[Brad B. Hillebrand]

After a year long 67 GTO hardtop $13,556 dollar paint and body restoration by Best of Show in Naperville, IL my car looks like *****. I have orange peal, paint splashes, paint bumps, dirt under the finsh under the decklid, decklid trim and edges of the trunk. Dirt under the finish of my header panel and they painted over body sealer on my hood scoop. I have orange peal in the door jamps, I can see the filler shrinkage and sanding marks in may parts of the body and I can't put my stainless on around the rear window quarter since the filler is not smooth.

They also would not fix the work, didn't provide me a detailed work sheet showing work done and hours and they won't fix the issues. I've been battling them to fix the problems for over a year.

The owner, Jim Martino came out to my house and looked at the issue. He said he would take care of it but never returned any of my 20 calls or so.
The receipts he gave me were written so you can barley read his name and he never put the words "best of show" anywhere on the receipts.

He also put bodywork over existing bodywork and told me that would be just fine. I learned later that that's not the case.

I am getting a case together to sue him. Just wanted to let people know to watch out for this guy and business. It is owned by Jim Martino and the infamous Rick Last.

Thanks

Brad

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

After a year long 67 GTO hardtop $13,556 dollar paint and body restoration by Best of Show in Naperville, IL my car looks like *****. I have orange peal, paint splashes, paint bumps, dirt under the finsh under the decklid, decklid trim and edges of the trunk. Dirt under the finish of my header panel and they painted over body sealer on my hood scoop. I have orange peal in the door jamps, I can see the filler shrinkage and sanding marks in may parts of the body and I can't put my stainless on around the rear window quarter since the filler is not smooth.

They also would not fix the work, didn't provide me a detailed work sheet showing work done and hours and they won't fix the issues. I've been battling them to fix the problems for over a year.

The owner, Jim Martino came out to my house and looked at the issue. He said he would take care of it but never returned any of my 20 calls or so.
The receipts he gave me were written so you can barley read his name and he never put the words "best of show" anywhere on the receipts.

He also put bodywork over existing bodywork and told me that would be just fine. I learned later that that's not the case.

I am getting a case together to sue him. Just wanted to let people know to watch out for this guy and business. It is owned by Jim Martino and the infamous Rick Last.

Thanks

Brad

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

I forgot to add that I bought the domain name bestofshowinc.com. I'll be building a web site that shows the messed up car so people can see first hand how not to select a restoration shop and what not to accept from your restoration shop.

Thanks

Brad

[tripower]

Wow Brad, this was hard to read. I was out to Best of Show in Naperville when Jim first opened his business a few years ago. He seemed conscience about restorations and offered to paint my car for around $4500. Seemed reasonable but I hesitated because I never saw any of his work. He has painted some nice cars including Jim Sterns 66 GTO that has won at the nationals and was featured in Thomas Demauro's "Original GTO" book that just came out.

That is troubling if they are not following up on bad work now. I know how hard it is finding a reputable shop in the Chicago area, as I thought this one of them as they advertise and sponsor many GTO related events in the area. I hope your post here will perhaps get you some results. Good luck to you.

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

Jim's car is a little different story. B.O.S uses his car for advertising more or less and the owner helps Jim prepare the car for shows. He travels with him and transports his car. When I saw Jim car at the shop it was behind plastic curtains while all the others were out in the shop. That's more business related that what I have, just an ordinary customer who paid huge bucks for a car I can't even drive. I took the decklid back to B.O.S for repair since it had sand granules and/or dirt particles under the finish. He took out some of the dirt then clear coated. Problem is he didn't touch up those spots with any paint, the result is clear coated metal pin spots...real good work :-) Plus, most of the dirt is left......Jim's car would never receive that treatment....

Brad

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

I forgot to add another thing...B.O.S always wanted me to pay in cash. So, they would call and I would run down there and give them $1,500 at a time. Sometimes I wrote checks other times I paid cash. On the day I went to pick up the car I needed to pay $3000. I pulled out my check book and when to write out a check. They said no checks, only cash. I told the owner Jim Martino that he accepted checks all the other times, why not this time. He said no, I said I want to talk to Rick Last. Rick was in the shop so Jim and I went over, I asked the same questions and saw out of the corner of my eye Jim shaking his head back and forth to Rick (saying no). Pretty sneeky right? So, I had to dive home to get cash. I came back at night and Jim wrote up a contract all of the sudden that stated I accept the car and the alignment of the body and he said if I don't sign I won't get the car. Bottom line is he knew the car was screwed up and I would find the flaws as I looked more at it (it was pitch black night now). He didn't want a check because he knew I would cancel.....how' s that for good business????


