thunderbird ranch

We took our 1960 Thunderbird here about 2 years ago to be restored. After talking with John and his father we felt pretty comfortable .They both seemed to have a lot of knowledge and knew what they were doing. We had the car there for pretty much a full restoration including a paint job. The initial price range was around 24k-30k. Once we left the car there, all communication stopped. There were absolutely no updates, pictures or info as to what was going on or what progress was being made. However, there was no problem with the bills coming ever month. It had seemed like things were moving along and progress was being made based on the very low detail of the bills, but a lot of parts were being purchased. Things were getting done and it seemed like things were on track. We had gotten to a point where we were over 20K already paid and not even close to where we were expecting, so we made another trip out to see them and see the car. After spending over 20K in parts and labor, this is when John informed us that if we were looking for a paint job, we were looking at about another 30k!! This was a total shock and they had claimed that we never discussed this. At this point, not being able to keep throwing money at the car and completely losing trust in what they were telling us, we just wanted the car back. Now mind you, after already spedning over 20K, we still had original drum brake system, original rear end(not been touched or looked at) The interior was completed, some new wiring(however we expected and paid for ALL new wiring) transmission rebuilt, window motors (rebuilt) and the engine installed, all hooked up, exhaust(we'll get to that) and a lot of other things involved in a restoration. We advised them that the original agreement had not been met, there was no Commumication, and the progress on the car was not any where close to where they had led us on to think. We just wanted the car back so we told them to wrap things up and we were coming to get it. Fastforward to picking the car up, they wanted another almost 8k for work that I wasn't able to see or even believe everything was done that they had said. I took the car home in the fall of 2023. Drove it around the block a few times before it had to go in storage for the winter. Spring of 2024 I take the car out of storage and DRIVE it home. For the most part, it drove pretty well until about 2 minutes from my home where it started spitting and sputtering until it died on the side of the road. I now have the car that I've already spent almost 30k at in a different local shop to look it over and get it road worthy again. Aside from all the things that never even got looked at or touched on this car, this is what my almost 30K got me. The carburetor that John Sr. hand rebuilt, was not actually rebuilt. All the insides are old, crusty and the floats have holes in them, so now it needs to be actually rebuilt the correct way. The exhaust that was all brand new, is leaking from 4 different spots at the manifolds, the mufflers were cut and cobbled together to fit and the tail pipes are nowhere close to even at the back, the window motors that were apparently hand rebuilt because John Sr. thinks thats better than replacing, work about 50% of the time and the entire dash needs to come out so the wiring that we were told was replaced, can actually be replaced now and new motors and switches put in. Along with the new wiring that we were supposed to get, the tail lights don't work, the windshield wipers don't work, the heater lever is stuck and doesn't operate, the battery is completely lose and not tied down. The spark plug wires were all zip tied together, the brakes were NEVER even looked at or inspected. We were informed that the people doing the majority of the work were their "apprentices" aka family members, while we were still being charged normal labor rates, and obviously none of the work was checked. Car is home now and another 7k to fix what they messed up and maybe I can drive it on the road this year

Jun 14, 2024 · Ryan Bender

A couple of years ago I sent my car to Pittsville for John Draxler's T-Bird Ranch to finish my car's restoration. He estimated $20-30 thousand, he ended up charging me $40,000. He later said we differed on the meaning of the term "restoration." He sent my car back the first time and it did not start, had steering problems, the top did not go up and down and the sequential turn signals did not work, despite John's having charged me $600 or so for a new transistor board (actually a part he made, and a good one), the brakes were bad, most windows did not go up and done easily, doors, hood (which could never quite be made to fit) and the trunk were seriously misaligned, and the power steering pump did not work, among other problems -- I counted 17, at the time. We sent it back to him and when we got it back home, many of the jobs I just described were not done or not done even reasonably well. We trusted him and would not do that again. I felt like an idiot, but had little recourse but to sue in a small town court, over 225 miles away, which I did not do. One of the most blatant items was 2 chipped paint spots/undone edges (on an otherwise good paint job) that we could not see with the top up, that his son assured us was fixed. He just charged a ton and never even finished the car. Simple as that. $40 K would have been a fair price in my view, as the car needed lots of work, but it was never finished.

Mar 27, 2019 · carl

Never do business with this company. I gave them my car in October of 2015 with an original quote of $4800 (the quote was $5500 but i declined the leather seats), for an entire interior restoration plus some other work. About a year later I was a little surprised when I got a bill for $10,700, but thought I would be so impressed with the craftsmanship that I wouldn't mind paying the extra. At this point when I came to inspect the car I was disappointed to find that the quality was lacking (cut in the new seats plus wrinkles in the new headliner). They said they would fix it after I was forced to threaten not to pay, then I asked how much it would take to finish the project and was told $2500. Within a week I received a bill for $19,000 and was given no explanation to why their number was so off. I got my car back this week and found there are wrinkles in the seats, speedometer doesn't work, backup light works sometimes, and a fresh blemish on my new door panels. Also, I told them I wanted to keep my original dash from the beginning, they threw it away. I paid $125 for a used steering box in good condition that I left with the car, they returned the car with one that had been sitting in the field for 15 years and said it was my problem. Summary: Unprofessional, poor attention to detail, low quality, and did not honor original quote

Mar 17, 2017 · Stephen Kowal

A great source for not just parts, but advice. John has a passion for helping you solve a problem! Whether he makes a sale or not. Often not.

May 18, 2017 · Sam Gulotta

A great source for not just parts, but advice. John has a passion for helping you solve a problem! Whether he makes a sale or not. Often not.

May 18, 2017 · Sam Gulotta

Such a wealth of information, very nice customer service

Mar 27, 2022 · Derek Fetzer

Such a wealth of information, very nice customer service

Mar 27, 2022 · Derek Fetzer