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Bay Area CA body/paint shops
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justin57
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Location: Bay Area, CA
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:08 am    Post subject: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

I'm not sure this is the right place for this...

I'm in the process of getting a 1957 bug back in action and I have everything lined up except body work & paint. I'm not building a show car, but would like to repaint the whole car. All the body shops I've called in the Bay Area either start at $15k or only do collision repair.

My question is, does anyone know of Bay Area, CA body shops that do good work painting VWs? I'm not looking for a show car, but also don't want a crappy paint job that I regret.

Last thing, I've been out of the VW scene for the past 15-20 years (work, kids, life, blah blah...). The bug I'm bringing back to life was my first car 25 years ago and is largely how I met most my friends and even my wife. As I call around for parts and recommendations, I'm reminded how great the VW community is. Can't wait to get my bug going and hopefully meet some folks in person.[/s]
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rjroy5
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Following...This is something I am very interested in also. 87 Westy and 97EVC I would love to have some TLC. Don't plan on getting rid of them and anyplace on the west coast or even Mexico is fine with me. Has someone out there already done the research?
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BJL67
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 8:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Subscribed, I haven't found any good shops myself.
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Julio_Arcos123
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

There is a vw body shop in Hawthorne on Rosecrans and Prairie. It's behind a vw parts store called IPC. There is also a mechanic back there, both do great work. I can give you the number if you want
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74 Thing
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Smittys Auto Body in Meadow Vista
https://www.facebook.com/pg/smittysautobody/photos/?ref=page_internal

https://www.instagram.com/smittys_auto_body/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/smittys-auto-body-meadow-vista-2
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Busstom
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 5:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

I'd be happy to let Smitty's r&r the rear quarter on my '75 Westy. I even have the donor metal already, but I may have already done damage that requires extra work. It's a stalled project at this time, and I've just realigned my priorities. I have no idea where to even start with getting a quote. I'm sure he ain't cheap, and he's about a couple hundred miles from me.

It would be nice to find someone closer (and maybe cheaper).

It's funny, sometimes when people say Bay Area, others confuse it with the South Bay area of Los Angeles. I've even heard people refer to that Santa Monica Bay region as "bay area."
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Lingwendil
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

What city, in particular?

It may be worth calling a place like Jansen Enterprises in Belmont and ask them who they usually refer people to.
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Tom snowden
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

If you get Smitty’s to do your work, you hit the lottery. No body better in the VW business. I’m a customer for life. 😁 take the drive if he’s willing.
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Braukuche
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 8:18 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Tom snowden wrote:
If you get Smitty’s to do your work, you hit the lottery. No body better in the VW business. I’m a customer for life. 😁 take the drive if he’s willing.


Seen his work recently on BAT with that 21 window, he does beautiful work. If I lived near him I wouldn’t have bothered to learn how to do my own bodywork and paint.
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justin57
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:07 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Julio_Arcos123 wrote:
There is a vw body shop in Hawthorne on Rosecrans and Prairie. It's behind a vw parts store called IPC. There is also a mechanic back there, both do great work. I can give you the number if you want


Thanks, Julio! But I'm trying to find a shop a little closer to me in the Bay. But if I strike out I'll def ask for the number.
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justin57
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:09 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Lingwendil wrote:
What city, in particular?

It may be worth calling a place like Jansen Enterprises in Belmont and ask them who they usually refer people to.


I'm in the tri-valley area Livermore/Pleasanton. I'll give Jansen a call. Thanks!
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justin57
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:10 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

74 Thing wrote:
Smittys Auto Body in Meadow Vista
https://www.facebook.com/pg/smittysautobody/photos/?ref=page_internal

https://www.instagram.com/smittys_auto_body/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/smittys-auto-body-meadow-vista-2


Thanks for the great recco. Based on replies below sounds like he's great. I'll check him out. Thanks!
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justin57
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:11 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Tom snowden wrote:
If you get Smitty’s to do your work, you hit the lottery. No body better in the VW business. I’m a customer for life. 😁 take the drive if he’s willing.


Rad, I'll give him a call. Fingers crossed he's open to taking on some work and is in my price range.
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wheel607
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:11 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

"in my price range" this needs to be posted first off. Tell what your price range is, what you expect for how much money. People are giving you some of the best and I bet you have much less in mind than the $25,000 a paint job alone can cost. There is NOTHING wrong with wanting cheaper...........but there is something wrong and a waste of time not devulging it. All or almost all the better ones want to do collision work only.....why? because they can always work with the insurance companies and two, the paint only shops dont care if they are working on a Porsche or VW as they get the same doing either. You decide, disclose your budget, and dont try to get a $25,000 shop to do a $5,000 job. It isnt worth it for them or you.
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justin57
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:05 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

wheel607 wrote:
"in my price range" this needs to be posted first off. Tell what your price range is, what you expect for how much money. People are giving you some of the best and I bet you have much less in mind than the $25,000 a paint job alone can cost. There is NOTHING wrong with wanting cheaper...........but there is something wrong and a waste of time not devulging it. All or almost all the better ones want to do collision work only.....why? because they can always work with the insurance companies and two, the paint only shops dont care if they are working on a Porsche or VW as they get the same doing either. You decide, disclose your budget, and dont try to get a $25,000 shop to do a $5,000 job. It isnt worth it for them or you.


Yep, I'm seeing the same thing. Lots of shops just doing collision work, with some shifting entirely that direction...can't blame them.

As I alluded to in my initial post, I'd like to get under $15k. But that seems to be a starting point for most shops in my area. And totally hear ya - no way do I want to insult someone by offering to pay $5k for $25k worth of work.
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:41 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Seems like you'd have to tow it to half a dozen Shops in your area to let them see it in person.
I wouldn't look/hope for a 'VW Specialist' as most all Body/Paint guys could handle your '57 if their interested in the job.
Spend a full day towing it to various Body/Paint Shops.
You haven't even shown us pics of your '57 yet!
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Clatter
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 10:44 am    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

If you live in the bay area $15K is a cheap cheap paint job.

That would be some filler/sanding only, no welding, no hammer work, no panel fitting, no disassembly, etc.
I just sanded off a $15K paint job because i wanted a better one a year later.
It's hard to get used to your car having a crappy paint job on it.

A good job on the same car was quoted at 40K by a shop that does really nice high-end work.
Fortunately, i lucked into a guy who does this work, and we were able to tag-team it at my place here for the straightening work then rented a booth.
It's not the $40K paint job but it's at least 3x as nice as the $15K one we sanded off.

15 large is the new Earl Scheib $59.95, sorry to say..
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swissarmychainsaw
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 4:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Try:
523Rods in richmond, ca -- they are an offshoot (sorta) of the Buslab in Berkeley.

Grand Collision in Hayward is where my hotrod buddy takes his 70 camaro racecar, they do great work

I have found they all the shops during Covid are slammed and have like a year wait list!
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Robs54sedan
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2022 10:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

Has anyone used miracle auto body before?
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74 Thing
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2022 11:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Bay Area CA body/paint shops Reply with quote

They won't touch anything made before year 2000.
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