I picked up my car yesterday, after having some serious issues with Juan. The car looks great, I think its a good job, althought there are some problems with some paint lifting or something on the pass fender.
I really want to thank Bryan for connecting me with Juan and for his assistance with my paint job. I realize you went out of your way (behind the scenes) to make it go smoothly....like letting me use Your new rear valance panel (thats awesome Thanks!) I ordered one on July 15th and had it shipped to Juans Shop, but it hadn't arrived in time, so Bryan let me have the new one for his 70 Challenger also at the shop. Juan said mine still hadn't arrived as of yesterday, so I'll check with Year One to see where the heck it is.
I also appreciate you donating/selling some 1/4 windows to Juan to replace the ones on my car that his guy sandblasted, unfortunately, the replacements are clear glass instead of the tinted glass that I had. So he'll need to find some tinted glass to replace mine or pay me the $400 to replace them. I'll return the clear to you, or Juan, it wasn't too clear to who when we talked yesterday.
Unfortunately he somehow lost My old rear valance panel, which I definately want back. I was going to try to do some custom work on it and potentially use it on my car at some point in the future.
Juan's pretty unhappy about the whole deal. He thinks he bid it too low and somehow blames me for that. I think he feels he got cheated on this deal. Of course he didn't discuss any of these issues with me (trying to be nice) until after the fact, and now seems too bitter to even discuss it. If anyone else gets a paint job from him, he does good work, at a fair price, but remember, and this is important..... BRING CASH, because he will not accept a check or credit card.
I learned this the hard way after driving up on Saturday, only to miss the office hours of my bank (located on the corner, near Juans shop) by 10 minutes! Then I wasn't able to pay the remaining balance in cash. I could only offer the $800 cash I had and a check for the remaining $1900.
I was pretty pissed off that I had to drive an hour back home without my car and needed to now take a day off work on Monday, and borrow a trailer again, to make a second trip. He told me in advance he'd rather have cash, and I'd planned on picking it up on the way there, but didn't realize that a check was a deal breaker. I just wish we'd have communicated more clearly throughout the process. I also wish I had been more proactive in visiting his shop. I guess thats a lesson in not having it done locally.
After both car and money changed hands, we calmed down and he did agree to look for my valance, although we couldn't find it yesterday, and look for some more tinted 1/4 glass and to repaint the passenger fender after I get the car on the road. He said he got some more paint for me for scratches, but didn't offer it yesterday and I forgot to ask with all the bruhaha.
Anyways I'm getting use to the fact that my car is now green instead of red. I never got to see it during bodywork, when I went for a progress check and take photos for my build blog, it was already painted! I was pretty bummed he didn't tell me he was ready to squirt it, or that it was already painted when I called to schedule the visit. He wanted it to be a suprise.... I would have made the time to see it in primer at least.
Overall I'm very pleased with the paint job and am very glad to have it back home, but the taste of the deal is still kinda bitter in my mouth.
