Restoration shops can be really charming when they are trying to get you to commit your car to them.
It's hard to get an accurate idea of the reality of dealing with them unless you talk to people who have dealt with them. And tracking former customers down might take a little detective work.
And sadly, I've seen some shops that did good work and were straightforward suddenly start getting shady. Sometimes they start getting a good rep, they get lots of customers, expand to accommodate the work, and maybe hire a manager who is a snake or something like that.
And even though you want to believe the best of people, be skeptical. Look for little red flags. I think back to talking to my restorer early on. Like one time we were talking about a '70 V code Superbee he'd recently finished, and it was for sale. My restorer sort of rolled his eyes when I asked him why it was for sale, he said the owner was complaining about the financial stress of the build, that he had to raid his 401K to get money to finish it. But, he told me, the owner had a vacation house up in Wisconsin so he "knew he had money". He felt the guy was just crying crocodile tears about his financial duress.
I had told him I limp because I was badly hurt in an accident in the early 90s. Thinking back to what he said about his other customer, I have to wonder if now he rolls his eyes talking to people about loser me with my T/A who said he was out of money. Maybe he "knows I have a few million stashed away from my accident settlement". I don't actually, never sued, never got a settlement, maybe should have. But I have a couple nice cars and I bet he assumed I had deep pockets and could write blank checks because people who get badly hurt in accidents like mine usually get big settlements?
His talking about his other customer should have been a red flag to me, but I didn't pay attention I guess.
I see lots of cars for sale shortly after the restoration is finished, many of these cars you will see featured in glowing articles in the mags talking about the owners dream come true getting his beloved car restored. So you wonder why its then for sale so quick, and I would say usually because the guy ended up spending far more than he had expected and couldn't afford to keep it after it was finished.
Maybe we are going off topic, but if the OP is thinking he can come out good financially doing a concours restoration on that T/A, he needs to know that doing that will be expensive and you won't get the money back if you sell the car. If you got deep pockets, go for it, but otherwise, make that car a nice driver, or if you want a show queen, buy one that's already done.
