Factory stock
Type 1 / 3 / Ghia / Thing
Factory-stock chassis restoration for Type 1, Type 3, Karmann Ghia and Thing.
Est. Orange, CA
Washburn's Metal Chassis Shop
Chassis Work.Done right.
Drop off a stripped chassis and get back a straight, sound, finished foundation for your build. Flat-rate pricing, a written scope before anything is cut, and photos the whole way through.
As featured in
Hot VW's
&
VW Trends
30 Days
Or less, once started
Chassis are built in the order received, so queue time varies
Mon–Fri
Walk-in drop-off
8am–5pm, no appointment. Saturdays by appointment
Flat Rate
Pricing & scope
Written and agreed before any work starts
In-House
Fixtures & machines
Blasting, welding and finishing coordinated under one roof
Our process
Beautiful. Functional.
Safe.
We've built hundreds of VW pans — factory-stock restorations, street builds, drag chassis, and shortened platforms for Manx and 356 kit cars. Every one to the same standard: documented, transparent, done right.
Our process is built so you never have to wonder where your chassis stands. You get a written scope before anything is cut, photographs as the work progresses, and a straight answer if we find something underneath that changes the job.
The goal is a chassis that looks right, functions as it should, and above all is safe. With our fixtures and machines we do high-quality chassis work at a price that makes sense, without cutting the corners you can't see once it's painted.
We've been featured multiple times in Hot VW's and VW Trends for our chassis work, and we look forward to helping new clients with their projects.
In the shop — Orange, CA
What we specialize in
Many flavors, all welcome.
When it comes to VW chassis there are a lot of different types we work on — and a lot of upgrades that can be done along the way, whether for safety or for performance.
Street & drag
Performance & Custom
Street car builds and drag chassis — safety and performance upgrades, documented and delivered to your spec.
Specialty
Shortened Chassis
Shortened chassis for Manx, dune buggy and 356 kit car applications.
In the yard
A look at what we work with.
A few shots from the yard and the bench — chassis in inventory, and chassis mid-build.
Chassis pricing estimates
Flat-rate pricing. Written scope.
These estimates are here to give you a close idea of what restoring your chassis will cost before you ever pick up the phone.
What's included in the flat rate
Every flat-rate chassis we build includes:
- Remove & install pan halves via spot welder, like factory
- Install seat rails, jack points, battery hold-downs, battery ground strap weld nut and seat belt provisions
- Inspect & clean throttle tube and clutch tubes
- Pressurize & leak-down test fuel line
- Chase threads of all mounting holes on the chassis
- Cosmetic detail of chassis top & bottom
Want a number built around your exact build?
Build Your Chassis Estimate Here With the Estimate Calculator| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $710 |
| Labor | $1,800 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $2,760 |
| With Powdercoat | $3,310 |
| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $600 |
| Labor | $1,500 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $2,350 |
| With Powdercoat | $2,900 |
| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $600 |
| Labor | $1,800 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $2,650 |
| With Powdercoat | $3,200 |
| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $650 |
| Labor | $2,000 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $2,900 |
| With Powdercoat | $3,450 |
| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $650 |
| Labor | $2,000 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $2,900 |
| With Powdercoat | $3,450 |
| Blasting | $250 |
|---|---|
| Parts | $1,300 |
| Labor | $2,500 |
| Powdercoat (optional) | $550 |
| Flat-Rate Total | $4,050 |
| With Powdercoat | $4,600 |
A note on additional work: any damage or repair outside the flat-rate scope above is quoted separately. If we open your chassis up and find something that changes the job, you hear about it before we touch it.
The standard we hold
We'd rather talk you out of the wrong repair than hand you back a chassis we wouldn't put under our own car.
— Washburn's Metal
How it works
Drop it off. Pick it up in 30 days or less.
Chassis are built in the order they're received, so how long you wait to start depends on what's ahead of you. Once your build starts, it's finished within 30 days.
