Muscle Cars - Who would you recommend for restoration in Manila?

[midinite]

Hi there,

I just got back after a long stint outside and together with some others...

have a group that is in the process of restoring muscle cars to drive around manila. That is operative word - drive. No trailer queens. Yet, we would like them to have some show quality as well (no exactly concours) but very nice and presentable.

Would you recommend doing it all in one place? Where?

Or would you recommend we do it ourselves (since that is what other restorers do)? And something we have started doing since it takes forever and a day when you send it to your neighborhood talyer (who IMHO is more concerned about making money scamming insurance companies)

Or do we farm out certain parts of the process? Like body and pain somewhere while engine somewhere else? What about interior? I have interiors being shipped in from US and have seen some horrid work here.

Thoughts anyone?

[afterglow]

It really depends on how involved you would like to be in the restoration. In my case, I have a friend who owns a restoration shop who's helping me supervise my own restoration. I hired my own tinsmith, painter and mechanic and they're doing the bodywork and most of the mechanicals at my place. It'll then get shipped off to another shop for rack & pinion installation, another shop for the exhaust, another shop for painting, another shop for interiors, fuel line & electricals, yet another place for aircon and finally to my audio installer for the stereo.

Medyo mabusisi since kung may kulang na parts or may kulang na materials, ako ang bumibili. My friend drops by every week to check on the progress and point out kung may problema and what to do next. But, I can check on the progress every day.

If that's too much then just bring it to a shop that knows what they're doing. Considering the huge amount of work involved in a full restoration, I think the amount they charge is reasonable. You might even end up saving since they know cheaper sources of parts, what can and can't be recycled and can avoid costly problems.

My friend's shop can do most of the work but still sends cars out for the specialized stuff like exhaust, power steering, aircon & stereo but they'll make life so much simpler....

[wildthing]

the one in bulacan na suki ni Otep okay magrestore ng old cars like yours....pero in my opinion, kung meron kang time and you like grease on your hands, a DIY restoration is the best.

I am currently restoring an 81 Toyota Starlet....and I want it done in a way that it would last another 25 years.

[woodfire]

yung nag-restore kay Otep is not into muscle cars. They are into vintage cars ("40's and '50's).

I guess your best bet is to divide-up the work and have it done in Manila (if you're based here). I made a terrible mistake on having my car restored on a turn-key basis at Bulacan. It was a terrible and very costly mistake......

My thoughts are:

Paint - Alex at roosevelt
Interior - Kelseat or Leder Interia
Engine Tuning - DIY (I bought a factory repair manual from the U.S.)
Underchassis - I'll just go to my favorite shop ERL Motorwerks in P. Tuason
Trims and detailing - DIY (am into it anyway)

[nicolai]

hey there,
i know people in cavite who could work out cars, CART, cavite racing team,sm turn right,going to silang proper, nasa left side sila, look for mang ed, the owner, one stop shop na yun.

do you happen to know where i can buy a ford mustang 1964-68 model?

[midinite]

hey there,
i know people in cavite who could work out cars, CART, cavite racing team,sm turn right,going to silang proper, nasa left side sila, look for mang ed, the owner, one stop shop na yun.

do you happen to know where i can buy a ford mustang 1964-68 model?

You have several ways to find a mustang from that era -

buy and sell or classifieds as i am sure you are aware

or you can go to people who actively buy and sell (or agents) - if you want we can send you a list of those we know

or you can look for owners from groups or with cars parked in garages.

there are pros and cons to every method so it pays to be patient and be armed with knowledge.

also, the suggestions above seem to be good on restoration. why? makes sense that you farm out work to others who are experts. Helps you tap into expertise of others so you get best of all for your car.

also, trusting just one sometimes is not all that good. best to get second and third opinions...part of research.

PM if you want to join the e group.

[swordsman]

passed by an area in the vicinity of ortigas in mandaluyong, there are 3 or so camaros parked in front and a few more muscle cars(fastbacks yata) being worked on sa loob ng lot. the camaros parked out front seem to be restored already. so they may be into restoration of these muscle cars. you might wanna check them out....though, not sure if these are the guys you had bad experiences from another thread.

