Please share comments about Mopar restoration shops

[jimharvard]

I have been watching Graveyard Carz since the first show. And a long-time member here at FABO - Cuda Dad - has had Mark Worman restoring his 69 A-57 Cuda for the last NINE YEARS. It appears that GYC's now has the car finished. Nine years is a LONG time to wait for a car to be restored.

There is another "famous" mopar restoration guy on the East Coast named "Julius" - i think he bills his business as "Mopars by Julius." Does anyone know anything about that shop? I would love to hear a discussion of any mopar restoration shops FABO members know about and if they have had any experiences with the shops. It seems to me that a shop should be able to do a complete tear-down and restoration of any mopar in a year. I restored one of my 68 Barracudas by myself in my home garage in a year. I would think a body shop would be able to do a car in a year.

Please share any experiences you've had with a mopar shop. I have two cars that I would consider sending to a shop if I could find one that was reasonable in time and price.

 

[LO23M8B]

What type of restoration are you looking for a 100% job or a freshening up such as paint, interior and mechanical?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

There is a restoration shop here in Pa. that specializes in Mopars. If your looking , Make sure the shop you pick has fixtures for specific bodies. If you see cars on jack stands being done stay away from that shop. A rotisserie is only for Cleaning, and Paint . Body assembly is done on fixtures for the specific bodies.

Here are some pictures of a shop here in eastern Pa. Some homework will find it very easy. It was south of me off of route 222 below Reading Pa. They are closed as per their name but was told work is still being done there. This shop had the proper equipment for mopars not just jack stands and a rotisserie. There are so many wannabe Mopar shops out there.

Once you give a shop your down payment your car is stuck there for many many years. So make sure they have the room inside for your car and enough stands while taking on other jobs when yours is on hold for unexpected reasons such as parts or circumstances that arise with your build.

The Barracuda your talking about was a mess. he was lucky to have a B&E-body guy take it on. Plus think how long it took to find the parts that they didn't stock. Not to mention all the information they needed to gather on a type of car they never worked on in their shop. The GTS convertible from Bath Pa. down the street from me is another build by GYC's that was a real basket case. Mopar builders are a special breed and its hard to come across good dedicated people in this growing community.

The bodies are disappearing to custom shops for all the junk yard Hemis that are available with no where to put them legally for the common back yard builders except cars older then 1974 . Which are emission exempt bodies here in Pa.. So lately saving them is critical while they are still being found.

 

[Syleng1]

Wow! Love the photos. It really drives home your point about a real shop vs wanna be. As a welder and fabricator professional for over 30 years (my shop has been open now 27 years) those stands are a lot of work themselves. Building and set up is saved car to car but that’s a $5k stand all day long. So tying one up for 1-2 years for a build is a lot of endearment and investment.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Wow! Love the photos. It really drives home your point about a real shop vs wanna be. As a welder and fabricator professional for over 30 years (my shop has been open now 27 years) those stands are a lot of work themselves. Building and set up is saved car to car but that’s a $5k stand all day long. So tying one up for 1-2 years for a build is a lot of endearment and investment.
Thanks for sharing.

We bought Mario Andretti's sprint car stand from 3n1 race shop in NJ very cheap. We made one that can roll anywhere with a car on it for our own use. It makes things easy when clipping or repairing twisted cars because we can also use it to straighten them due to its integrity. A couple of lengths of square stock and scrap I-beams and anyone can make one. We have around $500 total invested. You can buy the steel at any local scrap yard for the price of weight.

 

[Woody'sScamp]

RJ Cars Inc. is doing my car. His website is rjcars.com. and the website is easy to navigate, it might be worth a look for you. He is probably 5 hours north of you. I would say he is about 80% Mopar cars. I believe he has 3 or 4 Mopars right now plus my Valiant. My car was not quite a total restoration, but close and he'll have it for about 18 months. When I signed up with him it was 15 or 16 months till I dropped the car off.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Went to RJ's site. Looks like very nice body work and paint . Some pictures of some nice completed cars. But to what degree was the rebuild on them.

I see no fixtures with unibody cars on being reconstructed. Only jacks and rotisseries. It takes very devoted shop with designated body fixtures to rebuild a unibody car correctly.

