I just found out that the company I WAS going to have restore my new project was purchased recently. The new owner will only BUY projects from people with the intent of selling them for his own profit. DANG!! Anyway, I've been told of this company in Asheville, NC and they're supposed to be quite good. Has anyone heard of TWC Motorsports? Any help would be appreciated - as would any other recommendations for restoration experts in/near West Virginia. Thanks in advance everyone! Keith
Hey Keith, I've never heard of them, but i've got to admit that they have a pretty impressive website. I'm sure there will be lots of other folks chiming in on this about the dangers, disadvantages, etc. One thing that i will throw out to you for your consideration is to ask them for the names of a few of their satisfied customers and contact them to find out if they were happy with the quality of work, timeliness of completion, unexpected "extra" costs incurred, etc etc. You'll find that most people you talk to will be real candid with you once they realize that you both share a common passion. Best of luck with your project.
Keith, Just wanted to share this with you. My truck has been sitting in a shop for over a year. Not because the guy is slow, but at 25-35 dollars an hour I had to set a limit on hours. Boy, do you miss them. Do recommend asking past customers how they feel about work done on theirs. Best of luck getting it done. p.s. 25-35 is cheap labor. I sorta like a fixed price on a completed job but that is hard on these since so many little things might need finished that we can't see.
Restoration For Profit .pretty much cannot be done so watch out for this guy ! . I used to do restoration work but only for projects customers brought in or ones I purchased for under $300.00.....
As one that has been in the restoration/street rod business for 30 years here are a few tips: NEVER pay a penny up front, that's stupid. That's saying that you give him trust up front with NO collateral but he won't trust you to pay when he's holding your vehicle as collateral. He has the option of filing a mechanics lein to obtain payment but you have none except small claims court which is a joke. Demand an accurate accounting of worked performed, our work sheets are so nasty by projects end that one hates to handle them but, they are in the handwriting of the metal guy, finish person, painter, etc., and describe the job and give the time taken. Ditto on the parts used. Some shops get retail, some an hourly materials charge, and some just add 15 or 20% of the total to cover the above. We much prefer that the customer gets a list of parts needed from us and chase his own with the understanding that nothing happens until parts are on hand. If we have to mess with a part for an hour that's $36 of wasted shop time and marking it up to retail will maybe net you $8. With parts on hand we can do a frame off in 60 days even if it means floor pans, inner and outer cowl, cab corners, door bottoms, and a top that someone has used for a trampoline. Drop by unexpectedbly and often. If you see thick filler where metal should have been worked or shrunk or if the panels are lapped instead of butt welded in areas that can collect dirt and hold moisture, then maybe your truck is in the wrong place. Anyone that can give you an exact amount up front is either a clairvoyant or a liar. I have spent half a day getting the bolts out that hold the manifolds together, that's $144 of shop time. The customer wouldn't plan on this kind of hit and the shop can't work for free either. This happens but good shops try to recognize when a replacement part is better for the customer than saving his. By following these practices our shop has been going for 30 years, has no name, no phone for 23 of those 30 years, no advertising, no phone page listing, and a 2 1/2 year waiting list to get in the door. Kens 50 PU gave you the best advice of all; call former customers and more than one. Ask to see their customer list for the last two years and call the ones they DIDN'T give to you. If they claim the list is at the accountants or some other nonobtainable place--run.
Evan I've seen your work on the vehicles that you and your guys do and I understand why you don't need a name or a phone number and you have a 2 1/2 year waiting list. You guys really do excellent work. I have check out a restoration company here in nashville (not to build mine, but for a job) and they said they don't give a set price up front either. They said that would be kinda stupid because you never know what you're getting into. They are a very high end company that does some crazy custom's down to everything original like it just rolled off the assembly lines. They said a basic restore usually average's about $50k. That sounds kinda high if you ask me but they do amaizing work. All of the guys in the shop are awesome and let me hang out with them for a while and I got to see how they operate. It's assembly line style shop and the guys in there spend a lot of time on the tiniest details. My advice if you're gonna spend the money with the company then take a day to go visit them when they're working on a vehicle and talk to the guys that work on them and get their background with cars. If the shop is any count then they won't mind. Especially if you're gonna spend big money with them. Good luck with your project.