OT: for the owners or muscle cars who are not mechanically-inclined and without the factory service manual, for regular maintenance of running units, do these cars need special shops/tools to be worked on or your friendly neighborhood talyer would be able to work on them?

[midinite]

passed by an area in the vicinity of ortigas in mandaluyong, there are 3 or so camaros parked in front and a few more muscle cars(fastbacks yata) being worked on sa loob ng lot. the camaros parked out front seem to be restored already. so they may be into restoration of these muscle cars. you might wanna check them out....though, not sure if these are the guys you had bad experiences from another thread.

OT: for the owners or muscle cars who are not mechanically-inclined and without the factory service manual, for regular maintenance of running units, do these cars need special shops/tools to be worked on or your friendly neighborhood talyer would be able to work on them?

I actually think your question is a good one regarding tools...also one question...would you recall where in mandaluyong you saw these cars? para ma drive by.

[swordsman]

I actually think your question is a good one regarding tools...also one question...would you recall where in mandaluyong you saw these cars? para ma drive by.

If you'll drive straight along Boni Ave from EDSA going to Kalentong, pass the Boni Circle, keep going on Boni. Then you'll cross P. Cruz/Boni intersection with a Shell gas station on the right side. Next couple of intersection you'll see the Ortigas/Boni intersection, turn right into Ortigas, then right on the 1st intersection. A few meters ahead, and you'll pass by the muscle car shop/lot on your right.

[midinite]

If you'll drive straight along Boni Ave from EDSA going to Kalentong, pass the Boni Circle, keep going on Boni. Then you'll cross P. Cruz/Boni intersection with a Shell gas station on the right side. Next couple of intersection you'll see the Ortigas/Boni intersection, turn right into Ortigas, then right on the 1st intersection. A few meters ahead, and you'll pass by the muscle car shop/lot on your right.

that could be bowtie

[midinite]

yung nag-restore kay Otep is not into muscle cars. They are into vintage cars ("40's and '50's).

I guess your best bet is to divide-up the work and have it done in Manila (if you're based here). I made a terrible mistake on having my car restored on a turn-key basis at Bulacan. It was a terrible and very costly mistake......

2 questions:

1. where is Otep's restoration facility? Would be good to check out
2. What happened in Bulacan?

Would you say that sometimes the deterrent to the hobby are the fact that there are those who charge an arm and a leg and even dupe the hobbyist. Nakakahinayang kasi medyo shortsighted. (not that i am pointing a finger at anyone because it is prevalent in other fields as well).

sayang kasi if the hobbyist had a good time restoring he would keep doing it. If he didnt then he would possibly look for another hobby that would be less painful. Hopefully not knitting. Kaya sometimes it doesnt make sense why some will not do a good job so as to increase repeat customers.

lastly, there was once a time i had a car with one guy for 5 f*&^% years. Kasi I was stationed outside the country and he kept milking me saying it was for parts and labour. everytime i came back on home leave it was the same old BS and fighting match. Needless to say, as much as i wanted to have that car restored (it was my dream car - i always wanted one as far back as the 80s) I cut my losses and sold the unit. Now i hear he is up to his old tricks and still trying to pass off cars with dubious paperwork...where the buyer is left with a hot potato...interestingly is he is part of the circle of the vintage car club boys

[Chip]

On engine rebuilding

Is a service manual a MUST? Or can a fairly talented mechanic or talyer rebuild it, given the right equipment and components.
Do the engine rebuild kits they sell online contain all that you need ba? Was planning on ordering one eventually.

The reason I am asking is because I remember that my suking mechanic used to work for Gm (or was it dodge) in 70s.

[woodfire]

Guys,

Otep and his dad had their '40's-era Ford restored in Marilao Bulacan. I believe they had a problem with the restorer there in Bulacan. Anyways, just let Otep be the one to relay their experience.

My experience with my restorer in Bulacan is traumatic. If I were younger, I could have brought out my gun on him. But, as the saying goes, age and wisdom have a way of tempering emotions.

I'm now planning to pull out my '67 stang convertible and bring it to a restorer in Manila. A fellow car enthusiast referred me to a restorer in Mandaluyong who's into muscle cars.

[swordsman]

Guys,

Otep and his dad had their '40's-era Ford restored in Marilao Bulacan. I believe they had a problem with the restorer there in Bulacan. Anyways, just let Otep be the one to relay their experience.

