Author Topic: Best pagoda expert for a PPI in the East Bay / Oakland area?  (Read 2430 times)

icebone

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Hi,

I'm looking for the best person or shop to do a PPI on a 1971 280SL in the SF Bay Area, preferably Oakland.

As I said in a much longer post, I have some pretty specific questions about this car — namely, it's showing 72k but that's pretty clearly actually 172k and it seems to have gotten a partial restoration, color change, and crate motor at some point. Body looks very solid (to me), rust free (including under trunk mat, wheel wells, etc), the spot welds are in place on the front fenders, and so on. Looks straight and pretty honest, but I’d like to do my best to make sure. I don’t need a show car — I’d like a solid driver — but I don’t want a project either.

I searched this forum for similar topics and found a link to Ron at OURSL.com. I've contacted Ron, but the post was a few years old so I thought I'd ask again: I’m looking for someone in the Bay Area who really knows these vehicles to help me out. Any advice appreciated.

Also, has anyone worked with Erich at Precision Motors over in Oakland — I found him through googling, but I cannot tell how much experience his shop would have with Pagodas.

Thank you!

icebone

Shvegel

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Re: Best pagoda expert for a PPI in the East Bay / Oakland area?
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2017, 13:47:21 »
Specific Pagoda knowledge is a must.  It is too easy to miss important body issues without it.  You have to know where these cars rust.

waltklatt

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Re: Best pagoda expert for a PPI in the East Bay / Oakland area?
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2017, 14:54:12 »
What about Roy Spencer out of Burlingame?

icebone

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Re: Best pagoda expert for a PPI in the East Bay / Oakland area?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2018, 02:19:03 »
Just to close this out:

Rene at Burlingame Motors came highly recommended by several here (mostly through PMs, not this thread, for some reason), and I now recommend him highly myself. His shop is terrific, specializing in old Mercedes, with some high priced metal in there - 300SL roadsters among others. Rene is frank, honest, and very experienced with these cars.

Roy Spencer is terrific as well; he does not do PPIs himself but if you are lucky (and email in advance) he may drop by Rene’s shop when your car is there. He says he’s personally bought (and sold) over 325 Pagodas and he’s a true expert. He spent an hour with me going over mine.