QUALIFICATIONS

It’s Alive Automotive (IAA) leverages a unique blend of facilities, people, tools and processes for the sole purpose of classic car repair and restoration. At IAA, restoration is not an afterthought but the foundation for our existence. This focus ensures high quality restorations at a fair price in a timely manner with no surprises.

WORLD CLASS FACILITIES AND TOOLS

Our facilities span over 75,000 square feet with every inch purposefully designed and populated with all of the required and best restoration equipment available. In addition, we have established relationships with exceptional subcontractors whose invaluable contributions facilitate the restoration process. We leverage only the best machine shops, media blasters, and powder coaters in the industry.

INVALUABLE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

The members of the IAA Team possess the skills and experience to achieve any aspect of the complicated restoration process. Not only does the IAA Team include the best metal fabricators, body men, painters, mechanics, upholsterers and detailers but we also employ a seasoned administrative support team ensuring that each build is continuously refined thereby achieving the optimal path to completion.

More importantly, our team has a culture of continuous improvement in all that we do. Learning from each other, learning from our successes and mistakes, and building on advanced technology, while strategically and prudently investing in all elements of the business are critical and embedded in our culture.

PROVEN PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

CONVENIENT LOCATION

The ability to easily and frequently drop-in and see the progress, discuss the process, and perform educated decisions is truly invaluable.

It’s Alive Automotive’s state-of-the-art facilities are conveniently located in the heart of Saint Louis, Missouri just one mile from the Saint Louis Lambert International Airport. Our convenient location facilitates strong communication throughout the process resulting in efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfied customers.

The IAA Process

Our Proven Classic Car Restoration Process

Every classic car restoration is different, but the fundamentals of a successful restoration remain the same. At It's Alive Automotive, we've refined our restoration process through decades of experience restoring Jaguars, MGs, Triumphs, Austin-Healeys, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and other classic European automobiles.

Every project is customized around three key factors:

• Your restoration goals
• Your available budget
• Your desired timeline

The result is a restoration plan that balances authenticity, craftsmanship, and long-term reliability while keeping you informed throughout the process.

Vehicle Disassembly & Documentation

What Happens During Disassembly?

Every restoration begins with a complete vehicle teardown. This critical first step reveals the true condition of the vehicle and often uncovers hidden corrosion, previous repairs, structural damage, or worn components that cannot be identified while the car is assembled.

During disassembly, our technicians:

• Carefully remove all mechanical and body components
• Inspect every assembly for wear or damage
• Document findings for the restoration plan
• Identify replacement parts and restoration requirements
• Photograph and catalog components throughout the process

Every part is meticulously bagged, tagged, labeled, and stored within our 6,000-square-foot parts storage facility to ensure accurate reassembly later in the restoration.

By the end of this stage, the vehicle is typically reduced to a bare body and chassis with the drivetrain, suspension, wiring, interior, trim, and related components removed.

Structural Reinforcement & Rolling Jig Preparation

Why Reinforcement Matters

Once the vehicle has been stripped, maintaining structural integrity becomes essential.

Depending on the vehicle, we reinforce the body and mount it to one or more custom restoration jigs that prevent unwanted movement during the restoration process.

Our restoration equipment is designed for:

• Body-on-frame vehicles
• Unibody vehicles
• Coupes
• Convertibles
• Partial restorations
• Full concours restorations

Many vehicles utilize two specialized fixtures during restoration:

- Rotisserie jig for stripping and structural metal work
- Rolling body jig for final panel alignment, paint preparation, and refinishing

Maintaining proper rigidity ensures accurate body dimensions throughout media blasting, metal fabrication, panel fitting, and final assembly.

Clean, Strip & Prime

Removing Years of Wear

Once the vehicle has been reinforced and mounted to its restoration jig, the body, frame, and suspension are carefully cleaned and stripped to expose the true condition of every component. The exact process varies depending on the vehicle, its construction, and the condition of the metal.

