It's an old cliché but it still rings true. Have you noticed over the past several years how the interest in specialty cars has grown? The cruise nights, car shows and rod runs has captured the imagination of people of all ages and many have made the time and financial commitment to build their own “dream car".
The media has helped a great deal and a number of T.V. shows have helped fuel the fire, and compared to years ago, serious enthusiasts are a lot more educated about the restoration process and about the time and money involved. When they come into my shop, they have prepared a lot of "strait-up questions" that require a lot of "strait-up answers".
Of course, cost is always an issue. One of the things I always put a lot of enfaces on is that "the most expensive thing you can buy is a cheap job". That lesson has been learned by many a builder. It's because of that hard leaned lesson that more hot rods have been started than finished. But when you do your homework and take a practical approach, taking one step at a time, the end result can be very gratifying, especially when you go for that first ride.
The body and paint of any classic ride are usually the first two focal points that draw your attention to a given car, and of coarse the paint, much like a house, must have a sound foundation, starting with quality metal work. That's where guys like me come in. I get a lot of practice "bang’ in tin" because in my shop, that's all I do. At Gary Geady Body & Fender Restorations, I get involved with many projects requiring panel fabrication, using old school techniques such as hammer welding with oxy-acetylene, plannishing and traditional lead work, by request.
Feel free to check out some of my projects and, who knows, maybe I can help in some way make your dream a become a reality. |
