Leaving country for year, want work done on classic car

I have a 1961 Lincoln Continental taking up room in my fathers garage and now that I will be leaving the country for a year he wants it gone. It was fine while I was in college but now its time to move it :(. I wasn't able to work on it a whole lot during college but it is running and driving. There are some more mechanical things that need work but I can probably take care of those myself when I return, but there is body work and interior that I don't feel comfortable doing and would like a shop to work on it while I am out of country.

What is the likelihood of a shop that is willing to store and work on a car over a year, when they have spare time. Since I am going to be out of the country for a long time there is no rush to get things done.
Also for the Illinois folks, do you know anyone near central illinois that might be able to work on this car?

As for what work needs to be done, the passenger door needs to be hung properly, there was some damage right where the door and fender meet and a '63 door was put on which is slightly shorter, so I put on the original '61 door and I can't get it to align correctly. There are also a number of rust spots and bubbling paint. On the interior, there is no headliner, the door panels are falling apart and the windows don't work, the rollers are seized and/or the window guts are not installed.

This is the "free car storage dodge".

Find a place that is notoriously behind on their work. Tell them to take their time. Worst case, when you get back, the car is not done, but you paid nothing for storage!!

Actually, worst case is they do it in a week and you have to figure out what to do with the car, thus shop selection is critical.

(61 Continental... NOT a small car)

As a point of reference:

When I had extensive body restoration done to my '70 mustang, it was originally planned for 6 months, with the shop owner and his most trusted employees doing the work in between insurance jobs. It actually took almost a year. The car was sent to them with the interior, bright work and lights already removed. The job did go over budget, but not by an unbearable amount, and the quality of the work beyond reproach.

This shop was run by a close friend of the family, and a large deposit was given up front.

I read the post and my first thought was body shop as well. They will keep our cars for 6 months with us hounding them. I imagine if we didn't check in every few days it could be a year or more.

Any advice on choosing a decent body shop?

Just realize most shops probably will not keep it inside either.

That would be a problem.

My alternative is to ship it to AZ to my uncle for him to fiddle with. But that means $800 in shipping

fritzsch wrote: My alternative is to ship it to AZ to my uncle for him to fiddle with. But that means $800 in shipping

That $800 for shipping will likely be a hell of a lot cheaper...

Where you off to?

As to the car, what is your attachment and why not just sell it?

If you really want one down the road, just buy a good one. The work you want done plus the cost of paint is going to be close to what you will spend on a runner.

I was in your situation with my MGB GT 28 years ago, Off to Nigeria and I stuck the car in a body shop in Mineota MN. Guy took 5 years to get the work done! Free indoor storage. If you tell ANY body shop to do the job as "filler" work or words to that extent, it pretty much guarantees that it will never be touched.

In hindsight, I wish I had followed my own advice and scraped the GT and just bought another one when I came back. Would have save a lot of time and $$$.

Long term crappy cars aren't viewed with love by shops. We have a customer using our shop as long term storage right now, and I'm about ready to push that thing out behind the dumpster until he pays us to do something on it. It's getting in the way of paying work.

Chances are getting it into a good shop that will actually work on it, and not just push it out back for a year before you leave is going to be tough. When I had my M535i restored a few years ago, the shop I used had a long waiting list - it was nearly a year and a half from the day we shook hands until I actually dropped the car off.

I am headed to Germany. Even if I wanted to, I don't have time to sell it before I leave and I don't think I would be able to afford to buy another one based on prices.

fritzsch wrote: I am headed to Germany. Even if I wanted to, I don't have time to sell it before I leave and I don't think I would be able to afford to buy another one based on prices.

Unfortunately what you are looking for is a restoration shop, not a body shop. I have done enough of thse jobs to know that body, paint and interior are going to run you over 10k to get done. What is the car worth if you sell now, and what is the cost of a runner 5 years down the road?

This was not a real rare car when current. I am going to guess 10-20k puts you in a nice-to-very-nice car, maybe twice that for one of the less-than 10,000 convertibles that were made.

So, if you sell it for whatever you can as a firesale, and bank the 10k that you are about to spend on the work, I don't see where you won't be in the market when the time comes.

You can't work out any kind of deal with your dad? Because honestly, keeping it where it's at is probably your best bet. Regardless, good luck.

Where are you going in Germany? I just moved back to the states from living in Dresden for about a year.

Ship it to your uncle.

What about just putting it into storage if you really want to keep it? If it's only a year that should come in under $800 for storage I'd imagine?

Or list it for sale and tell your dad to not take less than $XXXX amount, once it's gone it's out of his way?

Curious as to what it is worth as it sits now?

In reply to mtn:

Things changed and that is only now a last resort and would only be for storage. So, not worth it given I could store indoors locally for around shipping costs.

In reply to NOHOME:

Not entirely sure. Maybe $4000 or so. Maybe it makes sense to sell it but this is my first car I ever owned so I don't really want to sell it. And if I sell it, I don't think Ill be buying another

If you've had it this long and aren't messing with it, I'd say try to get it sold (maybe your dad could help?), bank the money and see how you feel when you get back.

I've noticed, regardless of what it is, once you don't have it around for a few months you tend not to care.

z31maniac wrote: If you've had it this long and aren't messing with it, I'd say try to get it sold (maybe your dad could help?), bank the money and see how you feel when you get back. I've noticed, regardless of what it is, once you don't have it around for a few months you tend not to care.

agree.

you see:

i see (with hindsight):

Full disclosure..I kept the mgb and spent way more than it was worth to restore it and still have it in the garage 30 years later. Don't ask me why?

I strongly advise you not to do this UNLESS you have an iron clad contract about when the work will be finished, the total cost, and the specific quality of the finished work.

If you do this Don't pay the full amount until you get back and see the car. It is very unlikely that this will turn out to your and the shop owners satisfaction. There are far too many variables.

Off hand a couple of situations that I recall hearing about are parts being sold from the car while the owner is away. The car being used as storage for parts tools primer spray and a years worth of body filler dust.

I'd like to buy it, send me a pm with more info

PM sent