Dealing with a professional restoration shop?

[RidgeRunner]

For those unaware, I have a 1967 Chevrolet Caprice 2-door hardtop (no B-pillar) equipped with a 327ci V8 with Quadrajet carburetor and a 2-speed automatic Powerglide transmission.

Unfortunately, I don't have a place I can work on a car at all.

I'm thinking of writing an email inquiry to a local company about having some work done to my Caprice. At the very least, rust abatement and prep for continued storage (in a better location). At most, probably all the rust repair, rotisserie body prep, underframe refinish, paint, trim, and interior. I'd happily drive my old Saturn or some other equally cheap car for another decade to have that Caprice making definite progress.

I'd be quite willing to do the mechanical work myself at a later date when I have place for it, but as it sits the cost of bodywork will steadily climb as the "car cancer" spreads. Getting something done will also give me incentive to find better storage for it than a nearby field, if not to go ahead and complete the restoration and find a secure garage for it.

Has anybody ever dealt with a professional restoration shop? What should I look for, what should I avoid, and what are the smart questions to ask to get what I want without spending way too much?

I certainly don't want nor can I afford concours quality, but I damn sure don't want it to be a bondo bucket.

[geoffinbc]

I used to work in one unit about 3 months ago. The guys in the back were all great. But we here hindered by the owner/operators because of their lack of knowledge, inexperience in the industry and horribly quoted jobs. The job was often over budget before the body work was finished. They basically lied and under quoted in order to fill the shop with cars. About 6 cars got pulled out by un satisfied customers in the 6 months I worked there. I left because I was under paid. I am an A ticket welder and was only getting $23 an hour. But I needed a job after I got back from Europe. But every day the 4 of us who worked for the 2 owners were looking in the classifieds for jobs. So that tells you the moral of the place. Oh and in the 6 months I was there the owners were sued twice LOL.

So what should you look for? REFERENCES. Ask to see everything they have done and CALL THE DAMN CUSTOMERS. Ask them if they were/are happy even ask to come see the work they had done so you can see the quality (or lack of) that you are expecting. Get a quote IN WRITING. No ballpark quotes and no promises. If work starts and something is un expected then they need to call you and re write the quote and you need to re sign it to approve it so both parties have some paper.

Oh and I found the biggest problems at least where I worked was the wiring. The owner said he was so great at wiring so he would do it all. When I had to remove a dash from a car we had built so the upholstery guy could do some work I was in shock. The wiring was a horror story. Just fishing my arms through the wires to reach screws I must have pulled about 10 wires loose from their crimps because they were done so poorly. Do you think an $80,000 car should have butt connectors? An then he was working on a Chevy pickup which we were trying to get out of he shop (because we were being sued for it) he actually caused an electrical fire under the dash.

[SappySE107]

I vote for not going there ^

Good luck, and take pics!

[RednBlack]

You could probably rent garage space, do the work on your own, and have the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Oh, and save money in the long run.
I'm with Ben on this one.

Oh, and Hi Jon!

[RidgeRunner]

Howdy y'all!

Private garage parking around here is rare and expensive, work space much more so. I'm in a rather urban environment for a while. For how long it'd take me to learn bodywork and do it myself at the rate I do "hobby" things would probably cost me as much as paying someone to knock out the body work in six months or a year.

I'd be retired before I even got paint on it...

What's got me thinking about doing it this way is I've driven past this one shop in NC for years, he's often got some Tri-5 Chevy or other classic out front coming in or going out, and he's not too far from where the car is stored now. I'm thinking I can have work done as needed, then between having work done store it nearby at my parents house or a storage unit there where it'd be far cheaper than keeping it down here in Hotlanta.