How To Patch And Restore A Car Body
Posted on: 20 October 2015
Restoring an old or classic car is a great weekend project. The hardest part is usually fixing the dings to match the original contours of the car. If you have the right tools and little bit of basic instruction, you can learn how to patch like a pro. These skills will be invaluable if you have plans to restore an entire car or just a few small dings. This article explains how patch dings, dents, holes and scratches in your car surface.
Prep the Damaged Areas
The first thing you need to do is prepare the area to be patched. To do this you need to invest in wet sandpaper. Wet auto sandpaper is like wood sandpaper except it has higher grit (often over 2000). It also needs to be wet during sanding. Just keep a small bucket of water nearby so you can dip the sandpaper in water during sanding. This lubrication helps prevent scratching the surface. When sanding, the point is to make the surface as smooth and uniform as possible. If the car you are restoring has original paint that you are trying to maintain, you need to sand more delicately. Also, you need to sand off the glossy coat around the areas you are going to patch. The auto patch does not stick well on a glossy paint surface. If you are trying to strip the paint off an entire car, you want to invest in a power sander. Doing it all by hand will take way too long.
Patching the Damaged Areas
After the damaged areas are sufficiently sanded, you can start to patch. Using auto body filler is quite easy, but it does dry quickly. You need to work quickly to spread the patch before it dries. Using a plastic putty knife, you need to sculpt the patch to match the car curves. You won't be able to match the curves perfectly until the patch dries. Once the patch is dry, you need to get the wet sandpaper back out. Sand gently and try to shape the patch until it matches perfectly.
If you are patching multiple holes in your car surface, you should do all the patching first and then all the sanding at once. Make sure you let the patch dry for a full 24 hours before you start sanding.
In the end, if you are patient, your car restoration will look professional. If you don't have the resources or expertise, work with a company like Ray Donch Body Werks Inc.
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