Repainting and reassembling cars are the easy part. Rebuilding a rusted shell with all new floors, rails and panels takes a qualified mopar restoration shop. Not all cars need that type of work. But the cars that do? Those shops are very hard to find with the correct equipment.

 

[1MeanA]

I doubt any shop would do a full restoration in a year. I talked to a local shop that does high end restorations a short while ago. I've seen his work and its very nice. He said the restorations typically cost $200-$300k and he has a 2 year waiting list.

 

[dadsbee]

My Bee spent just over a year having the SHELL done for body and paint, after I stripped it down myself. Took me 32 hours to completely tear a car to a shell !! Body and paint shop had it from Jan 9th 2016 to Feb 1 2017 and they were always paid up and I "dropped by" almost weekly to make sure it stayed in process! All new metal in the floor from firewall to rear bumper then body work and paint. While they were on it I was restoring every part from the car to as factory correct as I could or cared to do. I didn't need to rebuild my engine, but put a new timing chain and seals in it, nor did I have to rebuild my 4 speed. Everything else was restored/rebuilt other than seat covering as they were mint. I worked damn near every day at least 6 hours, buried in the car as "therapy" after we lost a Daughter. Fully mechanically inclined, I build airplanes for a living and have been wrenching mopars (and specifically this car) for over 45 years. Car made it's first cruise around town in about June of 2019. 3.5 years from starting tear down and about 3000 hours. If I'd let the restoration shop handle it all, it would still be there!

 

[Lord Sparky]

All my shop experiences: Don’t expect anything soon and have deep pockets. And be prepared to bring it back to fix the same thing again and again.

 

[ch1ll]

OMM is on point with all his information.
I have an open dialogue with Muscle Car Restorations in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Mostly before the pandemic and I recently got caught up in elder care for my folks. They have done several a bodies and you may have seen their restoration articles in Hot Rod and other car magazines.
Upon your first contact with them, they are looking for a high end build with a blank check. Keep in contact with them and show them you don’t have deep pockets and are not an easy mark. They have an open house every year, I go. I visit with them at car shows. They have a calendar of upcoming events on their website. I talk them up to prospective clients at their car shows, they have shook my hand and thanked me. Its all about getting to know them and making sure they know you. Then you can get down to hard negotiations. Tell them exactly what you want and how much you are willing to pay, you will be low and they will be high. Make sure they understand what they have to gain by working within your budget. An outstanding restoration that is word of mouth broadcast by you as to who did it is the best form of advertisement. Pass out their business cards, show them what you can do for them.

Keep in mind that high end restoration shops have a waiting list and figures into a 9 year restoration.

 

[Dartnut]

Another thing to keep in mind about the jigs, the factory built these cars on jigs at the assembly line and some of them were built up to 3/8'' out of square, so take that into consideration when seeing a shop that builds cars on a jig.
It's only going to be as good as the jig is set up...

 

[moper]

Anyone that expects a full restoration marked by months and not years has no idea what it takes as a business to stay in business. You have to have multiple cars in process to make payroll week in and out, regardless of delays in parts or subassembly restoration (chrominance, etc). Which means your car is in a que, and will more than likely spend more time taking up space than actually being restored. Get a written contract, and remember it’s s business transaction not friends and handshakes.

 

[1MeanA]

...Get a written contract, and remember it’s s business transaction not friends and handshakes.

Yeah and a scope of work and timeline and milestones for progress payments...none of this drop $10k every month and one day it will be done or one day you will be tired of paying....not sure which will come first.

 

[autoxcuda]

I have been watching Graveyard Carz since the first show. And a long-time member here at FABO - Cuda Dad - has had Mark Worman restoring his 69 A-57 Cuda for the last NINE YEARS. It appears that GYC's now has the car finished. Nine years is a LONG time to wait for a car to be restored.

There is another "famous" mopar restoration guy on the East Coast named "Julius" - i think he bills his business as "Mopars by Julius." Does anyone know anything about that shop? I would love to hear a discussion of any mopar restoration shops FABO members know about and if they have had any experiences with the shops. It seems to me that a shop should be able to do a complete tear-down and restoration of any mopar in a year. I restored one of my 68 Barracudas by myself in my home garage in a year. I would think a body shop would be able to do a car in a year.

