Don, I'll echo Mike and Dave to make this a trio (I'll do bass).

Thank you for the feedback. Sometimes I think that the folks looking for advice just roll their eyes when they read what they don't think they want to hear. You've done the smart things in your evaluation process. Comparing price alone without knowing that the various providers are ABSOLUTELY equal in what's delivered is pure folly. Wish more would be so wise.

Let me just interject one more thought in here. Personally I've seen too many "experienced" blasters who've not lived up to expectations. You may have found a jewel, and you've certainly gone through the exercise that would increase the odds that you have. But the price you've quoted for the amount of work that appears to be promised seems pretty low for a guy who's really on top of it. In thinking of a '57 Chev, I would be especeally concerned with those long, relatively flat quarter panels. Don't know what you're paying the body shop, but lets say it's $50/hr. If the blasting guy causes enough damage to require, let's say, 10 hours more body work (which with wavey sheet metal would hardly be visible), then there's $500 more you could have spent on a less damaging blasting process. Maybe you've already considered this and it's within your expectations, just thought I'd throw that out.