Restoration of minor body scratches
If only the paintwork is scratched, and the metal is not affected, repairing the scratch is very simple. Lightly rub the scratch area with paint restorer, or very fine sanding paste, to remove the thin layer of paint and wax around the scratch. Rinse the treated area with clean water.
Apply a thin layer of liquid paint to the scratch with a soft brush; repeat this operation several times. until the paint surface is even. Let the new paint dry for at least two weeks, then polish the area with a polishing paste and then apply a protective wax coat.
If the scratch reaches the metal of the body, it can cause corrosion of the metal. Remove rust from the metal with a penknife, then apply an anti-corrosion coating to prevent future corrosion. Using a rubber or nylon spatula, fill the scratch with filler paste. If necessary, the paste can be thinned with a thinner, which makes it possible to fill narrow scratches. Before the putty paste hardens, wrap your finger in a cotton cloth, dampen it with solvent, then quickly run it across the scratch. In this case, the surface of the putty paste will be slightly pressed through. The scratch can then be painted over as described above.
Body dent restoration
For deep car body dents, the first task is to pull the dent out until the car body reaches its original shape. Since complete repair of the dent is unlikely, it is advisable to correct the dent to a level that is approximately 3 mm below the level of the undamaged part of the part. If the dent is small, do not try to pull it out at all. If the dent can be accessed from the inside, it can be carefully straightened out using a hammer with a wooden or plastic head. During the straightening process, it is necessary to press a suitable piece of wood from the outside to absorb the impact of hammer blows, and thus prevent the metal from bulging outward.
If the dent is in a part of the body that has a double layer of metal, or if access from the inside is impossible for some other reason, various techniques are used. Drill several small holes in the damaged area, preferably in the deepest places. After that, screw long self-tapping screws into the holes so that they are firmly held in the metal. Straighten the dent by pulling out the screws with pliers.
The next stage of restoration is the removal of paint from and around the damaged area, approximately 2-3 cm. This can be done with a metal brush inserted into a drill, or with sandpaper by hand. To complete the preparation for filling, use a screwdriver to score the surface of the metal or drill small holes in the damaged area. This will ensure good adhesion to the metal putty paste.
For final repair operations, see subparagraph "Puttying and painting".
Restoration of corroded holes or deep damage to the body
Remove all paint from the surface to be repaired and 2 to 3 centimeters around with a wire brush. inserted into the drill. If such tools are not available, this can be done manually using sandpaper. After removing the paint, it is necessary to assess the degree of corrosion and decide whether to replace the entire part (if possible) or repair the damaged area. New body parts are not as expensive as most car owners think, and replacing parts is often a quicker and easier fix than trying to repair a rusted surface over a large area.
Remove all parts installed in the damaged area other than those that will be needed to form the original surface. Then, with metal shears or a hacksaw blade, cut off all the metal with significant corrosion damage. To create support when filling with putty, bend the edges of the hole inward with a hammer.
Use a wire brush to remove powdered rust from the remaining metal. Apply a rust converter to the damaged area; if the inside of the rusted area is accessible, treat that as well.
Before filling the damaged area with putty, it is necessary to close the hole in some way. This can be done with aluminum or plastic mesh, or aluminum foil.
For large openings, it is best to use aluminum or plastic mesh or fiberglass. Cut a piece of material approximately the size and shape of the hole, then place it in the hole so that the edges of the patch are below the level of the surrounding metal. Fix this position with a few drops of putty.
For small or very narrow openings, aluminum foil can be used. Unwind a piece of foil from the roll, cut it approximately to the shape of the hole, and glue it to the edges of the hole. If the thickness of one layer is not enough, fold the foil in several layers. Rub the handle of the screwdriver along the edges of the patch so that they are better pressed against the metal.
Body repair - puttying and painting
Before starting the work described in this paragraph, read the paragraphs describing the repair of dents, scratches and corrosion.
There are many types of filler pastes, however, polymerizing compounds are considered the best, which are sold in kits containing a jar of paste and a tube of hardener. You will also need a wide, flexible plastic or nylon trowel with smooth, well-finished edges to finish the putty surface.
