Restoration of minor body scratches
1. If only the paintwork is scratched, and the metal is not affected, it is very easy to repair the scratch. Lightly rub the area of the scratch 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.
2. Apply a thin layer of liquid paint to the scratch with a soft brush: repeat this operation several times until the paint surface is leveled. 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.
3. If the scratch reaches the metal of the body, it may 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 putty paste. If necessary, the paste can be thinned with a solvent, 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
4. With deep dents in the car body, the first task is to to pull out the dent until the bodywork 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 with a hammer with a wooden or plastic head. During the straightening process, a suitable wooden block must be pressed from the outside to absorb the impact of hammer blows, and thus prevent the metal from bulging outward.
5. If the dent is in a part of the body that has a double metal joint or if access from the inside is impossible for some other reason, different 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.
6. The next stage of restoration is to remove paint from and around the damaged area, about 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.
7. The final repair operations are described below (see subparagraph "Puttying and painting").
Restoration of corroded holes or deep damage to the body
8. Remove all paint from the surface to be repaired and 2-3 centimeters around with a metal 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.
9. Remove all parts installed in the damaged area other than those needed to form the original surface. Then, with metal shears or a hacksaw blade, cut off any metal damaged by corrosion. To create support when filling with putty, bend the edges of the hole inward with a hammer.
10. Use a wire brush to remove powdered rust from remaining metal. Apply a rust converter to the damaged area; if the inside of the rusted area is accessible, treat that as well.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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
14. Before proceeding with the work described in this paragraph, read the paragraphs describing the repair of dents, scratches and corrosion.
15. There are many types of putty fins, however, curing 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.
16. Prepare a little putty on a clean piece of cardboard or plywood, carefully following the proportions of paste and hardener in accordance with 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 already applied will begin to stick to the spatula. Continue to add thin putties every twenty minutes until the level of putty is even with the surrounding metal.
17. After the putty has hardened, its excess can be removed with a metal scraper or file. Further processing is carried out using sanding paper with gradually decreasing grit: starting with grade 40 paper and ending with waterproof grade 4QD paper. Always wrap the sandpaper around a piece of flat rubber, cork, or a piece of wood - otherwise the surface of the putty will not be smooth. In the process of smoothing the surface of the putty, the sandpaper must be periodically rinsed in water. This ensures a smooth putty surface in the final polishing stage.
18. 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.
19. Spray a thin layer of primer on the repaired area - 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.
20. 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.
21. Shake the spray well before 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.
22. Spray a thin layer of paint, starting from the middle of the surface to be painted, and then smoothly mix the spray from one end to the other so as to cover 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 body parts approximately 10-15 minutes after applying the last coat.
23. Parts after painting should be kept for at least two weeks, and then the painted area should be smoothed out with grinding paste. After that, a protective wax coating must be applied.
Plastic parts
24. 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. Repairing such damage on your own is usually not cost effective due to the high cost of equipment and materials required to carry out such repairs. The main technique of such a repair is 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).
25. Repair of less serious damage (scratches, minor cracks, etc) can be done independently using epoxy putty. This putty is used in a similar way for body repair. Usually putty hardens within twenty to thirty minutes. After that, it can be sanded and painted.
26. 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 that do not provide such properties).