Car Parts and Accessories

Unfortunately, the car’s bodywork is usually made of steel. This is fine as far as its manufacture is concerned because steel is easy to work with. You can weld it easily. Using huge machines, you can press it into quite complicated shapes.It is also very strong so that it can be used quite thin and therefore you don’t need much of it to make a car, but unfortunately as soon as it comes into contact with air and water it starts to rust. Scientifically this rust is called iron oxide and it devalues the average family car by about 8th of its purchase price every year.

Manufacturers have spent a great deal of money bringing out impressive-sounding paint processes but these only protect a car as long as the surface of the paint remains unbroken. Underneath, the problem is even worse since most cars only have a thin layer of paint there which is easily broken by stones and flying chips of granite, etc. The normal method of trying to increase the life of a car is to use a bitumen-like compound to underseal it, but this is not very effective over the long term as it becomes cracked and acts as a water trap.

Really, the only effective answer is to destroy rust as soon as it starts to appear. Rust is easiest to deal with in its early stages when it has attacked only the surface of the metal. Use a medium grade of waterproof emery paper (around 200 grade) and holding it flat against the body, rub down the rusted area and the surrounding paintwork using a circular motion. Do not use a tiny piece of paper, or rub backwards and forwards or you will end up with a slight depression which will show when the area has been resprayed. After a few minutes rubbing you will probably notice that the emery paper feels as if it is slipping over the paintwork instead of cutting.

When this happens, it means that the emery paper is clogged up with particles of paint and rust. To unclog it, dip it in water, move it around and then pull it out. The bits of paint etc., will drift off in the water and the emery paper will be almost as good as new.

Every few minutes wipe the area clean with a damp cloth and inspect it. Keep rubbing until there are no signs of rust and the previously rusted area is bright steel. This should be surrounded by various colours of rings of paint expanding outwards until they blend with the body colours. These rings are the layers of primer and undercoat. When you have reached this stage, change to an extra fine grade of emery paper of about 400 grade and rub very gently for a couple of minutes until the area feels as smooth as silk.

Wash the area thoroughly with a clean cloth and fresh water, then use a degreaser or white spirit to remove any traces of wax or silicone polish that is still present and it is ready for spraying.

It used to be said that the more expensive the car the more coats of paint it received, and it is certainly true that the more coats of paint used the longer the paintwork will last. For repairs, the absolute minimum is two coats of primer and two coats of matching colour.

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