. For the foreseeable future you will always have more work than you take. Obviously you can't waste time with individuals that expect to low ball the whole process.

Yes but this s*** is a year old flash Forward to January 2025 we know motor trend is gone and canceled all the shows so where does that leave you now Dan ???

For 40 to 60 Grand all you can expect to get is an ass monkeys or The misfits.. nothing better

A restoration is taking something back to its original condition. You guys customize cars sir, not restore them

I thought they were actually going to do something with the car.

Dan, I worked at Ragtops & Roadsters in Perkasie Pennsylvania for three years. The most expensive restoration I saw go through the shop was 72 240 Z. The owner had close to $300,000 into it. Was a fully custom restoration with an all steel spoiler on the back of it to make it look like a R432. Little things like zinc plating every fastener, and an engine with every bit of aluminum polished, triple Mikuni’s with a Lamborghini air cleaner. Restored to a state of perfection required by the owner. The same company acquired Pollock auto restoration in Pottstown Pennsylvania. The most expensive one I saw go through there was a 58 Impala at $280,000. The Impala was a 496 point judged grand national winner on its first outing at a AACA show in Gettysburg that also brought home the Bethlehem Star a few months later. to actually restore everything on a vehicle is 5 to 6 times what most people think it is. If you want 500 points it’s gonna be close to $300,000. That was 15+ years ago. Nowadays, the only perfection I chase is in my own vehicles.

Current day body shops in the collision repair industry working with car insurance companies the books are totally opened by law and can be examined by the car insurance company at any time....

The two stage paint these days is outrageously expensive when using the top best materials,, and that's for a paint only...

sounds good

From my time in the US and in lesser extend in my own country, companies are abusive. The network should have picked up the bill. They are criminals.

Because it is the best reality car show ever… but I prefer The Netherlands with the US as a good second.

This is why people went to patina 😂. This is why most all customs are never finished. Hell go to SEMA that shit isn’t even done.

Unfortunately America voted for a leader that promotes abusing women.

Congratulations, you just turned off half the younger guys from ever getting into old cars.

First and foremost, thank you for your Service for our country. You such a stand up guy and never once backed off of being you. Thats what I repect about you most. Thanks for being truthful about how these shows truly are. I was a diehard speed, velocity and motortread channel watcher. So I've seen every episode a few times and will continue to do so. The very best of luck to you and Fathomworks in the future and looking forward to seeing your new endeavor. Thanks for being real!

Porsche 😎

This guy is a joke !!

It is crazy. I dropped off my truck for a paint job 3 months ago and it is still there at $10,500. Supply and demand. That’s why auto shop in HS is so important yet most schools have no technical trades job training anymore.

New cars back then were built to go to work 🤔not show cars like today being built

Could you help me swap in a 73 Plymouth duster update and everything to make a modern challenge

Yes I believe the current cost is a very tall number. Interesting I could buy a gallon of Dupont Centari 99A pitch black for $27 a gallon pint of harder $20 an a gallon of reducer at$7 back in the late 80s ....Many years ago....

Thank you Dan. Very informative!

Ive seen building tax is 29% yearly. Ive seen personal property tax for everything inside a very high amount also.

You were fien until karen.

You’re an honest man. That’s why we like you. Also, your shop does superior work!

When I used to be an Auto Body Painter and did restoration work people would always say “how much does paint cost?” My paint jobs start at $2,500.00 regardless of metalworking and bodywork and prep! 😮😱😳👀🤣🤣🤣😎😉❤️👍

They use that scheme to rip off insurance companies. You shouldn't justify your prices based on legal RIP off schemes. That's the reason this country is going to shit.

Why even try to explain why you charge so much? my only explanation is, you want it done right, and a great job done. When people think you are giving cheap pricing, that is the type of customer you attract...The hardest customer to deal with. I tell my customers it is by the hour, no quoting at all. I will ball park some parts pricing on new parts but no pricing on rebuilding parts until disassembly and inspection.

💔

I MISS WATCHING YOUR SHOW LOVE THE JOB YOU GUYS DO GREAT JOB WHEN YOU DOD THE STUDBAKER AVANIT WITH THE CHEVY. V8 AND DEALING WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD PROBLEM ON DRIVERS SIDE.

This guy is too arrogant for me to watch .

I would only ever spend this kind of money on my 68 Firebird convertible all original except for the transmission. I'm the 3rd owner, my mom was the 2nd owner. It's been in the family since 1983 and it's not going anywhere.

There's a difference between raising your voice and yelling.

Listen I’ve done bodywork in ase certified. We make money on labor rate. It’s acceptable to bill the amount of time that Mitchell manuals show in the industry. If you complete job in less time than estimated. That’s industry average. Not including parts. But there’s parts manuals with part numbers from dealers. Not aftermarket brands ok. So the parts prices can be very costly. So the industry is actually screwing people and you justify it. By charging what your costs are. Because you do numbers matching with overpriced parts. And yea I’m good and I know how to do it your way. If you want a factory car ok. But I’ve done it for a whole lot less. But you would call a person a lier.

You need many highly talented friends to restore a car.