So you're thinking of having a car or truck restored? Here are some helpful tips for you when you are picking out a shop to do your project.

-See some of the shops previous work-

1. Always ask to see a car or truck that was restored 2-4 years ago. This will show the quality and longevity that you can expect from the shop. (I like to see my old restorations after 9-10 years most of them are still show worthy.)
2. Ask for old customer's phone numbers so that you can contact them. Not only to discuss the quality of restoration they received But also to find out if they were treated fairly and would give a good referral.

-Your first impression-

1.Body shops can vary quite a bit. New style, Old style. If you come into a shop that is spotless it is likely they haven't done much work out of the place.
2.Lots of clutter in the shop means lots of cars have been restored there. It may not be the most attractive setting. But odds are the shop is well established.

-Oil contamination-

Sweat and oil do not go well in a body shop. Oily surfaces mean bad adhesion. Which means terrible paint jobs. Make sure your potential shop has a good policy about keeping oil and sweat off of the cars. I think staying clean in a shop is very important step to a nice restoration.
For example, I will tell you some of the steps we take to prevent oil contamination: After we eat our lunch we wash our hands. If I'm working and get sweaty or wipe my forehead I wash my hands, When we oil our tools we make sure they don’t blow oil all over the place. We wear gloves when we touch cars that are in bare metal. Before any filler is used metal is cleaned, Before primer is sprayed metal is cleaned. Before we paint, primer is cleaned. I Think you get the point.

-Leaning on cars-

If you walk into a shop and see beer or soda cans sitting on a car, or people leaning or sitting on the vehicle in bare metal or any state. Run away, Find another shop!

-A good resto-

A good resto consists of: A full tear down Right down to every last nut and bolt. All outside body panels are machine stripped. All inner panels including: Door jambs, inside rocker panels under deck lid and all firewall and cowl panels are sand blasted. All panels are refit before final paint is applied.

-Materials-

1.Always find out what materials a shop uses.
2.There are many bad products out there, when in doubt buy your own paint products.
3.don't be cheap when buying materials. Get the best that you can. It will help insure a long life for the paint job.
We generally use PPG base coat and clear coats. We use only concept 2021 clear coat for a long life.

Here are some common prices so you know what to expect when buying materials:
Paint-$500.00+ Per Gallon
Clear Coat $230.00 Per Gallon.
Hardeners $130.00 Per Quart
Reducer $85.00 Per Gallon
Primer $150.00 Per Gallon.

-Dont be bashful when your car is going in color.-

Ask if you can be there. (not in the booth) Your goal in being there is so that you can be sure your good materials are being used on your car. It is an old trick, Your material is saved and replaced with sub par products which will only last for 2-3 years or less.

Please bear in mind, Not all shops are bad but unfortunately some are. I could write a book on this. But if you have any questions or need additional info please contact us.