Bodyworx Professional 4#1

special edition of

INSIDE OKANAGAN COLLEGE’S COLLISION REPAIR PROGRAM

Exclusive Pinstripe Wizard Up close and personal with a world-class pinstriper and customizer Yosemite Sam

SHOW POWER

Tri-Coat Test

Kim Hefferman of CJR Performance and her customized Scat Pack Charger stand out at Motorama!

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steps to your perfect colour match

plus

Building skills with vintage car repair and much, much more!!

‘Yosemite Sam’ Radoff APRIL 2017

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$7.95

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Andrew Fairs of Abbey Park HS

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CONTENTS

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cover story 16 AutoShowDown Keep an eye on future tech with our AutoShow coverage!

regulars 6 Publisher’s Page

by James Kerr

7 News Centennial College honours latest grads and much, much more!

14 Industry Insight

by John Norris

42 Final Detail

by Mike Davey

33 20

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Learning in Style

Tech Talk

Three high schools build practical skills with vintage car repair.

How to make a tri-coat let down panel for accurate colour matching.

features 25 Sultan of the Stripe

40 Young Gun

“Yosemite Sam” Radoff is a true living legend.

Lorne Jackson’s path into the industry was snow-covered.

30 UV Curing

41 Training Today

Dispelling the myths and mysteries of curing with ultraviolet.

I-CAR has the education you need to stay competitive.

36 New Era Bill Speed retires from teaching but he’s not done with the industry yet!

School Profile Okanagan College has been training the industry for over 50 years.

on the cover: Kim Hefferman of CJR Performance and Plum Loca.

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PUBLISHER’S PAGE

PUBLISHER Darryl Simmons 647.409.7070 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com

Practical Art

Collision repair is more than just restoration

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are the painters and techs in the collision repair industry.

Many people in collision repair shops don’t think of themselves as artists, but maybe they should. In school you might have been told that art is impractical. What job are you going to get with an art degree?

Yet, here is an entire industry that works restoring giant and heavy art pieces every day. You could work restoring precious paintings in a museum, or you could work in a collision repair shop, taking a broken automobile and making it whole and beautiful again. Automobiles may be

“Many people in collision repair shops don’t think of themselves as artists, but maybe they should.” circuitry more complex than NASA used to land astronauts on the moon. Just because automobiles are practical and ubiquitous doesn’t mean they’re aren’t also beautiful.

I don’t just mean the classic cars. We all remember the muscle cars of yesteryear fondly for their bold designs, creative proportions and beautiful lines. In the years since then it often seems automobile manufacturers have focused on safety and function over fashion. The primary goal is making a car that will do its job best, and be a thing of beauty second. Collision rates and fatalities drop every year, and the puzzle of how to make the safest car possible is ever closer to being solved. Car designers are looking again towards what is beautiful, what is art. Automobile designs are getting more beautiful all the time.

And guiding the artistic process along

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EDITorial Director Mike Davey 905.549.0454 editor@collisionrepairmag.com Creative Department Michelle Miller 905.370.0101 michelle@mediamatters.ca Staff writers Barett Poley barett@mediamatters.ca Jeff Sanford jeff@collisionrepairmag.com

By James Kerr

ou might think a piece of art is something you hang on your wall, put under glass in a museum or sit on a pedestal in the hallway. But you have a great piece of art sitting in your driveway or in your garage right now.

The automobile is a work of art, maybe the greatest piece of art. It represents an incredible achievement in design and engineering, guided under your hands on a daily basis when you do something as ordinary as drive to work. From the outside, it is made to be both beautiful and functional. From the inside, there is

Publishing Director James Kerr 416.628.8344 james@mediamatters.ca

ordinary—but forget for a moment that you see them every day. Look again. That’s art.

Many of the stories in this issue are about cars as art, or about people who have taken what they learned in the collision repair industry and done something beautiful.

Such an artistic future could be yours.

Seeing that car roll out of the shop when it was unable to drive itself in is a satisfying feeling, but look again at the next one you restore and take some time to appreciate that you are not only a part of an intensely complex human endeavour, you are an artist.

VP Industry Relations & Advertising Gloria Mann 647.998.5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com Industry Relations & Advertising Assistants Maria Angela Yanita, Yuhan Pan Managing Director iMM/Director Business Solutions & Marketing Ellen Smith 416.312.7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca Contributors Justin Jimmo, John Norris, Peter Phillipson, Andrew Shepherd SUBSCRIPTION One-year $29.95 / Two-year $49.95

Bodyworx Professional™ is published bi-monthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Bodyworx Professional™ may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions, statements appearing in this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by the publisher.

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NEWS

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‘Bitchin’Rides’ host to launch new paint line with AkzoNobel

By Barett Poley A year in the making, SEMA 2017 will play host to the reveal of a paint line collaboration between AkzoNobel and famed custom car builder Dave Kindig, host of “Bitchin’ Rides” on Discovery’s Velocity Channel. The paint line is a groundbreaker for AkzoNobel, as it’s the first time they’ve teamed up with a custom car builder in North America to create a line of paints for custom work. The line was initially introduced at SEMA 2016, but will be fully revealed at this year’s SEMA Show.

Finding the right colour for any custom car can be a meticulous process that takes into consideration everything from the desired aesthetic, to the history of the vehicle itself. With the upcoming line of paints, AkzoNobel and Kindig seek to streamline this process. In fact, Kindig recently visited AkzoNobel’s Vehicle Refinishes North American headquarters in Troy, Michigan, just north of Detroit to continue working on the paint line.

Kindig has decades of experience building custom cars, and has dealt with all sorts of American muscle in his time as a builder. Kindig says he’s not only excited to be developing his own line, but especially excited that it’s with AkzoNobel.

“I’m thrilled to be working with AkzoNobel on developing this brand new custom colour line,” says Kindig, regarding the collaboration.

“Since I started spraying Sikkens Autowave,

Dave Kindig, custom builder and host of ‘Bitchin’ Rides’ on Discovery, visits AkzoNobel’s manufacturing location in Pontiac, Michigan. Kindig and AkzoNobel are collaborating on a new paint line.

my projects have never looked better. So, it is very exciting to me that I will be able to combine my style and quality and mix it with AkzoNobel’s exciting product line in order to come up with some pretty sick colours.”

When asked if the line would be based on anything in particular, Jennifer Solcz, North American Marketing Manager, says “Colours will be custom developed in partnership with Dave Kindig and based on the level of superior quality associated with our Sikkens brand. Colours

will be classic, timeless and truly authentic.”

The partnership is advantageous to both Kindig and AkzoNobel, and Solcz says that the partnership sets AkzoNobel apart from other refinishing manufacturers. “This is a one-of-a-kind, exclusive partnership with Dave Kindig,” says Solcz, adding “Colours offered will be developed based on Dave’s creative, artistic vision.”

If you find yourself at SEMA 2017, stay on the lookout for the full reveal of the Kindig/ AkzoNobel partnership’s paint line!

AIA Canada relaunches scholarship program AIA Canada has announced that it will create a new scholarship program with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation to take the place of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) Scholarship Program. GAAS was dissolved in 2016 and the scholarship program went with it.

The scholarship amount, application process and the criteria for the scholarship have not changed from previous years. Information on the scholarship program can be found on the AIA website or by contacting Didina Kyenge via email to didina.kyenge@aiacanada.com.

The deadline for scholarship applications is June 15, 2017.

Selected candidates receive a $1,000 scholarship. While all students are encouraged to apply, priority in awarding scholarships is given to those pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket. As a bonus, a matching grant is awarded to scholarship

recipients who become technicians in the automotive aftermarket. Successful applicants may claim their matching grant up to one year after graduation.

Students must be enrolled full-time for the year of the scholarship. For example, if you apply this year, you must be enrolled for the academic year starting September of this year up to May or June of the following year.

Qualified applicants must either be a graduating high school senior or have

graduated from high school within the past two years. Applicants must be enrolled in a college-level program, university or an accredited automotive program. Priority will be given to those pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket. Participants must be attending a full-time program in Canada.

Graduate programs and undergraduate parttime programs do not qualify.

