WEll.... if any of you remember....last spring (Feb)we took my wife's
1957 F100 FORD stepside truck to a body shop. It was originally owned
by a AMC/RAMBLER dealership when new and used as a service
truck..complete with push bumper.My brother-inlaw bought it at an
auction in 1967-69 or so. It STILL has "SEE RAMBLER FOR 1961" painted
across the tailgate. Pretty rough, ROTTED due to her ex-hubby letting
it rot in the
yard for around 20 years. Illinois weather will eat
anything thats NOT stainless steel!ANYWAYYYYY the shop (ran by guys
my son knew)worked on it for a couple of months..off/on...mostly
OFF, then stopped completely for no apparent reason.In early JULY
(11th to be exact)i asked them "how much will it take$$$$ to finish
it up"? We had originally a deal...swapping parts , a car AND $$$ to
do the truck.So far up to then all panel fabricating...etc was done
very NICE!! Sooooo like a trusting DUMMIEEEEE i PAID the remainder IN
FULL.Hoping they would finish it up. My wife had been wanting it
restored since her ex parked it!! Somewhere around 1975-77. The shop
NEVER touched it again. Every week..."it will be done next week for
sure"! Finally would NOT return calls, answer the door...WEIRD.I went
to the shop last Saturday, it was rolled outside in the fenced in
lot.Had not been touched for weeks again! NO answer to
knocking(they
were inside the shop). I hooked a tow strap to it,opened their gate
and dragged it out! THEN i beat the hell out of the door tryting to
get the rest of the missing parts. NO answer except for laughing on
the inside...! So i took a PIPE to the door, hand was VERY sore by
then. I then called the police. As soon as the police
arrived..MAGICALLY..the shop door opened and parts started coming
out of the woodwork! NOW...it is home in MY garage. NOT finished..BUT
atleast i have MOST of it back. They had even removed the vin
tag...BUT i found it and brought it home. MY luck is NOT too good at
times. Found out they screwed a guy on a JEEP truck paint job( pd for
but not finished) recently also. I'm just happy we got it back.
NOW...i have to see what all parts are missing....... Atleast they
DID paint the "SEE RAMBLER FOR 1961" on the new tailgate before
dropping off the job. Kept the original sign
painted tailgate as it
was...to hang in my shop.My son feels very bad....he recommended
these guys to me.They paint,sand,bondo...etc with NO masks
on...maybe tooo many brain cells fried?? Soon as i get the body shop
dirt off it,get it to run..i'll take photos and send em in. My son
sprayed the flames on it right before they quit working on it. Wish
me luck,Joe
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