Evolve Custom Automotive Restoration

Evolve in the news https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKXPfwxCrG8

Using a plasma cutter to cut diamond plate for a custom bumper on a '77 Jeep Cherokee

At least half of what we do at Evolve is bringing order to chaos. This wiring diagram is a good illustration of the condition many cars are in when they arrive at Evolve.

Name that car. Spotted today on the 5 North in Carlsbad, CA.

One of our storage barns. Mostly Alfa and Volvo in here.

Installing the motor on a historic '59 Corvette. This car was originally purchased by John Sturges during the time he was directing the movie The Magnificent Seven.

This Dodge Lancer came to us from a woman who has owned it for decades, and wants to bring it back to life. The upholstery was redone years ago, from a rare piece of factory-correct fabric found in a barn.

Replaced roof on a '41 Ford Woodie nearing completion here at Evolve.

This might be the only Opala in the United States. It's a Brazilian-made car with the Chevy brand name. We're commencing a restoration after an indepth inspection that uncovered rust hidden by construction adhesive and shiny paint. This car will be chemically dipped in a stripper and acid to remove the rust inside the body cavities, such as the deck lid that rattles from the rust flakes inside. When it's complete, this car will be a speed demon with a modern drivetrain, but appear stock from the outside. We're very excited about this unique project, and grateful the owner is commissioning the job.

Photos from the machine shop of the motor for the Triumph TR3 we're restoring. At Evolve we're very particular about the vendors we work with, and one of our valued partners, who we trust with much of our machine work, is San Diego Small Engine.

This Opel GT had a previous collision repair that was sub-par, which we discovered after removing the paint and filler. Here are before and after shots, showing the result of our metal work. We cut out the area where the previous repair was and welded in new metal, to be assured there's no thick filler that might crack in the future.

Once in a while, a car comes into the shop with a truly unique history. This '57 Chevy convertible was tucked away in a garage for the better part of 40 years. Take a look at the factory plastic seat protectors that were never removed. The paint is 100 percent original. The has only 54,000 miles. We'll be performining a sympathetic restoration to bring it back on the road.

Our new parts washer in action

Here at Evolve we leave no bare metal behind us. That's why whenever a car has been sandblasted, or whenever sections of a frame have been replaced, we spray 3M Cavity Wax inside the panels. This coats the bare metal and prevents rust from happening from the inside out. Here's a video of wax being sprayed in a '59 Corvette that had major portions of the frame replaced at the shop.