Cars - HELP needed locating Auto Restoration in DALLAS.TX

You FIRST need to determine what "restoration" means to you. Are we
talking about cosmetic things, mechanical things, paint, body repairs,
or whatever. Has the vehicle been restored before and needs some help
getting back to its former glory? Are you wanting a "OEM production end
of the assembly line" restoration (which would win '55-'57 Club awards)
or something customized or just something that will look good at a
weekend cruise event (of which there are many in the DFW area each
weekend)?

Until you define your priorities and how much you are willing to spend,
focusing on a restoration shop will be nearly impossible. Many people
want to take the car to one place and get everything done, while
convenient, that can be the most costly and time-consuming way to do
things. And, there are many stories of vehicles taken to "one stop
shops", with the owners making weekly or monthly payments toward the
restoration, and the cars being disassembled, some work done, and then
nothing else happens in spite of the continued cash infusions.

Rather than post this question in here, it would be better for you to
check one of the websites which lists car events (put "DFW Hot Rod
Happenings" into Google and see what happens) and then attend some of
these events as the cruise season winds down. There, you can ask the
quesiton and get many different answers. Some shops that might do well
with Lincolns might not be affordable or knowledgeable enough to do a
Chevy. There is a Late Great Chevies chapter in Dallas. I think they
might have a website and they used to sponsor a cruise night in the
northern side of Dallas once a month.

There are MANY ways to restore a vehicle, with some shops doing good
work and others lacking in certain areas. Many normal body shops can do
great paint work (whether in the more modern two-stage paint systems or
in the prior one-stage acrylic lacquer or acrylic enamel systems) but
can't do interiors or mechanical work themselves.

The cost of the cosmetic paint work can be highly dependent upon what's
currently under the paint. Prior repairs might be hidden and require
more expense to repair that just a decent repaint.

Still, desires and priorities need to be in place BEFORE you talk to
anybody. It might be that prices have escalated in some areas to the
extent that things need to be sequenced rather than done all at once.

As for a recommendation, you might start with Charlie Cooper
Restorations in Hurst, in the Bell Helicopter Area of town. He's a
graduate of the McPherson College Auto Restoration program and has area
associates who can do what he might not be able to do in his
newly-expanded shop. I have no idea as to what his charges might be,
though, so that's between yourself and the shop. I believe he has a
website, so putting that name into Google will probably pull it up.

Regards,

C-BODY