Upholsterer

464Saloon

Anybody have any recommendations for an upholsterer in the Los Angeles area that can handle a stepdown? I finally gave up on mine taking the car back to get the door panels right. All I need is the panels done .

Thanks,

Jay_G

Pomona Auto Upholstery in Pomona. They did great work with my 53. Bill has all his done there and they have been doing Hudsons and stepdowns for 30 years. Reasonable also.



Jay

hornet_54

Modern Auto Trim - Lanny Boeltl specializing in custom Upholstering of vintage cars. 15838 East Whittier Blvd., Whittier, CA 90603. 562/947-1219. Lanny did a good job on our 54 Hornet.



Bob

464Saloon

Jay G wrote:

Pomona Auto Upholstery in Pomona. They did great work with my 53. Bill has all his done there and they have been doing Hudsons and stepdowns for 30 years. Reasonable also.

Jay

I remember now someone recommending them about two years ago. I called them and they wanted 4000.00 to do the car. I about fainted. Of course what I have been through with the guy I dealt with I may have been better off. I'll give the guy in Whittier a shot. They are close to me.

Thanks guys

464Saloon

hornet_54 wrote:

Modern Auto Trim - Lanny Boeltl specializing in custom Upholstering of vintage cars. 15838 East Whittier Blvd., Whittier, CA 90603. 562/947-1219. Lanny did a good job on our 54 Hornet.

Bob

He may have done a good job but he has a serious attitude problem. I just called there and asked for him. The guy said who is asking and I gave my name and he said what do you want. I was a little taken a back so I asked if he was Lanny. He responded so are we going to play 20 questions or what. I said look I was just given you as a referral for doing a car. He came back with "do you know how many calls we get from people, what is it that you need. I told him "don't worry about it and hung up.

So I am still open to suggestions. Thanks Bob for trying.

LanceB

Hi Rob,



Too bad about what happened with the Whittier guy.



I went to Ken Sorensen Top Shop in Pasadena,

(626) 796-5329

38 N Hill Ave

Pasadena, CA 91106



Did a nice Job for me and he does a lot of classics.



Good luck with whoever you use.

[Deleted User]

464Saloon wrote:

He may have done a good job but he has a serious attitude problem. I just called there and asked for him. The guy said who is asking and I gave my name and he said what do you want. I was a little taken a back so I asked if he was Lanny. He responded so are we going to play 20 questions or what. I said look I was just given you as a referral for doing a car. He came back with "do you know how many calls we get from people, what is it that you need. I told him "don't worry about it and hung up.



So I am still open to suggestions. Thanks Bob for trying.

I'm glad biz must be so good for Lanny.... screw him.

[Deleted User]

Rob, Sounds like the 'large ego small brain ' syndrome often found in the automotive trades. Sad but one day this guy's phone will stop ringing and he won't have a clue as to why it happened. Good luck with your search. If you were near me I would reccomend a guy I know who is reasonable and does great work.

Jay_G

Pomona did my 53 7c, front to back including door panels, headliner, dash, carpet, sound proofing, seats including new padding everything for $3500. not cheap but they did a great job including the trunk and spair tire cover. And they only had the car 3 days.



They told me 4 for my 37 model 77 but given the times they may come down a little.



You get what you pay for! If you want to do it on the cheap....problems. Me, I like doing it once....right.



Jay

Unknown

Rob,

This may be to far for you but I have had my 66 Mustang plus several aothers done by Carls Auto Trim in Reseda, He just did my friends 70 Mach 1 and he does a great job.

You may want to give him a call (818) 345-5657.

I am planning on him doing my 28 Essex.

Wayne

[Deleted User]

These guys are the best, about and hour out of LA:



Gabes Auto Upholstery

18412 Valley Blvd

Bloomington, CA 92316

Phone: (909) 877-3521

464Saloon

DaveFury wrote:

These guys are the best, about and hour out of LA:

Gabes Auto Upholstery
18412 Valley Blvd
Bloomington, CA 92316
Phone: (909) 877-3521

Wow how do you know about a place like that when your in Illinois. I called Pomona and he guessed 1200 but he needed to see the car. His English is so bad, he is hard to follow. I'll try some of the other suggestions and see if I get any warmer fuzzier feeling.

[Deleted User]

Hey isn't Gabe the guy who did all of Boyd Coddingtons cars.

