Americans taking their classic cars to be restored in Mexico, Baja California

[Speedbird]

It seems to me that with the global situation Mexico might the a better source for getting replacement metal than Taiwan.
Shipping problems from there if nothing else.

This does not surprise me since 20 years ago they were removing the Chrysler A body fenders from cars at my local Pull A Part to send to Mexico.
Darts and Duster fenders stacked up in the road way.
I would go in and get parts for my cars all the time and saw it.




I learned to drive in a 54 Chevy like that red one.
Except it was a 4 door.
2 speed Power Glide.
6 volt system.
Ever tried to use vacuum windshield wipers in heavy rain going up a steep hill?
That's when you learn to drive a car and not text. (Edit: Talk on the phone.)
With your head out the window to see.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Turn your car into a Mexican jumping bean as seen at 2:30 in the first video? No thanks.

 

[RemCharger]

Turn your car into a Mexican jumping bean as seen at 2:30 in the first video? No thanks.

You're going to need the extra heavy torsion bars with that big headed motor of yours..

 

[Ron H]

Thought all they liked was bouncing Impalas..

 

[SteveSS]

I wish I could find a place in Mexico to get some car stuff done for cheap. Juarez would be closest to me, not Tijuana. I don't speak Spanish and who knows what to do when your pride and joy disappears?

 

[XS22J8R]

Lately I find it difficult to impossible to find anyone to do any work on my cars. Sadly Mexico is a long way away from me, and a border to cross and so on, therefore taking my car there for work isn’t practical. But the idea is appealing if the logistics weren’t so bad, in these times where few in the US seem to want to work and those that do, are backed up indefinitely, we desperately need some new options!
There‘d need to be shops there that specialize in factory restorations though, the one in that video looks like it does custom work.

 

[Ron H]

I was luckier than I realized getting my car into a body shop and not far from me few years ago. Father/son operation having done a lot of work on old cars and has a collection. A friend of his talked him into taking my car. Later when redoing my Dakota, I volunteered to come in to do the prep work to help them get it done quicker and they didn’t hesitate to take me up on the offer and did a few more little projects for them while there. Lol, they liked my work, but said I was too slow. Sorry hey, ain’t 40, 50, 60 anymore. Those two work their asses off and the dad is in his mid-60’s. They do a lot of ins work and on trucks/busses. He looks beat to chit; but keeps going. And yep, another biz where they can’t find employees. He has several cars of his own he wants to restore; but no time.

 

[69a100]

Cousin Ricky's auto body shop?

 

[GetX'd]

Some time back I took my old blazer down to TJ and while there I had a shop replace the headliner - Cost $75 all in. Beautiful job. I’m sure it would cost a bit more these days but the point was - excellent work, cheap and they did it w/I hours while I was down for the day. TJ is not as safe as it once was so not sure that I would bring the X down there for any reason nowadays.

 

[sam dupont]

Cousin Ricky's auto body shop?

That's funny, the best body man I ever saw was a stoner. One C4 Corvette he did went spinning under guardrail cables and took out big chunks of body. I knew where the damage had been and couldn't find one sand scratch or any clue that it had been wrecked.

 

[T2R9]

Man I miss the pull a part down in Otay Mesa in the 80s to early 90s. Pulled a ton of nice parts cheap out of there. Ton of other yards around it too with nice stuff. Pulled a complete 69 GTX out of one that took a light rear hit for $500.

 

[T2R9]

Some time back I took my old blazer down to TJ and while there I had a shop replace the headliner - Cost $75 all in. Beautiful job. I’m sure it would cost a bit more these days but the point was - excellent work, cheap and they did it w/I hours while I was down for the day. TJ is not as safe as it once was so not sure that I would bring the X down there for any reason nowadays.

The upholstery shops in TJ were great. Was the go to for my buddy's body shop in El Cajon.

 

[beanhead]

I don't need to go south of the border, I live near Fresno! Same difference

 

[GetX'd]

I don't need to go south of the border, I live near Fresno! Same difference

Well the one difference is for the north of the border crew is cost. South of the border mucho cheapo for the same work.

 

[moparedtn]

No less than Jerry Heasley (if the name isn't familiar, do yourself a favor and use your favorite internet search
engine and find out who he is) has had several videos on his YT channel about the Mexico restoration scene,
including this one:

While you're there, subscribe to Jerry's channel. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Speedbird]

Fun fact.
Brownsville Station was actually actually from Michigan .

 

[beanhead]

No less than Jerry Heasley (if the name isn't familiar, do yourself a favor and use your favorite internet search
engine and find out who he is) has had several videos on his YT channel about the Mexico restoration scene,
including this one:

While you're there, subscribe to Jerry's channel. You'll be glad you did.

I liked his "rare finds" article he did in the back pages of Mopar Muscle years ago.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

No less than Jerry Heasley (if the name isn't familiar, do yourself a favor and use your favorite internet search
engine and find out who he is) has had several videos on his YT channel about the Mexico restoration scene,
including this one:

While you're there, subscribe to Jerry's channel. You'll be glad you did.

Man, Jesse Gonzales, owner of Street Toys seems like a cool dude and a total car guy. You can tell he has a passion for what he does and that he's very knowledgeable with no hint of ego. I would love to own a car that came out of his shop.

 

[Ultra mag]

It seems to me that with the global situation Mexico might the a better source for getting replacement metal than Taiwan.
Shipping problems from there if nothing else.

This does not surprise me since 20 years ago they were removing the Chrysler A body fenders from cars at my local Pull A Part to send to Mexico.
Darts and Duster fenders stacked up in the road way.
I would go in and get parts for my cars all the time and saw it.




I learned to drive in a 54 Chevy like that red one.
Except it was a 4 door.
2 speed Power Glide.
6 volt system.
Ever tried to use vacuum windshield wipers in heavy rain going up a steep hill?
That's when you learn to drive a car and not text.
With your head out the window to see.

My first car 16 years old was a 1954 four door Chevrolet power glide paid $35.00 for it .It looked like a 35.00 car ,tried my best to run the wheels off that car.When I was 17 still in hs I bought a 69 rr 383 4 speed it cost 2900.00 had a 90.00 car payment.I tried running the wheels off of that car that did not work out so good too much car and not enough driver I crashed the rr , 53 years later I found a 69 satellite built me a small shop now I have a old man project

 

[Mason66]

The reason things are so much cheaper in Mexico than the US is not only the labor rate which is a fraction of what is paid in the US, but the Mexican government didn't stick their nose into commerce.

In the US there is a lot of taxes on paint and other toxic materials and let's not even mention what Freon costs.

OK I will mention it, my local shop will recharge my A/C system for $400 pesos which is about $20.00 US.

The most I ever paid was $1300 pesos and that was to completely rebuild the A/C system in a 1972 Ford LTD Brougham parts and labor.

The mechanic I have comes to the house, when I need him to, and for three hours of work would charge me $500 pesos, $25.00 US.

Nobody in Mexico would ever pay $160 US per hour for labor on a car like you guys do over there.