RIXCAR
Frischling
- Beiträge
- 9
- Fahrzeug
- BMW
This is a story about restoration that was done by RIXCAR, a vehicle painting and restoration workshop located in Riga, Latvia. Our previous projects include such cars as BMW E24 M6, Ford Thunderbird, Studebaker Golden Hawk and many other American and European classics.
Here You can see body restoration process of 1972 Buick Skylark GS Convertible that was brought to us from Norway.
http://i.imgur.com/d2saj6El.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/i18MfWjl.jpg
The car wasn't in it's worst shape when arrived. It looked visually good from a distance but had a plenty of imperfections when inspected more closely - such as filler cracks, rust and uneven gaps between parts.
http://i.imgur.com/h352950l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/n60HTA4l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LT5d7Z3l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Thit4UKl.jpg
The process starts by inspection - evaluating the condition of car and disassembling it.
http://i.imgur.com/aQdVTshl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/SHubdTTl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/K1OfQlil.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rsyMBxRl.jpg
First, we removed all the body trim and started stripping off the old paint.
http://i.imgur.com/xYKL6x5l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/aZHS1zEl.jpg
It is a common thing to encounter unpleasant surprises during this stage of restoration. This time - both rear fenders were basically made out of putty.
http://i.imgur.com/bbDDpwXl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fosyqoyl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7gCpEocl.jpg
Also, some of the body panels were warped and the shape was given using filler putty. For example, the trunk lid.
http://i.imgur.com/gHtEGywl.jpg
This is how it looked without paint and body filler. We continued disassembling the car by removing the convertible roof and interior.
http://i.imgur.com/qrVaK3ll.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/EOAZkZDl.jpg
It is obvious, that body panel gap adjustments had to be done.
http://i.imgur.com/mPS31YRl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HJtCRYGl.jpg
All the parts are marked during disassembling process to save the assembling time afterwards.
http://i.imgur.com/U924Pmcl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/chQqw1zl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mN1k2bLl.jpg
After removing old paint and filler materials, we sandblasted all the hard-to-reach and rust damaged areas.
http://i.imgur.com/SWicueWl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/91qgVeTl.jpg
Then treated the whole body with epoxy primer to avoid rust appearance on bare metal during restoration works. And all the areas that needed welding or straightening were marked.
http://i.imgur.com/VecEwU0l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MewXvvol.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZA5FUMil.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ynaZq0ol.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xznNIOIl.jpg
As you can see, the trunk lid was in a really bad shape.
http://i.imgur.com/tP2FJdUl.jpg
The front grille had lost some pieces during the years and had to be restored.
http://i.imgur.com/DNlJ4SAl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0P58PVhl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OfAlVJPl.jpg
Doors had rust damage which we cut out and replaced by a patch that was fabricated from multiple pieces. Also, the inside of door was sandblasted and primed with epoxy primer to avoid further rust appearance.
http://i.imgur.com/tXHlSUyl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GoLo3jEl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LE72T33l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/D4rVEvel.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VNH75nDl.jpg
We leaded because it is more durable than using filler putty.
http://i.imgur.com/BtB7qVZl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/52xbTjxl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T1MOv0hl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ijbwroql.jpg
The front left corner of body under front fender was rusted through all tree layers of metal.
http://i.imgur.com/FEaZ4Okl.jpg
All the layers were cut out.
http://i.imgur.com/QvBAQxql.jpg
Damaged areas sandblasted and primed.
http://i.imgur.com/e0V3e5el.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4NS4oShl.jpg
Here You can see body restoration process of 1972 Buick Skylark GS Convertible that was brought to us from Norway.
http://i.imgur.com/d2saj6El.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/i18MfWjl.jpg
The car wasn't in it's worst shape when arrived. It looked visually good from a distance but had a plenty of imperfections when inspected more closely - such as filler cracks, rust and uneven gaps between parts.
http://i.imgur.com/h352950l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/n60HTA4l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LT5d7Z3l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Thit4UKl.jpg
The process starts by inspection - evaluating the condition of car and disassembling it.
http://i.imgur.com/aQdVTshl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/SHubdTTl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/K1OfQlil.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rsyMBxRl.jpg
First, we removed all the body trim and started stripping off the old paint.
http://i.imgur.com/xYKL6x5l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/aZHS1zEl.jpg
It is a common thing to encounter unpleasant surprises during this stage of restoration. This time - both rear fenders were basically made out of putty.
http://i.imgur.com/bbDDpwXl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fosyqoyl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7gCpEocl.jpg
Also, some of the body panels were warped and the shape was given using filler putty. For example, the trunk lid.
http://i.imgur.com/gHtEGywl.jpg
This is how it looked without paint and body filler. We continued disassembling the car by removing the convertible roof and interior.
http://i.imgur.com/qrVaK3ll.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/EOAZkZDl.jpg
It is obvious, that body panel gap adjustments had to be done.
http://i.imgur.com/mPS31YRl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HJtCRYGl.jpg
All the parts are marked during disassembling process to save the assembling time afterwards.
http://i.imgur.com/U924Pmcl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/chQqw1zl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mN1k2bLl.jpg
After removing old paint and filler materials, we sandblasted all the hard-to-reach and rust damaged areas.
http://i.imgur.com/SWicueWl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/91qgVeTl.jpg
Then treated the whole body with epoxy primer to avoid rust appearance on bare metal during restoration works. And all the areas that needed welding or straightening were marked.
http://i.imgur.com/VecEwU0l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MewXvvol.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZA5FUMil.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ynaZq0ol.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xznNIOIl.jpg
As you can see, the trunk lid was in a really bad shape.
http://i.imgur.com/tP2FJdUl.jpg
The front grille had lost some pieces during the years and had to be restored.
http://i.imgur.com/DNlJ4SAl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0P58PVhl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OfAlVJPl.jpg
Doors had rust damage which we cut out and replaced by a patch that was fabricated from multiple pieces. Also, the inside of door was sandblasted and primed with epoxy primer to avoid further rust appearance.
http://i.imgur.com/tXHlSUyl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GoLo3jEl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LE72T33l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/D4rVEvel.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VNH75nDl.jpg
We leaded because it is more durable than using filler putty.
http://i.imgur.com/BtB7qVZl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/52xbTjxl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T1MOv0hl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ijbwroql.jpg
The front left corner of body under front fender was rusted through all tree layers of metal.
http://i.imgur.com/FEaZ4Okl.jpg
All the layers were cut out.
http://i.imgur.com/QvBAQxql.jpg
Damaged areas sandblasted and primed.
http://i.imgur.com/e0V3e5el.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4NS4oShl.jpg