Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 20:52:40 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: The price of living on the East Coast (restorations)
In-Reply-To: <5c483367133d52669784857ba9c6d787@mac.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Do you really want a restoration or a good paint job? True restorations
are to bring vehicles to as new condition and are really for
show/collectable vehicles. If originality is a goal, so much for the
Tiico. If you plan to continue using the van, you want to stay with the
paint and rust control concept and even this properly done will exceed
the value of the van if you are paying to have it done.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Kim Brennan
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 5:16 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: The price of living on the East Coast (restorations)
So, I finally have gotten serious about doing a real big restoration
job on the GoldBrick (my 7 passenger Syncro, w/Tiico engine currently).
Since I originally bought it on the West Coast, I've abused it far too
much, and it shows in the dings, dents, and rust. Of course some of the
rust issues probably predate my purchase, but it's definitely
progressed since my original purchase.
So my first stop was to find a place that can do a restoration that was
"reasonably" close by. My first choice (Master Crafters in Rockville
Maryland) no longer does restorations as they simply are too back
logged with accident repairs, and don't have the facilities to work on
a long term project that a proper restoration takes. They recommended
a place in Frederick Maryland.
So I wander up there today. Talked with the owner and he acknowledged
that I have a good candidate without any major issues to deal with,
just lots of time to deal with the various rusty spots, dents and such
(no rust throughs that he saw...) Unfortunately, he's got a 3 year
backlog to BEGIN a restoration job. He figures it would probably take
6-8 months of work to deal with mine (at the pace they work on them.)
So I put my name down. In the meantime, I'll be working on various
parts, trying to put a hold on the major rust spots.
I asked him about what I can do to assist in the meantime and he
mentioned putting POR-15 into the doors. Thought the rest of you would
be amused/interested to hear that a professional uses and recommends
it.
Here in the Mid-Atlantic, there just aren't that many places that will
do restoration work. Next nearest place I heard of was down in North
Carolina. And I figure there have to be some places up in NewJersey or
New York. It's times like this when I was I was in Southern California
where restoration shops seem to be a dime a dozen.
