In that moment I always feel like an adult being asked by
innocent and child, full of anticipation and wonder, if Father Christmas really
exists. So I hesitate for a moment, trying to decide whether to tell them what
I think they want to hear....or tell the truth and burst their bubble. I got that same bubble busting feeling recently when I went
to visit a customer who was hoping to carry out a DIY budget restoration of a cherished
but seriously rusted barn find.
Car restoration is a labour of love which
rarely makes practical or financial sense. Very few restorers ever hope to get
back what the car cost them in financial terms let alone labour costs. For most
of us it’s the realisation of a dream that drives us to do it and of course the
love of a particular marque. But they say that love is blind so I suppose it’s
no surprise to find the occasional customer whose expectation of the amount of
time, work and cost involved in restoring and repairing their beloved project is
seriously underestimated.
 |
| Removing the paint reveals the damaged metal below |
I often meet people who underestimate the full extent and effect of rust penetration on their much loved project but I never enjoy being the one to tell a customer that their assessment of a “little bit of rust here and there” is probably very optimistic. Or that blasting only the visibly rusted area of a panel will not result in the quality paint finish they are hoping for.
Rust is always malignant and by the time you see the tell
tale signs of bubbling paint on the body work, moisture has always penetrated
the metal work beneath. A few spots here and there are never the whole story
and removing the paint or even the panel is the only way to reveal the full
extent of the damage beneath. Superficial damage can be easily hand sanded or
blasted away to reveal a clean substrate which is ready to prime but with
pitted surfaces it is essential to ensure that the pits are free of rust before
an epoxy primer is applied to build up the surface.
 |
| Bubbling paint is the sign of water penetration |
Where rust damage is so advanced that it has caused the
metal to flake away the whole area must be removed and a new section welded in
or on to rust free metal. Welding on to rust is not an option as it is not a
stable surface and significant rust penetration of panels and joints will
ultimately affect the structural integrity of the cars bodywork, so safety in
the event of an accident could be compromised.
None of the challenges presented by rust are insurmountable of course and our precision blasting equipment and media make short work of any rusted surface. So rust busting is never a problem but bubble bursting however...well that’s not always so easy.
