Our Services
Steve’s Auto Restorations has built an exceptional reputation in the restoration and rod building business over the last four decades. The ability to adapt to and overcome any restoration or fabrication challenge is the foundation upon which much of SAR’s success has been built. The multitude of services provided at SAR range from concept designs and custom metal fabrication to “back to stock” ground-up restorations and turnkey rods and customs. SAR has performed concours winning restorations on the likes off “one-off” 540K Mercedes and Delahayes, Daimler “Green Goddess”, Cords, Packards, classic Cadillacs, etcetera. Entire builds can be done here in the shop to ensure quality control.
Design
At Steve's Auto Restoration, we specialize in creating custom, one-of-a-kind vehicles tailored to exact specifications. We have an in-house team of experienced designers who can help you turn your dream car into reality. Our designers will work with you to refine your design and ensure that your car looks and performs just the way you want it to. Whether you’re looking for a classic look or a modern twist, our design team can help you achieve the perfect balance of style and performance. With Steve's Auto Restorations you can be sure that your dream car is in the best possible hands.
Custom Work
Whether your heart desires an awe-inspiring custom creation, a Concours award winning “back to stock” restoration, or simple upgrades for a family favorite, Steve’s Auto Restorations can give life to any automotive dream. Everything required to transform concept design to finished vehicle is available under one roof. Range of services include-
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One Off Products
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Custom Metal Fabrication
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Castings
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Pattern Making for Unique Features
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Theme Packaging
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Components Custom Tailored to Fit Needs of Client
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Color Renderings
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Parts Lists
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Interior Samples
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Paint Test Panels
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Concept Design by the Component or Complete Car
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Airbrush Illustrations in Scale or Full Size
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Mock-ups
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Models
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Fiberglass Work
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Stock, Nostaliga, Newstaliga, Restoration, High Tech, Custom, Post Modern
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Car Locating
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Secure Enclosed Car Hauling
Headlight Re-Silvering
For 30 plus years we have been offering the service of re-silvering headlight, taillight and cowl light reflectors back to factory specifications. Silver plating was originally the most effective way of plating reflectors and is still used here today at Steve’s to achieve the superior reflective capabilities versus using chrome or other materials. Most original reflectors were made of brass. To determine if your reflectors are brass use a magnet, if it won’t stick it is brass and in some very rare cases even aluminum. If the magnet sticks it is steel. To re-silver brass reflectors we chemically clean, polish, silver plate and then finish polish them. Steel reflectors are often rusted and require bead blasting. Steel reflectors usually cost more to re-silver because they are copper plated before being silvered to achieve proper adhesion and reflective capabilities and to fill rust pitting. Some light pitting can be silvered over, but the pits will often still be visible. Pitted steel reflectors are copper plated and then hand sanded to remove the pits which adds to the cost of processing steel reflectors. Reflectors that have dents, old gasket material and heavy coatings will take extra labor to prepare for re-silvering. We also offer disassembly and reassembly. The shop rate for these services is $105.00/hr. Turn around time is approximately 4-6 weeks from the time we receive the reflectors. Rush orders can be processed with an additional 25% charge for a 3 week turn around, but we cannot guarantee that service at all times. Please remove lenses, sockets, bulbs and gasket materials before sending in your reflectors. If you have European lights needing re-silvering and the lenses are crimped into the reflectors, we can remove and replace them at an extra charge. We also have a wide selection of rare original headlight lenses, bulbs (6 or 12 volt) and cork gaskets in stock. To determine the cost for re-silvering measure the diameter across the face outer edge to outer edge. Find your measurement on the chart to the right. Re-Silvering prices are listed for individual reflectors and pairs.
