Is There An Honest Auto/Body/Painter In SoCal?

I have found thru the ages:
There are bodymen, and there are panel hangers.

Unless you are in VERY rural America ( I doubt that ever includes anything n the left coast?)..Seldom to never will you find a shop to do insurance work AND old car work.. unless there is something wrong with their business.

Us car guys can be the cheapest arsholes in the world.

The more $$$ a man has, the cheapest he usually is..

Everyone wants a perfect , and I mean absolute perfect job, with the most asanine costing materials, and ALL for really pretty little considering..

Then you have the do it your selfer......so I am still learning after restoring (relative term) my first car over 30 years ago. So I build what I want a driver,.... no rust, no perfection, and NO $5000-15000 paint!

I have had good collectable cars that MY bodyman decades ago, back then, did with the best materials and flawless work, and I would add it all up, and never did that car ever really make me a profit. Not really. Yes that was 15-20 years ago but... the project cost was less, the parts and materials were less, machine work was less, etc.. Everybody wants perfect for near nothing, and will accept NO less, as they intend to take the car to the local "dog and pony" car show to try to win the prize!!

I am always dragging home some old Mopar project. Saving another one. Gives something to do, makes me keep moving. Just cars that are cheap and never will be worth a big $$ as I will not spend the $$ on such car. I can buy it right sell it for a little profit. Or get it running and sell it for just a little more profit.
I can repair all the rust, take pics, seal that with epoxy primer, OR step 2, continue with the filler work needed. Then the potential buyer, looks and all you hear is " I don't know what is under that". So I say, you need a project that needs everything and take it to a real shop for the work!!! lol

Good luck!!