Please share any experiences you've had with a mopar shop. I have two cars that I would consider sending to a shop if I could find one that was reasonable in time and price.

Julius was in Los Angeles area. But now in Texas. Close friend for 30+ years.

He does cars much quicker than Worman. I do know a guy that got a 69 Hemi RR conv done and GYC and brought it to a show next to a Hemi conv that Julius did and that owner said he should have gone to Julius.

People get caught up in the TV deal. You’re paying extra for that. Mike Mancini is closer to you and top notch too.

 

[autoxcuda]

OMM is on point with all his information.
I have an open dialogue with Muscle Car Restorations in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Mostly before the pandemic and I recently got caught up in elder care for my folks. They have done several a bodies and you may have seen their restoration articles in Hot Rod and other car magazines.
Upon your first contact with them, they are looking for a high end build with a blank check. Keep in contact with them and show them you don’t have deep pockets and are not an easy mark. They have an open house every year, I go. I visit with them at car shows. They have a calendar of upcoming events on their website. I talk them up to prospective clients at their car shows, they have shook my hand and thanked me. Its all about getting to know them and making sure they know you. Then you can get down to hard negotiations. Tell them exactly what you want and how much you are willing to pay, you will be low and they will be high. Make sure they understand what they have to gain by working within your budget. An outstanding restoration that is word of mouth broadcast by you as to who did it is the best form of advertisement. Pass out their business cards, show them what you can do for them.

Keep in mind that high end restoration shops have a waiting list and figures into a 9 year restoration.

Would not go to MCR.

Saw a resto bill and work done by them on a AAR that had lots of incorrect stuff. The price did not reflect the quality.

I believe someone here on FABO had a car done by MCR and was not impressed.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Another thing to keep in mind about the jigs, the factory built these cars on jigs at the assembly line and some of them were built up to 3/8'' out of square, so take that into consideration when seeing a shop that builds cars on a jig.
It's only going to be as good as the jig is set up...

My fixture is made square and all the measurements are the same side to side and front to back. The stands have a specific location and are made of heavy steel as is the fixture.

We just put a complete driving Demon on our fixture and found the left rear rail was high. Yes you are correct the car was built that way. We caught the problem on the fixture. frame and rear cross support was not spot welded at the correct location from the factory. If a car is not square the dowels wont set in the holes made for them in every rail built.

Once the care sets in the dowels everything can be measured off the table with a plumb bob or a frame gauge. You would not believe how many cars the leaf spring mounts are not in the correct location. Then shops mini tub the car going off the spring mounts. We used a new never used left over Duster race car body in white shell to build the fixture. Its perfect square and level to the car. When the fixture is level so is the car .

If you notice in the last two pictures the front and rear of the car the stand also has double braces to tie the car down by the bumper mounting. . If the car doesn't set in place they will not fit. You cannot build a crooked car on this stand.

 

[autoxcuda]

This Muscle Car Restorations restored California AAR had a $300K resto bill in 2008

I see platings and metal treatments that are incorrect. Front Suspension mostly painted all grey whether it was cast, forged, stamped… bottom of radiator support should have some blackout. PVC and grommet should be engine painted. Drivers heat shield should be engine color overspray, not black. Wrong 1971 Center console. Undercarriage should be grey with overspray, BUT that could be owner preference

It’s a beautifully done pretty car. But for $300K, I would expect much higher OE type detail.

1970 Plymouth AAR CUDA 340 Six Pack, 4-Speed Incredible Restoration – RonSusser.com

 

[toolmanmike]

The Finer Details in Danville, Indiana does some top notch work. They will resore about anything but they seem to specialize in Mopars. The Finer Details - World Class Muscle Car Restorations

 

[ch1ll]

This Muscle Car Restorations restored California AAR had a $300K resto bill in 2008

I see platings and metal treatments that are incorrect. Front Suspension mostly painted all grey whether it was cast, forged, stamped… bottom of radiator support should have some blackout. PVC and grommet should be engine painted. Drivers heat shield should be engine color overspray, not black. Wrong 1971 Center console. Undercarriage should be grey with overspray, BUT that could be owner preference

It’s a beautifully done pretty car. But for $300K, I would expect much higher OE type detail.

