Anyone with experience: TJ tuck-n-roll?

Has anyone had recent experience with going down to Tijuana and getting some interior work done on their car? What materials did you get? Was the workmanship good? How about prices? How much time? Did your seats need any foam work? Headliner or floor carpet?

My 60 El Camino needs everything (seat, door panels, kick panels, headliner, carpet) and I was thinking about a cheap TJ tuck-n-roll job. If the car was really nice i would have a real pro effort, such as Fat Luckys or similar, but this car just needs something besides duct tape. It's my daily driver, so nothing real custom interior, just a basic job is desired.

About 15 years ago I took a motorcycle seat across the border and had it recovered in black leather for $40 plus threw the guy $5 for a tip. The tip was probably more than the guy's wages for the day. The seat was a decent job and I couldn't beat the price. My buddy and I sat there drinking beer and watching the guy do the work, took about 2 hours total. He used the old vinyl cover as the pattern, did not need any foam or repair work to the seat.

Any advice or help is appreciated. I think this would be a great article for a magazine. Any magazine guys want to do a story about it and take some pics as the process takes place, if I go through with a TJ tuck-n-roll interior? Thanks, Terry

 

Terry, I've always wondered the same thing.

Would you remove the seats & door panels from the vehicle and take them across, or would you drive the car to the upholstery shop?

There have to be some SoCal guys with experience in this department...

 

FWIW.....I have always heard you should take your own thread.

 

Don't you know? "They stuff your seats with Horse shit down there"

Drew

 

I've always heard that you should take your own thread if you expect it to last. I guess leaving what's left on the spool will get you a little extra on the job.


Frank

 

Terry, you've seen and sat on the upholstery in my coupe. It's my TJ job done right here in Modesto. The shop that did it only has one guy that speaks english and he's the owner. I upped my insurance before I took my car to that neighborhood but they did a good job quickly and it's still holding up good. They did the doors, kickpads, ceiling, trunk, and put in a bulkhead between the trunk and cab, upholstered it with tuck and roll for $900 and only took two days. Give me a call and I'll get you the shops number but he'll only discuss doing your car if you drive it over and talk to him personally. He'll blow you off if you try to deal on the phone.

 

We carried some motorcycle seats across. We parked the us side and walked over a bridge (where this pic was taken) to the shops. We did see alot of cars that were driven in also.
This way, your door panels are all installed, especially if you want a headliner, and just drive away all done. At the time there was a range of places, shops in buildings to just tent like setups resembling a flea market booth.

38chev454,
Feel free to use this pic as a "before" shot in your article. Hmm, I wonder if that bridge is still there.

 

My thought was to drive the car there and have it done. Be a weekend road trip? I think the rumors about the thread and the stuffing are maybe not as true anymore? Is that wishful thinking? Does anyone have actual real experience with south of the border upholstery? Do I need to bring a spanish speaking friend to help this gringo? My spanish is pretty limited: cerveza, gracias, por favor, bano, etc. Guess that 2 years of spanish in high school was too long ago, hahaha.

My motorcycle seat was like Mikes51, I carried it across. Those shops have guys that come right up to you soon as you cross and they try to get your business. It seems real competitive, at least 15 years ago. Is it still similar?

Thanks Derelict, I will call you and get the guy's address in Modesto.

 

Derell, where is that shop in Modesto? Is it the one on South 9th street? Back in the back? If so, that's the one by my friend Steve' shop...

Terry, I'd go for the Modesto shop... you can get the Mexican to do it, drink beer while you wait and get the same quality job... the money you save from not making the trip to TJ will probably go right back to him to pay his up-scale rent!

Also... I think American Rodder or Street Rodder... or was that Rod and Custom... did a story on a TJ tuck job... it was about ten years ago, so we're due for another!

Sam.

 

Terry...
You should have had it done when you came for the roundup, you could get the same thing here in SA!

 

No Sam. The shop is located on the GOOD side of Hwy 99. Not too far from Modesto High and about a block from Ceasar Chavez Park.
I saw that article too just a couple of years ago. Can't remember what magazine though (no cracks about my memory ok?).

 

Just a story. I took my '62 to TJ when I lived in Oxnard in about 1968. A pal from La Jolla who knew where to go went with. We found the shop that had been recommended to him and negotiated a black nauga tuck & roll job: seats, carpet door panels, dash pad and tonneau cover with a zipper in the middle...$100. We drank beer and tequila all afternoon and drove back that evening. The interior wore like iron. I removed the the covers in the mid-70's when I restored the car after about 150,000 miles. The interior is in boxes up in the garage attic still.