To apply, candidates must submit a scholarship application along with an essay indicating why they believe they deserve to receive a scholarship. The essay must be at least 250 words in length and no longer than one page, double-spaced. Applicants must also submit relevant school transcripts and a letter of recommendation from a non-family member, ideally an employer or teacher.

More information on the scholarship program and the application form can be found at AIA Canada’s website at aiacanada.com.

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NEWS

Pedal Car Challenge from Carlson Body Shop Supply and BASF

By Mike Davey

The winning pedal car from the Pedal Car Challenge at Calgary’s World of Wheels event. The Pedal Car Challenge was co-sponsored

by BASF and Carlson Body Shop Supply.

The Calgary edition of World of Wheels provided a chance to check out some of Western Canada’s finest hot rods, custom cars, restored motorcycles and trucks.

In addition, attendees got a chance to witness the annual Pedal Car Challenge, part of Student Career Day. World of Wheels took place at the BMO Centre at Calgary’s Stampede Park.

The Pedal Car Challenge was co-sponsored by Carlson Body Shop Supply and BASF. The Pedal Car challenge provides an excellent opportunity for a team of automotive students from local high schools to apply their technical skills. The hands-on projects involve planning, design, creativity, productivity and resourcefulness. In other words, it’s a great starting point for a career in collision repair.

“It is an outstanding event and we were thrilled to be part of Student Career Day again this year,” says Jamie Corbeil, Southern Alberta Sales Manager for Carlson Body Shop Supply. “It’s exciting to see the students so engaged through their pedal car designs. We hope events like this will continue to attract the next generation of skilled technicians into the collision repair industry!”

Participating schools were provided with one pedal car to customize and show off at the event. Student Career day kicked off with a general discussion in the auditorium with over 500 students in attendance, with guest speakers from many sectors of the automotive industry. Student Day is designed to help encourage students to follow their passion for the automobile and consider careers in the automotive industry.

Carlson Body Shop Supply also contributed paint and bodyshop supplies, in parts from funds raised during the Chip Foose silent auction the company held in May 2016.

As part of the Pedal Car Challenge, each participating high school received a package of materials which enabled them to follow the typical collision repair process from metal work, to sanding and preparation to final paint procedures. BASF provided the schools with the colours they would need to express their creativity. The technical sales team from Carlson Body Shop Supply assisted the schools with product application and procedures.

Carlson Body Shop Supply also served as the presenting sponsor at the Edmonton World of Wheels that took place March 3 to 5 at the Edmonton Expo Centre.

Another pedal car at Calgary’s World of Wheels. The competition gives students a chance to apply real techniques on a small scale.

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NEWS

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Centennial College graduates new Level III class

By Mike Davey A new group of fully qualified technicians has completed their apprenticeship. Centennial College in Toronto held a special event at the school’s Ashtonbee campus to honour the latest round of graduates from its Level 3 Automotive Body Damage and Collision Repairer (ABCDR) program.

The graduation ceremony was sponsored by 3M Canada and Collision Industry Information Assistance (CIIA). In total, 19 students graduated from the program.

John Norris is the Executive Director of CIIA. He notes that it is important to honour the achievements of these students to develop and maintain a strong workforce.

“Large numbers of interested, motivated young people are enthusiastic about the auto body collision damage repairer trade and sign apprenticeship contracts each year across Canada, yet the industry is still struggling to recruit and retain skilled technicians,” he says.

“Once you start digging into the numbers, the reason becomes clear: many of them simply never make it to class.”

The 2017 graduating Level III class from Centennial College.

This does not necessarily mean they’re not working in the collision repair industry. Some of them, however, simply never make it to school. The ones who do are much more likely to make the autobody business their career.

“We know how many graduate each year in each province, and we also have data that

shows us that once they physically get to the Training Delivery Agent, chances are good they will stay in the trade. Different employers perhaps, and sometimes frequently changed, but still in the trade,” says Norris.

For more information on Centennial College’s ABCDR program, please visit them online at centennialcollege.ca.

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NEWS

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Getting the most out of the Spanesi Touch system CARSTAR Oakville East recently hosted a training session designed to optimize the use of the Spanesi Touch system. The training was conducted by Anthony Iaboni of Collision 360 and Tom McGee of Spanesi Americas. The session itself was primarily geared towards those who are already using the Spanesi Touch.

“There were some people at the training who were considering buying it, but most of them were existing users of the Spanesi Touch,” says Iaboni. “This session was really about teaching them how to get the most out of the system.”

Vehicle tolerance limits continue to narrow, which means measurements have to be as accurate as possible. In turn, this makes it critical that sensors are correctly placed and aligned to ensure the system is operating at its full capabilities.

“We’ve had the system for years, but there’s always something new to learn,” says Lorenzo Pellicciotta, owner of CARSTAR Oakville East. Pellicciotta also owns another CARSTAR facility in the city, CARSTAR

The training event was hands-on, allowing techs to become more familiar with the finer points of the system.

Oakville West. “All of my techs have used it, but I know they got some good pointers out of the training. Sometimes, especially with the older guys, they may tend to shy away from the computer technology. It’s

good for them to have this sort of handson training where they can learn the fine details of the equipment.”

For more information on Collision 360, please visit collision360.ca.

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NEW PRODUCTS

PPG’s XI line takes colour matching to ‘a whole new level’ PPG has announced the development of several advances in its array of software and hardware colour tools. Specifics are still under wraps, but Denise Lu, PPG’s Global Marketing Director, has dropped some hints.

“We have been working on critical initiatives that will elevate our colour tools to a whole new level, all to the benefit to our customers,” said Lu. “Those individuals who attended the SEMA show and saw our video about colour tools have an idea of what’s coming. Our colour management, identification and retrieval products are already highly efficient and accurate; they’re in daily use in collision centres around the country. Now we’re giving these products advanced features and capabilities to make automotive refinishing even easier, more productive and more quality-focused.”

Lu also indicated that we can expect enhancements to the company’s PaintManager colour management software, RapidMatch X-5 spectrophotometer and TouchMix colour retrieval system. The tools will be part of a new product line branded XI.

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The first of the three initiatives, the TouchMix XI computer, was released in January. It is a Windows OS computer exclusive to PPG. Second is the PaintManager XI program software.

It will be rolled out across Canada this spring. A statement from PPG says this next-generation software features numerous process improvements and a more intuitive workflow to help managers oversee the productivity and profitability of The launch of the XI colour matching line will include their paint mixing operations enhancements to PPG’s RapidMatch XI spectrophotometer. more effectively.

Rounding out the trio of new tools is the with six blue-enhanced LEDs. A touchscreen RapidMatch XI spectrophotometer. This user interface captures vital job details with third-generation spectrophotometer was Wi-Fi connectivity directly to the PaintMandesigned exclusively for PPG. It combines ager XI software. eleven colour angles and five texture angles For more information, please visit their for a total of sixteen geometries powered website at ppgrefinish.com.

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NEW PRODUCTS

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3M puts power in the palm of your hand 3M has introduced new power tools and Cubitron II Cut Off Wheels and Flap Discs, specifically designed for use in automotive body work.

A statement from 3M says the new tools are optimized for the bodyshop, not “over-engineered for heavy duty industrial applications.”

3M says the new tools offer a composite body providing durability at a lighter weight and better user comfort and handling, as the tool is less prone to condensation. The company also says the new tools stay much warmer than typical steel tools that will chill with prolonged airflow. And for maximum user comfort and accessibility, the file belt tools offer adjustable arms.

New 3M power tools are optimized for use with 3M Cubitron II Abrasives Discs, Wheels and Belts and include:

• 3M Body Repair Mini File Belt Sander, 330mm (13”)

3M’s Pistol Grip Sander, part of the new line of abrasive power tools from 3M.

• 3M Body Repair File Belt Sander, 457mm (18”) • 3M Body Repair Pistol Grip Disc Sander, 50mm and 75mm • 3M Body Repair Cut-Off Wheel Tool, 75mm (3”) • 3M Body Repair Cut-Off Wheel Tool, 100mm (4”)

Other than the File Belt Sander contact wheels and arms, there is no need to replace tool parts and tools come with 1-year warranty.