Prepare a little putty on a clean piece of cardboard or plywood, carefully following the proportions of paste and hardener according to the manufacturer's instructions, otherwise the putty will harden too quickly or never harden. Using a spatula, apply putty to the area to be repaired and level it to obtain the desired surface. When the contour of the putty surface is close to the required one, take a break from work, otherwise the putty will start to stick to the spatula. Continue adding thin layers of putty every twenty minutes, until. until the filler is level with the surrounding metal.
After the putty has hardened, its excess can be removed with a metal plate or file. Further sanding is done using gradually decreasing grit sandpaper, starting with grade 40 paper and ending with grade 400 waterproof paper. In the process of smoothing the surface of the putty, the sandpaper must be periodically moistened with water. Due to this, a smooth effect on the putty in the final stage of polishing is ensured.
At this stage around "dents" a ring of pure metal is formed, which, in turn, is surrounded by good paint. Rinse the repaired area with clean water to remove all sanding products.
Spray a thin coat of primer on the area to be repaired - it will show all the places where the putty surface has defects. Remove these defects with a freshly prepared putty and sand again with sandpaper. Repeat this procedure until you are satisfied with the quality of the repaired surface. Rinse the surface with water and let it dry completely.
Now the restored area is ready for the final operation - coloring. Spraying should be done in a warm, dry, windless but ventilated area. Such conditions can be created artificially if you have a large enclosed space. If you are forced to work outdoors, then you need to choose a day suitable for work. If you are working indoors, dampen the floor in the painting area. This will contribute to the settling of dust that is in the atmosphere. If you are going to paint only one part of the body, cover the rest of the parts; this will help reduce the contrast from small differences in paint colors. body lining (chrome strips, door handles, etc) should also be closed. To do this, use duct tape and newspapers in several layers.
Shake the spray bottle well before you start painting and try painting something away from the car until you get the hang of it. Cover the repaired area with a thick layer of primer; however, the thickness of the paint coating must be created by applying several thin coats of paint, not one thick one. Use 400 grade water-resistant sandpaper to sand down any imperfections in the primer. When performing this operation, the work area must be well moistened with water, and periodically rinsed with sandpaper. Allow primer to dry before applying paint.
Apply a thin layer of paint with a spray gun, starting from the middle of the surface to be painted, and then smoothly move the jet from one edge to the other so. to capture approximately 50 mm of the old paint surface. After some time, apply the next layer. Create the desired thickness of the paint layer by repeatedly applying thin layers. Open the covered parts of the body approximately 10-15 minutes after applying the last coat.
After painting, the parts must be left to stand for at least two weeks, and then the painted area should be smoothed out with a sanding paste. After that, a protective wax coating must be applied.
Plastic parts
Increasing use of plastic body parts by car manufacturers (such as bumpers, spoilers, and in some cases, main body panels), leads to the fact that in case of serious damage to such parts, it is necessary to entrust their repair to a specialist, or to replace parts. The repair of such damage at the service station is not feasible due to the high cost of equipment and materials required to carry out such repairs. The main technique of such repair is that. that a groove is cut along the crack line using an abrasive wheel inserted into an electric drill. After that, the groove is welded with a plastic rod, melted with hot air. Then the excess plastic is removed and the surface is leveled. It is important to use a plastic rod of the same composition as the body part, since different types of plastics are used in the car (e.g. polycarbonate, ABS, polypropylene).
Repair of less serious damage (scratches, minor cracks, etc) can be done at a service station using epoxy putty. This putty is used in a similar way for body repair. Usually putty hardens within twenty to thirty minutes. After that, you can paint on it.
If the part is being replaced as a whole, or if it has been rebuilt using epoxy putty, you may have difficulty finding the right paint that is compatible with the type of plastic being used. Until now, it has not been possible to use universal paint due to the wide variety of plastics used in the manufacture of body components. Standard paints generally do not adhere well to plastic or rubber. However, now it is possible to purchase plastic body parts complete with a primer and paint in various colors. Usually, detailed instructions are attached to such a kit, but, in general, the method of use is to first apply a primer, then dry it for 30 minutes, and then apply a paint coat. The result is a properly colored component, with the paint having good adhesion to plastic or rubber (unlike standard paints which do not provide such properties).
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