Honda restorer in the Midwest?

[Tirebiter]

G/f ripped up the passenger-side door and front fender of her 1996 Civic LX coupe pretty good recently. Given the shape of the remainder of the car and the mechanicals, we're not eager to part with it.

Have visited two franchised body shops who won't touch it, saying the car is totaled.

So--anyone know of a shop in the Midwest/Chicago-area doing body repair/restorations of Hondas who might be willing to touch it? Thought with the emerging interest in vintage Japanese cars someone might.

Thanks for your time.

 

[lethal6]

Need more info on the damage. If it is just a fender and door, buy them and have someone adjust the gaps and blend the paint. These are a dime a dozen so they total very easy because getting to 80% of the value of the vehicle isn't very hard to do. If there is structural damage though, I could understand why no one wants to touch it and I wouldn't blame them. Don't have all the facts though. Pics would help.

 

[mc360]

A new door and fender should be easy unless there is structural damage

 

[Tirebiter]

Thanks for responding.

I thought a new door and fender weren't a big deal, either. At least until I brought the car to these two shops.

It was a low speed collision--there isn't any structural damage fortunately. Guess I need to keep looking.

Wondering if the fact that this would be an out of pocket repair as opposed to one covered by insurance makes a difference?

 

[lethal6]

Not usually because the shops are going to get more out of customer pay repair than that of an insurance repair because the insurance companies dictate how much will be paid out in the end. I haven't met a body shop, a dealership, or a mechanic shop that doesn't hate dealing with insurance claims. It's a nightmare.

I still think there might be structural damage or something more than just a fender and door. If it what you say it is, it's a gravy fix (industry term for a very easy job that pays well) and they would make a killing out of a simple repair like that. Define "low speed"... Even a collision at 15mph will cause structural damage if hit in the right spot or at the right angle especially on a unibody.

 

[xxBLOOD88SHOTxx]

Posting pics or using 1000 words, please post pics.

 

[ImportFan1]

@connies96hatchie Something your guy would look at or is that not what he does?