3M Cubitron II Cut Off Wheel and Flap Disc feature triangular shaped ceramic mineral that 3M says cuts 30 percent faster and lasts up to twice as long as conventional premium abrasives. The full line of discs comes in sizes and grades for use throughout the repair process.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

The Labour Shortage There are actually two challenges to contend with

By John Norris

W

e often hear that the biggest challenge facing the Canadian collision repair industry is a lack of qualified technicians. While that may be true, it doesn’t really tell the whole story. In reality, the continued challenge for our trade is actually two-fold.

I tend to concentrate on Ontario, as that’s where I am based and it’s the area I know the most about. With that said, the challenges I’m about to outline seem to be very similar across the entire country.

Looking at the numbers in Ontario, I can tell you that more students are entering the trade, more apprentices are signing up, and

advance. The old days, when you could just sort of pick up bodywork skills as you went along, are long gone. A working technician today needs a solid base of theory to build those skills on. Plus, it’s very difficult to get a license without the schooling. This is becoming more and more important.

It seems to me that very often employers won’t send their apprentices to school ... and then complain they don’t have trained staff.

In Ontario, most of the licensed trades are overseen by the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT). This is the body responsible for ensuring that all members of a licensed trade are, in fact, licensed.

We worry about the risk of harm to some of the unlicensed workers in our industry.

Automotive repair tools, grinders, metal pullers, frame racks, etc., can be extremely dangerous in the hands of unskilled and unlicensed workers. Frankly, misuse can be deadly. We believe that only trades licensed technicians and registered apprentices should be allowed to work with this equipment. We even go as far as offering a two-day Tool Awareness course to pre-apprenticeship students to ensure better safety.

However, a number of community colleges offer courses called “Techniques Auto Body.”

These courses are fee-payer programs that may or may not follow the provincial curriculum for our trade. We have no idea if the graduate has any training in the areas addressed normally in the provincial curriculum for our trade. Colleges are now asking for automatic exemptions for their students after the first year of this course (so testing is not required) and that worries us. No one controls the curriculum or training, teachers are hired almost the day before the class starts and sometimes with little experience and there is no program auditing. Techniques courses at community colleges, if we are not careful, can be the wild west. We do not

“More students are entering the trade, more apprentices are signing up, and more classes are being run, but many shops still say that they cannot find good staff.” more classes are being run, but many shops still say that they cannot find good staff. This is a clear disconnect. One possibility is that too many shops are expecting to hire only experienced technicians. It’s also possible that they aren’t doing a very good job when it comes to hiring and retaining staff. A third possibility is that they are looking for jobspecific staff and just not finding them.

I can also say with certainty that more training dollars are being spent, more donations are being made to schools and more dollars are being spent on equipment than in previous years. While education funding is always an issue and the schools could always use more, it is not a simple lack of funding for the programs.

The real issue, in my view, is that in Ontario, only 20 to 30 percent of apprentices that sign up actually go to school. This leaves somewhere between 70 and 80 percent stuck at their current level with no real way to

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In December 2016, I was fortunate enough to be invited to speak to OCOT’s Board of Governors and was able to raise some positive notes on enforcement and compliance. My day job is Executive Director for Collision Industry Information Assistance, a trade association representing about 300 shops in the province. Our association continues to assist OCOT with compliance assistance, by offering courses for those that have applied for permission to write the Red Seal exam through a Technician Equivalency Assessment application. Last year we helped 92 experienced workers with additional training to ensure better exam completion.

Although we operate the largest industry website for human resources in Canada, we do not run any help wanted ads unless the shop is ensuring in the skilled trade ad that the candidate must be trades licensed or applying for a registered apprentice position.

know if the requirements for safe operation of tools and equipment have been learned by these students.

An exciting new development for our industry is the accreditation to a series of standards for shops in the collision repair industry. One of these facility standards is the requirement to only employ licensed technicians and registered apprentices. We are hoping that the College would be inspecting these shops every three months and then at longer intervals for overtly compliant facilities, in an effort to reduce their load of inspection responsibilities and to ensure ongoing coverage.

John Norris is the Executive Director of the Ontario collision repair trade association at CIIA (Collision Industry Information Assistance) and Administrator of the CASIS Vehicle Security Professional program. He is also Collision Chair of the National Automotive Trades Association (NATA).

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cover story

New tech impresses the public, but it’ll be up to you to fix it

Kim Hefferman of CJR Performance and her car, Plum Loca, at Motorama.

AutoShowDown

By Barett Poley

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This stunning first-generation Camaro at Motorama was built by Nadeau’s Collision in Peterborough.

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wo big auto shows landed in Toronto recently. Their proximity in time and space is just about the only thing they have in common. The Canadian International AutoShow, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, focuses on new models and the new technology the OEMs are rolling out.

Motorama, on the other hand, puts the spotlight on custom builds and motorsports. Both shows serve a purpose for professionals. The AutoShow gives you some hints about what’s rolling into the shop. Motorama, however, is just awesome.

The 2017 edition of Motorama took the International Centre by storm, showing off some of the hottest and fastest custom cars.

One of the most eye-catching may also be one of the fastest: Plum Loca, a 6.4-litre Scat Pack Charger. The car was built by CJR Performance, a division of Toronto’s Scarsview Chrysler.

Plum Loca logs 453 horsepower to the rear wheels, and 468 pounds-feet of torque. Thanks to the custom Rohana wheels, colour-changing

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Oracle headlights and custom “Plum Loco” paint, it also looks great while putting down great numbers on the track.

The car is track-driven by Kim Hefferman, a member of the CJR Performance race team.

She can often be seen with the car at shows and meets around Ontario.

Christian Arancibia is one of the owners of CJR Performance. He says the car is truly something to behold in action. “It’s the fastest all-motor Scat Pack Charger in Ontario, running a 12.19 second quarter-mile at 112.9 mph,” he says. “The mod list includes a DiabloSport modified PCM + Trinity, American racing headers, high-flow cats, ported intake manifold with 90mm TB opening, Modern Muscle MB adapter plate, Hellcat throttle body and more, paired with custom painting/ airbrushing all the way around.”

Turn the page for our coverage of the AutoShow, and what just might show up in the shop in years to come.

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Cover STory

The new hypercar from Aston Martin features an unprecedented carbon fibre construction.

The 2017 Canadian International AutoShow at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre was like a glimpse into the future of bodywork. This is where the car companies come to try and outdo each with new features and designs intended to convince the buying public that they’re the best choice. The technology on display is very impressive, but sooner or later some of these cars will end up in accidents.

At that point, it’s up to the collision techs to figure out how to fix all of that advanced equipment and new construction techniques.

Check out some of what might be heading your way over the following pages.

Aston Martin plans a track-only variant with higher horsepower.

Carbon Fibre Construction The AutoShow was host to the global reveal of the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar. The AMRB 001 is set to feature 1,000 BHP per ton, a ludicrous amount of power, alongside a carbon fibre chassis and body, and intense body-styling that would send anyone’s imagination racing.

Like the Lamborghini Aventador, the AMRB 001 will feature parts borrowed from F1 vehicle design, including mostly carbon fibre body components, and a completely carbon fibre frame: virtually unheard of in the world of road cars. This may make collision repair for the car more difficult, as the splinters and shards caused by damage to carbon fibre are not nearly as easy to mend as traditional metals.

That’s another important fact: the AM-RB 001 is set to be a completely road-legal production vehicle. Though it will certainly feature a limited run, it’s not as if the British hypercar will be track only. Aston Martin will, however, offer a track-oriented variant, with less in the way of seating and higher horsepower. Both models will also feature featherlight rims, attached by a single locking mechanism at the centre of the tire, much like an F1 or NASCAR circuit car. Similar to an F1 car as well is the massive engine

which powers the AM-RB001. The engine at the heart of the car? A newly designed, mid-mounted, high-revving, naturally aspirated V12 engine with the potency to achieve a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. This is an incredibly rare feat in the automotive world.

