Reality Sucks

[shooter65]

I'm quickly coming to the realization that physical limitations will prevent me from doing my restoration myself.

I wanted to ask for recommendations for a person or company that will do a correct, rotisserie restoration of my car without braking the bank...I've got a very good restorer locally but the price for a full restoration is in the stratosphere. I'm near Pittsburgh, PA but for the right vendor, I'll ship the car. I'm hoping to find someone who does or has done C-Bodies.

I know there have been a few threads of people who have had their cars done but I know some of those guys are retired or semi-retired.

I don't know when I'll be ready to pull the trigger but I want to get recommendations now to start the search.

Thanks

 

[live4theking]

There are a couple of guys up this way that have good reputations. If you'd like their contact information send me a PM. One is a Mopar guy the other isn't.

 

[commando1]

There are only two guys in the country that I would trust with my C.
One is retired and the other one requires well over a 7 digit budget,
One major reason why keeping BitterSweet (67 Newport) didn't make any sense to me anymore because I can't even tie my own shoes without an Oxy.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

There are only two guys in the country that I would trust with my C.
One is retired and the other one requires well over a 7 digit budget,
One major reason why keeping BitterSweet (67 Newport) didn't make any sense to me anymore because I can't even tie my own shoes without an Oxy.

I'll send yeah ah spare Symbicort Pal. Lemme did into my stash.

 

[Big_John]

I'm gonna make a suggestion here... You may or may not like it...

Go buy a car that's done and running and sell your project to someone else. You will be money, time and aggravation ahead.

Think about it... Just body and paint work can set you back $12k. Interior $3k. Engine $3k. Misc. another $3k and I'm being conservative with those prices. Figure on 2-3 years in time spent in the shop. Get the Rolaids bottle out too.. A good shop has a backlog too.. two or three years isn't unusual for the waiting list... So five years out before you are driving. What shape are you gonna be in then?

You can buy a nice C-body that's turn key for less than $20... You might be able to buy Will's 300 Vert for not a lot more... Get in and drive it home and start having fun. If you can do a 4 door, $10K will buy something pretty nice. It does not make financial sense to restore a car, especially having a pro do the work.

I just did it myself.. Sold my 53 Windsor at a loss and bought a nice running Barracuda that just needed some interior work. I can do that... Complete resto... Nope, not in the cards anymore. They don't make enough Tramadol.

 

[commando1]

Oxycodone, Symbicort, Tramadol....
We are a fine bunch,

 

[shooter65]

I'm gonna make a suggestion here... You may or may not like it...

Go buy a car that's done and running and sell your project to someone else. You will be money, time and aggravation ahead.

Think about it... Just body and paint work can set you back $12k. Interior $3k. Engine $3k. Misc. another $3k and I'm being conservative with those prices. Figure on 2-3 years in time spent in the shop. Get the Rolaids bottle out too.. A good shop has a backlog too.. two or three years isn't unusual for the waiting list... So five years out before you are driving. What shape are you gonna be in then?

You can buy a nice C-body that's turn key for less than $20... You might be able to buy Will's 300 Vert for not a lot more... Get in and drive it home and start having fun. If you can do a 4 door, $10K will buy something pretty nice. It does not make financial sense to restore a car, especially having a pro do the work.

I just did it myself.. Sold my 53 Windsor at a loss and bought a nice running Barracuda that just needed some interior work. I can do that... Complete resto... Nope, not in the cards anymore. They don't make enough Tramadol.

Thanks but right now, I'm determined to see mine done. Never expected to make money on the car. It's a passion, not an investment. I have no delusions about what it will take.

 

[polara71]

I'm gonna make a suggestion here... You may or may not like it...

Go buy a car that's done and running and sell your project to someone else. You will be money, time and aggravation ahead.

Think about it... Just body and paint work can set you back $12k. Interior $3k. Engine $3k. Misc. another $3k and I'm being conservative with those prices. Figure on 2-3 years in time spent in the shop. Get the Rolaids bottle out too.. A good shop has a backlog too.. two or three years isn't unusual for the waiting list... So five years out before you are driving. What shape are you gonna be in then?

You can buy a nice C-body that's turn key for less than $20... You might be able to buy Will's 300 Vert for not a lot more... Get in and drive it home and start having fun. If you can do a 4 door, $10K will buy something pretty nice. It does not make financial sense to restore a car, especially having a pro do the work.

I just did it myself.. Sold my 53 Windsor at a loss and bought a nice running Barracuda that just needed some interior work. I can do that... Complete resto... Nope, not in the cards anymore. They don't make enough Tramadol.

Shine and drive cars and add upgrades as you go.

 

[shooter65]

Oxycodone, Symbicort, Tramadol....
We are a fine bunch,

My daily meds would interact poorly with those three, lol. Better living though pharmaceuticals.?.?

 

[shooter65]

Shine and drive cars and add upgrades as you go.

Unfortunately I suffer from OCD......Abandon all logic, ye who enter here.

 

[commando1]

Sidebar, your Honor.

I'm keeping half an eye open for a little 2.2 crapbox with a manual tranny that I can beat the pizz out of and not give a damn how it looks. When I push a piston or two through the hood, I'll pull the plate and walk away with a grin on my face.

