Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

So i was watching velocity tv this evening. They got a show called fantom works and it turns out that it is in Norfolk, VA. Anyone in the area had any experience with them or know anyone that has dealt with them?

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

I dont like the guy in any way

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

I agree guy seems like a douche but some of the work they do seems top notch and it's not but so far from me. I am thinking about getting my vert painted and just was gonna explore the idea of getting them to do it. Not that my car is anything special or that I want to be on tv. I just figure once you put yourself out there for the world to see like they have with their tv show. Everything else they do even the small jobs need to have the same caliber of work. Last thing they would want to do is tarnish their image with shoddy work if they are gonna claim to be the largest restoration shop in east coast or America ( can't remember which one they claim).

I mean I can get it painted locally. Sure but with that being said. The local guy does crap work, and you tell your friends and maybe he loses a few random customers. These guys on TV do crap work and with the help of the internet the whole world will know.

I would also assume their labor rates would have to be competitive with whatever the local higher end paint shops would do a job for or else they would not survive ecomonically.

Maybe this isn't the way I should be thinking about this but just thought I would get someone else's opinion on the shop if they happen it know of them or seen something they have done in person

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

I was going to say i doubt they would touch a thirdgen due to it being not old enough to be a "Classic" yet, but it looks like they have done a vert fox and a Monte SS from the early 80's, Im sure it would cost quite a bit over a normal body shop to have it painted though

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

i took my 78 Pontiac there and was basically charged $900 to change my distributor with one i provided, and it still didn't fix the problem for why i brought it in, their prices are SUPER high because they think they are the best out there. I just heard they will be charging a minimum of $100,000 for any "restoration" no matter what the car.

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

yeah, from what I can see when the camera lingers enough on some of those cars their work isn't that great. and, Jesus, what they charge is ridiculous.

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

Yah, I'd love to see the unedited versions of the moment he hands the customer their phone book, I mean invoice! Especially the ones with the wives present.


"Well here's your invoice, and you know Mr. More Money Than Brains, we spent a billion hours removing your vinyl top and repairing a half dozen pin holes".


Did anyone see the guy with the 67-68 Mustang? I felt so bad for that guy and what he must have paid. I think I saw a gun and a mask in the episode.

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

well said!

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

Yea I totally agree, some of those shops get some exposure and next thing you know there charging 1,500 for an oil change, trust me Ive been there. I have seen some of Fantoms cars some look pretty good and some or like I would have not accepted that especially for what they charge. But then again I know a lot of those cars will fight you to go back together but you can tell corners were cut and the quality just wasn't there. Just like OCC and Paul Jr designs and all those other custom builders and so fourth, they get so big they implode

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

Don't know how I missed this old thread, but my 2 cents... The stuff he turns out for TV does look nice. But first, stupid little crap is waaay over dramatized. Second, the guy dives a freaking Prius! Sorry, but if you don't appreciate the stuff you work on enough to drive something you've built, or at least have a shop vehicle for a rolling advertisement, you aren't getting my money. I kinda like the diesel brothers. At least they drive what they build!

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

The Diesel Bros are cool. Met them out at the Mint 400 this yearhttps://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...8c604652e0.jpgThis is my niece with Diesel Dave

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

^^^^^^^^Nice! And the stuff they build is just plain bad ***!

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

He is a bit of a drama queen. I guess it's in the script.

He also used to be a "Special Forces" "Test Pilot". Never heard of that, maybe he should have been a Special Forces Astronaut.

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

You would be better off putting your car in a trailer & going to a better shop. Phantom Works is a place you go to donate your $ to. I assure you there are better painters out there. The difference between a $5,000 paint job & a $20,000 paint job is someone made a whole bunch of $. I've seen some pretty crap work that people paid a lot for & some that paid a little & looks amazing.
90% of a paint job is body work & sanding. Once the body work is laser straight & sealed 20% of the people on this site could make the paint look factory or better with the right equipment

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

All,
I have some friends who have their own shops in the area, that have had to fix work that has been done at the above mentioned shop. Way too expensive in Labor Rates. I have also heard that the word free advice does not apply there. A friend of a friend went their and was told when he asked some restoration questions, that their was no free advice on a build or potential build because his time is money.
V/R
Kerry in Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

I saw on their website that they give a free tour every Friday. Have any of you ever taken the tour?

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

Iv'e saw show a few times, Dan the owner is a blithering IDIOT. No matter if it's scripted or not I wouldn't do that If I was the owner and they wanted me to. Kinda like Pimp My Ride on MTV. Ryan finally got sick of the things the show wanted and was getting a bad rep from it. So he quit it and did West Coast Customs...

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

I wouldn't give Fantom Works a matchbox to work on!

Diesel Brothers on the other hand build some very cool ****!

Re: Fantom works car restoration? Anyone in the Norfolk area.
 

The vast majority of the quality of a paint job depends on prep. (Nearly) any idiot can lay down paint with decent equipment and a little experience.
I've been by the Fantom Works a few times, never stopped to go inside. For performance work I would recommend Virginia Speed (in VB behind the Navy airfield) or Abacus Racing (VB/Norfolk off of Northampton). I've dealt with both several times and have had good experiences.