Paint shop recommendation in the CA Bay area

[jonreed98]

My 61 Bus is all restored and body work is 95% done and now I'm having trouble finding someone to paint it. Most of the paint and body shops Ive called just dont want to do what they call a "restoration". Seems like they like the quick turnaround of insurance jobs over a full paint job. Anyone living in the SF bay area that has any experience with paint shops you can recommend??

Thanks for any suggestions

[Tom snowden]

It depends on what your looking for. I had to go outside the bay area to find a real VW guy that knows what a bus takes to make it right. Smitty’s is, in my opinion one of the best. Located outside Sacramento (Meadowvista) look at his Instagram and you will know what he does! Everyone is booked if they’re good.He did mine, and turned out amazing. Talk to Corey, great guy that knows his shit. Good luck.

[Big Bill]

Skinners Classics in Vacaville, they do some great work.

[SCZ9-1-1]

Santa Cruz Aircooled 831-475-7245 - check them out on FB.

[jonreed98]

Skinner is out, Ive been there and they did some work for me but it sat in their shop for many months before doing the work. Just talked to them and they said 2-3 YEAR backlog. They like most shop prefer doing insurance work, more money I guess so restoration stuff is always filler work. Nice people though

[74 Thing]

I used Smitty's. They do great work.

Skinners was years out without even a parking spot available when I called.

There is a place near Dixon as well:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=694455

[socalsean]

Empire Restoration in Sand City California.

[jonreed98]

Thanks everyone for your input. I visited Nates Custom body and paint in San Leandro and he seems like a nice guy and I saw some of the work he was doing and it looked great. Anyone had any experience with Nates?

[Spitty1974]

There is Deutschland Metal and Body, they are out of Palmdale, CA. Larry the owner is the nicest guy you will ever meet, and they do amazing work. He painted my bus, and the quality of work is outstanding! Nothing is cheap when it comes to body and paint work on a bus...But, I think you will find shops down in Southern California may be cheaper than here in the Bay Area. Worth towing down south in my opinion.

https://www.deutschlandmetalandbody.com/