The Restoration Process

Compared to having your modern car repaired at the local body shop, a comprehensive restoration of an antique, classic, or muscle car has no flat rate or "menu" price board. The hoped for crystal ball telling us "how much?" simply doesn't exist. Even a well-intentioned "ball-park" figure is difficult to quantify because each car (or vehicle) is uniquely different: its mechanical history, the overall maintenance of the various body components, the success or failure of previous restoration attempts and, finally, the passage of time. All of these items factor into the complexity of the restoration. Here is an example.

We've seen one extreme (the "fun" one) of a well maintained vehicle that might be called a "survivor", in today's terms.  . Nevertheless, to restore the vehicle to a "driver quality", approximately 1000 hours were still required plus the additional cost of parts and materials. The other extreme (the "problem" one) is the "used and abused" vehicle that, once disassembled, required so many parts that it literally required "two vehicles to make one" plus additional parts, materials and labor.

         
The "Fun One" and the "Problem One".  A 55,000 mile unrestored 1938 Plymouth (before restoration), and a 1928 Ford Model "A" Sport Coupe that was really more of an accumulation of parts than an actual car.                           

Logic & Fairness

Both owners possessed a mental "vision" of how their vehicle would look when fully restored and, naturally, they wanted a final price for the restoration.

The question: Is it possible to determine such inherent complexities before hand?

The answer: Unfortunately, as you may now expect, there is no way to accurately determine the "true reality" of a restoration (through a superficial visual inspection) prior to a disassembly of the vehicle.

The solution: Disassembly is where the restoration process begins: we completely disassemble the vehicle to determine what apparently needs to be done from the bare frame and working outward to the "interior" and, then, the fenders, doors, roof, hood, trunk deck, etc.

Such a disassembly process provides a detailed, customized, verified roadmap or "game plan" for each component within the entire restoration project. Frequently, however, what is apparent on the surface of a mechanical part, sheet metal component or "interior" item is vastly different than what is found upon further examination.

The dilemma: "OK. I have a "vision" of how my vehicle will look when you are finished but I don't want to overpay you nor do I want to underpay either. So, how do we handle the 'finances' fairly and squarely?"

Over the last 17 years of our business life, we have tried a number of different approaches to achieve a "fair and square" transaction and great customer referrals. We kept coming back to our current practice and here is how it works.

The procedure: The time-tested method that is fairest to both the shop and the customer is a system of costing and billing on a "time and materials" basis.

The shop's responsibilities include providing a full hour's work for every hour billed, and to only use materials of highest quality that will give years of customer satisfaction. Most important: to conduct our business in a manner that is open, honest and timely with each customer. This way, you only pay for what is actually consumed on your restoration: time, materials and parts!

The customer's responsibility is to find and engage a trustworthy, qualified shop that has a demonstrated ability to fulfill its end of the bargain, as well as to personally fund the project on a timely basis. We always tell our customers beforehand that the restoration of a vehicle is expensive; that total restorative costs may be eclipsed by the purchase of a "starter" home or a four year college education at a private university.

While restoration costs are sometimes dramatic, the results we provide are always more dramatic in appearance not to mention pride of ownership and showmanship. Those characteristics are impossible to quantify but they are "real" nevertheless.

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Procedures within the Restoration Process

Step #1: Photographic & Narrative Procedures

Once you have made the decision to bring your car to Stellar Antique Auto Restorations, documentation begins immediately. A photographic record is created showing the vehicle's "fit & finish", areas exhibiting prior body damage & decay, as well as the overall condition of all major mechanical and "interior" components. This photographic record takes place prior to any restorative work-taking place.

        

Pre-restoration documentation images;  severely bent trunk hinges, broken door handles, and torn, incorrect upholstery fabrics from our 1956 DeSoto restoration.

Note: From this point forward, we will be describing our Procedures when performing a "Concours" or "Show" quality restoration. Other Levels of Restoration will not include the same Procedures & Practices.

Level of Restoration: Concours & Show Quality

Prior to disassembly, damaged panels with poor fit and finish are addressed.  "Why doesn't the hood fit?"  It's best to solve those problems before disassembly, rather than after.

A complete disassembly of the car begins and precedes right down to the frame. During disassembly, documentation continues and parts are photographed, itemized and inventoried. Small parts are "bagged and tagged" showing location and function.