The car is poised to be completely bespoke, as well, and Aston Martin has set up their hypercar factory to handle the AM-RB001 being completely hand-made

by David King, Chief Special Operations Officer at Redbull Racing, and his team at Gaydon. The same facility was used to forge the Aston Martin One-77, another premier hypercar offered by the British company. The One-77 was limited to a run of 77 units.

Like the One-77, the AM-RB001 will be a limited production model, with both a trackoriented and road-oriented version going up for sale. Even the road version looks ready for the track, however, and seeing the vehicle up-close and personal at the AutoShow was an incredible experience. The angles look futuristic and incredibly sharp, almost confusingly so, and the body fitment and finishing is absolutely perfect, leaving nothing to be desired; proving that carbon fibre, though more difficult to repair, can make one incredibly attractive automobile.

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cover story

‘GREEN’ MOBILITY

The Oasis features an integrated garden.

Time to take up horticulture?

Rinspeed, a Swiss vehicle modification company and “think tank” for the automotive industry, has focused on green vehicles since its founding in 1977.

Rinspeed was the first company to create integrated controls on steering wheels, and the company says that it’s responsible for the popularization of both sunroofs and turbochargers. Rinspeed also made waves in 2008 when they introduced the Squba, a Lotus-based submersible vehicle that boasted zero emissions and the ability to drive around underwater like a submarine. Now the company has turned its gaze back to terra firma with the reveal of the Rinspeed Oasis–an all-electric, self-driving entertainment-filled car for the urban landscape.

Based on a completely in-house designed and produced platform, the rolling chassis revealed at the Canadian International AutoShow turned heads, if not yet wheels.

Though the engine that will go inside the vehicle has not been announced, Rinspeed states that it will be fully electric.

The traditional specs of the vehicle aren’t nearly as interesting as the interior specifications and technology crammed into the car. Rinspeed clearly isn’t going after the performance market with this vehicle. While the standard automotive enthusiast might look to horsepower, power-to-weight-ratios, or

pound-feet of torque, Rinspeed is putting the emphasis on the other functions a car can serve.

Given its theoretically autonomous capabilities, the interior of the Oasis is more like a mobile office space than anything currently on the road.

The rolling chassis displayed at the AutoShow had an integrated entertainment platform and comfortable seating. Overall it felt more like sitting in a portable living room than sitting in a car. For many people suffering the daily grind of commuting, this would likely be a welcome improvement.

The Oasis even features a small garden behind the windshield, for growing small vegetables or plants, making the car “green” in more ways than one.

Its autonomous design does bring up some questions, just as other autonomous vehicles do. For example, how will one be able to tell who is at fault in an accident involving autonomous vehicles? Or what happens if an autonomous vehicle collides with a traditional car? Will the human behind the wheel or the computer be blamed? Whose voice will be seen as more important for insurance purposes?

The car, while encased mostly in glass, does have quite a few traditional body panels, but the integrated collision avoidance system in the Oasis may mean we’ll be waiting a while to see one in the bodyshop.

The interior of the Rinspeed Oasis resembles more of an office on wheels than a traditional car.

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cover story

New Accent Let’s be honest: you’re probably not going to see an Oasis or an Aston Martin hypercar in the shop any time soon. However, the AutoShow also saw the premiere of a vehicle you almost certainly will see sooner or later: the 2018 Hyundai Accent.

The Accent was launched in 1994 and has been through a number of design changes over the years, resulting in the fifth-generation vehicle premiered at the AutoShow. The 2018 model uses 54.5 percent Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS). The previous generation of the Accent used just 41.5 percent AHSS. Structural adhesives have been used to enhance the new Accent’s rigidity. Torsional rigidity has been improved by 32 percent through the use of 98.5 metres of structural adhesive.

Hyundai has also improved the new Accent’s front side members and inner side sill to improve collision protection. The front crumple zones have been increased, front side air bags have been upgraded, and reinforcements have been made to improve the car’s performance in small overlap crashes.

Compared to the last generation, the Accent is 29mm wider and the overall length is increased by 15mm, yet its height remains

Hyundai’s new Accent for 2018 features an increased use of AHSS and structural adhesives.

unchanged, all of which combines to give the car a more grounded stance. The wheelbase is 10mm wider, pushing the wheels further to the corners and improving interior roominess.

A six air bag system is standard along with Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management, Traction Control and ABS.

The Accent offers a wide array of advanced safety technologies, including Autonomous Emergency Braking, which utilizes a front forward-facing radar to detect a vehicle and warn the driver of a potential collision. If the driver does not react to avoid the impact, the system will apply emergency braking. The new Accent also comes with a rear view camera with dynamic guidance.

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HANDS-ON EDUCATION

Three high schools build practical skills with vintage car repair

Learning in

Style!

The students are eager and excited to get to work.

Wouldn’t you be?

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HANDS-ON EDUCATION

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The Trans Am arrives at Danforth Collegiate.

“The cars will be auctioned off and the money used to create a scholarship program.”

here’s no better way to get young people interested in the skilled trades than by introducing hands-on programs in their school curriculum. Thanks to the Yves Landry Foundation’s “Get It In Gear” program, students at three Ontario high schools got to try their hand at repairing vintage autos.

The Yves Landry Foundation is a charitable organization that helps address the skilled labour shortages in Canada through grants and business investments.

Karyn Brearley, the Foundation’s Executive Director, says that three cars, a Ford, a GM and a Chrysler were purchased as a teaching and motivational tool to get students excited about the skilled trades.

“Many of these young people have never been under the hood of a vintage car,” says Brearley. “For them to be able to say that their apprenticeship programs gave them the opportunity to restore a vintage vehicle for charity, that is a stewardship and a citizenship project that they can put on their resume while they’re learning and applying those skills.”

Last September, Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute in Toronto received the first of the three cars, a 1978 Trans Am, and the high school automotive team is excited about the project.

Bill Speed and his class at Danforth Collegiate in Toronto.

This Trans Am will be auctioned off to support a scholarship program once it has been restored to its former glory.

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HANDS-ON EDUCATION

“Skilled trades need to be promoted as professions.”

Paul Uzarowski at Abbey Park discusses needed repairs with one of his students.

Paul Uzarowski (centre) and his class at Abbey Park High School with the Plymouth Fury.

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“The Trans Am is a great car for the students to learn on.

Parts are fairly accessible and it’s a fun car to work on,” says Bill Speed, the autobody teacher and project lead.

In late October, a 1951 pick-up truck was delivered to Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School in Burlington. The third vehicle, a 1963 Plymouth Fury, found a home at Abbey Park High School in Oakville, Ontario.

Upon completion of restorations by all three schools, the cars will be auctioned off and the money used to create a scholarship program.

Brearley hopes that exposure and excitement for projects like these will create a positive outlook on skilled trades careers for youth and parents.

“Skilled trades need to be promoted as professions, not jobs,” she says. “Ontario’s economy is suffering already. If you have jobs where there are no people and people where there are no jobs, it’s only going to get worse with an aging population and fewer young people going into the trades.”

Paul Uzarowski teaches auto shop at Abbey Park High School in Oakville, Ontario. His students have been hard at work restoring the vintage Plymouth Fury to its former glory. Uzarowski became a teacher in 2009. Prior to that, he was a working technician, primarily on the heavy coach side.

“It’s been a great project and the kids have been really enthusiastic,” he says. “It’s not often that we get to do something like this. One of the good things about a vintage build, as opposed to a modern day vehicle, is that the construction is a lot simpler. It’s a good car to learn the basics on.”

The technical staff at Abbey Park made a strong case for why they should receive the Fury. Terms like “experiential learning” tend to get thrown around when educators are trying to get their point across, but a simpler way to put it might be to say that cars are cool and they’re fun to work on.

The Yves Landy Foundation has faith that the project will be successful.

“Abbey Park High School will do a great job restoring this hot rod,” says Corey Deschamps, Chairman of the Yves Landry Foundation, Board of Directors.

HANDS-ON EDUCATION

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Bodyworx Professional visited Uzarowski’s class to see the current state of the Fury and to watch the students in action. We can say with authority that they may be young, but they’re taking the project as seriously as any professional.

