Starting in ’87, I spent a decade working with Mike Jones at Mike’s Frame and Alignment. It was my training ground. I gained an in-depth understanding of the geometry fundamental to a car’s drive, feel, and handling. At the time, body shops didn’t have their own frame-repair equipment. So, all Unibody structural repair was sent out to a frame shop. Since there were so few frame shops in town, it meant a nonstop influx of work.

​

During those ten years, I cut out frame rails and other structural components from hundreds of cars before rewelding new ones. It was an invaluable experience in every aspect of vehicle restoration. It gave me eyes to see a vehicle in all its dimensions, not just as a flat surface to cover with paint. Knowledge of where and what the real problems are saves a lot of time and money, improving the efficiency of the entire restoration process.