Hum... What kind of car are you building?
I cannot imagine any use of a wood shaper when working on a common car.
Yes, a wood working shaper is like a more powerful, predecessor to the now common router table. They have their advantages over a router table, like more power --> larger bits and deeper cuts. Typically shapers are pretty heavy and thus minimize vibrations. You can cut trim, tenon, shape (pun intended), all kinda of things with a shaper. Usually someone that purchases one, knows that they have a need for it. Not exactly a machine you pick up on a whim IMHO.
Word of caution though, shaper bits can get expensive and at times hard to find. You can make them pretty easily, but that is a whole 'nother topic. They are pretty limited to the more serious wood workers, so most of your support will be online. When we use to mill lumber we had one setup with a power feeder. It would HOG material. Luckly, you can usually pick up a shaper and power feeder pretty cheap. Not many folks have a need for them or know what they even are, unlike a table saw or a drill press, so the market is pretty small.
The old delta shapers are very good machines. Especially if you are talking about the floor standing version "Heavy Duty" IIRC it was called.
