Hey I live in San Jose, CA... and want to know if any of you guys from the bay area know of a GOOD body shop nearby. I am planning on giving the car a black paint job, which must be done by someone who know what they are doing to come out right.

So, let me know if you know of anyone...

Thanks,

Todd

Todd,

I'm in Fremont and have been checking into body shops around the bay area for the past 6 months or so.

I want to have my 64SS taken down to the metal, work out some minor dings, etc. and
have a nice quality paint job done.

I've found that a good quality paint job is quite a bit more than I expected. The range I found is about $6k - $10k.

I had decided on Steve's Body Shop & Restorations in Fremont with a price quote of $6K. However, I have since given up on Steve's since they kept pushing the job off month after month for over 6 months and still no telling when they can take it in. Turns out they stay very busy with insurance work, which is their bread & butter.

At this point I decided to go with Pilgrams's Restoration in Lakeport, CA. Yes, it's definately a bummer that they are all they way up by Clear Lake but I'm very impressed with them and this type of work is all they do (from painting to complete restorations of classic cars). They don't do any insurance work.

I'll have to pay ~$8k to have them do it.

There were some other quality shops in the bay area but they wanted a min. of $10k and that didn't include any body work.

Send me email if you want more info or would like to talk about it.

bob.brown@eng.sun.com

--Bob

There is NOOOOO paint job worth 10K without body work. The body work is the important part... it is what wakes the whole thing look good... that and the buffing out. But 10K to spray a couple of coats of paint on it... I dont think so. And they are the only time consuming parts of the whole job...

When I said some shops are charging $10k and that doesn't include body work, I mean extra body work or body repair.

Of course they are not just charging $10k to spray paint on the car. Included in that is stripping the car down to bare metal and block sanding, etc.

You can certainly have your car painted by Miracle for MUCH less.

There is a shop in Petaluma called Hot Rodz that does some great work. They start at $6,000.00 for paint only. All they do is restoration work and are very good at it.
64SS, is that shop in Lakeprt the one that's right on HYW 29 with the Studebaker nose on the wall of the shop?

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T

By the way 64SS, have you tried Howard at Corvette City? He has been doing a lot of restoration completes for years, maybe he can get you through faster.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T

I understand getting it done at Miracle... would be much less. And, I wasnt trying to sound like an ass or cheap. But $10K for a paint job just seems way too high to me. I mean I only paid $2k for the car...

Plus I guess I am a little spoiled... I know lots of guys that do REALLY good paint jobs, and usually only charge around $3K, but they take FOREVER... I didn't want to wait a year to get it done. I was hoping a good shop could do it for around $5-$6K... but Its looking like that is unreasonable.

A little off subject, but is there anyone old enough to remember a "go go" bar in San Jose called "The Ore House"? It was at the end of a little strip mall on, I think, El Camino Real. When I was in the Army in 1968 I was out in Redwood City attending a video tape seminar at Ampex when a bunch of us found this place. On Sunday's, they had nickel(!) beers from 12 noon until 4PM!! Man, what Sunday THAT was! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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MalibuJerry350
Original owner '70 Chevelle.
540,000+ miles on car.
My Chevelle: http://hometown.aol.com/erie614/myhomepage/index.html

I don't remember the Ore house, but they did just shut down the "Foxy Lady" in Newark a few years ago. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T

MARTINSR,
Thanks for the tip about the shop in Petaluma. I haven't taken my 64SS to the shop in Lakeport yet. So, I can still check out a few more shops before making my final decision. I'll also give Corvette City a call and get their prices. I've only talked to Pilgram's on the phone (& checked some references) but haven't visited the shop yet. That's probably the one though (the one off 29 with the Studebaker nose on the wall of the shop). Gerry "Pilgram" has been in the business for 30 years or so and it seems like a real quality shop. Most of their customers are not local so they are used to working with customers remotely. I like the fact that they document their work and send pictures of the work done every week or so.

grooves12,
Yep, I feel the same way. Paying $10k for a paint job is too rich for my blood. I thought I could get a really nice paint job for around 4-6k but it's looking like I'll have to pay more.

MARTINSR,
Thanks for the tip about the shop in Petaluma. I haven't taken my 64SS to the shop in Lakeport yet. So, I can still check out a few more shops before making my final decision. I'll also give Corvette City a call and get their prices. I've only talked to Pilgram's on the phone (& checked some references) but haven't visited the shop yet. That's probably the one though (the one off 29 with the Studebaker nose on the wall of the shop). Gerry "Pilgram" has been in the business for 30 years or so and it seems like a real quality shop. Most of their customers are not local so they are used to working with customers remotely. I like the fact that they document their work and send pictures of the work done every week or so.

grooves12,
Yep, I feel the same way. Paying $10k for a paint job is too rich for my blood. I thought I could get a really nice paint job for around 4-6k but it's looking like I'll have to pay more.

64SS, I have been in Pilgrams shop (just checking it out because he has so many cool cars out side) and as I remember it was orderly and it looked like he knew his stuff. The photo idea sounds right on track. But looks can be deceiveing! This includes Hot Rodz in Petaluma! Check them out thoroughly!! Corvette city was (I don't know if it still is) THE shop in the Fremont area. When new equipment came out he would already have it when the rep would go in to tell him about it! Good luck.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T