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Time to move on

I had the '64 Polara 500 convertible I restored trapped in paint jail for about a year and a half. I had done my due diligence by inspecting this guy's shop before committing to having him do the work. At the time, this shop was completing a 1968 Camaro project for a GM engineer from Detroit. He was a well known guy in the Camaro fraternity, so Car Craft magazine was doing a monthly episode on this build. Two of the episodes were photographed at Mike's shop so it was pretty clean and orderly. In addition to this Camaro to inspect, there was also a 1970 black Hemi RoadRunner coupe to look at. Both of these cars were stunning, so I figured this was the shop for me.
At the time, there was a white Polara 500 convertible that had been restored in U.S. that had won a lot of car shows, and was featured in a few car magazines. One of these magazines had gone to a lot of work documenting what was correct for one of these cars. My car was not a rust bucket, having spent most of its life in Georgia. The passenger side looked kind of wobbly under its poor dark green paint job, so I figured there was Bondo there. I had sourced a very good passenger front fender and door for this project. Mike came to my place to look the car over, and I could see that he was looking at places where these cars typically go bad. I gave him a copy of the magazine where the American white convertible was featured and told him this was the type of work I expected from his shop. He told me he could have it done in 2 months, and gave me an estimate that we both agreed on. He loaded it in his enclosed car trailer and took it away. It was all downhill after that.
The 2 months came and went without much progress. Sometimes when I visited Mike's shop, my car was sitting outside, while work was being done on a car I had never seen before. A few times, I could not even find him at the shop, and his two grunts did not know where he was. On another inspection, I found the tail light panel pushed in. I was irate! I explained I had my car at his shop to get better, not worse. He said this happened when his workers were pushing it around, and bumped another car. I told him that I was going home to borrow a trailer and get my car out of his shop. Somehow he talked me out of this and promised to make my Dodge his priority. I suggested that if he could keep it in one spot and actually work on it, this would not be happening. I made a big deal, that when my convertible went on his rotisserie, that I wanted the doors back on it or bracing welded in the openings to support the body. Sure enough, in another visit, my car is on he rotisserie, with none of this done. I went nuts on him again! He told me I was a worry-wart; he had done lots of Challenger and 'Cuda convertibles this way with no problems. I pointed out that my car was two feet longer and likely 500 pounds heavier. On another visit, I could not even find my car, and feared the worst. Mike showed me he had had it tucked away in his enclosed trailer, so he could work on another project. After 18 months, I got my car back, but by that time, he had lost some of my convertible top frame pieces, that I had to replace. In the end, he tried to jack me up for another $4000.00, because he said that his grunts had not been keeping track of their hours right???? I told him that this was not going to happen. I explained that I had kept a journal of my visits, with dates and pictures I had taken. I had already been to my lawyer, who assured me I could get my car back. My convertible finally got finished, but I told Mike I would never recommend his business to anyone. About a year later, his shop burned down with a 1960 Chrysler 300F convertible and a 1958 Thunderbird in it. I had an alibi for that night.

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I had the same thing happen with my Charger. It actually moved with the shop in 2018. Seeing other cars there for .months / years should have been the obvious warning. The work stalled after they hosed the paint job. Long story short, in addition to the payments, he charged me 18k to give me back 80% of the car and parts. I was so depressed I considered selling it as well. After a year of depression I found a local shop that has taken the car in and is almost finished after just 6 months. In the end, it will be worth it, not only to get it done, but we've found shoddy work at almost every part of the car. I'll end up 10k over the estimate, but I'll get the car I want, not a cobbled up disaster the first shop was doing.
Hang in there.
Which Austin shop is finishing the work?
 
