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not available, there are one or two excellent
grease solvents available which can be brush
applied; the dirt can then be simply hosed off.
Note that these methods should not be used
on vehicles with wax-based underbody
protective coating or the coating will be
removed. Such vehicles should be inspected
annually, preferably just prior to winter, when
the underbody should be washed down and
any damage to the wax coating repaired using
underseal. Ideally, a completely fresh coat
should be applied. It would also be worth
considering the use of such wax-based
protection for injection into door panels, sills,
box sections, etc, as an additional safeguard
against rust damage where such protection is
not provided by the vehicle manufacturer.
After washing paintwork, wipe off with a
chamois leather to give an unspotted clear
finish. A coat of clear protective wax polish
will give added protection against chemical
pollutants in the air. If the paintwork sheen
has dulled or oxidised, use a cleaner/polisher
combination to restore the brilliance of the
shine. This requires a little effort, but such
dulling is usually caused because regular
washing has been neglected. Care needs to
be taken with metallic paintwork as special
non-abrasive cleaner/polisher is required to
avoid damage to the finish.
Always check that the door and ventilator
opening drain holes and pipes are completely
clear so that water can be drained out. Bright
work should be treated in the same way as
paint work. Windscreens and windows can be
kept clear of the smeary film which often
appears by the use of a proprietary glass
cleaner. Never use any form of wax or other
body or chromium polish on glass.
3 Maintenance - upholstery and
carpets
1
Mats and carpets should be brushed or
vacuum cleaned regularly to keep them free of
grit. If they are badly stained remove them
from the vehicle for scrubbing or sponging and
make quite sure they are dry before refitting.
Seats and interior trim panels can be kept
clean by wiping with a damp cloth and a
proprietary upholstery cleaner. If they do
become stained (which can be more apparent
on light coloured upholstery) use a little liquid
detergent and a soft nail brush to scour the
grime out of the grain of the material. Do not
forget to keep the headlining clean in the same
way as the upholstery. When using liquid
cleaners inside the vehicle do not over-wet the
surfaces being cleaned. Excessive damp
could get into the seams and padded interior
causing stains, offensive odours or even rot. If
the inside of the vehicle gets wet accidentally it
is worthwhile taking some trouble to dry it out
properly, particularly where carpets are
involved. Do not leave oil or electric heaters
inside the vehicle for this purpose.
4 Minor body damage - repair
2
Repair of minor scratches in
bodywork
If the scratch is very superficial, and does
not penetrate to the metal of the bodywork,
repair is very simple. Lightly rub the area of
the scratch with a paintwork renovator, or a
very fine cutting paste, to remove loose paint
from the scratch, and to clear the surrounding
bodywork of wax polish. Rinse the area with
clean water.
Apply touch-up paint to the scratch using a
fine paint brush; continue to apply fine layers
of paint until the surface of the paint in the
scratch is level with the surrounding
paintwork. Allow the new paint at least two
weeks to harden: then blend it into the
surrounding paintwork by rubbing the scratch
area with a paintwork renovator or a very fine
cutting paste. Finally, apply wax polish.
Where the scratch has penetrated right
through to the metal of the bodywork, causing
the metal to rust, a different repair technique
is required. Remove any loose rust from the
bottom of the scratch with a penknife, then
apply rust-inhibiting paint, to prevent the
formation of rust in the future. Using a rubber
or nylon applicator fill the scratch with
bodystopper paste. If required, this paste can
be mixed with cellulose thinners, to provide a
very thin paste which is ideal for filling narrow
scratches. Before the stopper-paste in the
scratch hardens, wrap a piece of smooth
cotton rag around the top of a finger. Dip the
finger in cellulose thinners, and then quickly
sweep it across the surface of the stopper-
paste in the scratch; this will ensure that the
surface of the stopper-paste is slightly
hollowed. The scratch can now be painted
over as described earlier in this Section.
Repair of dents in bodywork
When deep denting of the vehicle’s
bodywork has taken place, the first task is to
pull the dent out, until the affected bodywork
almost attains its original shape. There is little
point in trying to restore the original shape
completely, as the metal in the damaged area
will have stretched on impact and cannot be
reshaped fully to its original contour. It is
better to bring the level of the dent up to a
point which is about 3 mm below the level of
the surrounding bodywork. In cases where the
dent is very shallow anyway, it is not worth
trying to pull it out at all. If the underside of the
dent is accessible, it can be hammered out
gently from behind, using a mallet with a
wooden or plastic head. Whilst doing this,
hold a suitable block of wood firmly against
the outside of the panel to absorb the impact
from the hammer blows and thus prevent a
large area of the bodywork from being
“belled-out”.
Should the dent be in a section of the
bodywork which has a double skin or some
other factor making it inaccessible from
behind, a different technique is called for. Drill
several small holes through the metal inside
the area - particularly in the deeper section.
Then screw long self-tapping screws into the
holes just sufficiently for them to gain a good
purchase in the metal. Now the dent can be
pulled out by pulling on the protruding heads
of the screws with a pair of pliers.
The next stage of the repair is the removal
of the paint from the damaged area, and from
an inch or so of the surrounding “sound”
bodywork. This is accomplished most easily
by using a wire brush or abrasive pad on a
power drill, although it can be done just as
effectively by hand using sheets of abrasive
paper. To complete the preparation for filling,
score the surface of the bare metal with a
screwdriver or the tang of a file, or
alternatively, drill small holes in the affected
area. This will provide a really good “key” for
the filler paste.
To complete the repair see the Section on
filling and re-spraying.
Repair of Rust holes or gashes
in bodywork
Remove all paint from the affected area and
from an inch or so of the surrounding “sound”
bodywork, using an abrasive pad or a wire
brush on a power drill. If these are not
available a few sheets of abrasive paper will
do the job just as effectively. With the paint
removed you will be able to gauge the severity
of the corrosion and therefore decide whether
to renew the whole panel (if this is possible) or
to repair the affected area. New body panels
are not as expensive as most people think
and it is often quicker and more satisfactory
to fit a new panel than to attempt to repair
large areas of corrosion.
Remove all fittings from the affected area
except those which will act as a guide to the
original shape of the damaged bodywork (eg
headlight shells etc). Then, using tin snips or a
hacksaw blade, remove all loose metal and
any other metal badly affected by corrosion.
Hammer the edges of the hole inwards in order
to create a slight depression for the filler paste.
Wire brush the affected area to remove the
powdery rust from the surface of the
remaining metal. Paint the affected area with
rust inhibiting paint; if the back of the rusted
area is accessible treat this also.
Before filling can take place it will be
necessary to block the hole in some way. This
can be achieved by the use of aluminium or
plastic mesh, or aluminium tape.
Aluminium or plastic mesh or glass fibre
matting is probably the best material to use for
a large hole. Cut a piece to the approximate
size and shape of the hole to be filled, then
position it in the hole so that its edges are
below the level of the surrounding bodywork. It
can be retained in position by several blobs of
filler paste around its periphery.
11•2 Bodywork and fittings