                                   

components are bagged and tagged, and inventoried immediately by numbered storage boxes.  Our shop copy of the inventory then is entered into a spreadsheet and saved to the client's file

The photographic record is organized by major component categories including: Body, Mechanical, Interior, and Chassis. Sub-categories further refine the organization of the photographs and records. Next, every item or part is stored in an organized manner largely eliminating the potential difficulties of lost or misplaced parts.

Without a doubt, extreme care is taken during disassembly to prevent damage to rare, original parts and hardware.

After disassembly, we are ready to begin the restoration process.

The term "progress documentation" is used to explain that we "document (using photographs and narratives) the step-by-step progress within the entire restoration process. We do so because, at the end of each day's activities, customers are easily assured that only quality, comprehensive work has been done. The evidence is an in-depth file of photographs and narrative information available to each customer. Communication.

Philosophically, it is important to mention that no minor details are assumed within our restoration process. Everything is important and everything receives the attention needed to assure complete project integrity. Focused workflows.

Step #2: Time and Materials Tracking & Narrative Records

Progress documentation tracks the actual time spent each day on a vehicle through the use of a time clock and a job card. The job card lists the client name, and the date range of the work performed on your vehicle and, as work is done on your vehicle, our personnel punch in and punch out on the job card. Coupled with the time clock record is a narrative description of the specific work performed corresponding to the actual time spent on that task. Both time and narrative records are logged into our Daily Job Tracking software system.

The same is true of all materials consumed on each project. Both time and materials consumed are logged into each project's master record. These records are quantified and attached to each invoice released to a customer around the 1st and 15th of each month.

Step #3: Restoration Workflows or "How we do it"

The restoration of all "body" parts requires that each metal part be meticulously stripped of old paint and corrosion. When necessary, deeply rusted and corroded metal is replaced with replacement panels purchased from outside sources OR panels are internally fabricated when replacement panels are not available from our trusted sources.

 

         

1956 Desoto back from media blasting;  the body mounted on the rotiserrie for restoration, and the fabricated patch welded into the tail panel prior to metal finishing.

 

From a practical perspective, our restoration methodology assures that each panel has structural integrity. We do not practice any quick "cover ups" that temporarily hide the underlying corrosion damage while ensuring more expensive secondary repairs down the road.

Our methodologies take advantage of state-of-art materials that provide protection to the base metal for years to come.

Chassis & Engine

The restoration of all chassis components & engine parts requires that each engine part be restored to achieve a performance level equaling its original, design function. Every individual chassis component is completely disassembled, cleaned, inspected and re-assembled with new parts thereby replacing parts with worn or broken surfaces. When practical, up-grades in part materials are used to provide superior performance and durability.

         

Brake parts restoration& detail ;'51 GMC Engine & details, and our 1956 DeSoto restored chassis awaiting other sub-assemblies               

 

For sure, we never practice scam-like techniques: "wire brush the loose stuff off and apply this miracle cure." Deceptive practices, of any type, will never be used in our shop!

Testing, testing, testing

Post-restoration testing of the re-assembled engine, transmission and chassis is accomplished through proper break-in procedures of newly rebuilt mechanical components, as well as in- motion driving to validate the functionality of the transmission and chassis. This initial testing is done before the vehicle's body is re-attached to the frame. Additional testing is done after the vehicle has been totally re-assembled. At all test stages, fine-tuning is often required to meet our final calibration standards.

Interior Components

The restoration of all "interior" components like seats, door panels, arm rests, window frames, sun visors, headliner, dash board, floor covering, etc. come from either high quality "kits" or through custom sewing. The replacement fabrics used will be authentic reproductions of the original fabrics.

This portion of the restoration process is, of itself, a "specialty" service requiring craftsmanship bordering on an art form. We have established a partnership with a local source: Goldfield Trim and Upholstery. Gary Martin, Owner, has garnered an extensive resume of Award Winning Interior Restorations. Goldfield and Martin's awards cross the entire spectrum of automotive categories: antique, classic, street rod and special interest automobiles. We willingly stand behind Goldfield's work.

In Closing

At this point in our presentation, we have detailed our restoration philosophies, practices and workflows. We hope that you have perceived the tremendous value in allowing Stellar Antique Auto Restorations the opportunity to restore your vehicle.

"Stellar's expectations surpass yours!"

Step #4: Financial Arrangements & Restoration Agreement

In order to administer the financial arrangements of a comprehensive restoration our Restoration Agreement guides us. It is straightforward and easy to understand without ambiguity. Click HERE to see our Restoration Agreement.