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Restoration Stories

Started by Rod Dahlgren #19496, January 02, 2011, 01:55:27 PM

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Rod Dahlgren #19496

I read some of the restoration nightmares posted and thought I should add a few stories from the “Other Side”………… Since I PRIDE myself in providing the best possible restoration service on every project, I want to tell my side of the story.

First, I consider myself a hobbyist and not a commercial shop. I am a vintage car enthusiast and collector and am active in all facets of the hobby. It just so happens that the only way I can afford to play in this expensive hobby is to work on the cars owned by those who do not do the work themselves.
I have one car in my shop that came to me after it sat in a commercial shop for three years and 100,000 later the owner still had no running car and it was still pretty much a mess in regards to what bodywork had been done…  I met the owner after he had brought his pieces all back home and was totally incapable of moving forward with the project. I found that the shop had fabricated new floor pans and welded up the entire floor of the car, but they had made the entire floor about 1 inch SHORT! Yes, ONE INCH SHORT! The doors would not fit, the body was buckled and the top was in severe stress. I had to cut out the floor, take it off the frame and start all over…….. I could go On and On about this car! But instead will go to the next story..

I have a 48 sedanete that came in after a 30 year stay in a field. It was parked after it had been used to get around to different sections of the ranch for a few years and one of the ranch hands blew the engine. The family decided to restore the car. I began the restoration after a written proposal was submitted and approved. They wanted the project to be spread over a 3-year period and I agreed. The chassis is done and all sheet metal has been repaired and is in epoxy sealer. Many parts are ready and all stored on the racks in the shop. Then the customer asked me to add one ore year to the project due to big family activities that would take a great deal of cash….  So, OK, no problem.. I put that on hold.. Cars take a lot of space when they are frame-off…..  Space is not available to me and I can not really charge for it to sit……. We wait until I get an OK to proceed..

Next project story is a 55 Cadillac that came in after the owner bought the car and decided he had no clue how to get the car done in time for his High School graduation. The car arrives in January, his reunion is in May. Hmm….. I have four months to do this… This car looks like it had been a parts car. No glass, NO exterior trim,  the floor and trunk look like a Flintstone car. No Seats, No door panels, wiring harness has been yanked out and not dash cluster….   I have to work day and NIGHT to get this car done for his reunion. NO other cars were touched until his car was DONE…. The PRICE?? He balked! GEEZ! I practically PAID HIM for the privilege of working on that car!!  He has shown the car since and it always is one of the high point cars.

And then the 49 Fleetwood project….. This one came in as a decent original car. But the guy decided he wanted to modify the car… Too bad, but it is his car.. So I convinced him to try to keep it stock appearing. I told him nothing comes for free… And he agreed and then HE got on the internet and began to SHOP for parts and sent them to me.  Some of this stuff included Corvette front disc brakes, Fat Man power rack and pinion, Old-Air Heat and A/C system, electric widows, power brake booster, all new gray tint glass, and of course the LT-1 engine and trans with all the electronics, Flaming River steering column and a crazy stereo system.  With the arrival of each new box, I called him and asked if he realized what extra work it would be to modify his car to get it all installed… He said OK to each added installation.  Along the way, I sent him updates of the cost and detailed expense reports and asked for payments as we proceeded. When the car was finally done, he would not pay the last amount.

Well, ONE MORE STORY…….  66 Brougham. I get a call from a body shop that asks if I can re-assemble a customer car they did the body and paint and also did the upholstery work. It need to go back together and they were unable to figure it all out. So up it comes to me. I inventory the car and see MANY missing parts. MAJOR parts like, glass, window regulators, bumpers and MORE, not to mention clips, trim, hardware, switches, etc….  So I call the shop and give them a list. I am told they will “work on it”. Now, ONE  YEAR later and MANY MANY phone calls, the car still sits. Last call to the shop and I am told, Sorry, I will call the owner and call you right back…. That was three weeks ago. I have no CLUE who owns this car and am NO WAY going to touch it until I am in direct contact with the owner. I have told the shop I will begin a lien sale on the car so I can find out who owns it. 

This stuff does not happen every time.. There are MANY success stories! My BEST customers are the guys that used to do all their own work. These guys have had “Hands-On” experience and know what it takes to restore the cars and keep them running.

One of my GOOD customers tells me I need to be a reality TV show.
Did You Drive Your Cadillac Today?