Depending on the project, we may use one or more of the following techniques:

• Sandblasting
• Soft-media blasting
• Chemical stripping
• Hand stripping
• Power washing

Each method is selected to effectively remove paint, rust, and contaminants while minimizing the risk of panel distortion. Once the bare metal is exposed, we perform a thorough inspection to identify any hidden corrosion or structural issues that were previously concealed. If new findings impact the scope of the restoration, we review them with the customer and adjust the restoration plan accordingly. Finally, all exposed sheet metal is etched and coated with a high-quality epoxy primer to provide long-lasting corrosion protection and create a stable foundation for the metalwork, bodywork, and refinishing stages that follow.

Metal Fabrication & Panel Fit

The Most Important Step in the Restoration

At It's Alive Automotive, we believe metal work and panel fit are the most critical stages of any classic car restoration.

This is where exceptional restorations separate themselves from average ones.

During this phase we:

• Repair structural rust
• Fabricate replacement panels when necessary
• Restore damaged body panels
• Perform MIG and TIG welding
• Test-fit doors, hood, trunk, and body panels
• Verify factory body gaps and alignment

One of the most important factors during this stage is properly supporting the vehicle exactly as it will sit once fully assembled.

This prevents unwanted body flex and ensures precise panel alignment after paint and final assembly, especially on convertibles, unibody vehicles, and heavily rusted classics.

Only after all metal repairs have been completed, inspected, and approved does the vehicle move into the bodywork phase.

Parallel Processes

TWO PARALLEL EFFORTS

Once the metal work is completed and approved, the restoration process may vary slightly depending upon the type of car and the scope of work. Generally the process divides into two parallel efforts that will come together later in the process:

1. Bodywork and paint
2. Mechanical restoration

Body Work & Paint

Our bodywork and paint process has evolved through years of experience leveraging the best equipment, materials, and technologies culminating in “Pebble Beach” winning finishes at a great value (one of the cars we painted won first in class at Pebble Beach!) The IAA preparation/paint process is methodically performed to guarantee that every panel on the car ends up with a high gloss, deep, scratch-free, and consistent finish on “perfect panels”.

There are infinite ways to paint a car and defining the “optimal approach” is both challenging and critical. Fortunately, It’s Alive Automotive recognizes the importance of defining the optimal process and leverages countless years of experience to achieve this end.

Mechanical Restoration

The parallel effort to bodywork and paint is mechanical repair. Our goal is to always complete as much of the mechanical restoration without working around a recently painted body. This objective is easily achieved with a body-on-frame car, but is substantially more difficult on a unibody or monocoque car (such as a Jaguar XK-E). Regardless, we take all of this into consideration and adapt our approach to each individual car. The chassis and suspension components are either powder coated, painted, or plated (depending upon originality and customer preference). All the suspension is installed with new bushings, bearings, brakes, and flex lines. The engine and transmission are also restored to customer performance specifications. The end-state is enhanced performance, reliability, and beauty all packaged and ready for integration with the body.

Regardless of how the chassis is built, we strive to complete and fully test the mechanical systems (engine, transmission, suspension, etc.) prior to integration with the body and painting the exterior of the car. Again, the process is dynamic and varies greatly depending on car type and customer desires.

Performance Upgrades

We offer upgrades to the drivetrain of many cars. While we are not a hotrod shop, our customers frequently request performance upgrades on their engines, transmissions, interiors, and suspensions.

We gladly accommodate modern engine upgrades (compression, cams, bearings, exhaust, oil seals, etc.) transmission rebuilds (we rebuild A-type overdrives in house) and frequently perform Tremec 5-speed Transmission conversion upgrades (IAA is a Tremec Dealer). We also install custom exhaust systems.

Body/Chassis Intergration & Paint

Generally, once the chassis is tested and the body is “cut in” (painting the floors, door jambs, firewall, trunk…) the chassis and mechanical systems are integrated with the body. This integration is widely dependent upon the type of car (unibody, monocoque, body-on-frame) and must be designed with maximum efficiency, considering possible paint damage, overspray, and ease. Please note that many factors are involved in defining the final paint process/sequence, and the final paint may occur prior to or after the integration of the mechanics with the body. Each car is paint sealed, sprayed with enough base-color to provide excellent coverage and consistency, and finished with at least 3 coats of clear. We use only the very best Glasurit paint materials. All paint jobs are color sanded to 3000 grit, buffed with a wool pad orbital sander, and polished with random orbital sanders to achieve a world class finish.

