For the past three years, Hot Rod Heaven has been providing classic car restoration work to the Picayune area.

But the business offers more than just restoration work. Owner Sonny Nuccio said he has been in the restoration business since 1977, at times working with his father. Today, he works with his two sons, Charles and William.

Most of his clients are retirees looking to own their dream car. But Nuccio said his business also offers other services, including collision repair.

By the beginning of June, Nuccio plans to open two additions to his business; a parts warehouse and a shop where upholstery work is conducted.

When he first opened the business in Picayune, he expected to have his technicians working on more collision repairs than restoration jobs. But so far, Nuccio has noticed that more than 50 percent of his work is restoration, and most of his clients live in and around Picayune.

Throughout his shop, cars in various stages of repair or restoration fill the space. Some are nothing more than a frame, while others are close to being complete. Nuccio and his team are working on dozens of cars, some of which are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

At Hot Rod Heaven, cars are restored to like new condition no matter their state of repair. Nuccio said his staff can rebuild rusty floorboards, failing roofs, quarter panels and frames from scratch.

Paint jobs are also performed at the shop and Nuccio said he employs an extra step in the process, painting the car black, even if that won’t be the final color.

By painting the car black before sanding it down and painting it the final color, his staff can look for even the tiniest of imperfections, ensuring the final product is as flawless as possible.  If a vehicle’s body needs to be filled to repair a dent, Nuccio’s staff uses lead instead of Bondo for a lifelong repair.

He also plans to start holding car shows on a quarterly basis in the large parking lot across the street from the shop.

Hot Rod Heaven employs 9 people full time and is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The business is located at 201 Ruby Street and can be reached by calling 796-717-7099.