I Came Here for Collision Repair.

In this “Age of Amazon” it seems like every company wants to be full service. If you have an auto accident in Chicagoland, then your car needs collision repair…NOT an oil change! Sure, you might get one of those somewhere else, but you want your auto body repair shop to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park does just that. For almost three-quarters of a century they have specialized in the best collision repair available in Chicagoland. When you find a state-of-the-art car body repair shop populated with certified technicians who will treat you like family, you can’t do any better!

When disappointment comes to you and yours, and a car accident makes things difficult for the family, call Arrow Body and Fender in Elmwood Park as soon as possible. See the whole story (especially their rich history) for yourself at arrowbodyandfender.com. Here is the phone number to call (708) 456-9424.

Our Relationship with Chicagoland has Been Amazing.

To say that our relationship with Elmwood Park and much of Chicagoland has been mutually beneficial would be quite an understatement. For more than seven decades Arrow Body and Fender has been repairing the bodies of every imaginable car, SUV, and pick up truck in the area surrounding Elmwood Park.

We have told this story before, but we are very proud of it and want you to know it again. Our patriarch, Joe Bellocchio Sr., returns from WWII and decides to train at an auto body repair school known as Utility Trade School. To make a long story short…in 1948 he opens his own auto body shop at the corner of Maplewood and Fullerton in Chicago.

Today our mechanics paint, repair dents, return frames to their original beauty and much more at our location, 7536 W. Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park, IL. We can only hope that this family-owned business will be serving Chicagoland for the next 7+ decades as well. From all of us at Arrow Body and Fender thank you for helping us thrive during a “gritty” 2021.

How Do You Plan on Straightening my Car’s Frame?

Let’s start with the basics. A frame straightening machine basically operates in this way… it uses hydraulics and chains to pull the distorted frame of your vehicle back into its original shape. To be able to repair a vehicle's frame using a frame straightening machine, the vehicle will be raised up on the platform and fixed in place.

Here at Arrow Body and Fender, we are excited to feature our Star-A-Liner frame Unibody rack. What it does is reshape your frame back to its original shape. This will allow us to fix most vehicles that we encounter in Chicagoland. People have been coming to Elmwood Park for seventy years for auto body repair.

If you have been involved in a vehicle collision, we certainly hope that there are NO serious injuries! The next step is to call us at Arrow Body and Fender located at 7536 W. Grand Ave. Elmwood Park, IL. Our phone number is (785) 233-1000. We are proud of our reputation built up over the last 7 decades. See all that we do at arrowbodyandfender.com.

Just a Reminder of Why We are your favorite Auto Body Repair Shop in Elmwood Park.

Every once in a while we like to remind you of our rich and historical roots at Arrow Body and Fender, proudly located at 7536 West Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park. We have been a part of this suburban Chicagoland community for over seven decades and we do not intend on going anywhere!

It all began with returning WWII veteran Big Joe Bellocchio. He had a dream of owning his own shop in Chicagoland. He envisions the growth of Baby Boomers owning their own vehicles, and when those cars and pick up trucks got into accidents someone had to repair them inside and out. Why not Big Joe and his soon to be growing team?

That team would continue its growth with the addition of Joe Bellocchio Jr. Today we are proudly located in the Elmwood Park community and cars come into our shop from every direction. We are as proud to serve you today as was our late patriarch. Please call Arrow Body and Fender when you need us at (708) 456-9424. Our story is found at arrowbodyandfender.com.

How Do You Know That Repairs are Done Right?

It is a great question. After a serious auto accident which damages your baby and the repairs have been done, how do you know that all of the repairs have been done to your satisfaction. We want you to test drive your vehicle and then sign off on the work. At Arrow Body and Fender in Elmwood Park you must be 100% satisfied with our work.

Here are some tips for you –

1.  Inspect the repaired areas with YOUR set of eyes.

2.  Look for any painting errors.

3.  Test drive your vehicle before you sign off on the work.

4.  Ask about our warranty.

For over seventy years we have proudly stood behind our work here at Arrow Body and Fender. That is why Chicagoland continues to rely on us for quality and guaranteed auto body repair. If a collision happens to you, please call us here at 7536 W. Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park at this phone number (708) 456-9424. See our history at arrowbodyandfender.com.

I-CAR…UCAR…We all Car.