01
Prep & drop off
Strip the bolt-on components before you come — no suspension, no brake lines, no shift rod. Don't worry about grease or sludge.
02
Scope & deposit
A written estimate before any work starts. Flat-rate labor, blasting and parts are collected up front — no hidden charges later.
03
We build it
Blasting, parts, labor and optional powdercoat, all coordinated in-house. Photos throughout, so you always know where things stand.
04
Pick it up
A straight, sound, finished foundation ready for the rest of your build — within 30 days of the day we start it.
Shortened chassis process
For Manx, dune buggy & 356 kit car builds.
Shortened chassis follow their own dedicated process — fixtured, precision cut, chemical dipped, blasted, and welded back together seamlessly.
- The chassis is stripped and bolted to the fixture table so we can check it for straightness
- The correct distance is removed, to the specification of the body manufacturer you're building for
- Both halves go out to be degreased, chemical dipped, then media blasted
- Back on the table, the two halves are welded together and the seam finished so it disappears
- Internal tubes are reinstalled, internal bracing is added for structural integrity, and shortened pan halves are spot-welded on for a factory finish
Frequently asked
Chassis FAQs.
Do I need an appointment to drop my chassis off?
No. We take drop-offs Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, with no appointment, and Saturdays by appointment.
How long will it take?
Once we start your chassis, it's finished within 30 days. Chassis are built in the order they're received, so the wait before we start depends on what's in the queue ahead of you. Call and we'll tell you honestly where the queue stands that week.
Do I need to source the parts myself?
No — we don't need anything but the bare chassis. We order all the necessary parts and handle it from there, and we only use parts we're willing to run ourselves.
What is required of me when I drop the chassis off?
A deposit before work begins. If your chassis falls into the flat-rate category, we collect the flat-rate labor, blasting and parts cost up front, before any work starts.
Will I get updates while my chassis is being built?
Yes. We photograph the build as it progresses and send photos through, so you always know exactly where things stand without having to chase us for a status update.
Should I remove my rusty pans before drop off?
No — please don't start removing your pan halves. We have a quick and effective system for taking them off and we'd rather do it ourselves.
How should I prepare my chassis before drop off?
Remove all the bolt-on components — no suspension, no brake lines, no shift rod. Don't worry about cleaning grease or sludge off it; that's covered by the blasting and cleaning fee.
I'm out of state — how do I get my chassis to you?
It's not unusual for chassis to be shipped to us. Having a transportation company pick it up and bring it in is your best bet. When we're finished, we prep the chassis to be shipped back to you. Our bare-pan shipping reference covers the weight and dimensions a carrier will ask for and why a bare pan usually ships cheaper as freight than as a car.
Everything else a chassis buyer needs
Before it gets here, and after.
Most people who land on this page still need one of three things: a chassis to start from, a number built around their own options, or a way to get a bare pan across the country. All three are covered.
Need a chassis
Chassis for sale
We keep chassis and German chassis parts on site — bulkheads, tunnel sections, torsion housings, frame heads, floor pans, battery trays and heater channels. Tell us the year and model you're after and we'll check what's available, or ask us to harvest a specific piece out of the bone yard.
See chassis for saleWant your own number
Build your estimate
The flat rates above cover the standard build. If you're adding an IRS conversion, torsion work, internal fuel or wiring runs, flush mounts or powder coat, click through the estimate calculator — the total updates as you go and you can email the itemised sheet straight to us.
Open the estimate calculatorOut of state
Shipping a bare pan
A bare pan weighs far less than a car, so it often ships as freight rather than on a car hauler — usually the cheaper route. Our reference covers the weight and dimensions every carrier asks for, the questions to put to each quote, and where to get quotes from both kinds of shipper.
Read the shipping reference
Ready when you are
Bring us your chassis.
Send photos for a quote, or just come by Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. We'll look it over and tell you exactly what it needs.
Brian handles chassis, fabrication and builds direct. For parts, orders and fitment, call the shop line on (657) 438-7002.
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