BACKGROUND

"If I were to estimate how many hours I have logged working on street-rods and restoration quality work, I would have to say well over 20,000"

Tom Dworetsky, owner Superior Finishes

Tom's experience with high-end automotive body and paintwork began in 1990, after completing an assignment in the US Navy. Returning to his native Ohio, he quickly found an opening at Miller's Body Shop, in Dayton. Here he made in-depth strides into auto body repair and straightening for the small shop- learning in the old ways.

Prepared by the hours he had spent during high school working for a professional automotive painter, Tom was immediately recognized for his aptitude and work ethic at Miller's. He was utilized to massage Corvettes, Jaguars, Musclecars, and local Street Rods-cars that comprised the staple for the small custom auto business. It was also here that he made a connection with Don Pilkenton of Don's Hot Rods, and left his mark on Pro's Pick cars like the Billet Specialties' teal '32 highboy roadster and black '34 Ford coupe.

In 1992, Tom picked up shop and made a decisive move from Miller's that would change his life and become essential to what he is now known for. He arrived at the then-burgeoning Don's Hot Rods, an uncommonly talented bodyman, yet still intermediate in terms of his present skills. His first challenge was no small undertaking: A bare steel 1940 Ford Coupe await....it was fresh from months of design and fabrication- and was anticipated to compete at the 1993 Detriot Autorama.

Working as part of a crew of three, he put in many of the long hours that helped make Dave Stitzer's 1940 Ford Coupe the masterpiece of detailing and perfection that it still is. In February of 1993 they were rewarded when the car, still fresh from hours of hand-rubbing and detailing, swept the Detroit Autorama- winning both best of show and the coveted Don Ridler Memorial Award.

Tom continued his successes at Don's shop- and the wins kept coming. His unyielding work ethic and penchant for perfection were precisely what Don needed to help turn out a procession of masterfully built cars throughout the 1990's. By 1996, Tom was in charge of the bodyshop at Don's, overseeing all of the body and paintwork. What followed can be recognized as one of the most impressive winning streaks in the world of indoor competitive street-rodding. (see the awards page for more info)

Finally, in 1999, Tom purchased the body shop at Don's Hot Rods. He completed the collection of tools, equipment, and workspace that he would need to be the sole proprietor of a serious custom body shop, and the sole vendor of Paint & Body services to Don's Hot Rods. Tom called his shop Superior Finishes.

"I thought and thought about a name, and I decided on Superior Finishes because we do just that"

Since then, Tom's capabilities have continued to help shape a winning tradition at Don's that has relied upon superior detailing, fit and finish.

In 1999, Bob Young's 1932 Ford Coupe won the Ridler award in Detroit- again, built at Don's Hot Rods and wearing a dazzling finish applied at Tom's shop. A year later, the crew from Germantown struck gold again. This time with the '32 roadster of Paul Trussel And each time, it has been masterful and meticulous handiwork that have made such a difference in the character of these cars- cars the caliber of Ridler winners.

In the shop, each step of the build process is meticulously hand-crafted. Each panel of the car is bodyworked and hand-blocked to a painstaking degree. The car is then re-assembled for a final check of continuity and "flow" of the panels, and the gap tolerances are finalized. The car is then "blown apart", and each piece is given an openhanded amount of final attention and block sanding- all the jamb areas, undersides, and floorpan.

Here lie the details that craft a true title-holder in the world of street rodding. This is how every panel of the car receives a smoothness, crispness, and uniformity that gives the car a stature beyond that of when it was new - this is the fit and finish of a champion that few shops have duplicated.

The process is finalized with of course, more blocksanding. Finally, the paint is applied. The work of Tom and crew does not end here. Not just meticulous preparation makes a for a stunningly smooth and reflective coat of paint. Here again, they set themselves apart with a serious post-production routine. They transform what would elsewhere be considered a final shiny color coat into a final shaping of the body's surface. A masterfully blocksanded, machine polished, and handrubbed coat of rock solid Clear Acrylic Urethane describes a car's shape like nothing else. The results are nothing short of breathtaking. -