1971mach1

Not sure what kind of mods or what your budget is. There's probably alot of good shops in So Cal.
If you have the dough, Chip Foose looks like they do very fine work (from the TV show Overhaulin'). Since the show hasn't been on the air much, they may be not very busy now. (and they can do it in 7 days Haha!)
If you're up near San Jose airport, Mustang Fever did a great job converting my 71 from
auto to 5-speed stickshift. It looks and runs like it came from the factory that way, even with a stock looking Hurst shifter. The only tip-off is the "5" on the shift ****.

67t5ponycoupe

Any mechanic can install a 5 speed. Any bodshop can install an Eleanor kit. If you are looking for top of the line and original then check out the Auto works site. Here is a link to the Obsidian they built. http://www.autoworksracing.com/AWRac...dian_build.htm They do true custom work. They are reputible and do top quality work. I have seen their work first hand and have friends get work done there.

eZ

Just my suggestion but you could save a bundle of money buying a car that is already done. Especially with the way the market is. Lots of people trying to sell right now. I would go to a few car shows and see if anything fits your liking and you could always modify after, repaint etc., and still save a ton of money

1971mach1

I agree with EZ.
Check out the Mecum muscle car auctions on cable TV on HD Theater, or on the web.
Keyword Mecum. Or Barrett-Jackson auctions on Speed channel. You can find some great deals at these often selling for less than restore cost (and some get bid up too high, so you have to do some homework). Mecum is coming to Monterey in Aug and Barrett has auctions in Vegas.
Ebay has some deals too, but watch out for scams.
Good-guys has alot of big classic car shows around the country (check the events page) There's
always a big "for sale" section at the event in Pleasanton Alameda Fairgrounds.

Oak

Not sure where you are but these guys are in Riverside Ca Bcclassicandperformance.com

Bruce owns the joint. 951-686-3929

Have personal knowledge of their skill and knowledge, tell them Ryan sent you

Here are some of their projects






Oak

jimmydean28

awesome guys - thanks for all the replies! checking out all these options - ill let you know what i decide - based in LA but willing to work with anyone that is really - figured i would ship after the build

67t5ponycoupe

I have had some experience with BC classic and would not take anything to them. Have a friend that had them build a 66 fastback for him. The car and the build cost him 50K+. The car looked great, had 331 stroker and 5 speed. The car smoked from the get go. Took it back them 3 times, they did a bunch of crap and never fixed it. He blew up two rear end before they got that fixed right. After they could not fixed the smoking problem I recommended to change the valve covers since I thought it was sucking oil through the PCV. A set of motorcraft valve covers fixed the problem. They had also installed 2 sets of valve cover gasketsfor rocker clearance, one had slipped and was leaking oil on the header. That didn't help. I test drove the car after the repairs and was impressed at how fast the car was but scared to death becuase the car would not stop. Asked my buddy about that and he said that is the way they delivered it to him. After some trouble shooting I found a bad booster/master cylinder. I replaced that and the car stopped great. He still liked them and took the car back to have the first global west coil over set up for a 65/6 Mustang installed on his car. The turning radius was terrible on the car and the steering stops were hitting on the calipers at full lock, pushing the piston calipers back into the bore so when you went to hit the brakes again the pedal would go to the floor and you had to pump it up. He was working on getting them to fix that when I moved away. I'm not the world authority on Mustangs and I'm not one to bad mouth but damn when you charge that much for a car it should be right when it goes out the door. If I was trouble shooting stuff and getting it fixed, they should have been able to get it done right the second time at least. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Coupe

Budget? If you can't find it on the west coast then you don't need it lol.

Oak

Pony coupe, I am very surprised that your friend had a bad experience, I have done 2 cars with these guys and now I am working on # 3 (Comet wagon). I was wondering when this happened? Every time I am over at the shop the past customers always stop by and say hello and appear to be happy. And Bruce gave me a customer list to contact (referrals) recent customers? It is very weird that the motor had a problem, I know the engine builder they use (Jim Van Gordon) and have seen good customer service from him.
None of this sounds like the guys (mechanics) working in the shop now. I have personally seen 2 shelby mustangs come into the shop to be prepped for BJ Auction, they were done perfectly. Sorry for your friends problems hope it all worked out.
Oak

cprstreetmachines

Jimmy it is hard to pick one over the other with the info you can get from anyone here. I suggest looking on the better business bureau to give you an idea for starters. I can tell you story after story of local shops, and how they have even done me in. Including one mentioned here, and who they owe money to. But any of that can be made up, just as well leaving facts out to talk their buddy up. Or if you call them, some people are very good salesmen, and you get told what you want to hear. Every local shop knows about the one shop around that has burnt every bridge and no one will deal with. One owner just got put in jail. That guy has TONS of coverage, I mean tons. But the internet is a great thing for guys like that who can build themselves up and make themselves look bigger than they are with a great reputation. Magazine coverage is easy, and you can pay people to get you into things like that with lots of coverage. For you to get the best possible unfiltered line of bull is to call local shops and business's around the area. See if that company has ever dealt with them, if they pay on time, if they owe them money,etc. Your own background check if you will. It happens MUCH more than folks outside the business would ever care to know. Make sure to call a shop into different work. Otherwise you get their competition and you can find you get bad mouthing just to get your business. Call someone who might do their tuning, build their rear ends or engines, etc.

For my own plug, I can give you any reference you want. Customer or business. I've been in a mag but I don't care for it, and haven't tried for another since. I get calls all day about small details about the car and can't work. I like being small. I don't advertise. Probably 80-90% of my stuff is customer referred. The rest is stuff like this website and being seen at a local track. I am close enough you can come down on the weekends, see where your money is going. And you can drive it home instead of shipping. If you want to change every line of the car to make it look different, I'm not your guy. If you want the car to function, and still look like a mustang, that might be me. 619-449-1706