Time Wears Down

Austin Hall, staff

Time wears down all things, and when it come to vehicles, time often moves faster. Cars are often one of the largest purchases you will make in your life, and owners will go to great lengths to protect them with insurance, garages and more. When these items don’t protect the car, owners are forced to send it to someone and hope they don’t get ripped off.

This dilemma has been faced by many, which is why it is critical for owners to find a shop that they trust. Even when a good shop is found, many still don’t understand what is being done to their car.

Restorations are more common with older, classic cars that might need to be taken apart, down to each individual nut and bolt. Depending on the car, this process can take years. The most common type of restoration is a full-body job. This is when they physically take the body off of the frame and rebuild the car from the bottom up. This involves tremendous planning and organization because there is a risk of misplacement.

Pat Mollman, of Deadwood, has worked at the SouthSide Service station for 43 years and has many stories of what goes into, not just repairs, but minor restorations as well. Many people have the belief that one car is better than the others, but Mollman said, “They all have there ups and downs.” Now saying this there are cars that are more complex to work on than others. “Ford diesels, I won’t work on them.”

This is not uncommon when you have to take a cab off just to replace a fuel pump on a new Ford diesel, he said.

These are a few things that people need to know when they send a car into the shop. It is very difficult work. This is why it is imperative to find a good mechanic that can be trusted.