Final Assembly

Once the body and chassis are reunited and the car is painted, color sanded and buffed (not polished), we’re ready for final assembly. This process starts with the remaining mechanical elements (wiring, gauges, lights, windows, regulators, door latches etc.) and moves to refurbishment and installation of interior and all bright work. This process is generally completed with the installation of the carpet, door cards, seats, convertible top and front windshield.

Shakedown

At IAA we consider the shakedown process critical in our goal of achieving total customer satisfaction. We believe that all too often cars are delivered without identification and resolution of the “kinks” associated with a major restoration or repair. We strive to put over fifty miles on each car while validating the operation of all systems in varying and extreme conditions. Our goal is to identify any and all defects long before the customer leaves the shop with a quest of avoiding all customer surprises. A final polish with a random orbital sander and final Safety Inspection and she’s ready for delivery.

Getting Started

Initiating the restoration or repair process can be confusing and intimidating. At It’s Alive Automotive, we guide customers by educating them, understanding their goals, and recommending a plan aligned with their expectations. A successful restoration begins with a clear mutual understanding of key planning criteria. We encourage open communication to define the best path forward based on vision, budget, and timeline, while creating a plan aligned with each customer’s expectations.

• Vision of the desired end state
• Budget and schedule constraints

Vision of the Desired End State

We start the discussion by asking the customer to describe in detail both the mechanical and cosmetic upgrades they envision and the degree to which the car is to be restored. Throughout the discussion the It’s Alive Team will leverage their vast experience and offer options and recommendations for the envisioned work. At the completion of the discussion there is an understanding of the ultimate vision with limited budget constraints to ensure that we fully grasp the customers ultimate desires.

Budget

Unfortunately, the budget must be considered when developing the plan. There is frequently a powerful battle of “Scope Vs Budget” with the potential to preclude the customer from achieving their restoration goals. We therefore balance and massage both the requirements and the techniques until migration to the sweet spot is achieved. We usually start with the “must haves” and define the most cost effective approach to achieve that state. We then prioritize the remaining requirements and identify those that could likely be achieved with the remaining budget. Often we find that the desired end state driven by family memories or a lifelong dream will erode the budget barriers. Regardless, at It’s Alive Automotive we strive to keep our customers fully apprised of the costs while constantly suggesting opportunities to maximize every dollar and avoid surprises.

Restoration Process Overview

Once the scope and budget have been discussed the vehicle is inducted into the restoration process. Throughout the process the customer will receive estimates from our Service System explaining the services to be completed, the parts to be procured, and the associated costs. The customer will have the option of approving the suggested/estimated work. Once approved, the parts are ordered and the work begins. At the completion of the job, the customer is invoiced for the work performed (there may be interim invoices if the work scope is large).

No upfront payment is required. Addendums will be provided for any unforeseen work encountered. This process continues until the work is completed.

Note that throughout the restoration process, we post annotated pictures of your car on our Website Gallery page. These pictures document the work performed allowing our customers to view and share the progress with their friends and family. More importantly, these pictures are a catalyst to enhanced communication triggering customer questions, preferences, and ultimately new requirements that can be implemented in a timely and cost effective fashion. Also of benefit is that at the completion of the work the customer has extensive documentation of their repair/restoration (a significant value enhancer).

• Statements for all labor performed
• Invoices for all parts utilized
• Pictures documenting the process

Why Choose Us

IT'S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE is conveniently located in the greater St. Louis area facilitating excellent communication, timely decision making, and allowing the customer to be an integral part of the process.

The Very Best Equipment

IT'S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE has invested in over 75,000 square feet of shop and showroom space equipped with the very best equipment to efficiently and effectively produce high-quality restorations.

Exceptional Value

IT'S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE has established quality plans and processes to ensure the job is done right the first time while achieving exceptional value.

Team Culture

IT'S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE has assembled a team of world-class technicians skilled in all aspects of restoration. Their culture of safety, continuous improvement, teamwork, and attention to detail is embedded in everything they do.

Open Door Policy

IT'S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE provides clear project analysis and coordination using advanced tools, while maintaining transparent communication. Their “open door” policy ensures honest collaboration and problem-solving throughout the restoration process.