Body Shop Recommendations?

Ken, although I haven't had a need to use him yet, the guy everyone recommends is Bo Pirkle of Pirkle Body shop in Tucker. The phone number is 770-939-6982.

For a paint touch-up, I took my 328 to the Ed Voyles Body Shop here in Marietta, and they did just fine. But I think for more significant repair, I'd probably go to Bo.

 

Hey Ken,
If you want you can bring it by and I we can take it up to the collision shop we use at Classic Cadillac. They are really good. I have a Diablo up there for the same thing right now. I also have a really good shop that I use for other stuff that might be more major. Let me know if you need any help.

Chris

 

Pretty much everyday with the exception of Tuesdays as that is my day off. Come by sometime and take a look around, you are practically right around the corner.

Chris

 

Bo is the way to go. He repainted my family's 308 after it smashed into the garage and he did the best job I've ever seen.

 

Bo has a great reputation and does good work..... my Daytona is at his shop for some touchup and such now.

BUT.... he is HORRIDLY slow. I last spoke with him last friday on my car, the day it was supposed to be done (though this is by far not the first such "day" to have come and gone). Bo has had the car for 7 weeks now. HE admitted that they had not actually started on it yet..... but promised it was next. Also not the first time I have heard that.

So, I have been pretty angry about this situation and find myself in a real quandry. I trust Bo to do top quality work and to get the color and blending just right. He also knows my car, he painted it for the PO. BUT, it really doesnt matter how good he is if he just never actually does the work.

I am going to stop by his shop unannounced later this week. If the car is not deep into the process of being done.... I will take it away and give the guys at Flashback Motorsports here in Cumming a try.


Terry

 

If you take it to Fastback, be there at every step of the process to make sure that what you ask actually gets done. I did a Scorp hood and they almost missed making needed notches in a rust replacement panel to match the original and then they had to do a bit of touch up after the hood was painted for some drop outs. They also missed proper regluing of the hoods support underneath once they put the skin back on. All of this should have been done the first time. I had to make 3 trips to keep checking up on the hood. Time I can't be compensated for. They need better lighting because they missed a bunch of orange peel when they did the final buff. I noticed this once I brought the hood home and saw it in daylight.

Also a friends complete Scorpion was painted and they didn't fill in some requested trim holes that were spelled out before the paint & clearcoat, also didn't fully prep some areas and had some paint lift. owner saw this after clearcoat was done. Fastback had to strip and repaint a second time. Owner still not 100% satisified but will live with the remaining problems. His saving grace was that it was done quickly and comparitively not too expensive.
I was thinking of having my 355 front redone for stone chips and some previous owner buffing burn through, but will wai a while longer until I feel Flashback competent enough for Ferrari quality paintwork.

In engineering you can have any two but not all three of the following:

1. Good
2. Fast
3. Cheap

Just being objective here

JD

 

Go with Bo Pirkle...he is the best. But, he is slow! What I have found that works is that you give him a deadline and stop by at least once a week to check on the progress; telephone calls will not work. He has painted and performed body work and restoration work on several of my cars over the last decade including 6 Ferraris. He does great work!

 

My Lotus is going into Flashback for a bunch of paint work this weekend.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Luke.

 

undoubtedly, Bo Pirkle is an artist. He redid my red daytona in 1990. He actually kept the car a year or longer...he was slow as molasses, or even slower. But when he was finished the car was gorgeous. Do keep in mind that (in those days at least) he had little space inside so the car stayed outside exposed to the elements and several things needed to be replaced when the job was done. I remember the front left caliper cracking as it had sat out at least eight months in the "yard" while it was being worked on.

If you have patience or as Mr. Parker says, go there once a week and bother the man, then take your cars to him. If not, find someone inferior to him, and live with it. Life is not endless...and I for one will never wait a year to drive a car again. But my daytona still looks great 14 years later...he is definitely a great great restorer.

 

Just got a 6.0L diablo back from them and they did great work. Color match is excellent. They are also pretty easy to work with. Took a little while but that is ok if the work is right.

Chris

 

Flashback just did some excellent paintwork for me on a project for my 6.0. So good in fact that I am going to have them do the paint work on a Diablo that I am turning into a GT-R look car. A.J.

 

Well, I am commited to Bo now for better or worse. I am sure the car will be done right, the question is whether or not I will drive it again in this decade.

Bo has actually started on the car. He has cut a big hole in the left rear quarter panel below the window where the rust bubble had appeared. It was a barely perceptible little bump in the paint.... but Bo says we must remove all metal that harbored any sign of rust to ensure it never comes back so that is what we are doing.

I know Bo can do this right and that when he is done the car will be more solid and better protected from any future rust problem than it ever was new. I just hope it doesnt end up taking another 2-3 months to finish it!

I will post pics when its done of the entire process. Im going to see the car later this week, its sure to give me a heart attack seing it all cut open like that!


Terry

 

A quick update.... I am so fired up! I went by Bo's today, he has the repair for the rust spot on the Daytona fixed. The photos of the job are pretty amazing. He cut out a pretty large (10" x 14") section at the left rear quarter window. They made a perfectly fitting new patch panel and MIG welded it in place. The photos of the entire job are brutal.

This rust happened due to prior owner brain fade. The steel tubes that house the cables for the trunk and fuel cap release run behind the fender panel. Apparently these tubes were slightly rubbing against the fender probably making a rattling noise when the car went over a bump. So, to fix the problem at some point in the distant past someone fished in a chunk of foam from the trunk up into the area behind the fender between the fender and these steel tubes. The foam prevented any rubbing and noise. The foam also held moisture. Fast forward 30 years.... rust bubble in paint!

The work Bo has done is pretty amazing. The paint match is simply perfect. The repair is perfect. He is indeed an artist. I hope to have the car back before end of the week.

Next.... getting all the interior restoration stuff finished and going nuts detailing the engine bay!


Terry

 

Terry, I saw your car at Bo's today. It looks GREAT! But, Bo did say that that foam in the fender was placed there by the factory not a previous owner. He says he has seen in numerous times and it almost always caused the rust bubbles just like you had.

 

Ahhhhhhh My apologies to all prior owners then (all 2 of them)! It was brain fade on the part of Guido and Guiseppe! When the panel had the big hole in it you could clearly see the problem. The 2 steel tube run right up next to the fender. If this was noticed when the fender was beign originally welded in place its a snap to just bend the tubes inward a tad and there is no issue with them rubbing and making a noise. If you forget or dont notice,then it has to be fixed after the fact and they apparently would just shove some foam in there. Foam+moisture+bare metal+34 years = rust bubble.

It wont happen again. The rust proofing efforts that went into those inner fender panels on both sides while Bo was working on it were impressive to say the least!

I will be picking it up Saturday morning. Cant wait!


Terry