I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on auto collision repair, is a well-known international, not-for-profit auto technician training organization. I-CAR was founded in 1979 to serve the auto repair industry and protect the public. Auto technicians can choose to enroll in one or more of I-CAR's training programs to become certified in that specific area of the auto repair industry.

Auto technicians enroll in the I-CAR Professional Development Program to begin the certification process. The knowledge for each auto collision repair role is divided into three sections called Pro Levels. They earn their Platinum Individual designation by passing Pro Level 1. All well and good, but what does it mean around here?

Well, our owner, Joe Bellocchio completed one of the area's first ICAR training courses. We may have been around here at Arrow Body and Fender for more than seventy years, but we never stop innovating. Please visit us on the web at arrowbodyandfender.com. Call for an appointment at 7536 W. Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park by calling (708) 456-9424.

DIY Auto Body Repair.

You won’t often read about an auto body shop offering tips on do it yourself repair after an accident, but after seven decades in the business we want you to be informed. One thing to keep in mind is ALWAYS wear safety glasses and protective clothing when working on your vehicle. We do…you should definitely do that as well!

 

Here are just a few of the DIY steps in auto body repair –

1. Make sure you have a high-quality filler and mixing board.
2. Your garage needs to be brightly lit to see all of the damage.
3. Acquire a compressor and paint sprayer.
4. Always use a sanding tool instead of your hands.
5. Be sure to use a separate kit to fix windshield cracks.

And on and on it will go. Are you ready to give us a call yet? We are a Chicagoland institution in auto body repair having been around in one form or another since the late 1940’s. We are Arrow Body and Fender. Limp into our shop at 7536 W. Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park if your car is roadworthy. Or, call us for a tow at (708) 456-9424.

I’m from your Insurance Company and I’m Here to Help.

President Ronald Reagan warned us about “friends” bearing gifts when he referred to the government. Auto appraisers assess damage to vehicles after an accident to determine “reasonable” repair costs. They probably work for your insurer. Auto appraisers may come to the scene of the accident or view your damaged vehicle in your own driveway.

They may very well also make visits to body shops to inspect vehicles. Duties and responsibilities of an auto adjuster include thoroughly examining the vehicle, documenting damage, researching repair and replacement costs, and recommending how much the insurance company should pay to repair a vehicle.

Do you see any gray area here? They can offer whatever they deem. Isn’t it nice to know that when your vehicle is at Arrow Body and Fender the owner, Joe Bellocchio once worked as a physical damage insurance appraiser. This should give you greater peace of mind! Call Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park at (708) 456-9424.

Mobile vs. Body Shop Paint Repairs.

You have probably seen them painting bumpers and doors in a remote area behind dealerships. They come with their specially equipped mobile van or truck in the heat of summer. Is the quality of their work comparable with that of body shops? It’s a question that you as a vehicle owner in Chicagoland should be asking!

Mobile paint repair technicians first appeared in the late 1980s when the collision repair industry was transitioning from lacquer-based paint systems to basecoat-clearcoat systems. One of many differences is how their spray guns shoot the paint materials compared with a spraybooth gun with unlimited psi at the ready. It’s like comparing a 12-gauge shotgun with a BB gun.

Add to that fact that an auto body shop which has been part of the Chicago landscape for over 7 decades MUST adapt with the times. Today, here at Arrow Body and Fender we only use top of the line refinishing products. We simply do not substitute a product because it happens to be on sale.  We hope to continue serving you with that in mind at Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park. Call us at (708) 456-9424.

Finish the Job with Pride.

That’s what the folks at Arrow Body and Fender have done for more than 70 years in Chicagoland.  Auto body refinishing is the repairing of worn or damaged automobiles, light trucks, and other vehicles, and refers to any coating applications that occur in the repair process.

This covers solvent emissions from the refinishing of automobiles, including paint solvents, thinning solvents, and solvents used for surface preparation and the subsequent clean-up that entails.  There are tens of thousands of auto body shops operating in the United States.

Arrow Body and Fender made a pledge to its customers in the Chicago area many years ago.  They said (and put in writing) that they would use top-of-the-line AXALTA refinishing products and NEVER substitute cheaper alternatives.  That’s just another reason you can count on Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park.

WWII is a Long-Ago Era for Some.

