SEATTLE folks, help a brother out? Shop suggestions?

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erickillz

erickillz

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Little by little, I'm bringing my 66 barracuda back to the glory it deserves. Here's my dilemma-- I'm a paraplegic, and while I'm mostly handy (not "handi") with my sockets and can adjust the hell out of a carb, the wheelchair keeps me pretty much out from under the car entirely.

Basically, I've got myself a great running, good looking fish with a shredded front suspension. Oh, the clunks. Sweet lord, the clunks. I got a bid from crown hill auto for a full front end rebuild, and while I like those guys an awful lot (they've done great engine work for me in the past), the price they quoted me was astronomical. Like, pushing 5 figures.

Any recommendations for a suspension shop in the NW? Any wrenchers want some freelance work? It's a clean car that's lived in San Diego for 50 years, until I got my mitts on it. I also have the work order of everything they planned on replacing / everything worn. Thanks and high five in advance.
 
I live up north I can't think of any shops in your area since I avoid seattle unless I have a function or something . The only place I have dealt with close to seattle was action auto and machine but that was for motor stuff and they were awesome !!!
I will ask some friends from your area.
Jim
 
Thanks Jimmer! Seattle isn't much of a gearhead town-- I'm thinking I'll likely end up heading north to Everett or south to Tacoma for the work.
 
erickillz said:
Little by little, I'm bringing my 66 barracuda back to the glory it deserves. Here's my dilemma-- I'm a paraplegic, and while I'm mostly handy (not "handi") with my sockets and can adjust the hell out of a carb, the wheelchair keeps me pretty much out from under the car entirely.

Basically, I've got myself a great running, good looking fish with a shredded front suspension. Oh, the clunks. Sweet lord, the clunks. I got a bid from crown hill auto for a full front end rebuild, and while I like those guys an awful lot (they've done great engine work for me in the past), the price they quoted me was astronomical. Like, pushing 5 figures.

Any recommendations for a suspension shop in the NW? Any wrenchers want some freelance work? It's a clean car that's lived in San Diego for 50 years, until I got my mitts on it. I also have the work order of everything they planned on replacing / everything worn. Thanks and high five in advance.
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How on earth can they get the price to almost $10,000 (5 figures) on a front end rebuild?

Good luck on your search for a qualified mechanic at a reasonable price. If you find someone to do the labor you might want to check out Rock Auto for the parts. www.rockauto.com
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
How on earth can they get the price to almost $10,000 (5 figures) on a front end rebuild?

Good luck on your search for a qualified mechanic at a reasonable price. If you find someone to do the labor you might want to check out Rock Auto for the parts. www.rockauto.com
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Well, our coffee costs around 6 bucks a cup here, so I guess we're pretty accustomed to getting reamed on a regular basis. :violent1:
 
try TOM at ROCKET RESTORATIONS IN OLYMPIA good people..
 
I think I could fly up there, do the job, and fly back for half that and be embarrassed at how much I charged you...Also, there is a good chance that after the rebuild you will STILL have a clunk. Check out this video for the likely reason why and I can practically guarantee that no normal shop is going to fix this for any money...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwes-SP8u4w&feature=share&list=UUqvjc-8llEE-JKNFYw30-NQ&index=3"]Control arm repair - YouTube[/ame]
 
Also, beware of cheap Chinese bushings and ball joints. Quality parts are not cheap, but this shop is so far out of line that I'm not sure where to begin...
 
TrailBeast said:
Exactly what I was thinking when I saw this. :-D
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X2. I could fly out there and buy the tools I would need, do the work, and still feel like an arse for what I charged you for less than half that as well. Hell, you could probably ship your car to anywhere in the U.S. to another member and have them do it and still be out less than half that even after its shipped back
 
True through and through, gentlemen. Thanks to all of you for the sage advice. Looks like my options just grew tenfold from PMs..

I like that shop and think they are top notch technicians, but they're a specialty British (jag/land rover/brit leyland) restoration place. They've got my money in the past because they're pro, courteous, and about 12 blocks from my house, but when I saw that quote I had to cover my laugh.

If I ever win the lotto and buy a 60s Aston db5, that's where I'll bring it for tune ups, but for my mopar, if I can't fix it myself, I'll throw myself at your mercy :) you guys rule.
 
Jim Lusk said:
I think I could fly up there, do the job, and fly back for half that and be embarrassed at how much I charged you...Also, there is a good chance that after the rebuild you will STILL have a clunk. Check out this video for the likely reason why and I can practically guarantee that no normal shop is going to fix this for any money...

Control arm repair - YouTube
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The clunk is really only at full oppo- every time I parallel park I'm convinced the whole works is going to burst into 10 pricey pieces. Otherwise the car is extremely drivable, which I guess is just a testimony to over engineering, because there's hardly any rubber to be found under there :)
 
erickillz said:
The clunk is really only at full oppo- every time I parallel park I'm convinced the whole works is going to burst into 10 pricey pieces. Otherwise the car is extremely drivable, which I guess is just a testimony to over engineering, because there's hardly any rubber to be found under there :)
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You are lucky so far then, as my car would be driving along just fine and then one of the tires would run over a reflector or something and the car would suddenly try to change lanes. (and sometimes there was no other lane to change in to) :banghead:
All that changed when I replaced all the bushings and aligned it.
 
erickillz said:
The clunk is really only at full oppo- every time I parallel park I'm convinced the whole works is going to burst into 10 pricey pieces. Otherwise the car is extremely drivable, which I guess is just a testimony to over engineering, because there's hardly any rubber to be found under there :)
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That's when a lot of Mopars clunk (when in reverse turning hard). I have not been able to confirm my suspicions about the fix in the video since the one car I have that has had a clunk is still together, but not road worthy. I've been fighting the temptation to take the front end apart because it can still be moved relatively easily...
 
ph23vo said:
try TOM at ROCKET RESTORATIONS IN OLYMPIA good people..
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X2 have called them many times with questions always helpful.
Also I saw a show once about new inventions probably a couple years back.
A couple guys had invented a hydraulic creeper and were trying to get someone to back them. the thing was really slick. You sat in it like a chair and could maneuver around the car then when you wanted to go under the car you pushed a button and the hydraulics would lower and level the chair into a creeper. It worked very well and they had several mechanics with bad backs try it. I think an excellent tool for a handy caped person. I don't know if they made a go of it or not. Have not seen them advertised.
 
For $10,000 you could use the HDK frontend or rms alterKation and their streetlynx setup and still have money left over.
 
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