Author Topic: Earl Scheib Estometer  (Read 10510 times)

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Earl Scheib Estometer
« on: September 06, 2018, 03:01:26 AM »
I posted this a while ago but it was lost in the meltdown.

Earl Scheib for those not familiar innovated, for lack of a more appropriate word, the concept of a fast, cheap paint job. He started in the 30's with the slogan I'll paint any car any color for $19.95. Over the years that grew to 29, 39, 99 and above but in and out the same day it was fast and cheap. His paint jobs were the butt of many jokes and the quality of the paint jobs best described as 20 footers. Sometimes 30. Overspray, poor masking, orange peel, stuff not masked at all and the quickest minimal sanding job were hallmarks. But he was popular and for decades the Earl Scheib location that was the busiest and made the most money was his Beverly Hills shop. Each location was a company owned business and each was a separate business entity. He also manufactured his own paints in a separate subsidiary. He also did body work and the standards employed were equal to the paint that went over it.

He passed away in the early 90's and the business was sold a couple times finally going bankrupt in the early teens. The shop managers were given the opportunity to take over the shops and the name in some cases so there are still some locations around but today they are privately owned and there are many doing quality work under the name.

Back to the Estometer. This was a device to give the customer an estimate of cost to repair dents and rust or holes. It was based on area and did not account for understructure or parts. The device was run vertically across the tallest part of the damage and horizontally across the widest part of the damage and the cost shown on the appropriate scale.



The meter was actually a device to measure distances on a map if you wanted to see how far part things were or the length of a piece of roadway. He had his own scales put on and adapted it to his own use.



For normal collision damage this scale was used.



For rust and holes this scale was used.



This is the wheel that rides along the car body. As you would think it tends to skip in places.



If the damage was large the needle could make multiple rotations and there is a counter to keep track of that.



People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2018, 07:43:48 AM »
Cool - I remember Earl's shops and the questionable quality work they put out. At the time it was hit or miss, but it was a viable alternative for many folks who just didn't have the cash for high-end work.

That dial gauge is truly a piece of autobody history - 

lostmind

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2018, 07:56:48 AM »
First for me . Neat piece

Offline Rewind

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2018, 08:48:08 AM »
I've got one of the map/drawing measuring tools. That's what I thought your's was when I first saw the pic!!
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Offline bonneyman

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2018, 10:25:52 AM »
Interesting pieces and cool back story!

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2018, 01:21:40 PM »
GF I think the work was more miss than hit. I had a neighbor that had his Camaro painted by the Earl. After about 6 months the paint started to come off and the owner just peeled it off in strips. The only places it didn't peel off were the glass and chrome. Sort of a forerunner to the Duplicolor peelable paint you can get now.

But it was an alternative for those who couldn't or didn't want to pay more.

Rewind - nice measuring tool - that looks like a good piece.

lost and bonneyman thanks!

People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline Uncle Buck

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2018, 02:19:43 PM »
The plumbing shop I worked for in the 1980's had ES paint an old used ma bell van they bought on the cheap to use as a plumbers van. I drove it to ES early in the am. By 3pm the boss took me down to pick it up. I was astonished at how bad it really looked. The did zero prep work and very little taping. They did not so much as rinse it prior to painting it. They painted right over the globs of dirt bugs and crap. Of course the jambs were not painted. But even funnier was the fact that they painted the sides of the van entirely cherry red, then only painted over the edge where the sides met the top about 6" in around the perimeter of the top leaving virtually the entire top the original white color! Ya, seriously. The wheels were not taped off so a lot of the sidewalls of the tires ended up painted gloss black.

I think the funniest part of all was the way the dog dish hub caps ended up painted. The painter did not stoop down and paint the underside of the hubcaps so as the van rolled you saw the one side painted gloss black, and the other side the original white on the hubcaps as the van rolled! Ya, totally true!

I could have done a better job painting it with 20 cheap cans of spray paint, seriously, it would have looked better if it had been painted with a brush! LOL
You boys better hold on cause I'm gonna have to stand on it!

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2018, 03:04:36 PM »
UB you had me howling with that. The best part was the wheels and the description of the tops of the dog dishes being painted the bottoms not.  :))
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline Uncle Buck

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2018, 12:21:49 PM »
UB you had me howling with that. The best part was the wheels and the description of the tops of the dog dishes being painted the bottoms not.  :))

A story that bad you simply cannot make up, it had to be seen.
You boys better hold on cause I'm gonna have to stand on it!

Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2018, 12:39:25 PM »
My grandfather got a car painted at one of these places and it wasn't good at all.
Always lookin' to learn

Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2018, 01:16:32 PM »

A story that bad you simply cannot make up, it had to be seen.

I have seen it that's why it was so funny.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline Elroy

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2019, 08:51:17 PM »


I think the funniest part of all was the way the dog dish hub caps ended up painted. The painter did not stoop down and paint the underside of the hubcaps so as the van rolled you saw the one side painted gloss black, and the other side the original white on the hubcaps as the van rolled! Ya, totally true!



That's amazing and totally believable  :))

Offline Lance

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2019, 04:10:44 PM »
Wells Fargo Armored Transport was anal about the appearance of their RED trucks with white roofs to keep the flunkies inside from being Solar cooked.
They took it to the extent of formally making inspection of new trucks coming into the fleet the responsibility of one of the VPs.  Apparently that VP was afraid of height or didn't know what a ladder was because every white roof in the fleet was pink beyond the 12" masking paper used to paint the RED.

Another biggy with WF was all trucks coming out of service were hauled to a central location to be demolished.  That led to quite a few trucks sitting outside terminals awaiting transport to central demolition.  It generally took less than 6 months for indigenous local chillins to prove bulletproof windows are not rock proof, and impenetrable trucks can be opened easily by a child.  Oddly crew morale fell off.

Offline AnsonJ

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2019, 08:24:06 PM »
That is cool.  both the Earl Sheib and the original Map marker tools. 

Neat piece of history.

Anson
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Offline TR

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Re: Earl Scheib Estometer
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2019, 09:18:20 PM »
The ES in Indy used grease to cover the chrome.....so after the "fine" paint job they just used a rag to wipe off the greased up parts!!!

I was little but still remember that one!!!

TR