Anyone with experience: TJ tuck-n-roll?

How come when some one mentions " made in China " they get jumped on for not supporting the local economy, but nearly everyone thinks its a great idea to send their car south of the border for a re-trim?

Its the same net effect. One less job done in the US.

 

mexicans have to eat too.. $2000 and $650.the math is a no brainer. with gas so high ,food prices high,houses for closing,what rodder can afford to put down a fat wad of cash for a re trim? when he/she cant afford to drive to work.paying some guy in TJ for less money puts more food on your table and a roof over your head just with the savings alone

 

Made in china:
100% stolen U.S. technology
assembled in a sweat shop
workers paid .30 cents per hour
probably contains hazardous/toxic materials
All $$$ goes to support a hostile comunist govt that hates us.
Sold to a U.S. distributor for $1
U.S. distributor sells to a wholesaler for $5
Wholesaler sells to a retailer for $7
End consumer [you and me] pays retailer $10 for a chinese made POS that's only worth $1
we have no control over the situation

upholstry work done in mexico
Supporting mexican economy keeps "illegals" problem down
Provides good jobs to our "neighbors" to the south
Mexico supports human rights
Decent living conditions
Same materials as bought at a U.S. retailer [and probably made in china anyway]
Only real difference is the middleman is cut out
We have some control and say over the situation

Think back to when China was granted MFN trading status. The "justification" was made that by allowing [cheaply made] chineese goods into our economy, the consumer would have a choice... Buy cheap, or buy [american] quality.

What has happened is that the american public has been short-changed. Now all merchandise is made in china, and prices are still high. The "middlemen" [as in big corporations] post HUGE markups and turn record proffits.

Hell, if you think about it, a mexican interior might very well be the most american thing you could do!!!!!

 

Have been to TJ many times, have had upholstery done there...........

however......with the current situation on the streets down there,drug war,police being assinated,ect......... call me a pussy but i wouldnt step one toe in that town right now. saving a few bucks aint worth getting shot or arrested.

i have a friend that spent 3 years in their jail and his family spent every dime they had to "ransom" him outa there

you guys back east have no idea whats happening right now in that town

 

Years ago, a friend of mine, who's a Mexican national and lives here on a green card, took his 57' Chevy to TJ for an interior job. Left the car for a week. Came back and the car had been sold. He was heart broken.

I did a Vette awhile back. Seats and door panels. The guy did ambulances but was laid off. He worked out of his garage. Door panels and seats cost $90.

Downtown Willie in Torrance, Ca is quick and reasonable. He only works on 1 car at a time. He did my 65' Biscayne in a week.

 

The way you guys rationalize your hypocracy is hillarious.

yeah, and so do the Chinese and the Indians and the Taiwanese... and the good ol' hard-working American... the guy who's really suffering because cheap-ass companies are sending all their work over seas to get it done cheap... JUST LIKE YOU.

 

Had a mini truck done back in 74 in Tecate, Mexico. lot less hassle than TJ. Still looks great sold truck when I moved. The thread line is bogus surprisingly enough most of the material I saw down there was made in the USA.

 

hellfish you are funny,i am working class and i support the working class in all countries.last time i looked i WASNT A COMPANY i am one person trying to make a go of it so dont push your sell out crap me. Some people cant lay out 3000$ for a job,if you can well good fucking luck to you. US working stiffs with little money ,because this system pays shit minumum wages, have to go shop some where else.Why dont you write to your senator and ask them to pay people decent wages to the low income earners and maybe..just maybe i will shop around in the states,until then climb down from your ivory tower and get a fucking clue about how working people live,i am not one of these gold chainers people talk about,maybe you are. Your system is selling you out,it all ways will. I am driven by what i earn,decisions i make daily concern what finances i have,thats just a hard fact...even the decisions about car interiors.remember hotrodders were mostly working class.... alot hasnt changed

 

OMG..the movie 'Losing It'...wow, what a memory.

