SoCal: Got my hood vents...

Grabbed two rather tidy hood vents from a turbo New Yorker today. The Pick-a-Part in Sunland turned out to be having a 50% off sale for the holiday weekend, so total cost for both was $3.57 after tax. These things are surprisingly solid - the plastic used is very thick, and they probably weigh a good three pounds apiece. I also managed to pull black vents off of a black car, which means that when I respray them (read: semi-gloss bumper black), they should match close enough as doesn't matter to my XJ's paint.

Anyway, here's my question: can anyone recommend someone or a shop to do the cutting in the LA area? I'm not much of a mechanic, but do what I can. However, bodywork of any sort (short of pulling crushed fenders off of tires) is way outside of my league. Cheap is good, but I'm willing to trade that off a bit for better quality, since Chrysler still owns mine for a couple dozen more payments.

casm said:

Anyway, here's my question: can anyone recommend someone or a shop to do the cutting in the LA area? I'm not much of a mechanic, but do what I can. However, bodywork of any sort (short of pulling crushed fenders off of tires) is way outside of my league. Cheap is good, but I'm willing to trade that off a bit for better quality, since Chrysler still owns mine for a couple dozen more payments.

Click to expand...

Drop it off at Boyd Coddington's in La Habra ... he's good at cutting and forming stuff.

Seriously ... Los Angeles is a big place. I can refer you to some hot rod shops I know do good work around here, but it may be kinda far ... you can try Finish Line Paint in Monrovia ... they do awesome restoration, fab and paint work. Or Spray-Rite in Monrovia .. they would do an okay job.

Good luck

bchulett said:

Drop it off at Boyd Coddington's in La Habra ... he's good at cutting and forming stuff.

Seriously ... Los Angeles is a big place. I can refer you to some hot rod shops I know do good work around here, but it may be kinda far ... you can try Finish Line Paint in Monrovia ... they do awesome restoration, fab and paint work. Or Spray-Rite in Monrovia .. they would do an okay job.

Good luck

Click to expand...

Any of those shops do hood louvers? It was another idea I was considering but the price is kinda, at least what I've seen some shops charge. It would be better if I could find a shop in the surrounding area of Anaheim.

-Mike

bchulett said:

Drop it off at Boyd Coddington's in La Habra ... he's good at cutting and forming stuff.

Click to expand...

That could work. I just don't want to pay out the nose for what seems like a relatively straightforward job, but I'm willing to travel for good work.

Seriously ... Los Angeles is a big place. I can refer you to some hot rod shops I know do good work around here, but it may be kinda far ... you can try Finish Line Paint in Monrovia ... they do awesome restoration, fab and paint work. Or Spray-Rite in Monrovia .. they would do an okay job.

Click to expand...

I'm in Pasadena, so Monrovia's pretty easy. La Habra's OK, too - LA or OC work. Thanks for the pointers, though - I'll be sure to check them out.

Depending on what the shops quote you to do the job you might just want to consider doing it yourself. Get a good angle grinder or Dremel and follow this tutorial -

http://www.ericsxj.com/vents.htm

There was a shop called EJ's Fabrication .... it's been awhile since I've been in his shop ... but noticed now it's listed as BRC Fabrication, with the same phone number. I don't wan't to send you on a wild goose chase ... I'm not sure if he's still in business or it was a business name change only.

But, if it is the same guy, he does excellent custom fab work, and if he doesn't do louvers in-house, he may be able to steer you in the right direction. I've seen him french-cut doors on a '57 chevy PU .... does all the work himself ... specializes in choptops, prostreets, sub-frames, etc.

Info:
BRC Fabrication
170 Gemini Ave. Unit B2
Brea, CA
714-578-8288

casm said:

I'm in Pasadena, so Monrovia's pretty easy. La Habra's OK, too - LA or OC work. Thanks for the pointers, though - I'll be sure to check them out.

Click to expand...

I was just joking about Boyd's ... you couldn't get your Jeep in or out of his shop for less than $150K ... and it wouldn't look like a Jeep anymore.

Check with Finish Line and Spray-Rite and if you need more shops to choose from I can post a couple more I know have produced good quality restoration or fabrication type work. I've even seen dealers produce concourse quality, show-winning paint work.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind the definition of average, good, excellent or concourse work varies from shop to shop. When it comes to body and paint restoration, the amount of money willing to be spent usually dictates the outcome of any given project. Also, things change from time to time ... good body and paint technicians move on to other shops.