A few of the senior class even expressed an interest in collision repair as a career. No matter how the cars turn out, it looks like the project is a definite success.

For more information about the Yves Landry Foundation, please visit: yveslandryfoundation.com.

D O N AT I O N S Funding for special projects is never easy to come by at the high school level.

The following companies have donated materials, tools or parts to help the projects out: • LKQ • BASF • 3M • Lincoln Electric

Students at Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School in Burlington crowd around the 1951 pick-up truck they’ve been working on.

There’s nothing like hands-on work to build interest in the trade.

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Career profile

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Living

Legend

By Barett Poley

Inside the world of master customizer ‘Yosemite Sam’ Radoff

Radoff polishing the spectacular finish on his custom chopper. He says it’s the last bike he’ll ever build.

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Career profile

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There’s a reason Radoff has “Flame Doc” on his license plate. He’s painted more flames than most of us have eaten hot dinners.

Radoff has been at this a long time. He keeps his skills sharp by pinstriping and painting anything he can.

“A certain car or a certain motorcycle can take you back to a different time. If you’re having a bad day, it’ll put a smile on your face, and that’s what I was in the business of.

I liked putting smiles on people’s faces.”

— ‘Yosemite Sam’ Radoff 26

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he house of Sam Radoff seems perfectly unassuming at first glance.

It’s a nice little place, situated in a beautiful rural Ontario neighbourhood, several hours from the closest large urban centre.

If you walked up to his house as I did, you might notice a few key details that tell you this is no ordinary house.

The first thing that would catch your eye is the car in the driveway, specifically the license plate that reads “Flame Doc.” Second, you’d notice the masterfully crafted fine art sculptures arranged tastefully in the yard, constructed of hand-painted steel that looks like fine marble. Finally, if you knocked on the door, you’d find out that inside this rural home lives a true rebel and icon in the world of automotive and motorcycle customization.

“Yosemite Sam” Radoff has built bikes for Evel Knievel, been featured in Truckin’ magazine and sculpted for Tim Allen. He’s custom-built and painted thousands of motorcycles and cars in his time, and was even sued over his name once. He won, after proving that he’d been “Yosemite Sam” even longer than a cartoon character from an unnameable-by-law animation company.

Radoff’s painted concept cars for Chrysler and almost painted a Chevelle for Thomas Hearns, the first boxer in history to win world titles in five weight divisions. Radoff ended up kicking Hearns out of the shop for being rude.

He’s been named in the Mack Brush Pinstripers Hall of Fame, the Outlaw Customs Hall of Fame and was the winner of the inaugural Von Dutch Hall of Fame Award. Now, though, he’s changed his canvases from cars and bikes to fine sculpted art, garnering him places on several art councils and in countless galleries around Canada. But how did a poor kid from Detroit come to be such a prolific figure in the automotive and autobody world? Not through a formal education, that’s for sure.

“Well, back in our day we didn’t have any of the trade schools they’ve got today,” says Radoff. We’re sitting in the kitchen of his home/ workshop. “If somebody wanted a chop-top ‘57 Chev, and you’d never done that before … well, you’d just have to go on in and do it.

Of course you could never tell the customer you’d never done it,” he says.

Radoff was a firm believer in doing it yourself, right from the start. In fact, he’d been working on painting and customizing cars before he could even drive them. Nicknamed “Little Sam,” at the time, Radoff learned the trade through the shops he grew up around, his childhood years providing the background for the intricate custom work, world class

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Career profile pinstriping and eye-catching flame jobs that earned him the handle “The Flame Doctor.”

The looks are timelessly cool, but at the time, Radoff didn’t know that they were anything but a trend.

“Way back then, we didn’t know that the things we were doing were still going to be cool today,” he says. “So of course we hardly ever took pictures of anything. I remember doing pinstripes for people in parking lots and at cruises on the cheap; I never thought anyone today would want to see them.”

Yosemite Sam now knows the importance of what he was doing. “A certain car or a certain motorcycle can take you back to a different time. If you’re having a bad day, it’ll put a smile on your face, and that’s what I was in the business of. I liked putting smiles on people’s faces. I was there for the little guy.”

He took this so far as to even deny building a custom car for famed boxer Thomas Hearns, stating that he’d rather make it for someone who would “truly appreciate it.”

The transition from being an automotive artist to being a fine artist wasn’t too difficult for “Yosemite Sam,” who branded himself as Sam Radoff for his fine arts endeavours. The process wasn’t anything too new for him, and so he adjusted well enough to the new world.

“I was used to doing paintings on pieces of metal that weren’t cars,” he explains, “What I would do, is that I would pinstripe or finish someone’s car, then do a piece of metal in the same colours and pattern, so he could hang it on the wall of his garage beside the car. The car might be busted or scratched up in a few months or years, but that painting on the wall would stay fresh indefinitely.”

This is why it was such a small step for him to start sculpting once he had the background in automotive customization. In fact, the tools of the trade have remained relatively the same, he says. Radoff still uses the same paints and brushes that he’s used to, and most of the steel for his sculptures actually comes from old cars, a few of which are sitting in his backyard. Sam is enjoying his retirement as a creator and appreciator of fine art. Comedian and TV star Tim Allen even owns one of his sculptures, and his work has been shown in galleries all over the country.

“Fine art is my passion now,” he says, “The big trick is trying to get the car guys to appreciate art, and trying to get the art guys to appreciate cars, too!”

Radoff still isn’t done with building, though.

In addition to the fine arts, he’s still got a vehicular project in the works. I got a chance to see the last motorcycle he says he’ll ever build.

Above and below: Radoff’s custom work is owned (and appreciated) by customers from all over the world.

The finish on his chopper needs to be seen to be believed, with shimmering metallic flakes and perfectly executed candy colour gradients.

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career profile

“We didn’t know that the things we were doing were still going to be cool today.”

- ‘Yosemite Sam’ Radoff

Radoff says they didn’t know that flames and pinstripes would have enduring appeal.

He recommends not trying to follow trends. Just do work that appeals to you.

Radoff polishing one of the many flame-painted fenders in his home gallery.

A vintage photograph of Radoff’s work on his own van. It’s a great way to show off skills and promote the business at the same time.

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It’s a completely custom fabricated and painted chopper, still sitting in his garage, and he’s not quite sure what he’ll do with it.

“Maybe I’ll throw a V-twin back into it; maybe I’ll turn it into a coffee-table!” he jokes.

The Sportster-styled chopper was used as a product demo for a line of candy colour and coating paints, so Radoff used it as an opportunity to display the very best of his work. The bike is utterly beautiful. It catches your eye from the second it comes into view, sitting presently amongst bits of sculptures and cans of paint in Radoff’s garage. The colourful flame job is almost smouldering with life. Every angle you look at the bike seems to present a different set of perfectly picked and matched colours, seeping through the fire. It gives the bike an ethereal, otherworldly look.

It’s a true testament to the absolute majesty that can achieved with the right choice of paints and tools.

Radoff didn’t start out with the right choice in paints or tools. He believes that this may be one of the reasons he became so industrious in the field.

“Well, when I started out, I believe I was using furniture clear coats mixed with whatever auto paint I could find to make my own candy colours,” he says. Now we are standing in his basement, and automotive fenders, art pieces and pinstriped metal sheets line the walls. “We did things that nobody else was doing, but partly it’s because we didn’t have much of a choice!”

For future and present painters and techs, Radoff has a few words of advice. “Just be yourself!” he says, “It sounds corny, but don’t try and copy anything from anyone. Don’t do what other people think is cool, do what you think is cool. Like I said before, we didn’t know that what we were doing would have any appeal in the future, we just did what we thought would look great, and it turned out pretty timeless, so don’t worry too much about it!”

More information on “Yosemite Sam” Radoff can be found at yosemitesams.com.

His original fine art pieces are on display at radofforiginals.ca.

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TECH TALK

Highlights

Handle with caution when curing with ultraviolet The QuickCure UV System from UV Light Technology, UK. Curing with UV differs in some ways from traditional baking and infrared curing procedures.