Not so much for us here at Arrow Body and Fender.  In 1946 our patriarch Joseph Bellocchio Sr. returned from serving in the South Pacific in WWII.  He begins working with his father at a business known as Bellocchio Salt and Trucking Service.  He soon realizes that the post-war boom means an influx of more cars around Chicago.

Then in 1948 (72 years ago) grandpa Joe opens Arrow Body and Fender Service on Maplewood and Fullerton in Chicago…and the legend began!  Because of quality work and impeccable customer service the business eventually begins to flourish.  By 1963 he finds a perfect spot in Elmwood Park to open his current location.

Now, decades later son Joseph Bellocchio Jr. carries on the tradition with care and excellence.  Arrow Body and Fender still honors the memory of Joe Sr. by keeping his photo on the front of their website arrowbodyandfender.com.  Suffice to say, if you need auto body repair in Chicagoland count on Arrow Body and Fender every time at 7536 W. Grand Avenue in Elmwood Park.  

Stop…Don’t Leave the Auto Body Shop Without a Checklist!

Nobody is perfect and here at Arrow Body and Fender we want you to have a checklist when you exit any auto body repair shop.  These are things such as checking the repair area close-up and from a distance.  Examine the paint for color matching.  Take a test drive.  Make sure that your vehicle is clean, etc.

Some of the pitfalls of auto body shops in Chicagoland are

1.  Poor alignment

2.  Clipping…an entire part has been taken from another car and welded to yours

3.  Was the airbag replaced if need be?

4.  What kind of parts were used?

5.  Torqued to manufacturers specifications.

We want you to know that Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park checks all of these points and many more when repairing your “baby”.  We know that you want to take it back on the roadways of Chicagoland and drive it with pride.  Arrow Body and Fender has been proud to serve our area for seven decades.  If you need us, our phone number is (708) 456-9424.

Auto Repair vs. Auto Body.

One does not necessarily do the other.  When your car has an internal problem, that happened without a collision, you are hundred percent right to take your car to an auto repair shop.  IF that mechanical problem occurred as the result of a collision, that could be a “horse of a different color” and you need to choose the right body shop.

When there is a collision and the fender or bumper has been affected, or even after the smallest of accidents, you wouldn’t want to go to an auto repair mechanic.  You should first go to an auto body shop.  If that shop will not work on any mechanical problems incurred by your vehicle in addition to the body repair, maybe you should reconsider.

Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park is proud to be able to repair any mechanical damage caused by the collision right there at 7536 West Grand Ave.  Now that’s full service!  Count on Arrow Body and Fender to repair Chicagoland auto damage just as your father and his father before him did.  Call (708) 456-9424.

I’ve Been Framed.

This is not a courtroom scene…it’s your vehicle speaking loudly after it has been repaired at an auto body shop.  Frame damage occurs when your vehicle has been struck at a critical part of its structure. We all hope that we never have to deal with major damage, the potential for fender-benders, accidents, and the need for repairs are just a part of owning a car.

Think of a car frame as your vehicle’s core foundation.  Apart from the fact that it’s an integral part of your car, it also serves purposes you might not have thought about, such as keeping doors aligned when they’re closed, supporting the motor and bumpers, and providing a strong steel base off which to build everything else that makes up your vehicle.

You may not give your car’s frame a 2nd thought, but we sure do!  We are one of Chicagoland’s premier auto body shops…Arrow Body and Fender.  It has been our great pleasure to have served Elmwood Park and the surrounding area for over seven decades.  We are ready for a brand new year at Arrow Body and Fender 7536 West Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park.

Danger…Black Ice May Crop up Anywhere.

We Chicagoans know that winter driving does not just include snow, but the ice on the roadways may be an even more hazardous factor.  Particularly dangerous is “black ice” which is a bit of a misnomer because it is mostly invisible.  If you understand it better, you can learn to negotiate our roads more safely.

Here are some things you should know –

1.  Black ice is caused by light freezing rain or melting snow.

2.  It forms late at night or early in the morning when the temperature is at its lowest.

3.  Watch for it on bridges and overpasses.

4.  Look for it ahead if there is enough light.

5.  Practice driving on it in a safe environment such as an empty parking lot.

Winter driving around Chicagoland is challenging enough and we hope this will help in your quest to get from point A to point B safely.  Your friends at Arrow Body and Fender located at 7536 West Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park will be here if you need us as we have been for generations.  In the New Year keep your vision 2020 on the roadway.