John Russo and his team performing another high end auto restoration on one of Henry Fords original Real Steel bodies. One would have to say its very fitting simply because our shop is located only two miles from Fort Myers own Thomas Edison and Henry Ford museum.
This 31 ford roadster was in pretty good shape for its age. After dis-assembly we prepped it for sand blasting. This is one of the best ways to bring a car to bare metal. Another option is to send the body to a chemical stripping company and they will submerge your restoration project and after a few hours the body is removed and rinsed. This procedure produces a very nice job with out a chance for warping the panels. Warping the metal can happen when sand blasting (if done improperly). Rest assured the crew at Palm Beach Customs has a vast experience in the Sandblasting Business and we prefer that option most of the time because the benefits out way the negatives. We start out with a white metal blasting using NJ 1/4 grit silica sand allowing for a heavy blasting of the frame and floor panels where you don’t have to be concerned for warping. Once we switch to the flat surfaces of sheet-metal extra care must be used with even passes (keep moving) dusting approach and not letting the metal to heat up and allow for warping — then the final trick is using a blasting media called DuPont Star blast. It is a gunmetal product and it actually cleans the dirt from the pores of that previously blasted panels. Then we are able to apply a metal etching primer to the bare metal surfaces immediately. With the acid stripping procedure you just cant get the surface that clean compared to sandblasting.
When we started in the restoration business we had three Sand Blasting Trucks on the road and one was dedicated for Old Cars along with heavy equipment refinishing services. We took great pride in being very careful while removing the paint and rust from your restoration project. Below you will also see us sand blasting a Fleet of Flat bed trailers .
This is where it all starts in the Prep of your Classic Car or in this case Pre-War Frame Off Restoration. When a good foundation is built for your project you can be sure that the investment you make in your “dream car ” will be money well spent. I often compare it to building a house or restoring one: the same labor it takes to buy 10 year roof shingles on that it takes to put 40 year shingles on your house.
So it is very important to protect your investment. Spend your Restoration dollars wisely and do it right the first time.
Give us a call with your restoration project from Pre -War, Classic , or Muscle cars. You are in good hands with the team at Palm Beach Customs. The crew working on your cars has a combined knowledge of 60 plus years with countless satisfied customers.
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