I grew up in south Texas, 10 miles from Reynosa. I once had my two front bucket seats and rear bench done for my 67 Camaro at the time for $150. That included LEATHER, foam, hog clips and some spring work. I DID take my own thread cuz I wanted a particular type (I do most of my own leather work, but that was a huge job I just was not in the mood for at the time).
I did NOT take my own car but rather threw the seats in the back of a buddies old pickup. The craftsmanship was top notch. Those seats still looked great the day I sold it. (Hell, they helped sell it)

Jef

 

you don't have to go to mexico for that. i used a mexican dentist in dallas for my last root canal. cost me like 250.

 

Are they still saying that, I heard that 30 years ago when i lived in so. cal. Ended up going to Eddie Martinez for my interior and i'm glad i did.....

 

Hey just got back from TJ last night. My friend got his 54 caddy done there yesterday. He and I will be posting pics soon of the awesome job they did down there after Ink and Iron this weekend. Spent the day down there with not one single problem. Went to Champions upholstery got the entire car done $900 bucks excluding trunk. It's not on stitcher's row but about 2 or 3 miles by Plaza Rio. Miguel from the Lifter's sent us there, I am also in the Lifter's. Excellent work for the money. Took about 12 hours with new panels made, new padding etc. Can not say enough about the work done by these guys. It's definitely worth the trip. Also the shop was directly across the street from the TJ police headquarters. If anyone want's to go down or needs any help just let us know.

 

Sounds like everyone is giving you good info!! Yes bring a buddy & drive it down & STAY with the car!!----Reminds me of late 40's when we brought our own nylon thread, foam was not invented yet, & some of the old tricks was to stuff the piping & pleats with good ol' horse sheeet!!!-----------Don

 

This all funny I remember being in TJ once an there was 4 jaguars from the Beverly Hill dealership getting the cars done at a shop so I walked up an talked to the owner about the cars he said he dose all the custom redo' when customers want a different color combinations

 

Great thread, thank you for bringing it up. I've had a couple cars with TJ interiors. It's exactly like all the posts say.

 

This has nothing to do with the current situation there - or the "overseas" argument either, but in 1958 me and a buddy took my '49 Fleetline down for a complete tuck-and-roll interior, carpets, headliner, the works. I had heard even back then about taking your own thread - I didn't. It took a day and a half, cost me $150 of my summer earnings (which was pretty much the sum total), we had a blast - went to a jai-lai game, bull fight, and witnessed things in some of the bars down there that no 18 year-old boy should have. The upholstery came out beautifully - and still looked like new when I sold the car 2 years later. All in all, money well spent I thought.

 

I'm about 3 hours north of Tijuana and would consider making the trip for an upholstery job in my '55' Chevy. Wanted to see if there are any updated recommendations on where in Tijuana to go and approximate cost for a total tuck and roll interior. I had a '57' Chevy reupholstered in Tijuana in the late 60's when attending San Diego State - As I remember it was $150, completed in one day, and looked really nice. My '55' was owned by a high school buddy that was killed in 1967 in Viet Nam. Trying to keep it pretty 60's traditional in appearance. Dirtcop

 

Years ago, I took my girlfriend's vw bug down there for reupholstery. Job was well done and priced okay, but got nailed by u.s. Customs at San ysidro border for customs fees when I declared the "purchase". Wasn't all that much to pay, but getting sent to secondary inspection was scary, even though my lawyer was with me. Haven't been to Mexico in decades; afraid of cops and robbers down there. Found a decent upholstery shop in Escondido that did the seats on my '49 Mercury in recent years; not sure if they're still around.

 

My mother inlaw knows an upholsterer in Mexicali. That's where I am getting the seat for my project done. I also plan to try a chrome shop I found over there. With almost 19 pesos to one US dollar right now, it really makes a big difference. Plus the already lower rate for labor.

 

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