Call Kurtis: Hot Rod Rendezvous

Ask yourself this -- how long have I ever left my car at the repair shop? Whatever it was, you have nothing on this guy.

Donald Moore wrecked his custom hot rod on the roads of Calaveras County in 2004. The replica 1932 Ford needed a lot of work to get it back on the road.

And nearly seven years later it still wasn't close to being done.

"...I put my heart and soul and everything into it," says Moore.

Then he wrecked it. The damage looked like it was mostly to the body.

So he had Michael J's Auto Body, in Pine Grove, work on it. And that's where we met with Moore on this day in mid-January, and it's the first time he's seen the car in a while; boy does it need a wash.

As it should; shop owner Michael Jones started working on it "oh, five years ago, six years ago." It's been more like seven years.

Moore says he's been trying to get Jones to put repairs into overdrive for a couple of years now.

"I've been trying to push, push, push, push and jump up and down and I just keep on feedin' money and feedin' money and he fell behind that's all."

Feeding him money; he's not kidding.

"Way over 30 thousand, cash." But Moore put the brakes on his own efforts last March when he talked to our Call Kurtis volunteer Chuck.

"Oh, Chuck's fantastic!" Moore says with great enthusiasm. "I talked to him so many times, and Michael's talked to him."

Chuck started working with Jones, trying to get him to finish the work he started in 2004.

"Uh, it was draggin' on," Chuck says. "I was beginning to wonder what was gonna happen on it. It was really draggin' out."

Chuck remembers it was one delay after another with Jones giving him a different reason each time. They were the same kind of delays that drove a wedge between Moore and Jones, whose work Moore admired and relied on for so long.

And as our producer found out, it's only one reason Moore was willing to wait as long as he did.

"Why were you so patient," producer Shawn asks Moore. "My health mostly, it's hard for me to get around nowadays."

Shawn then turns to Jones "let me ask you this, do you think you took too long on this car? Yeah, I did, yeah. I'll be honest with you… I'm really particular on a lot of stuff. I want things to be done right… And you can take a look at it. The result shows you."

Now that Jones finished most of the work in the last two months it's Moore's time to get behind the wheel.

"Beautiful, beautiful," he says looking at the dashboard and door paint.

Chuck's hard work made it possible.

"It's kinda neat to see it come together."

But it's not quite road-ready. A couple of mufflers and a few other finishing touches and it'll burn rubber.

And Jones has implemented a new personal rule after this experience.

"Now, I'll bring a car in and I'll just do the car and be done with it, ya' know."

State law says auto repair dealers must give you a written estimate, and need to clear any additional work and associated charges with you. Be sure to get everything in writing and if you have a problem that the dealer won't resolve with you, file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Affairs.