Okay, its a lot more than that. Yes, I need body work done on my 71 baby.... the thing is, I've already paid a guy to do it. He ended up towing my car to someone else's house and disappearing.

I'm not asking for a hand-out or free work, just a break. I know it sounds crazy "who would pay anybody $8000 BEFORE he does the work?!?!" I certainly never would. But, I live in Colorado now, while my car is still in the Portland/Vancouver area. A few years ago, I made a late payment for my insurance and didn't realize they had cancelled it. So, when I hydroplaned on the 205 bridge and hit my back end on a cement barrier.... I didn't have insurance. (Found that out the next morning)

My step dad had just had his '70 Chevelle painted by this guy and he'd done a really nice job. He agreed to work on my car between other work projects, while receiving monthly payments. So, August (maybe September) of 2014 he took my car. The first few months he sent me photos of the work he was doing. Eventually the photos stopped and he just started telling me "hey, you're going to need to decide on a paint color soon" (I had also decided to get a new paint job) "getting ready to buy some parts, any chance you could send a little extra money this month?". At the time, I had every reason to believe he was actually working on my car. Again, I'm in Colorado, so I wasn't able to actually see the work progressing. I mentioned I hadn't seen any pictures in a while, and he ignored those messages or told me he would send some "soon". By the time I was making my last payment, he was telling me it should be completed within the next 2 or 3 months.

This is when everything really went downhill. He almost never talked to me, ignored most of my calls and texts. At some point, his phone got shut off and I had no way of contacting him. When I got the new number, he told me the new phone can't take photos, so he can't send me any. Then I started hearing rumors that he was doing drugs. Later he told me he had lost his home, was living in the shop, his kids had gone to jail and he'd had to bail them out..... But still said he was working on my car and it was going to get done.

It's been a pretty long road from there. But basically, he no longer has the shop he did when he took my car. He eventually had it towed somewhere else and has left it there. Almost no work was ever actually done.

Anyway, if you know someone that likes working on cars, is honest, and willing to cut me a bit of a break... I'd really like to hear from you. At this point, I'm not really sure what else to do.

Thank you
Alissa

PS Jerks name is Jeff Smith, his shop WAS in Hazel Dell

 

well I would first of all some how get your car to your house in your possession ,thing is that was a way to trusting situation ,I would think you would not trust anyone by now ,if it was not something I could see in person ,there should be hualer that would bring the car to you for $500.00,i don't think your going to find anyone hear ,what I think you should do is find a local shop to do the work for you ,that you can drive to see whats going on ,an things your talking about don't excist he knew he had you right from beginning ,he may have had good intention at first,but why in the world would you leave your babey with a stranger most hualers have there own insurance so while its on the truck it should not need insurance or a plate,something don't sound right your way to trusting,thats my advice to you is get it home even if you got to go there an get it, hire a guy with flat bed trailer ,or a uhaul trailer rents for like $40.00 a day,this sounds like a total rip off an near 1.5 years later not done you got to live learn an get it home then deside what to do ,most good body shops don't want money until your car is done ,never mind paying up front,no one does that only fools that got nothing to then to owe everyone ,you are probley not the only one got screwed by the guy,

 

If I didn't need a car in WA, it would have made more sense to bring it to CO. But since my move 11 years ago, it's been my only transportation when I visit family. And unfortunately, unless I made it my daily driver in CO (not promising in icy conditions) I don't have any place to store it long term.
Also, while I have not been there, my family has, and as I said, not a total stranger, my step dad had used him based off recommendations from a friend.... He had a decent reputation at his shop for the previous 10 years :-/

 

well sounds like a very unfortunate situation ,you may want to figure out a place to store it $300.00 I year for my 99 is well worth my car ,if you plain cant afford the car anymore ,then mabey selling it to a family member may be an idea ,or if you can fix an the get more out of it later ,just sounds like tough situation ,I would figure out how much its worth to you anymore ,couse it sound like you love it ,but have other pryoritys that may come first ,good luck with it though,yes I knew guys like that when I was younger ,now that I am older I try to be a bit wiser if only a little bit

 

Without picture of the wreck it is hard to tell. Most hard hits should be repaired by a pro. I work 7 years as a professional mechanic and I can tell just keep up with your own families cars can eat up any "breaks" you can afford to give.

Your story is actually a lot more common then you think. I have known of at leased 6 complete restoration shops that went belly up, one of them had started and taken deposits on 30 cars. Some of the guys were just given back the frame and chassis after giving 20k deposit (50% deposit is normal), so many parts where missing they just sold them or scraped them. There was speculation that the owner was not paying his workers so they grabs everything they could carry to sell.

You need to go to car cruises and ask around in your area. Your best bet is to find someone that is a pro but does side work in his garage for cash. Most body men do it you just need the in. They can't exactly advertise Cash only discounts.

 

well I know this where I live guys that do just classic cars ,are few an far ,when I say most don't take money down that's probley on insurance ,as they are ussally paying ,but good shops that got money don't need a deposit ,I guess one that did would see me there often to see where there at ,but yes there supposed to have some insurance of some kind too ,reality is like gorn said that many are working job to job to pay for the next one ,an the heal of there boots,