I haven't posted here in a while, but many of you helped me through the restoration of my '58 a few years back. Today, I need some advice. I was backing the '58 up the driveway, after the first drive this year, and caught the driver's side door on a fence post. I'm not sure how, and I've gone over it in my mind a hundred times, but I can only guess that the door came unlatched when driving up my steep, dirt driveway. When I pulled in and began backing uphill into the garage, it opened enough to catch on the fence post. Of course, I am looking to the rear over my right shoulder, and didn't have a clue until I heard the crunch of fiberglass. Long story short, the hinges are bent, and the door hinge area is all busted up, there are cracks forward of both hinges, the trim is shot, and there is a hole in the rear of the door where it came in contact with the post. The worst part is that the silver blue metallic base/clear paint will never be right again, and matching it properly will probably require a total repaint.
I called Hagerty today, and they want me to get an estimate, but up here in the sticks of Vermont, there aren't any shops I would trust to do the job right. How do I go about finding a shop within a reasonable distance that does quality restoration and not just bodywork? Any tips on dealing with Hagerty, and the shop once I find one? Any idea how much this will cost? When I restored the car, I took the body right down to bare glass and put a year into getting it and the paint just about perfect. It was a lot of work, and I don't think I want to do it again.
At this point, I am considering just selling the car, but maybe I will feel differently about it after the shock wears off. Any suggestions from anyone who has been down this road before will be appreciated.
>
I called Hagerty today, and they want me to get an estimate, but up here in the sticks of Vermont, there aren't any shops I would trust to do the job right. How do I go about finding a shop within a reasonable distance that does quality restoration and not just bodywork? Any tips on dealing with Hagerty, and the shop once I find one? Any idea how much this will cost? When I restored the car, I took the body right down to bare glass and put a year into getting it and the paint just about perfect. It was a lot of work, and I don't think I want to do it again.
At this point, I am considering just selling the car, but maybe I will feel differently about it after the shock wears off. Any suggestions from anyone who has been down this road before will be appreciated.
>
Comment