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By Peter L. Phillipson

n recent years, as the first of the ultraviolet curing products and the equipment to cure them landed in the marketplace, many questions were asked regarding the future use of this paint technology. In the following article I have tried to give a fair overview of this product’s potential, as well as some facts regarding health and safety that should be considered.

UV coatings are relatively new on the scene of automotive refinishing. However, UV coatings have been used in industry for many years. Some of the main benefits of UV coatings are a potential increase in productivity and a fully cured result (no post cure).

One of the problems experienced with UV when trying to perfect the curing process is adhesion faults.

This is normally experienced when the paint has been exposed to insufficient energy/ultraviolet, incorrect wave lengths or shadowing.

Two pack or urethane paint systems that most bodyshops are familiar with include a hardener that contains isocyanate that kicks off the molecular cross-linking of the paint. In UV technology the coating contains photoinitiators that

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basically take over for the hardener used in conventional urethane products. When the photoinitiators contained in the UV coating are exposed to UV radiation they change, chemically triggering the cross-linking/curing process.

As with different hardeners that can be fast, medium or slow, various photoinitiators are available that respond to certain wavelengths. This is to get the right balance between fast curing and reasonable pot life. For example, you could produce a really quick cure, but the coating was so sensitive that natural UV light coming through a window started to harden the paint in the spray gun tip!

Another variable is the matching of the equipment to the UV coating based on the photoinitiators used. This could be high discharge UV, fluorescent UV or even LED UV. For example, a coating that cured great using high discharge UV could remain wet if you tried using fluorescent or LED UV to trigger the photoinitiators.

Now bear in mind that the photoinitiators are dispersed throughout the coating and obviously next to the substrate.

If you don’t get enough energy down to the substrate the paint will not cross-link and you will have an adhesion

<<<

TECH TALK problem. This problem was less common in the manufacturing industry. For example, the coatings over tables and other furnishings had a very low film-build, so it was much easier to zap with UV. Automotive coatings have a higher film build and are therefore more susceptible to this type of problem. Most UV coatings in automotive, including primers, are clear or translucent. The reason for this is that the pigments could block the radiation from activating the photoinitiators, especially next to the substrate. Another factor that makes industrial application easier was that the coating did not have to be resilient to UV attack. Another significant factor is that the objects would be treated with UV in an enclosed environment, as opposed to shop floor conditions where other workers are exposed to UV radiation.

UV coatings themselves are not dangerous.

However, the equipment needed to cure them should be used with caution. The aim of the manufacturer is to produce the equipment that gives off only “A” rays. UV radiation is split into three categories: A, B and C:

• UVC - 100 to 290 nm • UVB - 290 to 320 nm • UVA - 320 to 400 nm It’s the UVB and UVC rays that are best avoided, but it should be noted that prolonged exposure to UVA can also affect human DNA. UVB is commonly associated with skin cancer and UVC is a powerful and hazardous radiation which can be used as a method of purifying water and as a sterilization ray. It’s not good for the human body. Accidental overexposure to UVC can cause corneal burns, commonly termed welder’s flash or snow blindness. Special filters can be used to filter out these rays.

The alternative is to ensure that no UV can spill into the workplace by using a blocking shroud.

As a side note, most of the UVB and all of the UVC from the sun is blocked by our atmosphere. This is why some worry that depletion of the ozone could allow more UVB through, increasing the risk of serious skin damage.

The most common UV lamp currently being used is sometimes referred to as a high discharge lamp. This type of unit is only good for spot repair and cannot be used inside a spray booth.

The lamp has quite a short life expectancy and sells for around $2,000 in the US. Similar lamps sell for around €2,500 in Europe.

This type of lamp is fitted with a filter to block the UVB and UVC rays. The operator is also required to wear skin protection, not just goggles. Long sleeves and gloves and

UV coatings contain photoinitiators that take the place of hardeners used in conventional urethane products.

When the photoinitiators contained in the UV coating are exposed to UV radiation they change, chemically triggering the cross-linking/curing process.

full-face shield are suggested, as this protects more skin. When the lamp is operating, other unprotected workers should not be within several feet of the operation.

The potential for this type of coating is huge, not only in auto refinish but also at the OEM level.

Many conventional spot repairs are treated with very high temperatures to achieve a cure.

This is normally around 140-degrees Celsius, which can cause problems with plastic parts.

UV equipment produces very little temperature increase, so obviously this could be a great application for the car manufacturers.

Another great application is for repairing cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses, instead of just polishing which is a temporary fix.

The two areas that could cause slower introduction of these products are the health and safety issues as well as the cost of the equipment. As you increase the curing area, requirement you not only increase the cost of the equipment, but also increase the amount of radiation to be controlled and equipment to keep clean.

Costs increase further when you start curing UV clearcoat. The equipment has to be located inside the spray booth, therefore it has to be approved and safe. It is estimated that good quality UV in-booth systems for panel drying will cost around $30,000 to $50,000.

Much is being made of the UV clearcoats, but something is missing! As the clearcoat can only be cured in the booth you need a large, approved in-booth UV curing system. At the time of writing this article I have yet to see it. There has to be a good marriage between coatings technology and UV equipment if this application is to succeed.

In the longer term, I predict that UV will be commonly used in the refinish market but will be better suited to purpose built installations.

For example, a drive-thru booth connected to a

A compact LED UV unit from Larson Electronics.

Most UV curing lamps are much bulkier and use 400 watt UV bulbs instead of LEDs.

drying chamber. Once the vehicle is painted, it is pushed into the drying chamber freeing the booth for the next vehicle. This method would not be easily adopted in a retrofit market.

In the short term, the growth in UV will be for smaller panel applications and predominantly for primers. In that area it will be competing against infrared equipment. There are some very good fast curing urethane primers available. We tested one recently that was ready to sand in five to six minutes after using short wave infrared. UV is currently producing results of three to four minutes, so it’s not a great amount of time saving.

The new kid on the automotive stage is getting some very good reviews but the ticket prices are high, resulting in smaller audiences.

My thoughts are that UV will be seen more often, but it will take much time and marketing before it becomes an established method of curing automotive refinish coatings on a large scale.

Peter L. Phillipson is the Technical Sales & Marketing Manager (IR) B-TEC Systems. He can reached via email to btecusaoffice@ gmail.com.

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SCHOOL PROFILE

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Prepped for the

Future

By Barett Poley

Okanagan College has been training technicians for over 50 years

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here’s a lot of history behind British Columbia’s Okanagan College. In 1906, a Baptist college affiliated with Hamilton’s McMaster University opened the doors to a brand new campus in Summerland called Okanagan College.

There were 26 students enrolled in that first year. The name stuck around, but the college itself didn’t. It would take nearly 50 years before the institution known as Okanagan College today would truly start to take shape.

The turning point came in 1960 when the federal government started offering up funds under the new Technical and Vocational Training Assistance Act. This provided provincial governments with up to 75 percent towards the cost of new buildings and equipment.

In 1963, the BC Vocational School – Kelowna opened its doors. It was this that marked the beginning of the modern Okanagan College.

The school has grown enormously since then, and currently offers a variety of autobody specific programs, including two “Foundation” programs, which are essentially a form of pre-apprenticeship: Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician and Automotive Collision Repair/ Painting and Refinishing Technician.

Okanagan College’s Collision Repair Depar tment also offers four apprenticeship track programs: Automotive Glass Technician, Automotive Painter, Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician and Motor Vehicle Body Repairer.

Students from Toyota Technical College at Okanagan College, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the school’s exchange program.

An instructor provides vital safety information to apprenticeship students. Okanagan College offers four collision-related apprenticeship programs and two pre-apprenticeship programs.

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School Profile Program Overview Instructors review a student’s work. The college has been in operation for over 50 years. Collision repair was one of the first programs offered.

A student at Okanagan College uses a vacuum sander.

The program has strong ties with the collision repair industry and with Toyota.

Mixing paint is a vital skill studied in Okanagan’s painter program.

The program itself started over 50 years ago as one of the school’s first offerings. A lot has changed since then, for both collision repair training and the school itself.