Brad

[head #96]

I feel your pain Brad. I had a similar experience with a bodyshop. Alot less money than you but it still hurt 2700. is what I ate. I was promised a show quality job but got much worst. Lite paint (they used a lite color sealer with a dark colormetalic base) you could see through it! Solivent pop(fisheye), paint runs, paint was very soft wrong hardner or not enough. Anyway tried to sue but settled for $500 and bought myself a aircompresor and repainted it myself. Way better than anything they could have ever done.

The reason I settled was a couple lawyers felt a had a lossing case. They said that since my bill didn't say "show quality" that they would likely win. And even if I were to win it would be just a jugement against them and may be hard for me to collect. I guess I'm happy now cause there no longer in bussiness. Anyway sorry to here about your car and hope everything works out for you.

Building a fast stock appearing street car.
homepage http://home.mchsi.com/~vroman6

[6t7goat]

That sucks Brad. That is some serious coin for a piss poor job. You might want to park the car in close proximity to the shop with a big sign on it. Maybe that would get the guys attention. A financial impact is a whole lot more of a motivator than a mad customer. We once had a customer park a truck across the street from where I work with a big lemon painted on it and a complaint about the dealership. Needless to say the car did not stay parked out there long. Businesses tend to do what ever it takes to minimize their lossses. Good luck. At least file a complaint with the better business bureau.

[Blackcat]

Looks like you may have to pull the clown into court!
For that money the car should be pristine!

Usually I'm found working on my Pontiac. If you want to find me Look for the white picket fence and all the old Pontiacs parked outside. And the half dissembled engine sprawled all over the driveway!

[tripower]

I would think that Best of Show would want to make things right with Brad rather than go to court. Maybe this will be an eye opener for BOS.

[lil64gto]

Brad

I saw a car at the Syracuse National Car show a couple of years ago that had a huge sign running Holey Carb in the ground. It appeared that the guy bought a Holley and what happened was that the gas ran right out of the carb and washed the cylinders out, and ruined the engine. All the guy wanted was Holley to help on the cost to rebuild. No answer and no assistance from Holley, so the guy took the car to all the east coast shows with a huge 3x7 sign blasting Holley. Well let me tell you, with over 10,000 muscle cars and street rods at that show didn't win Holley any positive advertizing. I was told that the guy finally got his point accross to Holley and they gave him a new engine for his street rod.

Going to small claims court isn't as easy as people think. I am not sure how works where you live, but it does cost you money in New York even if you win. Why not give this clown some advertizing that he certainly doesn't want or need.

Good luck

Remember, gun control means that you should use two hands.


http://www.geocities.com/jims64gto

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

Yeah, that sounds like such a good idea!!! I would love to have the car on a platform and put it in front of his shop. I'm actually looking around to see how I can do it and what it would cost. Great idea!!!! I'm past the limit now and oh boy ready for war :-)

I'm taking a bunch of pictures of the screwup's and hope to have them posted here soon as well as the new www.bestofshowinc.com web site I'm getting ready....

Brad

[bigpop]

Brad,could you please E-mail me with your e-mail address?I have known Rick Last for a number of years and have some questions about your ordeal.Thanks bigpop

" goodnight Mrs. Calabash,where ever you are"

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

Sure, can do. I let Rick know already and he has my E-mail. I'll send to you as well.....
I'm getting the web site ready and it should be on-line in 24 hours. I am taking pictures and hope to show everyone intrested what to look for in a restoration shop and what not to accept. I'm a pro now, just took too long to learn it all.

Brad

[Tom Wood 64]

Brad, i don,t know how bad your car is, and pictures won,t show me either, but let me put my 2 cents in on this. Jim Stern,s car was not painted by Jim Martino. Jim M. did chassis work and keeps doing improvements to the car as directed by Jim S. He also gets it ready for shows for a price. After he is done it goes behind the curtain to keep it show ready until Jim S. picks it up. Jim S has his own trailer and i have been in a caravan with him twice. Jim M. did my car, which started out as a shell and a frame. He not only restored it, he built it from scratch. Am i happy with everything he did? of course not. But he and his crew did alot better then the guys that soaked me for $15.000.00 on my other 64, which i did get back, and the car is in the process of being done again. Jim Stern,s car has fish eyes, from what i hear that was common from factory on metalic paints in the mid 60,s. I,m not sure because my cars are Cameo Ivory and Grenadier Red. About a month ago at there was a car show at Lincoln Park Zoo. My 64 took 1st restored original in the class and best paint 1900 to 1985. I,m not trying too be Jim,s spokesperson, just my 2 cents. Everyone turn your clock back. Tom

