Monday 16 July 2012

Classic car paint removal with plastic media blasting

Removing old paint is our speciality and we have used all the methods you can think of, including chemicals and mechanical stripping, grit and soda blasting. The most effective way to remove paint is - in our opinion - by use of plastic media blasting - the gentle yet effective firing of plastic beads at the area of paint needing removal treatment.
Check out our advert (reproduced below) on page 14 of this month's (August 2012) The Automobile...or better still book your car in. The result is superb.

Plastic Media Blasting now offered at Mitchell Motors

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT FIA restoration

Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint GT
We have a personal interest in this car and you will see over a number of future blogs how it turns from a restoration project into a solid, full blown racing car.

Inspiration below:
Alfa Romeo racing

AC Ace - Correction of previous workmanship

Another AC Ace entrusted to us for aluminium repairs and repaint.

AC Ace corrected by Mitchell Motors
If you want a car restored by traditional methods but to an award winning standard, then please contact us.

Vintage meets 50's period.

Old and older. If you require paintwork for - or restoration of - your classic, then call Mitchell Motors.
Skilled in all eras of classics from a 1980's Fiat Strada 130TC to a prewar period piece, call Mitchell Motors for any paintwork or restoration requirement.

Vintage Bentley totally restored

Ground up restoration of Mulliner Three Position Drophead Derby Bentley.
Bentley full body restoration
This car came to us in need of extensive restoration including new wood ash frame, aluminium repairs and repainting.
The Lancia Flaminia Convertible is a rare car, but not unfamiliar to Mitchell Motors.
The dream is the Côte d'Azur.........
Lancia Flaminia Convertible c1960
.........but the reality is a restoration project in Wiltshire.
Lancia Flaminia restoration project...with Bristol in background
 We turn your dreams, via our skill, into reality.

Restoration - before and after - Bristol style in this case

New paintwork meets original - but soon to be restored - wheels
This picture of a restored Bristol - one of many we have undertaken - has been tightly cropped on purpose to prove a point. Compare the unrestored wheels to our newly lustrous paintwork.....and imagine the car as it was previously.......

Vintage cars a painting skill all of itself

Many paintshops - ourselves included - are proud of the advancement of painting techniques such as low bake spray booths and water based paints. They create a superb finish that is magnitudes more environmentally friendly than techniques of old.
Vintage cars. Hand-painted or water based paints? Your choice at Mitchell Motors
However, there is a case - that additionally stacks up environmentally - for painting older cars the way they are painted originally. We have painted many cars by hand in order to maintain that "vintage" feel that adds to the originality of your car and preserves its value.

Maserati Indy rust removal andrepainting

Maserati Indy restored by Mitchell Motors
When dealing with older cars - and possibly in particular Italian cars - the key question when advising our clients is not where do you start, but rather where do you stop.
When restoring and/or re-painting cars such as this Indy you have to be aware of the customers budget and to use a phrase cut your cloth accordingly. This is exactly what happened with this Maserati and the car left our workshop better than it left the Maserati factory when it was born.

Ash framing. Engineering meets art.

Skilled ash framers are a dying breed, but we have people with this rare skill and the enthusiasm to take on your project. An example of our skill is shown below.
Ash framing at Mitchell Motors

Aston Martin DB6 re-painted

We have re-painted numerous Aston Martin's now, which bearing in mind the small number of cars produced up to 1994 when the DB7 was introduced makes us very experienced with this marque.

Aston Martin DB6 painted by Mitchell Motors
The car here is a DB6 and with values on a seriously upwards trajectory, a light restoration is more an investment than an expense.

Enjoy the picture and should you need similar, we welcome your enquiry.