Looking for Restoration Shops in/around Charlotte, NC

[rkew]

Can anybody recommend some reputable restoration shops, preferably those that specialize in early model Corvettes, in or around the Charlotte, NC area? Or something within a couple hundred miles of Charlotte?

My '62 is in need of a restoration and I'm considering a frame-off job - not an NCRS effort but something along the lines of a like-new restoration that will leave me with many years of worry-free driving. In fact, it's not a numbers matching car so I feel like I have a few more options relative to systems like the powertrain, suspension, and brakes, but I'm definitely looking to restore the exterior and interior to stock condition.

Thank you,

Ryan

 

[IH2LOSE]

Ryan

Best of luck on your quest for a shop.I hope some one has a sugeestion for you.

 

[BarryK]

hi Ryan

I don't know of any shops personally in NC but if you are willing to brinng the car a little bit further north, i can HIGHLY recommend a shop in Maryland called Tony's Corvette Shop.
http://www.tonyscorvetteshop.com/index.htm.

Tony's work is great.
He knows these cars inside and out and is very highly involved in NCRS and restorations for NCRS judging. Even if you don't need the car restored to NCRS "standards" the quality of his work is incredible.
At least a couple of others on this board besides myself have used him and were very happy plus Rob himself has been to the shop and to Tony's NCRS judging class and was also very impressed.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/portal/
this link tats you to the CAC Portal which is filled with information.
go to Repair/Restoration services. Choose the US, than select a state. You should find shops in your area also.

Another way to find a shop is to contact people in the local Corvette club(s) in your area and see who they have used for their own cars and who comes highly recommended.

Good Luck!

 

[rkew]

Barry,

Thanks for the info. I didn't have much luck on the CAC portal (restoration sites) but I will give Tony's shop a look.

Thanks again,

Ryan

 

[youwish2bme]

Ryan, I don't know of anyone in NC that does restoration work. However that doesn't mean that someone doesn't do it.. I would try and look up Charles Bernhart in Lexington,NC he has two very nice 62's one original and one resto mod.. Both extremely nice.He does his own work but I'm sure he will know if anyone reputable is available in NC. He was recently featured in Vette if I remember correctly.. If anyone knows it would be Charles... Dave...

 

[rkew]

Thank you Dave. Nice '66!

 

[IH2LOSE]

This is the guy Dave is speakiign abouts web site


http://www.carols62.com/

I think he is a member here. Not to get too far of the subject of needing a shop,but I have spent hours veiwing his web site this fellow reminds me of the folks who I grew up with and taught me my mecanical skills,

Good luck on your quest

 

[sagnoff]

Ryan-

I'm located down in Wilmington and have been looking for a qualified shop for a while. I think there is a Corvette specific shop in New Bern, but I'm not shore if they do frame-offs. Let me know how you make out.

Steve

 

[Pillman7]

You might contact Jamison Corvette in Charleston, SC. They restored a couple of Corvettes for a guy I met from Hartsville,SC , both a C1 And C2. They have been in business for a long time. Also there is a shop in Sumter, SC. called Williams Corvettes

 

[youwish2bme]

The shop in New Bern,NC is S&T Corvettes, From what I understand they primarly work on 68-82 vettes however they do work on other years. Also from what I've seen when I've stopped in there that this is not a full time shop. The owners appear to do good work, have a good local name and work there on nights and weekends.I just don't have any direct experience with them. Dave..

 

[rkew]

Thanks for the lead on Jamison's Corvettes. They're listed in the restoration section of this site. I sent them an email a couple of days ago and I'm still waiting for a resposne. I'll let you know how it goes.

Ryan

 

[My Prozac]

Call Morrison Motor Company in Corcord, NC they sell a lot of Corvettes and have always helped me with questions like yours, you can get their phone number at www.morrisonmotorco.com ask to speak with Jay or Mike Morrison. You could also send a message to www.racecitycorvettes.org they are a local club in Mooresville, NC and maybe Queen City Corvette Club. I can try to track down the guy that painted my Ruby Red 93 I dont know if he is still painting and restoring cars but can try if you would like. I can not find a flaw in the paint on mine.

 

[NC2Stay]

...You might contact Jamison Corvette in Charleston, SC. ...

I was there on Sunday. My son-in-law and I just stopped by the look, but the owner was there in the back working on a car and he let us in and gave us the tour. Very nice! A very large facility that was packed to the gills with every vintage of Vette being worked on. I am no expert, but it sure looked like they did excellent work and really cared about the cars. See

www.jamisoncustomcorvette.com

Bob

 

[rkew]

Kerry of Jamisons Corvettes responded to my email a couple days ago and gave me a ballpark figure of $35,000!, but he stated that it's very difficult to give ballpark figures without seeing the car (understandable). The search continues. The Queen City Corvette Club provided me with a number of leads.

 

[BarryK]

Kerry of Jamisons Corvettes responded to my email a couple days ago and gave me a ballpark figure of $35,000!, but he stated that it's very difficult to give ballpark figures without seeing the car (understandable). The search continues. The Queen City Corvette Club provided me with a number of leads.

$35,000 for a complete professional body-off restoration sounds too cheap. Is your car is fairly good condition to begin with?
It's very easy to spend twice that amount and more having it done at a shop - especially a good one with the corvette background to do a correct job on the car

 

[c5vetter]

agree with Barry - $35K is a steal! exactly, what are you hoping to have done!?

FYI - just recently did a "body off" restoration of my 1963 Z06 - everything was gone through except paint and total was $55k - Tony's Corvette in Gaithersburg, MD did the majority of the work

check out my restoration at: http://www.pbase.com/c5vetter

 

[rkew]

Really (on the $70K)? Yeah, it's in pretty good condition. Everything is where it should be. There's absolutely no major body work to be done, just a few small stress cracks here and there (above the front wheel wells in particular), and it's not loaded up with multiple coats of paint . My dad restored it in the 70's and stripped it down to the fiberglass before painting (it did have 6 coats on it prior to that). There's virtually no rust on the frame and only a small bit of metal-work to do on the front crossmember.

 

[youwish2bme]

Really.... I guess it depends on your definition of "Restoration" 35K to restore your car to tear it completely down rebuild everything that you can rebuild and replace any part that does not perform as new. Restorations that make a car as it was when new take a lot of money 35k is probably on the low end. I'm doing all my own work for the most part and I bet I have 15k+ in mine over the last two years. That is with me not even touching the paint or the interior...Not trying to show how much I've spent more to validate the cost of restoring a straight axle or midyear..Dave..