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.  

Whether Building a House or Repairing Auto Damage the Story’s the Same.

Like it or not frame damage is quite common; it occurs in roughly 50 percent of all auto accidents.  When rebuilding your car or building a home you always start with the frame and work your way outward.  If the frame of your vehicle gets damaged in an accident or collision, you'll need our help.

We have over seven decades of experience straightening Chicagoland vehicle frames, then working on the other aspects of auto body repair to return your vehicle to the road looking as good as new.  We have an auto body frame machine that uses hydraulics to provide the torque and leverage required to pull the damaged frame back to factory specifications.

Trust and believe, you will be amazed when you come to our shop and retrieve your beauty!  If you need us anytime just remember that although we have been around since the forties, we have state-of-the-art equipment.  We are Arrow Body and Fender located at 7536 W. Grand Avenue in Elmwood Park.  Just call us at (708) 456-9424.

OEM vs. Aftermarket…That is the Question.

When an accident sidelines your vehicle, which parts should be used to return it to like-new condition?  We will always recommend original equipment, but we understand that budget restraints don’t always make that practical.  You need to make a financially responsible decision AND think about the future of your vehicle all at the same time!

Here are a couple of things to remember –

1.  If the parts to be used in the repair are supplied from the original equipment manufacturer, a warranty must be included that guarantees the customer that the parts meet or exceed manufacturing standards.

2.  The use of a motor vehicle crash part NOT made by the original equipment manufacturer may invalidate any remaining warranties of the original equipment manufacturer on that motor vehicle part.

We want you to make the right decision for your budget and your family.  We are here to help with that as well as look for the best aftermarket parts available if that is your decision.  We are Arrow Body and Fender of Elmwood Park.  We have been getting cars back on the roads of Chicagoland since your grandfather’s Edsel.  Call us at (708) 456-9424.

10 things you might not have known about St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

10 things you might not have known about St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

(Click the link above for more information )

"St. Patrick's Day is on March 17, but Chicagoans will kick things off this weekend with a slew of events and activities. From dyeing the river green to festivals and parades, Chicago is famous for its spirited celebration of Ireland's beloved patron saint. But behind all these festivities is a long history of traditions (and some secrets) surrounding the annual holiday" 

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 Body Shop vs. Insurance.

It can be a cataclysmic clash of the titans, but it doesn’t have to be.  Insurance companies and auto body repair shops are sometimes at cross purposes.  Sometimes they don’t communicate at all because the insurance company has already pre-determined where you will go for repairs after an accident.

What if the head of the repair shop was once an insurance adjuster?  Wouldn’t that be a heck of an advantage?  Before Joe Bellacchio Jr. devoted his life to getting cars back on the roadways of Chicagoland looking as good as new, he was very successful in the insurance game.  I know, lucky us that he decided to help us with our vehicles!

Joe is the owner of Arrow Body and Fender located in Elmwood Park.  His father taught him well, and now he passes on the tradition of repairing cars after accidents and adds expertise when it comes to the messy business of dealing with your insurance provider.  You really are in good hands with Joe!  Just call (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.