Finding a Restoration Shop

By Classic Car Restoration Club Editors

Q.

I live in the Austin, TX area, and I am desperately looking for a good shop to get my ‘67 Firebird restored. My grandfather bought it brand new, traded it to my dad, and it's been mine ever since. This was my first car in high school. I really want to fix it up right. It won't be for sale! I'm 52 now and would really like to get it done. Any suggestions would be great.

A.

Fellow enthusiasts ask me this question in various forms across the country, and there is no simple answer. My best advice is to ask the people that know. Reach out to fellow car enthusiasts in your area and ask for their recommendations based on actual experience sending their car to a restoration shop and having work done. You are fortunate that Austin, TX has a robust car culture, and there are many options for choosing the right shop. Knowing which one is best to work with comes from first-hand experience. From my experience, there are always shops that do beautiful work, but they may be painfully slow to work with or overpriced for the value of the car. Likewise, there are always shops that will perform the work cheaper than the rest, but you’re left with shoddy workmanship or a car that will not hold up over time. If I were in your shoes, I would begin by getting involved in the local car scene. Many car clubs don’t require you to have a running car to be a member, and the enthusiasts you meet can certainly give you the first-hand knowledge you need. Also attend local car shows and car events, as I’ve rarely met a car guy that didn’t want to talk about his car and experiences building it. The bottom line is that it’s not about simply finding a shop, but finding the right shop. Don’t rush the process. Approach it in a methodical manner. Once you get a handful of recommendations, visit a few of them, look at the condition of the shop, the equipment they are using, and the projects they have in. Ask for contact information on past customers who have had work done in the last year and give them a call. You’ll want to discuss detailed budgets, timelines, and quality expectations with the owner to ensure everyone is on the same page before starting any work. Here is a link that may help locate clubs and events in the Austin Area: http://www.austinmotorscene.com/car-clubs/ Wrench safe, Mark

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18 Responses to “Finding a Restoration Shop”

  1. Brook ‘stet / Shorty

    1972 G-20 or 30 Suspension or lowering parts to Drop it, in a wheelchair needing to drop it ! I’m 4/6 tall man

  2. Owner

    I drive a Chevy g-10 van 72 4 years of hard work & 25000 dollars latter Looking for g20 or 30 -suspension parts, front sway bar and rear end drop part’s needed Badly!!

  3. Monard Kinman

    Restoration shops in Houston (Clear Lake area)

  4. Lynn Kiedrowski

    Do you know how I can reach a car club that would be good for my 40 Continental Cabriolet?

  5. Victor Andetson

    After restoring cars for close to 50 years, I see and hear horror stories from customers who didn’t do their due diligence. The issues we see mostly is really poor work that cost way too much and took way too long. Most reputable shops have long waiting lists and total costs may be more than most people can imagine. To the newbie person who has never gone through the restoration process. We offer automotive counsel. And talk about all that goes into restoring an old classic or muscle car. Most newbies after getting insight into cost and time decide that’s not for them. Most all of the cars we do complete frame off nut and bolt restorations on are people who have owned the car since new. We charge a fee for an hours time to look at pictures of the car in person and give advice on what might work for that particular customer. It’s always best knowing before hand all your getting into.

  6. Michael

    1982 Corvette located in San Diego, anyone recommend any local restoration shops in my area?

  7. Thomas

    I’m looking for a car restoration shop I’m NY City for my 1987 mustang GT

  8. Mike P.

    Martin Brothers Customs in Johnson City, TX near Austin. Watch them on Iron Resurrection, Motor Trend channel. Beautiful quality work.

  9. Christopher Delligatti

    66 Thunderbird looking to restore I'm on a limited budget. Engine issues and oil leak.

  10. J. D.

    Check out Aaron's Paint & Upholstery, located in Taylor, not far from Austin. Aaron's a graduate of the auto restoration program at McPherson College and does really nice work. His website is wwww.aaronspaintupholstery.com.