Leaving Old Car at Body Shop

I have a little chipped paint on the black strip that goes down the side of my car right under the door. You can't see it unless the car is on the lift of you get on your knees and bend down.

Nonetheless it needs fixing.

Whats stopping me is the worry about the body shop people fouling the plugs or jamming the gears, grinding the starter etc.

What do you do/how do you feel about leaving your vintage car at a body shop?

(we have no antique car specialists around here)
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find a good mobile painter. they're out there. just need to network your car friends and dealers.
ed

 

Take it to someone who normally does classic Ferraris and similar vehicles.

 

Surely you can find something closer?
http://www.earlscheib.com/ShopSearch.aspx?State=va

 

Tell them you don't want it started. I had my 71 Corvette painted last year and the body shop taped the throttle body. They had a Hemi Cuda in one time and a rocker broke pulling the car around front when it was done. They didn't drive it more than a couple hundred yards. That was the last classic that got started, now they push.

 

Nothing gives you a sinking feeling more than driving down the road and having your own car pass you. Those guy's got as ass ripping that will not ever be forgotten. The General Manager got it worst.

 

Sheesh, don't you keep a supply of spray paint cans in the cabinet? Easier than hauling it over to the painter! Your humble servant, Cheap Eddie.

 

SEM 39143.

 

That'll work

 

I'm not sure that having a bunch of guys pushing on fragile body panels is an improvement. Ask them to put it on dollies and pull it around that way.

 

I've put a Black Stallion ignition kit in mine. When ever the car is at a workshop I tell them not to drive it on the street as it has a terrible missfire that I'm trying to sort out. Then I just set the rev limiter on the black stallion kit to 3500 rpm.

 

Sounds like a good Saturday afternoon project on your own lift with a couple aerosol cans (don't forget to "prepare the surface").

 

Ah - the good Doctor mentioned that last year, and got a drubbing from dm_n_stuff.

 

I am not wanting to be rude, BUT Arent we taking this just ever so slightly too seriously, And to the end of "trying to understand" a question - do you drive your Dino ?

 

At least weekly, typically 30 miles.

Key: I drive it. I know how to start it. I know how to shift it.

Key: they don't.

Key: To me it is a very special car, maybe not your 860 Monza, but special to me.

 

I know of one Ferrari that was stuffed into a wall because the shop could not resist the road test ...

Pete

 

Look for a local bumper repair guy. Let him repair the area, blow some paint on it (ask for 3-4 coats of color) then color sand, buff and wax. spot repairs are easy if you are not too picky.

 

Thanks for the info guys!!!!

 

i know the feeling all too well.....one of the dino's i own has an engine out, because a couple of kids that worked at the shop took it out after hours and dropped a valve when the car was in for a VERY minor ding repair.

i was looking at buying this car in late 2000/early 2001 when this happened. car then went to a mechanic i didn't want to deal with (jrv) until i bought it - a completely different story.

needless to say, the dropped valve definitely happened under "shop" care regardless if it would have happened either way. the shop was a very well respected shop here in houston that caters to VERY affluent clients in a VERY affluent part of houston. trust me when i say, it should never happened at a shop like this, especially when the car owner was an attorney.....

having said that..... YES!!!! you have reason to worry

i only use people i know and have personal experience with for my cars. even with that being said, i am still uneasy

here is what happens as a result:

(by the way, that is a miura under a tarp nose-to-nose to the dino)
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