Tag Archives: restoration

Chevelle puzzle solved: Race car comes full circle

raustin | August 27, 2012
chevelle-014

Heinke Trapp was just 7 years old when his father purchased a pair of 1970 Chevrolet LS-6 Chevelles to help promote Quality Chevrolet (now Trapp Chevrolet), his dealership in Houma, La. After a few years of racing, this white one was sold and thought gone forever. But then, to Trapp’s amazement, it resurfaced a few years ago. More »

Categories: Editor's Picks, Features, Hobby News, Muscle Cars | Tags: , , , | 7 Comments

Tip-top floor pans

raustin | August 13, 2012
On top of the floor, where carpets will cover the very solid repair the waterproof fiberglass filler can be left unsanded if you want only a basic repair.

Many unit-body cars need floor panel repair or replacement. Whether it’s best to fix an isolated rust hole in the existing floor or cut it out completely and install an entire floor pan depends on the size of the hole and your preference. The floor pan is an important structural part of a unit-body car, so large rust holes or widely dispersed pinholes mean a new floor pan is in order. However, if the rust is isolated, new patch panels can be installed, thus saving some of the original sheet metal and money in your wallet. More »

Categories: Restoration, Restoration Tips | Tags: , | 1 Comment

Exterior resto tips for classy chrome

raustin | July 10, 2012
Parts that have been treated with copper are buffed and polished before they are ready for final chroming. A variety of metals can be chromed, including cast iron, steel, pot metal, brass and bronz. This piece had surfaces that needed to be hit with both hand tools (above) and a large buffing wheel (below).

Plating expert Terry Meetz knows there’s nothing easy about getting that prefect shine. Meetz has clearly ascended to the top of his profession, and he’s done it the old-fashioned way — by spending thousands of hours toiling in the family shop and slowly winning over customers one at a time around the globe. His business, Custom Plating Specialists, began 30 years ago. More »

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Tip-top convertible roof installation

raustin | June 13, 2012
Upholstery professional D. Chase begins removing the convertible top of a 1984 Buick Riviera, noting how the top was originally installed in order to reinstall it in the same manner. The location of holes, staples, studs and glue are all noted and photographed.

Not all cars are equal, nor are their convertible tops. No-frills cars are likely to have relatively simple tops, but luxury cars often have more complicated tops, such as the roof covering on the featured 1984 Buick Riviera convertible. Installing one of these tops is no easy task, so replacement of this top was trusted to a professional, D. Chase of Chasin’ Perfection. More »

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Painting the pony

raustin | May 15, 2012
Shawn Schrock lays down the first layer of paint on a 1966 Mustang at Kasper Automotive in Waupaca, Wis.

Leonard Schrock jokes that he can’t block sand, paint and buff “all day like I used to be able to. I could just go for hours and never get tired.” After 36 years in the bodywork and auto restoration business, aches and pains can creep up on a guy. Still, Schrock insists he’s able to do bodywork and paint projects better and faster these than he’s ever done them before. Find out how… More »

Categories: Restoration, Restoration Tips | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment