Source
r/Autobody•
roadmasterwagon

How can I find a good shop (older car, non insurance)?

So I am stuck at the moment and would love some help. I have a mid-90s Roadmaster wagon that I love (black and wood, which is a rare combo) and want to fix. Hit a deer last year and have been trying with zero success to find a shop who will work with me on repairing the body, cleaning up the surface rust on the frame (frame was not bent but front end is a goner otherwise), and repainting the wagon.

I don't need any mechanical or interior work at all. They need to be comfortable working with a vehicle that will not move under its own power. This car was Florida for most of its life so it is solid. A couple of small spots that need attention in terms of rust but it genuinely is minimal.

Am I crazy? I have been asking around for a year and can't find anyone who will do this. The only places I have found are either insurance-only (unless it's super easy) or high end restoration shops who have a two year wait and want like $40-50k (without looking at it!). I could probably afford maybe 20-25% of that if it included replacing seals and painting trim. I am not interested in an award winning show car. I just want it to look really nice and last another 20-30 years as my nice garage-kept Sunday drive. Maybe take it down to the local car gathering for fun.

I'm feeling completely stuck! Any suggestions for how to change my approach or what kinds of places to look for? Or am I just being unreasonable? Mid Atlantic east coast but would be willing to take the car just about anywhere (I can trailer it).

Posted Dec 31, 2022, 1:53 PM UTC

524
HarveyMushman72•

Go to an autobody supply store. They'll know people who do that sort of thing you are looking for, and will have a pretty good idea if they are any good.

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unclestinky3921•

This. I was a warehouse manager/driver for a supply store and we knew all the good and bad and way overpriced shops we delivered to.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Great idea! Thank you.

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jonny24eh•

Frame rust is a good part to tackle yourself to save some expense. Grind / wire wheel it clean, the a rust converter then chassis paint.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Sadly I run my own business and have three young kids (one special needs) and two dogs. I just don't have the time to dedicate to it or I really would! I can't even find time to tinker on the mechanical stuff these days, which I really enjoy.

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7HR4SH3R•

See if you can get the names of some local painters and bodymen and try to talk to them directly to see if they do side work. This is not a job most shops would take on even if they weren't all insanely busy lately anyways.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Any reason why? I would think money is money. Just too much hassle, or risk?

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TheycallmestretchRed Seal Refinish Technician•

Money is money, but you don’t want to pay that $40-50k mark. The time your restoration project sits in a bay is probably going to take up the time of $40-50k worth of insurance work that could be happening in that bay instead.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Great point. Would it make a huge difference to get the car running first, so it isn't sitting in a bay?

One of the major issues was that the core support that held the radiator in place was bent, and the radiator was busted, so I can't really run the engine without replacing the front end.

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TheycallmestretchRed Seal Refinish Technician•

It’s not so much the non-running aspect. Even running, it’s still taking up space in the yard, and many shops have limited yard space as well. Parts will also take up space on storage racks, especially when they may have to hold onto the damaged parts to help repair/section the recycled parts that they will have to source for your vehicle. It’s just the fact that resto work on older vehicles takes significantly longer than repairs on modern vehicles that the techs deal with every day. That’s why the resto shops are able to just throw out a dollar figure without even seeing the vehicle, they are aware of the time that ends up sinking into these projects.

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7HR4SH3R•

These jobs are always worse than they look, the customer never wants to pay enough, and they tie up a bay for too long. Insurance jobs pay the bills these jobs aren't worth a normal shops time.

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HDauthentic•

My shop doesn’t repair rust, as a policy, too hard to warranty

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7HR4SH3R•

We are the only shop around me area that does rust work at all, and we really only do 2010+ truck rockers cause that's all that's worth the money. 0 warranty on rust work either way

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murderedlexus•

I’m in a similar boat, been lightly looking to no success

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Good luck, stranger.

Edit: wow, some sweet work in your post history. Nicely done!

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murderedlexus•

Thanks!

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secondarycontrol•

You've checked craigslist for people doing work at home?

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roadmasterwagonOP•

No. Is that how they advertise? Never occurred to me. They'd need a heck of a setup for a whole car paint job, though, wouldn't they?

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secondarycontrol•

Depends on what they're spraying and the quality of the job you're looking for--some people might even have access to a spray booth, and a working arrangement via their day job.

A quick peek at craigslist-in my area-shows this (as an example):

Low cost autobody and paint work - $100

Hello I can fix or if your vehicle is banged up make it new again I’m PPG REFINISH CERTIFIED Plus went to 3 other schools for painting and color matching Please give me a call or text if you have something n mind

If you go back 30 years, it wasn't uncommon for people to DIY home restore cars - mechanical, body work and paint. Now, most people that I know of do the work at home and then send it out for paint. Can it be done at home? Well, sure. I know a guy who built a spray booth out of a Quonset tent and plastic sheeting.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Thank you for this. It's definitely a new option. Ideally I'd love to have a personal referral for something like that given the level of cost and risk, but a retired body/paint guy who just wants bigger projects here and there could be great.

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TweeksTurbos•

Talk to the guys in the impala ss groups. Somebody is always doing something to one of these. Esp in Atlanta and Houston.

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roadmasterwagonOP•

Great thought. Same B-body, same on the front end - only minor differences (trim mostly).

Edit: any specific ImpalaSS groups? I know the one with its own website but if there are any others I should know about that would be great.

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TweeksTurbos•

Fb has pretty active groups. The one here maybe but worth a try. r/impalass

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