Which Austin shop is finishing the work?
I have the car at ATX Classic Restorations. They are south, near me off Menchaca Rd. It is a small hole in the wall shop. I found them looking for someone to do some work on my 442 convertible. They did well with that, so I figured I'd give them a shot at the Charger. Jonathon is quite knowledgeable and understands what I'm looking for. We've done a lot of little custom stuff in addition to stock restoration. I'm hoping it'll be ready in the next six weeks or so.
Theron at Cap's is also a good shop. They hired my best technician, and I know his work ethic is top notch.
 
My brother has been doing high end restos on big $$$ European cars since the 70's.

He had 18 employees at one time IIRC. Owned all the metal working tools you saw on Jesse's cycle shows....power hammers, rollers, etc.

His #1 metal guy was fabricating a rear fender for a real 427 Cobra one day...two days later a new front fender from a Facel Vega!

He has retired twice....but, after his wife passed, he rented another building and is back to work with two hired guns.

They do the resto work he mostly does the engines.

He's 86 years old!

Anywho he bills weekly...no check no work next week. He has a steady flow of work in and out of his shop. He mostly does early Jags, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari stuff.

My Mopar diehard buddy took his 340 to a machinist who specializes in Mopars...3 years to do it!

Then he took his 413 there...same thing!

The guy has one engine there that showed up in 2015-ish...has not even started on it (327 Rumbler).

My junk would have been long gone...
 
I have the car at ATX Classic Restorations. They are south, near me off Menchaca Rd. It is a small hole in the wall shop. I found them looking for someone to do some work on my 442 convertible. They did well with that, so I figured I'd give them a shot at the Charger. Jonathon is quite knowledgeable and understands what I'm looking for. We've done a lot of little custom stuff in addition to stock restoration. I'm hoping it'll be ready in the next six weeks or so.
Theron at Cap's is also a good shop. They hired my best technician, and I know his work ethic is top notch.
Awesome --thank you! Looking forward to seeing some pics when it's completed. I need some work done on my '69 Charger and really appreciate the referrals.
 
You are fairly close to Hodge Restorations in Inman, SC. May be give Le a call....
 
Faster and cheaper to take vocational courses at a local community college?

I'm serious.
This is an excellent alternative if you have the time and want to do it yourself. I did this at my local Votech school where they teach metal/bodywork for high school kids during they day and they have an evening adult program. We were able to bring any project in and work on it at our own pace. I learned to weld, do metal/bodywork and paint. My fenders, doors, hood, trunk lid were brought in, metal/bodywork done and put into primer. Lower control arms, rear end, dash, steering wheel and column, heater core, benchseats - I brought everything into that class except the rolling body which I did in my two car garage and driveway - which involved floor and trunk pan replacements, lower quarter patches and all the bodywork. The most valuable parts of that Votech class was the space to work, the huge two-man media blast cabinet, all the air tools and two full size paint booths. I painted the car there. This was my first (and probably last) car restoration. The downside is it took a really long time because I did everything except the motor rebuild. The upside is I know what was done and was done well. By no means is it perfect - It has it’s warts but I’m real happy with how it came out.
 
This is an excellent alternative if you have the time and want to do it yourself. I did this at my local Votech school where they teach metal/bodywork for high school kids during they day and they have an evening adult program. We were able to bring any project in and work on it at our own pace. I learned to weld, do metal/bodywork and paint. My fenders, doors, hood, trunk lid were brought in, metal/bodywork done and put into primer. Lower control arms, rear end, dash, steering wheel and column, heater core, benchseats - I brought everything into that class except the rolling body which I did in my two car garage and driveway - which involved floor and trunk pan replacements, lower quarter patches and all the bodywork. The most valuable parts of that Votech class was the space to work, the huge two-man media blast cabinet, all the air tools and two full size paint booths. I painted the car there. This was my first (and probably last) car restoration. The downside is it took a really long time because I did everything except the motor rebuild. The upside is I know what was done and was done well. By no means is it perfect - It has it’s warts but I’m real happy with how it came out.
I didn’t exactly do what you did. But back in the early 70’s after blowing the motor on my X twice - this time I brought it the very well known Dunwoody Tech Inst in Mpls to do the work. They tore that engine down to nuts and bolts and essentially blue printed and balanced the whole thing with OEM parts. They would do nothing to it that wasn’t stock so in that regard I had them leave the bigger cam in that was already there. Incredible job - Zero labor costs. The whole thing cost me $500. Should have done so the first time v the hacks I had used. The entire MN winter and ready to go for spring cruising and stree racing. You can bet I broke it in to ensure it still screamed…..
 