[Deleted User]

464Saloon wrote:

Wow how do you know about a place like that when your in Illinois. I called Pomona and he guessed 1200 but he needed to see the car. His English is so bad, he is hard to follow. I'll try some of the other suggestions and see if I get any warmer fuzzier feeling.

tell him you are from immigration... you'll get it done for free. LOL

[Deleted User]

464Saloon wrote:

Wow how do you know about a place like that when your in Illinois. I called Pomona and he guessed 1200 but he needed to see the car. His English is so bad, he is hard to follow. I'll try some of the other suggestions and see if I get any warmer fuzzier feeling.

He did my father-in-laws '57 Chebbie back in 2004. I use a local guy here in McHenry, IL. (he also does quite spectacular work). And yes, Gabe's has done interiors for Boyd.

[Deleted User]

Yep, Gabe's was used on almost every episode of American Hot Rod. Does great work from what they showed on TV.
Bob

bent metal

464Saloon wrote:

He may have done a good job but he has a serious attitude problem. I just called there and asked for him. The guy said who is asking and I gave my name and he said what do you want. I was a little taken a back so I asked if he was Lanny. He responded so are we going to play 20 questions or what. I said look I was just given you as a referral for doing a car. He came back with "do you know how many calls we get from people, what is it that you need. I told him "don't worry about it and hung up.



So I am still open to suggestions. Thanks Bob for trying.

Wow, that's not right. Wonder if he's ever thought about getting someone to answer his phone if it's such a big problem! ...I've been doing some work for a guy that has an upholstery shop here locally. I'll get his info to give you another option. I don't know if he has done Hudson stuff but he is good quality. Give me a couple of days to get the info.

464Saloon

bent metal wrote:

Wow, that's not right. Wonder if he's ever thought about getting someone to answer his phone if it's such a big problem! ...I've been doing some work for a guy that has an upholstery shop here locally. I'll get his info to give you another option. I don't know if he has done Hudson stuff but he is good quality. Give me a couple of days to get the info.

I may just drive by there and see if he acts any different in person since I am planning to go by Pomona anyway. I have had more suggestions on Pomona though he is expensive and hard to understand, everyone is saying he is the one on Hudsons. Those door panels are tricky and mine have been too butchered for anyone to copy. One would have to know already what to do. Looking back I probably should have had Pomona do it in the first place. I just thought 3500-4000 was steep for a car I paid 7000 for. Well I probably have close to 20,000 in it now after all I have done. I paid the guy that did my car 2100, it isn't right and he keeps stalling to take it back. Even though it would have been more, my car would have been done right and last for many years had I just gone to Pomona. Maybe when I take it up there he will work on the price a little for me.

MikeWA

464Saloon wrote:

He may have done a good job but he has a serious attitude problem. I just called there and asked for him. The guy said who is asking and I gave my name and he said what do you want. I was a little taken a back so I asked if he was Lanny. He responded so are we going to play 20 questions or what. I said look I was just given you as a referral for doing a car. He came back with "do you know how many calls we get from people, what is it that you need. I told him "don't worry about it and hung up.



So I am still open to suggestions. Thanks Bob for trying.

I don't know anyone involved, so I got no dog in the fight here- but reading Saloon's account of the call, I know exactly what happened. When you called and asked for Lanny, the guy who answered was just "screening" the call. I have my own business, and we get calls all the time from credit card guys, telephone guys, charity soliciters, the list goes on and on. I'm busy most of the time, and I don't just drop whatever I'm doing to take every call that asks for me, because they ALL ask for me. My receptionist is instructed to screen it, and get rid of the salesmen and scammers. When you call a business, don't just automatically ask for the owner- just tell them what you want, and you'll probably be treated just fine.

[Deleted User]

Mike (WA) wrote:

I don't know anyone involved, so I got no dog in the fight here- but reading Saloon's account of the call, I know exactly what happened. When you called and asked for Lanny, the guy who answered was just "screening" the call. I have my own business, and we get calls all the time from credit card guys, telephone guys, charity soliciters, the list goes on and on. I'm busy most of the time, and I don't just drop whatever I'm doing to take every call that asks for me, because they ALL ask for me. My receptionist is instructed to screen it, and get rid of the salesmen and scammers. When you call a business, don't just automatically ask for the owner- just tell them what you want, and you'll probably be treated just fine.