1970 Plymouth AAR CUDA 340 Six Pack, 4-Speed Incredible Restoration – RonSusser.com


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Are you sure the work they did was not at his direction? They do alot of restomod work as well as restorations. And like I said, if you read my entire post which I believe you did not, they are looking for deep pocket high end builds. They will take a million photos during your restoration and charge you for every one of them. Reread my entire post. I would never sign their blank check contract, and I have made my self very clear to them on this and they are still willing to work with me.

Their restorations are award winners. The restorations they do add a premium to the valve of your car, just like mopars by Julius.

How many restoration do you know that have a roller dyno? They do.

 

[RustyRatRod]

The two main shops in our county are both right down the road from me here. If either of them tried to specialize in Mopar only, they'd go broke.

 

[Ironracer]

My Bee spent just over a year having the SHELL done for body and paint, after I stripped it down myself. Took me 32 hours to completely tear a car to a shell !! Body and paint shop had it from Jan 9th 2016 to Feb 1 2017 and they were always paid up and I "dropped by" almost weekly to make sure it stayed in process! All new metal in the floor from firewall to rear bumper then body work and paint. While they were on it I was restoring every part from the car to as factory correct as I could or cared to do. I didn't need to rebuild my engine, but put a new timing chain and seals in it, nor did I have to rebuild my 4 speed. Everything else was restored/rebuilt other than seat covering as they were mint. I worked damn near every day at least 6 hours, buried in the car as "therapy" after we lost a Daughter. Fully mechanically inclined, I build airplanes for a living and have been wrenching mopars (and specifically this car) for over 45 years. Car made it's first cruise around town in about June of 2019. 3.5 years from starting tear down and about 3000 hours. If I'd let the restoration shop handle it all, it would still be there!

Sorry for Y'alls Loss, Sir....

 

[Ironracer]

My fixture is made square and all the measurements are the same side to side and front to back. The stands have a specific location and are made of heavy steel as is the fixture.

We just put a complete driving Demon on our fixture and found the left rear rail was high. Yes you are correct the car was built that way. We caught the problem on the fixture. frame and rear cross support was not spot welded at the correct location from the factory. If a car is not square the dowels wont set in the holes made for them in every rail built.

Once the care sets in the dowels everything can be measured off the table with a plumb bob or a frame gauge. You would not believe how many cars the leaf spring mounts are not in the correct location. Then shops mini tub the car going off the spring mounts. We used a new never used left over Duster race car body in white shell to build the fixture. Its perfect square and level to the car. When the fixture is level so is the car .

If you notice in the last two pictures the front and rear of the car the stand also has double braces to tie the car down by the bumper mounting. . If the car doesn't set in place they will not fit. You cannot build a crooked car on this stand.

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Kick *** Brother!

 

[autoxcuda]

Are you sure the work they did was not at his direction? They do alot of restomod work as well as restorations. And like I said, if you read my entire post which I believe you did not, they are looking for deep pocket high end builds. They will take a million photos during your restoration and charge you for every one of them. Reread my entire post. I would never sign their blank check contract, and I have made my self very clear to them on this and they are still willing to work with me.

Their restorations are award winners. The restorations they do add a premium to the valve of your car, just like mopars by Julius.

How many restoration do you know that have a roller dyno? They do.

sounds like you’ve made your decision that works for you. The communication effort ahead of time is great. And location is helpful to monitor things.

I’m going by results. If you read what I write, I acknowledged the painted underside could be owner preference. But the other stuff is just error. Plating something white cad instead of black phosphate. There no cost difference in that. That AAR was not a resto mod. It’s was being offered for around $130K by a second owner.

Roller dyno sounds cool. MCR has a great website and promotion.

I’m suggesting shops to the original poster for best value. Money spent to get the most results.

 

[Bodyperson]

You would not believe how many cars the leaf spring mounts are not in the correct location. Then shops mini tub the car going off the spring mounts.



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I dig what you are doing here but I think my quoted text needs some clarification.
I understand that you generalized “mini tub” but that may confuse some people. Technically I believe “spring perch relocation” is what is being referred to here. You can mini tub all you want without any regard to suspension geometry.
What you are referring to is a valid point. Factory location being sloppy. I’m adding a little clarification.