So a friend from the past came to mind. So I called him and asked if he knew anyone for panel replacement. His reply was I can help you out. He came over today and looked at the charger and said no problem, I will come in 2 weeks to get it. Lesson learned never erase any ones phone number. Ive been at his shop over five years ago with one car in paint and one on a lift. Never put one and one together because my Bee was finished. God is good to me,Im so jacked up to finally get metal work done on it.
 
My brother has been doing high end restoration work for 50 years.

He works on a system where the customer sends him $$$ and does the work each week.

No money no work is done.

He provides photos of all the work he does and shows copies of the cost of any parts he buys for each customer each week.

He specializes in early Jaguars and Rolls Royce cars.
 
My brother has been doing high end restoration work for 50 years.

He works on a system where the customer sends him $$$ and does the work each week.

No money no work is done.

He provides photos of all the work he does and shows copies of the cost of any parts he buys for each customer each week.

He specializes in early Jaguars and Rolls Royce cars.
Thats how I have it set up with my Buddy. He sends pics,I go over and look and pay once a month. I like it that way. Its easy on my wallet. :lol:
 
My guy never asked me for any $$$ up front. He came down to my place with his truck and trailer, looked my project over, and said he would do it. He said he would not put an estimate on it, because there are always hidden surprises with any old car project. He told me his hourly rate, and would charge me for his time and materials. At the end of the month, he would send pictures of his progress, along with a bill for time and materials. I would have a week to pay the bill, or he would stop and go on with something else. I kept up with the bills, and things went along nicely. And then the Pandemic hit, and he could not get all the supplies he needed when he needed them. He allowed me to come down to inspect the project at any time. Of course, this restoration went over budget, because of those hidden surprises that he warned me about. No fault of his though. He actually did a nicer job than I really wanted, but he said he only does a job one way: to the best of his ability. Ken treated me fair and square and I count him as one of my good friends. He helped me a lot, and I was able to repay him some with advice during a couple of situations he was facing.

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My guy never asked me for any $$$ up front. He came down to my place with his truck and trailer, looked my project over, and said he would do it. He said he would not put an estimate on it, because there are always hidden surprises with any old car project. He told me his hourly rate, and would charge me for his time and materials. At the end of the month, he would send pictures of his progress, along with a bill for time and materials. I would have a week to pay the bill, or he would stop and go on with something else. I kept up with the bills, and things went along nicely. And then the Pandemic hit, and he could not get all the supplies he needed when he needed them. He allowed me to come down to inspect the project at any time. Of course, this restoration went over budget, because of those hidden surprises that he warned me about. No fault of his though. He actually did a nicer job than I really wanted, but he said he only does a job one way: to the best of his ability. Ken treated me fair and square and I count him as one of my good friends. He helped me a lot, and I was able to repay him some with advice during a couple of situations he was facing.

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There was a thread on here not long ago that stated he had the AMD shop do his car. It was a train wreck to put it mildly. If that was indeed their work, I would run the other way from them.
Do you happen to remember the thread or have the link? I am looking at using them and trying to get some reviews of their work.

Craig
 
remember, no matter where you take your car.......... you are at the mercy of the individual who actually works on it
 
Do you happen to remember the thread or have the link? I am looking at using them and trying to get some reviews of their work.

Craig
Sorry, I don't. It's been a couple years now, but I'm sure someone around here will remember it and can post a link.
 
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