Go for it.

Charlie

 

i personely haven't had any work done in tj but if you decide to go that route i can get you in touch with a guy that's done some work for a couple of friends. very profesional looking job and he has secure parking at his shop. not sure on prices but i think it cost about half as much as a comparable job in the u.s.. if you're interested send me a pm and i'll get you the info.

here's a story about a guy i used to work with who brought his 64? el camino down to tj to get the seat recovered in the late 80's. everything went great he said he was happy with the job they did. a couple of nights after he got home the el camino was stolen, a neighbor of his saw the robery taking place and called the cops. the cops had the stolen el camino pulled over within a mile of his house. they had a dog sniffing the car and that's when he figured out what had happened. when the seat was taken appart they shoved it full of bricks of marijuana, behind the door panels too. he had filled out and invoice that had given them his address so the shop owner had an associate go steal the car as an easy way to get the drugs across the border. i can only imagine what would have happened to the guy i worked with if he had gotten stopped while crossing back into the u.s. anyways they arrested the theif and i think they got all the guys that worked at the shop in tj. long story short if they ask you to fill out an invoice with your adress, don't give them your real adress.

 

i wish i lived closer i would be getting my car done there. any shop around me charges $3000 and up or a average job. customer of mine had a total performance interior kit put in and carpets made and the shop charged him $2500

 

Thanks Axle, that's exactly the information I was looking for. Sounds like your experiences have all been good, as proven by your repeated business. Now I just have to figure out a time to get down there and get it done.

 

ROAD TRIP!!

Sam.

 

Axle bitchin post, I guess I know who's doing my new interior! Sounds like a fun road trip to boot...

 

Awesome.

Axle, just to be sure I'm clear, the prices you quoted were for the labor, and did not include the actual upholstery material, right? You said you bought that across the street? How much did you spend on material to do your entire Pontiac wagon?

Thanks.

 

tad bit off topic, but instead of sitting around drinking, inquire as to any dental work you might need...

over the last few months I've been going to Ojinaga, Mexico for root canals and crowns, the quality is top-notch and the cost is a fraction of what you'd pay here. sounds terrifying but it's not. look into it.

 

Dan - I hear Mexico is a great place for optical too.

Juarez has some great low cost, while-u-wait psychotherapists. Ask for Dr. Sigmundo Freudez.

 

Don't forget to drop by the pharmacia while you're at it.

 

in NJ you cant even get people to put dogshit in seats and cover it with garbage bags around here for under 1000.00!! consider yourself lucky!

 

Oi Axle.......shoulda put a disclaimer on that statement!

I'd NEVER ever take my stuff down to Mexico......So intent on NOT doing that and NOT paying the prices here in town, I taught myself to trim. Sometimes it's worth it and in the long run, you can trim someone else's car and pay off that industrial sewing machine!
xxx
Brandy

 

Caffiene what do you get for 1000. in Jersy? Just asking.

Josh

 

i used to have a mini-truck and when i was pricing interior (about 7 yrs ago?) they wanted 3500 just for the cab. nothing custom or anything.

for 1000 you can get a decent looking 35 yr old hooker with 2 kids a C section mark and big hair in NJ.

 

This was all the info we need. It would seem a road trip awaits. We should get a line of cars to go down and all get done together. Talk about a great story. Anyone up for that? They better have Zodiac Vinyl!

 

Anyone know about the upholstery biz in Nogales? I assume its fairly similar to TJ, but I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience or shop names.

 

What if you took your OWN vinyl oh and thread? That way you are assured you get the material YOU want and maybe bring the price down?? I LOVE Mexico, I go twice a year, but never for trim.......but I do LOVE the silver jewelry!!!! If there's a big convoy, I'm going!! Whooo hoo!
xxx
Brandy

 

all.......i repeat ALL the prices i quoted included the parts AND labor!
so, 600 bucks was 600 bucks...total!
275 bucks was 275 bucks.
when they finally say "ok", and you both agree to a price they will ask for $50.00 or $100.00 and that covers the material and thier lunch. the rest is thier profit!
this is no joke fella's...i do this all the time. my neighbor's think i'm fuckin nuts. people say you have to pay a small percentage of taxes on what ever you purchase in mexico. every time i go back across the border the U.S. customs (which my mom use to work for) ask me "what was your purpose for being in mexico"? i tell them, sometimes they look around for 15 seconds,and they wave me on my way. i have never had to pay customs a dime. its allmost to good to be true. i have a 36 three window (shhh,no one is suppose to know) i am building....i WILL drive it down there for navy blue and white tuck & roll this fall!