“It started, actually, in 1965,” says John Euloth, instructor of the Collision Repair Department at Okanagan College. “Okanagan was originally a trades-only school, which covered four basic trades, carpentry, mechanical, collision repair, and welding. Over the years the school’s gotten a lot bigger, and it’s continuing to grow.”

The program is well loved by the collision repair community in the area; the industry itself supports the program through initiatives and funding.

“The industry supports us in a big way with well over $20,000 in scholarship funding each year for our entry-level programs. Both our suppliers and some of the shops in our community provide this for students.

Some of this funding is specific to apprenticeship funding, some is for tuition, some is for tools, and so on,” says Euloth.

Not only does this level of funding and industry support help students to reach their Level I apprenticeship tests, it may also help keep them in the program for longer.

“We’re finding more and more people coming back for their Level II training. We’re having great success with our ‘foundation’ courses, because they come out of our program with more credentials,” says Euloth.

In general, the programs prepare students to work in collision repair facilities, auto dealerships and private garages.

All of the apprenticeship-track programs provide students with a Certificate of Qualification upon successful completion of the program.

The Automotive Painter and Motor Vehicle Body Repairer programs also provide a Red Seal Endorsement (RSE). Achieving the RSE provides graduates with a set of nationally recognized and transferable skills that provide opportunities for employment across Canada.

Japanese Exchange

Virtual painting allows students to practice without using materials.

The program covers the full range of autobody skills, including welding.

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Okanagan College is also the host of a fantastic exchange program with the Toyota Technical College out of Nagoya, Japan – a partnership which is in its 25th year. The program offers Japanese students from Toyota the opportunity to learn the trade here in Canada at Okanagan College, getting an international outlook on an increasingly international industry.

“Traditionally these are four-year students taking an automotive service technician degree,” says Euloth. “It came out of their industry beginning to look at doing small repairs inside the dealerships, where most of these students would be working, so they looked outward, and our industry has been doing that for quite some time.”

“We have a really strong international group that works in Japan, as well as in Korea.” says Euloth. “The things that they’d heard about the Okanagan Valley, of course it being very scenic, convinced them to pay a visit and found that the College was exactly what they were looking for. We devised for them a four-week program which condenses a first year apprenticeship into four weeks.”

Euloth says that the relationship is mutually beneficial for both Toyota and Okanagan College. “It’s a great program, especially with a corporation the size of Toyota because of what the program has done for us, and what it’s done for Toyota,” says Euloth. “Just from what we introduced in that program, they started a collision repair program as well in Japan at their three colleges.”

Today’s collision repair industry is a fully connected part of our global economy and society. It’s a reality that Okanagan College students have been part of for more than 25 years. For more information, please visit okananagan.bc.ca

School Profile

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“The program started over 50 years ago as one of the school’s first offerings.”

Automotive Painter

Motor Vehicle Body Repairer

The course of study for Automotive Painters at Okanagan College is shorter than that for Motor Vehicle Body Repairers. It consists of four weeks of technical training taken over the course of a two-year apprenticeship. The classes cover the following topics:

Motor Vehicle Body Repairer is a threeyear program that covers the following topics. Apprentices write the Red Seal Examination on the last day of the Level III technical training.

• Fire and Safety • Guns and Equipment • Surface Preparation • Solvents • Theory of Colour • Paint Repairs • Tri Coat Applications • Finessing • Paint Problems• • Treatment of Plastics • Management of V.O.C. regulations •Future Trends of the Twenty First Century •Understanding Topcoat Materials •Handling of Vehicle Components •Restoring Corrosion Protection

First Year (Level 1) • Safety • Tools and Equipment • Oxygen/Acetylene Welding • MIG Welding • Sheet Metal Repair • Plastics and Composites • Surface Preparation • Auto Body Construction Components Second Year (Level 2) • MIG Welding • Sheet Metal Repair • Plastics and Composites • Mechanical Components Third Year (Level 3) • Structural Repair • Suspension and Steering • Insurance and Industry Liaison

Collision Repair/ Refinishing Prep Technician Okanagan College’s Automotive Collision Repair/Painting and Refinishing is a “Foundation” program that combines Automotive Collision Repair, Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician and the Automotive Refinishing and Painting Technician curriculum to give students the option to choose from three different apprenticeships on graduation.

Graduates of this program will receive Industry Training Authority (ITA) credit for Level I Apprenticeship technical training for both Auto Collision Repair and Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician.

The Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician credential is the prerequisite for the Automotive Refinishing and Paint apprenticeship. Graduates of this program may also be granted practical credit from the Industry Training Authority.

“Okanagan College is also the host of a fantastic exchange program with the Toyota Technical College.”

Students studying paint application in Okanagan College’s spray booth.

The school offers a full apprenticeship program for automotive painters.

The program covers the full range of autobody skills, including welding.

Okanagan’s collision repair program includes dedicated education on repair, painting and two introductory courses of study.

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PROFILE

NEW ERA

Bill Speed retires from teaching but he’s not done with the industry yet!

By Mike Davey

B A photo of Bill Speed at the most recent Toronto District School Board competition.

Speed has been involved with the skills competitions for over 25 years.

“It is great seeing competitors excel when they are put out of their comfort zone.”

- Bill Speed

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ill Speed has been a central part of the collision repair industry for decades. The autobody instructor at Danforth Collegiate in Toronto, Speed is set to retire from teaching at the end of this school year.

“I’ve been doing it a long time now and it’s time for someone else to take the reins,” he says. “I’ll still be around, though. This industry sticks with you.”

Retiring from teaching, yes, but active classroom sessions are just one part of why Speedy has become such a well-known figure in the industry. Speed has been an active volunteer with Skills Ontario for 25 years, helping to train students and supervise skills competitions.

“I keep coming back because I see the need in the industry and it is great seeing competitors excel when they are put out of their comfort zone,” he said. “The skills we test are, in some cases, skills they have yet to learn or master.”

Since 1992, Speed has chaired the Toronto District School Board Auto Collision and Car Painting Skills Competitions and he strives to keep the competitions relevant to the needs of the industry year after year.

Speed says the quality of the competition greatly improved under the mutual efforts of him and the former Ontario Chair for Skills Canada, the late Ron Postma, when the two took over running the Auto Collision and Car Painting competitions in 1994.

“We never looked back,” says Speed.

“To us, it was all about giving our students the best chance of success in their future. We both had strong ties to industry and we knew that there was a need for skilled technicians.”

Ron Postma was also a high school autobody teacher. In fact, he was the one who gave Speed the idea.

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“I had honestly never really considered it before,” says Speed. “One day Ron asked point blank, ‘Bill, have you ever considered teaching?’ I frankly hadn’t until then.”

It was a definite turning point for Speed, and a pivotal moment for the collision repair industry. Postma knew then something Speed has learned over the years: to thrive, the collision industry needs kids to become interested while they’re still in high school. In turn, that means they need teachers they can turn to and who can help them build skills that will give them a leg up when they go to college or start an apprenticeship.

Don’t think for a minute that the only benefits are for the students. There’s an undeniable benefit for a teacher when their student succeeds.

“I had a young lady compete in car painting a couple of years ago and between Provincials and Nationals, she was handed 12 business cards and offers of work when she graduated,” he said. “That is reason enough to keep on coming back.”

The skill competitions are just one part of Speed’s career, but it’s an important one to him, and for the many students lucky enough to be involved over the years.

“For many of the competitors, it is the first time they have been the best at something,” he says. “Many have completed tasks that they have never done in school and they have done it to a high enough level to go on and represent the province at the next level.”

In addition to continuing his work with Skills Ontario, Speed will likely be doing some consulting work in the near future.

In fact, he’s also going to be doing some writing. Watch for his column in the next issue of Bodyworx Professional, the first of an ongoing series.

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REFINISH ZONE

Tri-Coat Test

By Justin Jimmo, Technical Representative, Refinish Sales for Consolidated Dealers

Let-down panels are essential for colour matching when doing a three-stage paint job.

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three-stage paint job, commonly referred to as a tri-coat, is a colour that requires two separate base coat

application steps. For example, a three-stage white would require the application of the solid white base coat first. Once that first coat is dry, then a transparent pearl is applied over top to give the paint a sparkling effect.

