TIPS ON RESTORING CLASSIC CAR BODYWORK
When looking into the renovation of a classic car, knowing what adds value to your investment counts. People want authenticity, and knowing that you can afford to authentically restore a classic car really is essential, given materials available, costs and capability balances, and the largest issue of all, being budget.
BUDGETING
When you buy a classic car, be careful to inspect it thoroughly as you may miss important aspects that will impede the quality of finish. For example if panels do need work and repainting, try and establish whether you have sufficient money to cover those repairs. Your expertise plays a huge part since work that you can fulfill yourself will cut down costs, though the price and availability of materials needed in order to make the car authentic should be looked into. Are the classic colors still available from the manufacturer or elsewhere. Body shops can mix extremely good mixes, though the restoration process depends upon availability of those materials, and upon being able to afford workshop time in areas where you lack expertise.
ASSESSING DAMAGE
Many of the classic cars have removable panels on the inside of doors, and while these can be masked, you are safer if there is a way of removing the cloth or leather panels before spraying. Check the doors for quality of fit, and always be sure to find out if new catches are available to make those doors fit better. It really is too late if you haven't found out the availability of items that are essential before you start work. When checking body work, do check for areas where rust is well known, such as hinges, floor areas, wheel arches, and all those hidden areas in the trunk and engine compartment and the difficult out of sight places, because the discoveries you make really can make a difference. Flaking paint and bubbles have origins, and checking to see why these areas are damaged will help you assess what repairs are needed.
Check also by looking from a slight distance at the side of a vehicle for irregularities in the paint job that are giveaways that doors have been replaced.
READYING THE CAR FOR WORK
Be careful when you dismantle parts of a car, to keep all of the pieces, and to check the availability of those damaged pieces. Label things, be meticulous, and do take out panels that may become damaged during paintwork.
PREPARATION
Preparation of parts needing respray should be done with advice from a body shop. Many will be reasonable in price if you have dismantled all the excess furniture, and savings can be made here. If you are doing the job yourself, getting rid of bumps by hammering from the inside can be difficult to cope with if access is not available. There are rather clever items available where you can pierce one hole, and then use suction to straighten up the bumps. Only use these methods if you are sure of what you are doing.
Sanding down areas of rough paintwork should be slow and meticulous, and if you need to use body filler, do ask professionals which is the most suited to the project. Preparing a whole panel is more effective than just repairing part of it, since matching old paint to new is very difficult. When the filler has set, the rubbing down stage starts again, and here wet and dry sanding is required until the surface is perfect. Since you will be painting in a dust free environment (or as dust free as possible), use of a tack rag to remove all the excess dust is essential.
PAINTING
There are either two or three stages with the paintwork, and here establishing the traditional method of painting for that car is essential. Usually one good primer followed by a cellulose spray will suffice although certain makers used two coats of primer. In between all coats, wet and dry is used to provide adhesion.
The painting should be performed in a booth away from danger, and using a mask to protect your breathing from the fumes created. Having the panel in a position where it can be left to dry without movement is essential, and the booth acts not only as protection from paint being accidentally sprayed in other places, but as an isolation for dust free spraying and drying time for the panels.
The panels on an original classic car take time to work on. If you have budgeted enough money, asking the professionals to do the spraying work saves time and the worry of the smells of cellulose, since professionals will be accustomed to working with these potentially dangerous products.
It's a classic. With your help it can stay a classic. Be wise and enjoy your restoration.