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Chevy Body Kits: 6 Tips to Choose the Right Kit For Your Ride

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:09:23 +0000

Chevrolet, the name itself is part of the American heritage. As a manufacturer, they have long been both the largest and most popular vehicle from a company right here at home. For those who drive them, there is no question about the statement you make with that Chevy sports car, or that big GMC truck.
Along with being popular on their history alone, Chevrolet is one company that makes vehicles that are easy to customize. In fact, there is no other manufacturer out there that has such a wide range of aftermarket parts available for their vehicles. With this variety comes a problem though.
Choosing how to customize your Chevrolet vehicle can be quite intimidating. To help you get started, with a new look for your vehicle we have put together this guide to choosing Chevy body kits.
It isn’t that any kit won’t do. But, understanding a bit about body kits, will help you to make a better choice. By choosing the right kit for your car (or truck) you’ll end up with a look that you love and a body kit that stays with your vehicle for its usable lifespan.Chevy Body Kits: 6 Tips
To give your Chevrolet a new look, a body kit is a great start. No other element so quickly changes the look of your car. Choosing the right kit however, can be difficult. To help you out here are 6 things to consider before you order a body kit for your Chevy vehicle.
1. Make Year and Model: Obviously you’ll want to order a kit made for your specific vehicle. This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people order the wrong kit thinking they can customize it to fit. Ensure you order an aftermarket kit that is made to fit your specific vehicle. This will make the whole process much easier.
2. Material the Kit is made Of: There are two basic materials that body kits are made out of: fibreglass and urethane. Urethane is more dent resistant, but if it gets broken it cannot be repaired. Fibreglass on the other hand, will break easier, but can also be repaired. For most people fibreglass is the better choice, but Urethane can also be a good choice if you tend to get a little too close when you drive.
3. The Look You’re Going for: Another consideration is will a body kit fit with the look you want. If you’re lifting a truck, for example, you wouldn’t want the side skirts with your kit. It wouldn’t look right. On the other hand if you lowered that same truck, your vehicle wouldn’t look right without the side skirts.
4. What the Kit Will Look Like: An easy way to begin searching for your kit is to simply look at pictures of them installed. Check out lists of Chevy body kits, on sites like our own, or on the actual manufacturer’s websites to really determine what the finished look will be.
5. Painting your Chevy Body Kit: Another consideration is how you will be painting the kit. Will you be painting it yourself or having a body shop do it? Will the kit be installed and the whole car painted? Or, will it be painted first and then installed. A fibreglass kit is easier to paint, and if you plan on painting it yourself, or installing it with paint already on, these particular kits will be easier to work with.
6. Installation Considerations: Finally you there are a couple of installation considerations before you order your kit. First you need to ensure that the kit comes with the hardware to install it. If it doesn’t, order it with the kit. You also need to consider any extra parts you may need. For example some body kits require a dual exhaust. If your current car only has a single exhaust you may need extra parts to make the body kit work.
By considering these factors before purchasing your body kit you enable yourself to make a more informed decision. You’re also more likely to choose a kit that will look good and last for years to come!

This article is provided courtesy of Andy’s Auto Sports, a premier provider of auto parts for customizing your ride. Andy’s carries a full range of body kits for many makes and models of cars and trucks.

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Choosing the right body shop

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:05:20 +0000

It may be one of many people’s nightmares to have to go and seek out the correct body shop, having to find a good body shop or fender bender as some may call them is not always easy. The possibility of having to go and see one at some point of your driving career is more than likely, maybe through no fault of yours it may be that someone has by accident scratched the paint on your car.

If you happen to have the paint scratched on your car then the first point of call is your local body shop. Or there are always those who want their vehicle customized, or adding extra parts to the vehicle that will have to be sprayed at the body shop. When customizing your vehicle, for example, and wanting a complete paint job, it is best to shop around before parting with any money to choose the right body shop.

Dark dank body shops are a thing of the past, although you may come across one down some back alley somewhere. Today though, the majority of body shops are clean, airy, quality tools on show with clean working environments. Having said this, you still have to ensure that even though everything looks smart and clean, at the end of the day, it is the work that matters.

Most of today’s body shops are very clean, neat and very well lit. These are usually the ones at the top end of the scale. It is normal for a well run body shop to have different areas of work designated. For example, there may be an estimating area; this is the area you will bring your vehicle to get an estimate on repairs and where your finished vehicle will be presented. This will normally be well lit so damage on the vehicle can easily be spotted.