My experience with my restorer in Bulacan is traumatic. If I were younger, I could have brought out my gun on him. But, as the saying goes, age and wisdom have a way of tempering emotions.

I'm now planning to pull out my '67 stang convertible and bring it to a restorer in Manila. A fellow car enthusiast referred me to a restorer in Mandaluyong who's into muscle cars.

Is the traumatic experience with the restorer of your '67 stang? Or are those separate incidents? Is the '67 convertible stang same one that was being restored since may of 2005 on the other thread?

Also, ilan ba ang muscle car restorer sa mandaluyong? I know there's at least a bad one from this thread by midinite My engines have been stolen. Suggestions for recovery. Maliit lang yata mundo ng muscle cars dito sa mandaluyong so baka iisa lang tinutukoy.

With these bad experiences you guys went through(and you are more experienced in these cars, what more kung newbie), nakakabawas ng enthusiasm in getting into the hobby.

[woodfire]

the restoration of my stang started in December 2004. Believe it or not, it's still being restored!

The thing that really pisses me off is that all the required parts for restoration are already with the Bulacan restorer since these parts where all shipped early last year from the U.S.

The Mandaluyong restorer I'm referring to is the one owned by Lito Galvez.

[swordsman]

the restoration of my stang started in December 2004. Believe it or not, it's still being restored!

The thing that really pisses me off is that all the required parts for restoration are already with the Bulacan restorer since these parts where all shipped early last year from the U.S.

The Mandaluyong restorer I'm referring to is the one owned by Lito Galvez.

whooa! 2004? that is frustrating. 'hope you have better luck with Lito Galvez's shop. Di naman yan yong bowtie, no? Hehehe. Feedback na lang, in case i decide in getting into the hobby. My budget isn't exactly cash 'lying around', so i wouldn't probably survive the bad experiences what you and midinite went though

[chrisboy]

oohh.. this sounds like a beware kinda thing huh. i also want to get in this muscle car hobby. and i really dont know anything about it. all i know that it looks pretty neat to have one and looks fun to resurrect one. i also dont have money for this, pero bahala na si batman sa budget. there are bank loans naman eh hehehe aray...

id love to do a DIY but heck i dont know anything. siguro self study and really experience lang kailangan and hopefully someday... i can do some of the stuffs by myself na.

hope to hear some feedbacks with restorers. thanks!

[OTEP]

Otep and his dad had their '40's-era Ford restored in Marilao Bulacan. I believe they had a problem with the restorer there in Bulacan. Anyways, just let Otep be the one to relay their experience.

Sir dindo, what problems are you reffering to? Wala naman pong major problem of epic proportions. Na-restore naman yung unit. Not museum quality. But then again, our budget was not museum quality either.

Sino po ang restorer niyo diyan?

Mas nagkaproblem pa kami sa W123 and Leder Interia for the crappy interior work they did. The work was revised by a no-name shop. Mas maganda pa resulta.

[midinite]

whooa! 2004? that is frustrating. 'hope you have better luck with Lito Galvez's shop. Di naman yan yong bowtie, no? Hehehe. Feedback na lang, in case i decide in getting into the hobby. My budget isn't exactly cash 'lying around', so i wouldn't probably survive the bad experiences what you and midinite went though

There are several in mandaluyong - bowtie, oboy reyes, ben lim and yes lito galvez. someone did tell me though that he has a case (just what i heard) against him by one Australian for not having the work done on a car that had been sitting there for X number of years as well. Seems to be a favorite pastime of "restorer" mechanics. plus i heard (again from another source) that lito charges an arm and a leg. these are opinions of others yet it is the reason some have chosen to do restoration themselves. but by all means, i would suggest that the restorer or hobbyist check out the facilities and interview other customers.

also, lito was purported to have spread rumors about another individual to cover up his delinquent restoration according to insiders.

swordman is right, the problem is that many get burnt kaya it discourages people...that is what i don't quite understand.

[woodfire]

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up midinite!

I guess I'll just park it in my garage in the meantime and do some research/due diligence on who can work on it. For the detailing, trims etc... I'll just work on it myself.

My concern now is the convertible top. Can anyone recommend a very good installer of soft tops?