I have been in this industry for over 25 years in the same area, I have worked in high quality auto body shops large and small, and have owned my own collision and custom shop in Portland Oregon for the last 8 years. In my area there are hundreds of auto body repair shops in a very small area, yet I only know a few I would trust with my vehicles. So for the most part you have to be as informed as you can, and ask alot of questions.

I am going to give you some information about the industry that will hopefully help to make that informed decision a little easier. First, do not let your insurance company tell you where to have your vehicle repaired, in most cases they have contracts with the shop to save them money in exchange for sending them your vehicle. in this case the insurance company saves money, the shop gets the work but has to cut corners to keep the cost down for the insurance company. And you, the one that pays the insurance company all those inflated premiums, and pays the body shop your deductible gets a substandard repair. The insurance company may say “if you don’t take the job to our repair shop we can’t guaranty the work”, the fact is any and all good auto body shops guaranty their work for as long as you own your car, if they don’t, go somewhere else.

Next thing to do is be sure to question the person who is estimating your damage, smaller shop owners will usually take care of you personally, and in most cases, actually be involved in the repair process. In most of the larger or chain shops the person writing the estimate on how to fix your vehicle is a salesperson, usually having absolutely no experience repairing cars, not to say that the techs working at that shop wont fix your car correctly, but they may just not feel like rewriting the estimate the way it should of been written to begin with. Just be aware and ask the questions. Also small shops may not have all the fancy lasers and computer operated equipment of a large shop, Then again lasers and computers don’t fix cars in most cases they are sales tools and rarely used. Even a frame rack although necessary is nothing more then a few well placed trees, they don’t fix cars, the tech is the most important part of the repair.

Ask if the body shop is on any insurance programs or DRP,(direct repair programs) if they are ask why? the only reason I know why a auto body shop would agree to be on a DRP would be to get work that they couldn’t get on their own. Again this does not mean just because they have a DRP they are not a great shop, but if they have 20 DRP’s then I would be a little concerned? Ask them to explain.

And by far the best resource for finding a good body shop is word of mouth, a friend that’s had work done and is happy to let you know about the auto body shop he had good luck with is a good sign they were treated well. If you have no friends or coworkers that have had resent repairs, you can try the local automotive paint supply stores in the area, they visit shops large and small every day and may be able to help you out.

I hope this gives you a starting point, there is so much more to information on this subject and I will try to keep writing more articles in the near future.

This three stage process drove painters crazy when attempting to match colors. Typically, when a fender replacement was needed, blending the color back into the door to achieve a proper color match was required. In preparation for the blending operation all items are removed from the door such as handles, glass, moldings and trim. The base coat or first stage was applied to the fender and partially into the door. The second stage is the application of the clear coat, which is applied in two coats over the fender and complete door.With the addition of another spraying process after the base or first stage, the blending into the door did not produce an acceptable color match. The industry had to come up with a solution to this problem. The answer required a procedure known as zone refinishing.

The same type of damage that previously required blending into the door now includes the preparation and refinishing of additional undamaged panels along the same side as the repairs. Depending on the color and location, it may be necessary to paint the entire side of a vehicle in order to achieve a proper color match. There are also custom colors that appear to change drastically when viewed from different angles. One example is changing from a rust color to a deep purple and the car actually appears to undergo a change of color as it moves towards or away from you. This is due to the addition of special pearls and xirallic effects.

Xirallic effects are aluminum oxide platelets which are then coated with metal oxides. These platelets are manufactured synthetically using a new crystallization process. The cost of this type of additive is expensive compared to typical pearl type applications. The addition of the three stage refinishing process takes considerably more time to complete. In conclusion the three stage refinishing process is here to stay and adds pleasant visual affect to the cars of today.

Tackling the repair of doors need not be frustrating. Most of it requires a bit of knowledge about what to look for and what bolt to turn. Here are some of the more common tips and techniques useful for dismantling the prewar car door for repairs.

The exterior door handle, especially the driver’s side, is one of the most used parts of the automotive body. While they seldom break, it can be necessary to remove them for other repairs or servicing. Door handles are generally held in place by one of two methods.

In the case of the door handle where a small plate with two bolts around the base of the handle can be seen on the outside of the door, the removal seems straight forward. Remove the two screws or bolts and pull. This may result in a spike in blood pressure. The handle should also be held in place by a third bolt accessible only by removing the interior door panel. This third bolt is located in the end of the handle shaft and prevents the removal of the handle by vandals or pranksters and unscrupulous antique auto restorers.

The second method of removal involves handles with no obvious exterior bolts. Handles of this type require the loosening of a setscrew in the edge of the door. The small set screw will be visible through a hole in the door edge. The hole may be covered by a small cap. Loosen the set screw and the door handle can be removed for repair or replacement. When reinstalling be sure to turn the set screw tight and ensure that it is at least flush with the edge of the door.

Stiff lock action could be a sign that the lock mechanism is about to seize. A squirt or two of powdered graphite from a spray dispenser could save you from dismantling the unit. If the problem persists it may require removing the offending mechanism from the door.

Some automobiles will have a lock unit separate from the handle. This type of lock unit is held in place by a set screw. Open the door and look at the door’s jam at the level of the lock . A small set screw will be visible through a hole. The hole may be covered by a small cap. Turning the set screw counterclockwise the screw will loosen and the lock barrel can be removed for repair or replacement. When reinstalling be sure to turn the setscrew tight and at least flush with the edge of the door jam.

In the case where the lock is located in the handle, the entire handle must be removed as describe above. Then the lock and handle can be sent away for repair, or replaced.

Removal of interior handles is accomplished by removing either a retaining pin or clip. These are accessed by depressing the escutcheon plate or ring to expose the pin or clip. The pin is usually easily pushed through using a suitably stiff wire or small punch. With the clip or pin removed the handle slips off the shaft.

Upholstery panels are best removed with either a specialty tool or a wide putty knife. The blade of the tool is slid up against the spring clips or nails and the panel pried away from the door. Prying as close as possible to the clips or nails lessens the possibility of tearing the panel or fabric. It is also wise to inspect the panel before dismantling to ensure you have removed any extra screws or other fasteners which may have been installed over the lifetime of the vehicle.

With the interior panel removed window and latch mechanisms can be accessed. While the door latch mechanism is a straight forward matter of removing the mounting bolts or screws, the window mechanism requires additional work.

Removal of the window mechanism can be accomplished without removing the glass, but the glass should be removed first. This is often accomplished by lowering the window, removing all window trim and possibly a section of window channel. This allows room to raise the glass up and out of the door. With the glass removed, the bolts retaining the mechanism can be removed for servicing.

When tackling any repair where manuals may not be available, it is wise to make notes as you go. You may think you can remember how it goes together, but a note, small drawing or photos of the dismantling process may assist in jogging your memory. The notes and images will also come in handy the next time you have to tackle a door repair.