Honest work at a fair price: Having work done on a classic car is expensive. We will only invoice for actual time and materials spent on your car. We will document the time and materials. We will work with you on any issues that arise. The time we spend working on your car will include time addressing some of the same issues you would run into yourself. Seized or broken bolts for example will increase time.

Communication: It is important that we have timely, clear and concise communications so we can both have appropriate expectations. It is likely that while we are working on your car, we will find something that neither of us expected. When that happens, we will contact you to provide an update and will discuss options. Its important to understand that we may not be able to move forward without your input.

We will make extra efforts to protect your car: To protect your car when the hood is open; we use full wrap around fender covers made by Bobs Fender Covers. We use floor mats and seat covers to protect the interior. When necessary, we bag all or part of the car. Despite our efforts we cannot guarantee accidental or incidental damage won’t occur. It is especially important to understand that we can not guarantee damage will not occur to your vehicle while it is our care and we do not insure customer vehicles. You should consult with your insurance company to make sure it is insured while in our shop.

Clear expectation: Before we begin work, we need a clear understanding of what you want. For example, we can’t start work if you just want better performance. We can discuss what that means and work with you to create a clear action plan.

Ability to communicate: We try to schedule an appropriate amount of time for each customer. If we find a problem with your car, we need you to be available to discuss options. If we can’t reach you, we may have to bring another car in and reschedule completion of your work.

Timely Payments: We charge for major components in advance. For work that takes 2 weeks or less we expect payment when we compete the work. On longer term projects we bill twice per month with payment upon receipt.

Its expensive. On average, restorations run about $130,000. That can vary greatly depending on the scope of your project. We can’t estimate the cost of your restoration because we don’t know what we don’t know about your car. Because of the comprehensive nature of the restoration process, specific estimates or “bids” of the total cost of a restoration project cannot be given at any time. It is most important that this be understood and accepted.

If you would like us to ballpark what we think the restoration will entail, we’d be happy to do that, but in no way will that figure affect the total price of your restoration. For more information please look at Are your quotes firm quotes to see why we cannot provide a firm quote

No, never. There are too many things that we cannot see until we have started working on your project and you can pretty much count on those things showing up. This always creates a problem for you and for us. For you, it means the price is probably going up. For us it means we must make a call we hate making and are at a stop until we can consult with you and have a clear plan for moving forward. Those things are not limited to but include:

1. Electrical problems are typically in areas where you cannot see until parts have been taken off. We often find corroded, burnt, or loose electrical connections that are not visible. Behind the dash or inside wire looms for instance.

2. Rust issues are some of the worst. We have no idea what is hidden under the paint or behind panels. Sadly, we have seen too many cars that appear to be very nice on the surface but contain significant flaws that have been covered insulating foam and window screens covered with body filler.

3. Other parts related to an issue may have failed or are also failing. For example: your headlight switch is out so you bring the car in to have it replaced. It seems like a simple quote and easy fix. When we remove the switch, we discover it failed because the wire connections overheated, and we also need to replace the connector. On further inspection we find the headlights were upgraded and draw more power than the wires can handle. To keep the new headlights, we also need to install relays to manage the extra power.

4. Made-to-fit parts rarely do. Our experience is that we will need to make them fit. Especially with sheet metal or add on parts. In many cases the made to fit parts, like an air condition system for example, are not compatible with the aftermarket radiator and fan upgrade that was already done. When we un into those issues, we generally must fabricate parts or re-order parts to complete the project.

5. Prior incorrect work. Classic cars have generally been worked on quite a few times by quite a few people. If we take something apart that was not done correctly, we won’t put it back as it was. If the work is related to safety issues like your breaks, we will require that the correction be made or will not complete the work.

6. Customizations are almost always for the better but can create problems. In some cases, we have to do additional research to find a correct replacement. In others, the customization may not be compatible with a customization or upgrade we are doing for you.

Some of the work performed may be done by 3rd parties. Among other things, Engine and Transmission rebuilds, Upholstery work, front end alignment and sometime paint and body work may get outsourced. We are very picky about the 3rd parties we use and will stand behind their work. If you prefer to use your own sources for some of that, it's fine with us but we cannot warranty the work or labor if parts need to come back out.

Our rates are $160 per hour. We understand there are places that are cheaper and we are okay with that. We are sure they know what their service is worth.

We prefer cash, check or wire but can also accept ACH, PayPal and credit card payments. There is an additional 3% fee when using credit Cards or PayPal.