Looking for a good body shop in the bay area!

[ajantics]

So I let my girl friend move the cuda out of the garage because we were having an attic fan installed and she managed to kill my door.

I have heard so many horror stories of paint and body shops I was hopping someone could send me in the right direction?

 I figured since I am going to have to have it repainted I might as well have some more work done that has been bothering me.
1) My trunk lid has some bubbles in it and it sounds like a maraca! So I was thinking of getting a new trunk lid.

2) My passenger door when opened hits the fender and scrathes paint off of it.

3) Another problem is where the lower door meets the lower fender on the passenger side is concaved alittle.

Thanks in advance for any help or insights!

[72hemi]

CAR (Campbell Auto Restorations) in Campbell does awesome work, but be prepared to pay for that awesome work. Up North in Redding there is Reed's Auto Body who as well does awesome work, but would probably be cheaper than CAR.

[OxfordMotorSports]

A high end paint job is very labor intensive. I'm too far away to do your car, but if I did,  I'd charge you 5k just to paint your car with bodywork and parts extra. I can't see your car in person so I don't know how much more work would be involved but it won't be cheap based on what you have described. So shop around your area and see what the local shops say. Always get your estimate in writing and if you see a lot of cars sitting around the shop you're at ripped apart and unfinished - move on. Hold the shop to the time frame they tell you for completion. And NEVER EVER give a deposit for work to be performed. If a shop needs money up front for repairs their finances are not in order. If a customer doesn't pay me for work performed I'd simply put a lien on the vehicle.

Be careful. Don't use cheap paint. Your car is a investment. I not only restore vehicles I sell the products I use each and every day to restore them. So I'm on both ends of the business.

Todd

OMS

[ajantics]

Thanks for the advise guys! So are you thinking that I am going to have to get a complete paint job then? I am so scared to see what is underneath the existing paint lol!

[ntstlgl1970]

CAR (Campbell Auto Restorations) in Campbell does awesome work, but be prepared to pay for that awesome work. Up North in Redding there is Reed's Auto Body who as well does awesome work, but would probably be cheaper than CAR.

If I was going to get my car painted and didn't have someone, I would take mine there as well. I'm sure they still have a 12-18 month lead time before they could take your car in if you wanted to do a complete paint. I would call them, take your car by and have them take a look at it. They are honest guys and will tell you up front what it would need or they may know someone who could take on a smaller job if you don't want to paint the whole thing.

[72hemi]

Without seeing the entire car in person, it's hard to tell if you should paint the entire car or not, just know that depending on how old the paint on your car is it will be difficult to match and the new painted areas will fade at a different rate then the rest of the car. It also boils down to what you want as well in the end.

[4 speed fish]

Where in the bay area are you located?

                             

[ajantics]

That makes sence 72hemi. I am sure I would like the whole car repainted rather than have different colored body panels! I don't mind spending the $ as long as it is done right.

4 speed fish- I am in Livermore/Pleasanton.

[ntstlgl1970]

A good rule of thumb for figuring out the cost of a "complete" paint job would be roughly 200-250 hours of labor, + paint and materials. This would not include rust repair or welded panel replacement.

[OxfordMotorSports]

 

It's 5K. That's for the outside only. Door jambs,under the hood and trunk lid extra. Body work and changing parts - the sky is the limit. 5k and your car rides down the road right.
Or you could find some Joe Blowe in the area to shoot it for a couple of grand. They are a dime a dozen. Or just hit Maaco for $299.00. Again - it all comes down to the car owners budget.

Todd

OMS