[JKGTO]

This is just another of the growing number of people ripped off by a body/paint shop. I know Rick Last and was under the impression he was a stand up guy. Have seen a few GTO's that were done at that shop and thought they did a good job on them. Just shows you that even though you trust somebody to do your car right you better have everything down in black and white so its there to fall back on when things go wrong and its time to get lawyers involved. I know this from first hand experience with my car. This really troubles me as I have told several people to call Rick about doing work on their GTO's. Hope it works out for you Brad.

69 GTO RAIII 4SPD BURGUNDY
69 GTO JUDGE RAIV AUTO BLACK
03 HD XL1200S SPORT BLACK

[bestofshowinc]

Hello, My name is Jim Martino from Best Of Show Inc. I feel i need to respond to the slanderous remarks made by brad hilleband. First 13,556 does not get anyone a restoration ,anywhere. Brad had a firm budget of 12,000.His gto was was worked on prior to us at another shop where they hacked on to used rear quarters panels
they were totally misaligned with the body and the trunklid.Brad did not want to cut them off and start over due to the cost of starting from square one.remember he had a firm budget.the shell was not totally stripped of any old bondo on the lower parts of the quarterswhere mouldings
would cover .per brads instructions.the dash was completely installed,frame restored and underside black .those items were all done prior to us getting the car . kinda backwards .No door hinges were rebuilt, no new bolts or hardware were installed or billed for.i did slice and dice the passenger quarter panel side edge so at least it matched the door. this then put us over the budget .items such as this are time and material. all assembley was to be done by the owner ,not us.i did go to his house to see some of his complaints. and did rebuff shrinkage in the hood the trunk header and small misc parts .everyone knows paint shrinks as it fully cures.brad brought me those parts in may or june of 2003. and when they left they looked very good and he accepted them .why else would he take them if they were un acceptable to him.His other concerns with the stainless trim and door seals not fitting ,i told him i was not responsible as i was not contracted to pre fit any parts .just paint and bodywork . now he feels he should get all this for free.This body is as straight as they come, and gto"s have long quarters..No shop including ours hand sands and buffs door jambs and bottoms of trunklids unless its a contracted extra,simple.This was a standard ,not total show quality paint job with tons of body work to make it straight with some minmal metal work,remember his budget.this was not a restoration ,it started out as a basket case with a 12,000 budget.restorations cost 40,000 to 75,000 like tom woods was.Any paint flaws i would be more than happy to deal with but the other work he wants now was never paid for or billed for. He also signed a WAIVER when he picked it up stating he had NO WARRANTY on the shell due to the quarter panel problems and his decision to NOT start all over. this waiver was signed on 10-06-2000. Brad oviously thinks paint and body means total pre assembly on the car for free. call any shop 13,000 does not get you much anymore ,that is why many of my customers disassemble and reassemble their cars themselfs to save money. The bottom line is brad had a firm budget, went cheap in areas to cut costs and now he is not happy because of that and is now mad. He is lying and slandering (which is against the law)and remember he willingly signed a waiver on the shell after inspecting and approving the condition more than 3 years ago.He did not pay for a perfect restoration and if anyone would personally look at the srtaightness and smoothness of the body they would be happy. Is the body perfect no its not ,but he didnt pay for perfect. Thank you for reading my side as there are always two sides.people should not judge others until both sides are heard ,isnt that what court is for in a matter like this? As for requesting
cash from brad ,i had a gut feeling he
was going to screw us out of the final payment .All funds including cash are always deposited in the company bank account.bank statements dont lie! the waiver and pictures of the car can be viewed soon,(tomorrow) at my website www.bestofshow-restorations.com
Thanks again for reading my side and god bless.,Jim Martino

p.s. if im a hack why did one of my recent gto resto's take best of show at the gto nationals and many take gold there too. also best of show awards at the indian uprising all pontiac show. unfortunately had to pay abit more than 13,000.If anyone need refernces i have 100's of happy but broke customers,

[Ccass]

At this point, both parties have had an opportunity to post. This matter should now be concluded via e-mail. At some point when the results of this situation are finalized, I will allow the topic to be reopened.

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Fool around, Get hurt, don't come crying to me.