If there is major damage on the vehicle then it will be removed to the area set up for disassembly and onto a frame machine. There are fewer cars now that have a true frame, the machine now is really used in straightening the uni-body construction this is typical on most of the modern cars. The term uni-body basically means that sheet metal is stamped, formed, and welded together, forming the structural part of the car’s body.

It is critical to measure the vehicle’s body for correct uni-body alignment. If, for example, there is one millimeter error then that is all manufacturers will allow. Many body shops use a laser measuring system alongside a frame machine these are used to make certain everything is properly straightened.

Once the uni-body is straight and correct the next stage is moving the vehicle to the area for metal work. Here, new sheet metal will be mounted and any panels with damage are straightened. This is accomplished by skillful technicians using dollies and hammers. Even today though, work done by technicians has changed by technology. If you look above, there will be vacuum lines connected to sanders and grinders; these are to pull any dirt and dust away from this area of the shop. It is amazing how clean these areas are kept.

Once the metal work has been completed, the next stage is the paint prep area, normally in this area dust extraction systems are used to remove any dust that occurs during sanding and paint primer spraying. Body shops use infrared light systems in this area to cure paint primer quickly. These lights usually speed up the drying time, allowing the primer to cure in 20 minutes rather than 24 hours; therefore, your car is ready to go a lot quicker.

The next step will be for the vehicle to move to the paint booth where all the final colors and clear coats will be applied. Many body shops will have different booths the best ones being “downdraft” units these have filtered fresh air entering the top of the booth, any over-spray is drained out through grates in the floor. This produces the best paint finishes, however, as with everything, it’s the operators that make the difference.

The most important thing at this later stage is that the vehicle gets finished in a paint booth that is clean and dust free. This outweighs a dirty booth of a fantastic design. This is when maybe you should ask to see any finished vehicles in the body shop to check the painters work before leaving your vehicle and any money is spent. The things to look for are, smooth finishes that have very few dust specs and ensure the colors match from one panel to another. These are evidence of a quality paint spray done by a professional.

The final stage for the vehicle is the area for final assembly where the trim is re-attached, after which the car will be thoroughly cleaned and readied for you to collect or be delivered. If you have a body shop in mind or have had one recommended then ask for a tour around their facilities. Most good body shops will be more than happy to oblige. If not, then beware.

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Benefits Of Opening A Car Rental Facility At An Auto Body Shop

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:41:34 +0000

A lot of good things happen at an auto body shop. People can get their car detailed, dents removed, paint touched up, headlights restored, auto body repaired, bumper repaired, windows tinted and so much more. The customer is usually very happy about finding an auto body shop to get their vehicle back to tip top shape! However, the customer usually doesn’t like the fact that they will be out of a car for however long their car is in the shop, whether it be one day or weeks. Keep in mind that in today’s world, convenience is everything! So, to add to the great service that you already provide at an auto body shop, why not have a car rental facility right at your location!
This is an awesome opportunity for your auto body shop and a car rental business! You will both gain rewards from conducting business side by side.
If you’re not sold on the idea, here are a few benefits it will bring to you both:
Customers are looking for a good deal and convenience. If they must have work done to their car, they will be out of a car for a period of time. So, if you offer both the service that needs to be performed on their car and a rental facility on location they will save time and money by “shopping” in one place. Both businesses will make profits from one customer.
The auto body shop will be able to recommend customers to the car rental business. This works in favor for both, since customers are looking for great service the auto body shop gains a customer. And since the customer uses their onsite car rental facility they also gain a customer.
You will stand out! Not many auto body shops offer onsite car rental which can be a hassle for the customer. So, you will attract more customers to your business since you offer more convenience to them. And if the customer uses your car rental facility they will most likely choose your service the next time the need a rental, even if their car is not in the shop.
Another plus is that you can also save money in advertisement if you advertise together. You can split the cost of each way your businesses decide to advertise together. You will also get great “word of mouth” advertising since your customers will be speaking nothing but good about your combined business technique!
This idea will work since you will not be competing for customers but working together to gain them. One business can get a lot of customers; however two businesses working together can get a lot more customers, which will mean higher profits for you both! What more could you want for your businesses?
Remember “two heads are better than one”. So, start looking today to find the auto body shop or car rental business to work with and you will both be on the right track to success for your business! Together you will both succeed and reap the benefits of a great business partnership!

If you are looking for an auto body shop to start your business with, look no farther. BumperDoc offers great auto repair services with quality and service that will be a great match for any car rental business!

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