WHO WORKS ON YOUR PONTIAC?
 

As my health continues to decline,I find it impossible to find a garage or a person to work on my car! Either a garage or TRUSTWORTHY person! Anyone else have this problem as we are getting older and doing our own work is physically impossible?

Its hard to find a general garage that will work on older stuff. If they don't have a place to plug in a OBD scanner, they don't want to mess with it. There are a few older technicians that will work on them on their off hours. Ask around your local car guys and try to get some names.

Me.
I couldn't afford it otherwise.

What I don't work on, a friend who owns a shop does. He does some resto work, general repairs, drag races a Mustang, along with his dad.

Same here,but I usually enjoy it and do my own work because I like too. I am 54 and in good health so far,but I REALLY dread anytime I have to get under the car.Getting under is easy,getting back up takes some thinking...

I have to do all my own work otherwise I'd be better off taking a stack of c-notes and setting them on fire.

Xs 2.

Besides, there are garages today out there will rip you off or steal what you have. Last garage I went to ripped me off for $322.00 for a windshield wiper motor for the GTO.

I did leave out that I really enjoy the mechanic end of it.

MPD is the man. I am the luckiest guy in the world. The best wife and the best friend. Love them both.

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I am located in Dayton, OH. If you are in Northern KY., I would be happy to help you out . If you want to PM me with your specific needs, possibly I can do the work for you. I own a small fleet management shop but do fill-in work on cool cars, mostly Pontiacs that interest me.

I do all my work on my cars but I have a buddy who is an old time mechanic and a large percentage of his work is on old cars. Here's an average summer day at the shop. Too bad you're not close to Joysey.

Im very lucky.I have a great friend for 50 years that built my 63 Lemans who was Tyrees wrench and car builder.Also have a local racer who is very good at stuff most people cant figure out.I have given up on engine assm work and have 3 reliable guys to use.Tom

I'm still OK with almost anything on my goat that doesn't involve engine work. I have a Pontiac buddy locally who is a good mechanic... and he's 13 years younger than I am. He's my heavy-lifting partner, especially when my arthritic shoulder is acting up. My engine guru is a bit of a ride away, but he knows Pontiacs inside and out. Always worth the trip. Plus, Tri-Power Automotive is just up the road in Libertyville when I run into something I can't or don't want to handle. Happens every once in a while, and they're good guys. I feel very fortunate to have so many helpers so close, and I'd have been in big trouble without all the help I've gotten on this forum.

The things my docs will still allow me to do, I do. Everything else my BIL, Joe, does.

I retired from being a mechanic after 30 years. I found an easier job. I still do my own work with some help from my sons though I have to depend on them more and more. When I was it the car business it was easier to find places to do the stuff you couldn't. I have been out of it long enough that I don't know where to get work done. It kills me to pay someone to do something I could do if I had the equipment. Like balancing tires, $50 to balance 4 tires!!!!!

most areas, even rural like me have "Hot Rod Mechanics".... just need to find them. Often they don't have public shops or signs out. Ask local car guys at the next local show....

I have one mechanic for my Lemans and another for all other modern cars. The Lemans guy is great and is big time into classic muscle and the other is really good and most importantly an honest guy. Took me a while to find them when I moved here from TX but after a couple tries I found these guys. I would love to do more myself but severe back injury prevents me from doing a lot of it. What I can do myself I really enjoy.

A lot of the street rod guys have shops and if you don't need restoration work they can be very helpful. They are very good at knowing what will work if you can't find the correct part. Just don't ask them for "numbers matching stuff". They are also a lot more friendly than some of the "stock restored" guys that I've met.

I do my own. Been taken in past so I do not know who to trust around here for major repairs.

I have a friend here who helps me work on my Pontiacs. He has been racing Pontiacs for years. Really good to have someone with all that knowledge.

Here is a pic of his car at Butlers event a few years ago.

Still do my own. Having a lift makes it a lot easier. Crawling around on a creeper would be a real pain.

Boltbuster: you can come over and use my lift if you need to.

George

around me (rural) one would be astounded at some really nice private shops out in the woods on acreage with their house. No sign, top level street rod, modded muscle, and resto muscle come and going. Referral basically only and they pick what they work on, meaning if you have a cool car, great.... like I said, ask at car show in your area who does their work.... once you hit a good network of honest car people (I have) the mechanic knows a tranny guy knows an engine builder knows a paint guy... so yes you pay, but you don't have to go to big sign overhead places either.... there are still honest folk out there... there is stuff I do and stuff I don't do so I am in the middle on farm out.

Thanks for the offer, George. I'll keep that in mind when the weather turns.
Kerm

I do all my own work with my dad and brother sometimes. My dad was a mechanic, and I am ase certified as he was, even though to me it's just a piece of paper lol. I work on all my cars myself, don't know how people afford to pay the ridiculous prices lol. I charge a lot less than the shops, that's for sure....

yeah good info to know.anyone recommend a good mechanic/shop in the SE michigan area?

I still do most of my work on both street car and race car.
Jack Gaydosh does my motors and have a tranny guy.
Know when to farm out.
As you get older it's using your head and not weak old muscles..;)
I'm 74 and still do most of my work...just slower than before..and know when to ask for help...most of the time.:rolleyes:
By all means get a lift if you can..makes life much easier and SAFER!!!

Haven't used them, but we have Tri-Power Automotive in Libertyville, IL. they work on all makes, but are Pontiac guys. I'm sure there are other small shops that don't advertise.

I do all my own work because I am too picky to let anyone else work on my Pontiac. This forum, along with some very talented friends and acquaintences, provide me everything I need to keep it on the road. Special thanks go out to Calvin Hill and Cliff Ruggles.

I needed someone to install the poly bushing in my upper and lower rear control arms. I went to 5 different shops around here and no one would do it. I ended up buying a press from Harbor Frt and did it myself in about an hour.
I don't understand the though process of some people. If one of those shops would have tackled the job they would have gotten all my business.

Where I'm at we have a handful or reputable hotrod shops. Going to your local car shows and asking around it the best way to find them.

I have tried some local shops,not happy at all with their work! I hate paying good money for sloppy work. last individual that worked on it screwed it up bad,put my car in a ditch and damaged a new clutch,said he was testing ,but the black marks around his house said otherwise. Just glad I got it back in 1 piece! Of course he has no money or anything else for that matter,so sueing him would be a waste of time. I thought I could trust him,my bad

The day I can no longer do my own work on my Pontiac, is the day I will put it up for sale.