Rust repairs
Common rust repairs are done by removing all rust, on body work or the underside of the vehicle. The new metal is sealed on both sides of the panel with acid etch primer and paint. A high quality waxoil is used in cavities and on the underside of the vehicle.
This BMW has had its rear suspension and running gear completely disassembled. In this image you can see rust has been removed by cutting out sections and in this case the rear subframe mountings are reinforced to fix the design fault which caused the mountings to crack and encourage rust in the first place.
The cavities were finished with acid etch primer and waxoil, the underside finished with acid etch primer, multiple layers of paint and then clear waxoil.
Bodywork / Paint
Repairing damage or rust, the quality of the paintwork is always down to attention to detail and good preparation.
The panel is carefully gone over and any imperfections are repaired with filler or careful metal work.
Two coats of filler primer are applied before wet sanding.
Multiple layers of paint are applied depending on the type.
Here we used a “2 pack” Acrylic paint that only required 2 coats and no clear coat to achieve a high gloss. This is the original standard for most classic vehicles. We use a finishing polish to blend the edge of a repair when only repainting a small area.
Engine / Running gear
Tuning classic motors; carbs and ignition timing, is becoming a forgotten skill but is no problem for Finn’s Classics. Rebuilding engines and transmissions can be a challenge when parts are scares. Finding reconditioned or original replacement parts is often the most cost effective way, but not always possible.
Sometimes a noisy diff just needs to have the backlash adjusted.
After an inspection this Series 3 Land Rovers engine is deemed to have been previously rebuilt.
The freeze core plugs are replaced as they where corroded from sitting for years. The manifold, cracked from excessive corrosion is replaced. The engine block is sand blasted and painted. The carb is rebuilt and tuned along with any other ancillaries that are worn.
Interior repairs
With interiors, replacing a damaged part is usually the way to go. However rare or expensive parts can often be repaired to like new quality. Maintaining the cars originality and personality.
The lowest picture shows the dull, cracked, clearcoat on this Mercedes wood trim. Seen above that the polymer polish has been removed and an authentic French polish is applied in more than 8 layers to achieve a deep gloss that bring out the character of the original wood.