Reflector Size | Single | Pair |
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12 Inch | $290.00 | $580.00 |
11 Inch | $255.00 | $510.00 |
10 Inch | $220.00 | $440.00 |
9 Inch | $210.00 | $420.00 |
8 Inch | $195.00 | $390.00 |
7 Inch | $165.00 | $330.00 |
6 Inch | $150.00 | $300.00 |
5 Inch | $135.00 | $270.00 |
4 Inch | $115.00 | $230.00 |
3 Inch | $105.00 | $210.00 |
2 Inch | $90.00 | $180.00 |
Extra Deep Reflectors | E&J Reflectors add 50% |
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Add 50% Cost | Add 50% Cost |
Metal Fabrication
Unsurpassed metal fabrication abilities have long served to separate Steve’s Auto Restorations from a sea of competition. Mastery of time-honored techniques and access to antique and modern metal working equipment and technology enables our knowledgeable and experienced staff to confidently tackle virtually any metal fabrication project. In addition to projects thought to be restricted only by imagination, impossible to find parts are also within our grasp. Years of experience restoring antique automobiles have resulted in the ability to repair irreplaceable parts or cast or machine new ones from hand-made patterns. If you can dream it, we can fabricate it and we can build it. Custom fabrication projects include, but are not limited to-
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Bumpers
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Fenders
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Sheet Metal
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Hoods
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Rolled Pans
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Chop Tops- Sectioning
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Filler Panels
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Custom Dashboards
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Rust Repair
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Replacement Panel Work, reproduction or Hand Formed Bodies
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Doors- Custom Hard Tops For Roadsters or Conv.
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Exterior Trim
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Fender Skirts
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Sectioning
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Concept Lighting
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Frenched Lights
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MIG, TIG & Gas Welding on Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Mild Steel, Pot Metal and Brass
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Leadwork
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Concept Design to Finish Product, Component or Complete
Louvering Services
We offer Custom louvering services on your body panels. We will work with you to achieve your vision with a precision layout tailored to fit your specific panel. We have multiple louvering styles available to fit the aesthetic of your build. Louvering starts at 5 dollars per louver and a hourly shop rate of $105.00 for setup, metal prep, layout, and hands on time. The time involved can vary based on the complexity of the layout and the initial condition of the panel. We also have our deck lid skins and assemblies available here for purchase with our pre configured layouts of 5 rows of 20, or 7 rows of 23 with the option of handle accommodation. Contact us today about taking your hot rod to the next level with traditional louvering executed with modern precision.
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Bodywork & Paint
Steve began his custom automotive career as a painter, so the superior quality he demands from his paint and bodywork crew should come as no surprise. Although we are taught not to judge books by their covers, street rods, customs, and restorations are seldom as fortunate. A quality paint job, or lack there of, is often the first criteria by which vehicles of all types are evaluated. Whether for street driven rods or concours winning restorations, the crew at SAR pride themselves in delivering exceptional, long-lasting, and award-winning paint. Range of services:
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Urethane Two-Stage Paint
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Oven baked paint work
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Metallics
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Graphics
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Flames
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Fades
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Stock, Nostalgia, New-Stalgia, Custom, Restorod, High Tech & Beyond
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Color Renderings Available
Gas Pump Restorations
Another specialty of Steve's Auto Restorations is the restoration of vintage gas pumps. We have restored numerous gas pumps for collectors, museums and automotive enthusiasts. We take these utilitarian objects found in a state of decay and breathe new life into them. Taking our restoration knowledge of over 47years in business we restore these gas pumps above and beyond there original glory accentuating design lines and aesthetics from the the era.
Encompassing traditional techniques and modern materials with superior craftsmanship we bring these relics into the present as nod to the past. Incorporating pearlescent finishes, pinstriping, 24k gold\ silver leafing, fresh chrome plating and period specific hardware these illuminated art objects are a perfect accent to adorn your home car collection, foyer, den, or automotive business.
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Over the years we have amassed a collection of parts, resources, and working knowledge to preserve these snapshots of history. We have globes, glass, parts and structures ready to facilitate your next addition to your automotive collection. Contact us today about starting your gas pump restoration for your home, garage or business.
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Have a look at our Gallery of completed gas pump restorations for inspiration.
What Our Clients Say
Larry Anderson
"I first met Steve in the early ’90’s when starting to restore/build my driver ’55 Chevy. I needed body & paint work, I thought. Three years later in March ’95 we debuted ‘The ’55’ at the Portland Roadster Show far exceeding my expectations for body/paint/interior and overall fit & finish."