 

[mrfury68]

There is a shop in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. Ray Donch Body Werks is the name of it.
Auto Body Repair | Pittsburgh, PA | Ray Donch Body Werks Inc He does resto & custom work of all kinds and he is a fan of our Pentastar branded cars. As Big_John previously stated it won't be cheap. Not too many shops do resto work anymore. It is all about the collision work that gets in & out quickly and the big dollar checks from the insurance company. Good luck with your decision.

 

[LocuMob]

I'm gonna make a suggestion here... You may or may not like it...

Go buy a car that's done and running and sell your project to someone else. You will be money, time and aggravation ahead.

Think about it... Just body and paint work can set you back $12k. Interior $3k. Engine $3k. Misc. another $3k and I'm being conservative with those prices. Figure on 2-3 years in time spent in the shop. Get the Rolaids bottle out too.. A good shop has a backlog too.. two or three years isn't unusual for the waiting list... So five years out before you are driving. What shape are you gonna be in then?

You can buy a nice C-body that's turn key for less than $20... You might be able to buy Will's 300 Vert for not a lot more... Get in and drive it home and start having fun. If you can do a 4 door, $10K will buy something pretty nice. It does not make financial sense to restore a car, especially having a pro do the work.

I just did it myself.. Sold my 53 Windsor at a loss and bought a nice running Barracuda that just needed some interior work. I can do that... Complete resto... Nope, not in the cards anymore. They don't make enough Tramadol.

Thanks but right now, I'm determined to see mine done. Never expected to make money on the car. It's a passion, not an investment. I have no delusions about what it will take.

I've come to the conclusion John offered, yet I'll keep what I have, and do the upgrades I planned on myself. I went and got a rust free car that needs some work, but I'm way ahead of where I was, just by getting the cleaner car. I have one expection that I hope I can buy, but any new to me cars will be finished, or so very close to finished that it won't matter.

I hope you find someone to do the car right, and at a good price.

 

[Fury Pursuit]

I'm quickly coming to the realization that physical limitations will prevent me from doing my restoration myself.

I wanted to ask for recommendations for a person or company that will do a correct, rotisserie restoration of my car without braking the bank...I've got a very good restorer locally but the price for a full restoration is in the stratosphere. I'm near Pittsburgh, PA but for the right vendor, I'll ship the car. I'm hoping to find someone who does or has done C-Bodies.

I know there have been a few threads of people who have had their cars done but I know some of those guys are retired or semi-retired.

I don't know when I'll be ready to pull the trigger but I want to get recommendations now to start the search.

Thanks

Rick, I know a guy.

His passion is MoPar C-bodies, he restores and collects them. He has a humble restoration shop and very, very reasonable rates. He's detail oriented, and does things correctly. He has a link with the cars, and the history about/of them, in a nut shell; he cares about the car.

Interested? I can put you in touch with him.

Hope this helps.

 

[Big_John]

I'll have to tell the two Gabapetin stories sometime.

 

[FURYGT]

Fury Pursuit said: "Rick, I know a guy.

His passion is MoPar C-bodies, he restores and collects them. He has a humble restoration shop and very, very reasonable rates. He's detail oriented, and does things correctly. He has a link with the cars, and the history about/of them, in a nut shell; he cares about the car.

Interested? I can put you in touch with him.

Hope this help."


I know this same guy and while he is FAR away from me, I am trusting him to restore a car for me.

Alternatively, there are still some backyard & part-time guys that do fantastic work. Go to your local car shows and cruise ins and talk to people about who restored their car and you might get connected to the right person for you.

 

[polara71]

HE does do nice work . . .

 

[shooter65]

There is a shop in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. Ray Donch Body Werks is the name of it.
Auto Body Repair | Pittsburgh, PA | Ray Donch Body Werks Inc He does resto & custom work of all kinds and he is a fan of our Pentastar branded cars. As Big_John previously stated it won't be cheap. Not too many shops do resto work anymore. It is all about the collision work that gets in & out quickly and the big dollar checks from the insurance company. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks, I actually use Ray Donch but his resto guy retired last year and he's not taking on any more resto work at least as of last fall. I was planning on checking with him again in the spring but I got the impression that he may not get back into resto work.

 

[mr. fix it]

I'm quickly coming to the realization that physical limitations will prevent me from doing my restoration myself.

I wanted to ask for recommendations for a person or company that will do a correct, rotisserie restoration of my car without braking the bank...I've got a very good restorer locally but the price for a full restoration is in the stratosphere. I'm near Pittsburgh, PA but for the right vendor, I'll ship the car. I'm hoping to find someone who does or has done C-Bodies.

I know there have been a few threads of people who have had their cars done but I know some of those guys are retired or semi-retired.

I don't know when I'll be ready to pull the trigger but I want to get recommendations now to start the search.

Thanks

It's tough to see another C body lover having health issues as well.
The reality is that restoring a car to a high standard is likely beyond all of our reach or for a death in the family inheritance to help pay for a full restoration.

Here in the North the cost is in the stratosphere as well especially for a classic.
This is also likely the reason why we see so many written off newer cars due to the cost of fixing compared to sending them off to the bone yard for parts.

I hope you find what you need to make it work for you.
I wish you all the best!