Are you looking to restore the aesthetics of your old, weathered car? If the car still runs properly but has cosmetic defects, such as paint scratches, dings, dents and rust, performing a car body restoration job can help to make the vehicle look like new again.
Read along to learn the steps involved in bringing the body of an old car back to its original factory condition.
Dealing With the Rust
If your car's exterior is visibly damaged, it is likely that the damage has spread to other hidden areas of the auto body. One form of damage that you should look for is corrosion. If the vehicle has been exposed to salty and snowy conditions for a prolonged period, it is likely that the vehicle's floors are rusty.
Remove the mats in your car to check for signs of metal corrosion. If you notice that small areas of the metal are rusty, you can use commercially available rust treatments to fix the damage. If the rust has eaten at larger areas of the metal, you may need to weld in new metal.
Addressing rust damage helps to stop rust on the car but also keep the body of the vehicle in structurally sound condition.
Dealing With the Dings and Dents
Dings and small dents on the car are an ugly sight. Luckily, they are quite simple to fix. You can use the gentle stroke of a slide hammer or a combination of heat and compressed air to remove them. The plunging action of a kitchen sink plunger can also fix the problem.
Any depressions that remain can be repaired with car body filler. Panel replacement may be a more practical option for more serious damage.
Preparing the Car Body for Paintwork
Before applying a fresh coat of paint over the damaged areas of the car body, you should make sure that the areas are properly prepped for paint application.
The prep work may include removing rust and then cleaning the affected areas to ensure body filler adheres well to the sheet metal. Once the filler has dried, it is sanded down to remove an excess amount of the compound and achieve a smooth texture for primer application.
Before the paint can be brought back to snuff, a primer is applied to help ensure proper adhesion between the car body filler and the wet paint.
Paint Application
Fresh paint, similar in type and quality to the original paint on your car body, should be mixed and applied in multiple coats until the desired look and consistency is achieved. Each coat of paint should be allowed to cure properly before the next coat of paint is applied.
Car body restoration is a job that requires experience and expertise to do properly. Even if you have the right tools, equipment, and supplies for the job, you may not be able to achieve restoration-worthy results. Hire a car body restoration specialist; it's is the best way to bring your vehicle back to its original appearance.