Mike, what you said is very true. Glad you have a good screener. Looks like "Lanny" needs one aswell. This guy has no business "playing 20 questions" with any customer. In sales and service, every call is sacred. It is incredible how businesses advertise, invest in sales forces, etc and then have someone poorly trained answering the phone. A customer should not have to worry about how they need to ask for something on the phone. It is incumbent on the business to pull that info out of them and close the deal. "Lanny" needs to be alot smarter than that.

464Saloon

Mike (WA) wrote:

I don't know anyone involved, so I got no dog in the fight here- but reading Saloon's account of the call, I know exactly what happened. When you called and asked for Lanny, the guy who answered was just "screening" the call. I have my own business, and we get calls all the time from credit card guys, telephone guys, charity soliciters, the list goes on and on. I'm busy most of the time, and I don't just drop whatever I'm doing to take every call that asks for me, because they ALL ask for me. My receptionist is instructed to screen it, and get rid of the salesmen and scammers. When you call a business, don't just automatically ask for the owner- just tell them what you want, and you'll probably be treated just fine.

I can certainly see this point BUT even IF the person was a screener they could have handled it much better. All they had to do was ask who is calling and what did they need to talk to him about. I was talking yesterday with a friend of mine at work who has had an experience with him. A friend of his took some doors from a Packard he was restoring down there. He had spent a lot of money gathering all the correct materials for him to use. Lanny did a very poor job and when the owner asked for it to be corrected, Lanny just told him he was not going to do it again and to take the doors and get out. The owner went to the Bureau of Automotive Repair for assistance. The bureau judged againt him since the whole car was not there, just parts. What amazes me is how does a guy like this stay in business? I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt since he is not far from me and I was just going to drop by there with the car. Some people are great in person but terrible on the phone. After my friend told me this story on the Packard, I am not going to bother. Like Neils said SCREW HIM!

MikeWA

Yeah, it does sound like his "corporate culture" is nastiness. My point was just that you shouldn't insist on talking to the boss when you call a place- they probably have procedures in place to take care of you without having to talk to The Big Guy. But of course, you have to have someone who's diplomatic as your contact person, or it blows up, like at Lanny's place.

Unknown

Hey Rob have you had any dealings with the shops on Woodruff n/o the 91fwy? I have seen some older cars in the smaller shop on the corner of Woodruff but not sure of the cross street. They have been there since I can remember and I have always lived around here.. Good luck, Ron

464Saloon

Ron P wrote:

Hey Rob have you had any dealings with the shops on Woodruff n/o the 91fwy? I have seen some older cars in the smaller shop on the corner of Woodruff but not sure of the cross street. They have been there since I can remember and I have always lived around here.. Good luck, Ron

I know what you are talking about. I think there are two of them on Woodruff near Park. I have never tried them nor heard of anyone that has. I would be tempted but since my panels are so screwed up now, I am really going to have to go to someone that has Hudson stepdown experience. Stepdown door panels are anything but normal.

As for Mike's last comment on Lanny, I only asked for him because that was what are fellow member here said to do. I think asking for someone by name should put you a cut above. If I was just a salesman or telemarketer calling, I wouldn't know anyone's name there. I did tell the guy that I was referred to him to work on a car. He did backpedal a little but not much. I guess the recession isn't hurting him if he can afford to asnswer the phone like that and treat my friends friend on his Packard the way he did. Not that the guy that did my car was really any better or I wouldn't be looking for someone to straighten it out.

464Saloon

Just got my car back from Pomona Auto Upholstery and I can't describe how happy I am. The work he did was incredible. It looks great. He even took it upon himself to recover the kick panels in vinyl which was origional. Mine were carpet and I was fine with that but now it is right. He also recovered the panel behind the seat in vinyl which is also origional. Mine was in the same cloth as the headliner and was already fading. I didn't ask for that either, but he just did it no charge. It looks great, super nice guy and I highly recommend him. Anyone going to the Western Regional can see his work on my car.

[Deleted User]

Post a picture so we can all bask in the glory that is your new interior....

bent metal

Glad to hear your happy with the job. What street is the Pomona shop on?



I'd like to see pictures too.:)

Unknown

Rob, Glad You Are Happy, I Have Been Using And Training These Guys For 39 Years. All I Can Say Is I Told You So .. Bill Albright

464Saloon

bent metal wrote:

Glad to hear your happy with the job. What street is the Pomona shop on?

I'd like to see pictures too.:)

There on Mission Bl between Garey and Reservoir. I'll get some pictures together. I haven't posted pics here for a while so I may have to wrestle with it for a while