This transparent coat is known as the

How to make a let-down panel for colour matching

step 1 Apply base coat to your spray out card and allow it to dry thoroughly.

mid-coat. In some paint jobs, such as with candies, this mid-coat is actually a solid colour rather than a pearl. This will change the base coat appearance in a different way, where the metallics will reflect through the mid-coat instead of settling on top. When it comes to tri-coats, a certain type of spray out card, called a let-down panel, is required for making sure you’ve got a good colour match.

A let-down panel can be broken into as many sections as you like. However, for practical reasons, it’s usually best to limit it to three or four sections.

To create a let-down panel, perform the following steps:

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REFINISH ZONE

A let-down panel can be broken into as many sections as you like. It’s usually best to limit it to three or four.

step 4 Move the masked area down the card, exposing an additional section of the spray out card.

step 2 Mask or cover your spray out card, leaving just a small section of the card visible.

step 5 Apply mid-coat to the exposed sections of the card.

step 6 Repeat steps 3 to 5 until you reach the bottom of the card.

step 3 Apply your mid-coat over the visible portion of the spray out card.

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This transparent coat is known as the mid-coat.

REFINISH ZONE

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With candies, the mid-coat is actually a solid colour.

An example of a let-down panel done with a white pearl.

step 7 Apply a clear coat to the whole card.

Precision is always the name of the game, but it becomes even more important when dealing with a tri-stage coating.

You’ve now created a spray out card that will show you how your colour will look after each application of mid-coat. This will assist you with colour matching and help to ensure application consistency.

Make sure you mark the amount and type of mid-coat applications on the back of the card so you know how to reproduce it later.

The different sections are clearly visible to the naked eye, even when there’s nothing else to compare them with.

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Young Gun

Career Path Lorne Jackson’s road to collision repair was snow covered By Barett Poley

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Lorne Jackson of CSN-Brimell Paint and Collision Center. Jackson started out in the truck and trailer business before making the move to collision repair.

“To take a vehicle that was all smashed up, and to fix it to a point where it doesn’t look like there was anything wrong with it, gives me a great feeling of gratification.”

– Lorne Jackson.

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or most people, finding a lifelong career in the modern climate can itself be a strange journey.

It’s never an easy road to find your passion. For Lorne Jackson, that road took him from freezing temperatures and unrewarding work, to the satisfying and passionate world of collision repair.

Jackson is a collision repair technician employed at CSN-Brimell Paint and Collision Center in Toronto, Ontario.

He didn’t always know that he was going to be a collision repairer, but now that he is in the business, he’s happy he made the change. “I actually started out working truck and trailer,” says Jackson. “When I was outside in minus 40 weather, stuck underneath a transport, I decided it was time for something different.”

Jackson notes that his decision to change careers was helped along by the encouragement of the Tropicana Autobody Pre-Apprenticeship program.

“I had gone into a shop to see what that side of things was like, and I’d seen an advertisement for the Tropicana Autobody Pre-Apprenticeship program,” says Jackson. “I applied through them, and got into their class, which led to me working for Brimell where I am today.”

For Jackson, the collision repair industry was a natural fit. “Right off the bat I liked the idea of putting a vehicle back to pre-accident condition and the sense of accomplishment that goes with that,” says Jackson. “To take a vehicle that was all smashed up, and to fix it to a point where it doesn’t look like there was anything wrong with it, gives me a great feeling of gratification.”

Jackson’s words likely find resonance with many in the collision repair industry,

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where you can really see cars change dramatically in a matter of days, and before your eyes. “When you’re working on the mechanical side of things, you don’t as often get to see your work–it’s all under the hood,” says Jackson.

Jackson is now in his Level III apprenticeship and is gearing up in the near future to take his test to become a journeyperson technician. It’s a big step, but one that will allow him to further his passion for collision repair.

Jackson has taken it upon himself to try and recruit young people into this rewarding and oft-overlooked career path as an advocate for the Tropicana Autobody Pre-Apprenticeship program.

“I go down to apprentice job fairs in downtown Toronto on behalf of Tropicana, fixing doors and doing bodywork to show high schoolers what you can do with the trade,” says Jackson. In addition to this, he’s been helping other apprentices get through their own programs.

This helpfulness and comraderieoriented outlook makes sense considering Jackson’s favourite part of the job: teamwork.

“My favorite part of the job is working as a team with everybody, and seeing it all come together,” says Jackson. He says it’s the diversity of the people a tech works with that makes the job all the more satisfying.

“In the collision repair industry there are a lot of people who get their hands on a vehicle before its back to OEM specifications. We’ve got painters, body techs, frame techs, estimators and more, and it’s really gratifying to see a finished product together that you’ve all put something into,” he says.

FINAL DETAIL

Total Training Push yourself past the technical and into a whole new world

By Mike Davey

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raining training training. The drum for continuous training is constantly being beaten by industry stakeholders, by repairers, insurers and suppliers. They’re always willing to tell you that you need to frequently update your skills, or you won’t be able to perform safe and effective repairs.

You’ve heard everyone say that the OEMs are always adding new and more advanced technology to their latest vehicles, so you’ve got to make sure that you keep up or you’ll get left behind. The repair business wasn’t always this way, but the days when mild

warning and so on. Safe and effective repairs now mean being able to properly calibrate those sensors after the repair process is completed. Not doing it right is certain to cause trouble. It may not be a big deal ... the first time it happens. Sooner or later, though, a miscalibrated sensor is almost certainly going to cause a massive liability issue for the technician and the shop. That’s the luckiest possible scenario, really. It could happen the very first time.

Crossing your fingers and hoping for the best is not an option.

All of these topics (and more!) may turn out to be absolutely critical if you want to own your own shop someday. However, there’s tremendous value in picking up this kind of education, no matter what your long-term goals are.

First off, if the shop expands and management decides they need to promote a manager, they’re probably going to go with the person who has gone out of their way to develop managerial skills. That could be you, if you’ve taken the time and put in the effort.

Next, knowing how the other pieces in the puzzle fit together will make you better at your job. A course in leadership will not get your own work done faster, but it will help you to understand the other people you work with and how to motivate them.

When it’s time to hand out bonuses (or promotions) the team member who has gone above and beyond and helped the entire team succeed should be first in line.

Last, but certainly not least, you’ll meet people that can help your career. There’s a reason “networking” is such a common

“There are many opportunities for training that lie outside the technical sphere.” steel was all you really needed to know are long gone and they’re not coming back.

It isn’t just an increased use of more advanced materials that’s sending you back to school again and again and again to refresh those skills. Today’s technicians are dealing with vehicles that are essentially rolling computers. Even that doesn’t really capture the situation accurately. It would be more accurate to describe a modern vehicle as a rolling network of computers. Each of those individual processors has a role to play and it has to function effectively or mistakes start to add up and propagate through the system.

This doesn’t even touch the issue of sensors. More and more often, the OEMs are adding in all sorts of advanced driver assistance systems, like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure

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Chances are you already know most of this stuff. Training training training. It might seem like it’s getting beaten into your ears by everyone at every opportunity.

You’ve got to take the time and put in the effort to take that critical training that you need to do your job safely and effectively.

Time and energy are always in short supply.

That’s why I think my next pitch to you is going to be something of an uphill battle.

There are many opportunities for training that lie outside the technical sphere. You are doing yourself a disservice if don’t take at least a few of these opportunities.

There are courses on estimating (always handy if you haven’t covered it yet), courses on profitability in collision repair, courses on how to motivate employees, courses on leadership and much, much more. The list of soft skills that could benefit you is practically endless.

buzzword in business circles. It works!

Most jobs are filled without ever being advertised. It comes up that a position needs to be filled and someone in the organization suggests someone. The person they suggest could be you ... if they know you exist.

There’s no such thing as pointless education. Anything you learn can be applied somewhere at some time. It’s up to you to make sure that you’ve got the right knowledge when opportunity comes knocking at your door.

Mike Davey is the editor of Bodyworx Professional. He can be reached at 905-5490454 or via email at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.