Body Shops in MA/Northeast

Started by Ingman, July 04, 2017, 10:50:03 AM

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Ingman

Does anyone know any good body/restoration shops in the north east? I have a 1975 Inno 1300 Export.  I will need floor, bulkhead and Hinge panel work in the next12-24 mos.  prefer a mini specialist.  Going to the mini and microcar classic at Larz Anderson in Brookline MA...hoping to meet a few folks there.
RJR

MiniDave

If you want a competent, affordable body shop to fix your Mini right, the best place I know of is our host's shop in Tulsa. Yes, it's a slog from where you are but I doubt you'll find one better suited to what you need done. Not a lot of places over here in the US that know and understand how these cars are put together.....I've seen a lot of really bodged cars.

BTW, welcome to the forum!

Put up some pics of your car?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Ingman

Thanks MiniDave.  I enjoy watching your posts on BaT! 

Well maybe thats a good excuse for me to buy that pickup and trailer I have been contemplating.

Couple of pics, now before all the mini guys start picking it apart, it has a story...It is the original shell and block but not 100% original.  It was originally sold in France, then imported to England in 1980.  It had body work and respray in the late 1990's and that probably when it lost its original fenders and lights.  Think it probably had a front end hit, but of course that is not documented in the paperwork I have, but it has noticeable repair where the passenger side subframe attaches to the bulkhead.   

I bought in in 2010.  Drives awesome, but the belly needs attention and I think i'd like to put coil overs on it when it is apart.  Would love to do it myself, but don't have the experience or the time.

Couple of pics.  I will take more this weekend at the show.  Hope they post correctly. 

Thanks for the welcome and happy to be here!
RJR

MiniDave

Several of us here post in the auctions on Bat, gr8cornholio is here, along with Larry H (who is BruceK here) and we try and draw any of the classic Mini owners here, as this is a terrific site, both for info but also because folks here don't let their egos run amuck.

Dan can give you some input on what it would cost to fix up your car, but if you go look at any of the threads on work he's doing/done, you can easily see the quality of his work.....check out the 66 Cooper S he's doing, he just got the main shell painted and it came out like liquid!

That looks like a nice Inno, worth spending the money on to get it into shape, but be aware.....once you open that kettle of fish, it's hard to find a place to stop!

About the coilovers, I have first hand experience with three cars (including my own) that have them and unless you're headed for a track monster, I'd probably steer you another way.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Ingman

Thanks for the advice on the coilovers.  I definitely only want something I can drive on the roads...frequently.  Not  daily driver, but spring, summer and fall fair weather driver.  Yes, the kettle of fish scares me a bit, but she deserves it. I'm willing to keep her until she pays me back..which might be a long time.  The trade off with the 1300 Ex is performance is great, entry price is better than MKI-II Cooper S, but some parts are hard to find. 

I am going to check out Dan's work.

Ha Ha...I love watching gr8cornholio bid...he almost always gets what he wants!   
RJR

MiniDave

In my thread on the 73 Mini, I changed it over from Gaz adjustable shocks/coilover springs to Moulton Smooth A Rides and what a huge difference in ride quality. So much so that I'm thinking of changing my  almost new Pro-Tech coilovers to them too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Love the white and black color combo, but then again I'm a little biased in that regard.   ;D

I second what Dave said about considering Dan's shop for expert Mini body work - my car is currently there getting some issues corrected.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Ingman

Thanks Bruce!  Yes, I love the black and white combo.  Was not my first choice, but can not imagine another combo now.
RJR

ADRay

I'm up in Dover, NH. There is a shop up here called Paintworks Unlimited. I'be had them do accident repair, floor patching, and elective repainting over the last few years. I was referred to them by Brit Bits in Rye, NH (not sure if you've heard of them). While they are not Mini specialists, Sean has some prior experience with Mini body work, other than my own car.

The lawn events at Larz Anderson are a great time - Micro Car Day is a blast too, the only one I've been to when they allow owners to give rides in their cars to spectators on the grounds. Beautiful spot too.
1982 Mini 1000 HL
@andyray998

Ingman

Thanks ADray.  I have hear of Brit Bits.  I think I found them when I first brought the car back from Europe in 2011 and thanks for the recommendation.  Maybe one year I can meet you at the microcar classic.  I have been wanting to go for the past couple of years, but work has always prevented it.  Are you in any clubs in the area?
RJR