Looking for body shop

54Hollywood
54Hollywood Senior Contributor
edited June 2014 in HUDSON
Hi everyone,
Big Red is in need of a little help.  Our '54 Hollywood underwent an amateur restoration by the previous owner about 20 years ago and it's tired.  So I'm looking for a body/paint shop in the Madison, WI area that can help.  The ones I'm familiar with do collision repair and insurance work and are not interested in doing any restoration work on older cars.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Tim in WI  

Comments

  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    Body shops vs Restoration shops= two entirely different animals!
    are you just wanting a paint job or do you need restoration work?
  • 54Hollywood
    54Hollywood Senior Contributor
    Well then I guess I'm looking for a restoration shop or a good body shop that does restoration work.  There is some paint bubbling, indicating some rust issues, on the bottom of the doors and on the lower part of the rear fenders just above the wheel openings.  The car should be repainted too.  Thanks.

    Tim in WI.   
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    Tim,
    Can you post any pictures of where the rust is bubbling?
  • Lance
    Lance Member
    • Tim, Be dilegent in your search for someone who will take on your project. Kerry is absolutely correct in pointing out that there is a BIG difference in a body shop and a resto shop. Most body shops don't want to do a resto because of 1) insurance jobs pay better for doing less reconstructive work, 2) many body shops don't even know how to use a body hammer anymore they just change out body panels. Also they don't want to have to chase down hard to find parts .3) they really can't charge you for the amount of work they really would do if they took it on. It would be more than you would want to pay.       A resto shop specializes in older cars and should be more responsive to what you need.  This information is just a general rule there are exceptions.
  • Hudson Grandpa
    Hudson Grandpa Expert Adviser
    54 Hollywood: Is this what you mean by bubbling. I had a lot of fun with the bubbling factor. Kept me some kind of busy. Ditto the other side also.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    My paint shop guy just retired--guess I am back doing everything myself....
  • 54Hollywood
    54Hollywood Senior Contributor
    Kerry,
    Here are a couple of pictures of the rust issue on the passenger door.  The lower right rear fender is fine but I can't photograph the driver's side because the carbs are off for rebuilding and the car is parked with the driver's side against the garage wall.
    Grandpa,
    Nice rain channel/air flow vent you have there.  Does it keep the brakes cool?  Ours isn't that bad, yet.
    Brownie,
    Tell him to retire in Wisconsin and I can give him some work.  :)

    Also, I was wondering if anyone was familiar with Fellion Auto Restorations in Burlington, WI?  They have a nice web site but I don't know anything about them.  Thanks.

    Tim in WI.   
  • maasfhcenturylinknet
    maasfhcenturylinknet Senior Contributor
    Contact Russ Maas in Heyworth, Ill.  Has restored several including John O'Hallorens '52 on the forum here. 309-473-3798  Office     309-838-5551   Cell
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    Doesn't look like that will be to bad a fix. Most bubbling rust actually originates from the back side of the panel and needs cutting out and new metal welded back in for a long lasting repair.
    rust like that in the rear quarters usually takes more work on a stepdown as the repair usually involves the parameter frame.
  • Rob Fayette
    Rob Fayette Expert Adviser
    My 2 cents worth and it might not be worth 2 cents. lol

    By the time you get down to the rust that is causing those bubbles you will find 5 times as much rust as it looks like you have initially. Then you find that nearly every body panel on the car has just as much rust. By the time you decide to deal with all of these problems you realize it only makes sense to do a total restoration paint job on the whole car. By the time you spend the $20,000 to do that you decide it only makes sense to spend $50,000 to $75,000 to do the whole car so it looks as good as the new paint job. There is really no easy way out. LIke I say, this is just my thoughts on the situation and maybe they are far from correct. Its just what I have come to believe over the years.

    Rob
  • lostmind
    lostmind Expert Adviser

    Used to be the rule was --  $2000 for paint , $2K for chrome , 2K for mechanical , 2K for interior.

    I guess those days are gone unless you do the work yourself , than still might not be enough

    to get it to todays standards.

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