Paint and Preparation

Once the metal work is complete the vehicle is ready for prep and paint. We believe that filler should be used to refine a vehicle rather than try and hide nasty areas, but it is important to use high quality products. Once the vehicle has been prepped and primed, seam sealer is applied. The underside is stone chipped if required and then paint applied—again high quality products used. Once baked, the vehicle is flat and polished to get rid of any imperfections and get that perfect finish.

Stage 8

This stage is the first step to getting the panels the perfect shape. A thin skim of filler is applied where necessary and shaped up. Once the area is the correct shape the filler, stopper is applied which is then finished with 180 grit and the entire shell given 2 coats of high build 2 pack primer and baked at 65 C for 40 minutes. The shell is then left for 5 days; this allows the primer to sink back. The shell is then reblocked with 180 and then 320 grit and reprimed with high build primer and again baked at 65 C for 40 minutes. This stage is not often carried out by bodyshops and can lead to sinkage and production marks in the paint work over time. On average this stage adds a week to the process but worth every extra minute in the longevity and quality of finish. Once the second stage of primer has been allowed to sit it is once again blocked with 320 grit and wet flatted with 800 grit. Once this is complete all seams are sealed. Finally the underside is coated with a rubberized stone chip if required which can be painted body colour.

Stage 9

This stage is probably the most exciting stage - paint. Once the shell has been degreased and masked up, base coat is applied followed by 2 coats of high quality lacquer and baked at 65 C for 40 minutes. If a show finish is required, once the shell is baked it is flatted with 1500 grit and and the entire shell flow coated and baked again. This gives a super-smooth finish and makes the polishing process much easier to get that deep, glossy, glass like shine

Stage 10

This stage is colour sanding and polishing. We use the 3M Trizact system which comprises of the following.

Colour sanding with 2000, 3000 and 6000 grit DA discs. Machine polishing with 3 stages of compound and mop head.
This process eliminates any blemishes in the fresh paint work and all orange peal, providing a silky smooth glass like finish.

Finally a good coat of high quality wax is applied protecting the glass like finish.