SPECIAL EDITION FOR REPORT T E C H GO TIP S :GOLD: G U INATIONAL D E T O SKILLS T I N TCOMPETITION ING OF
BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS
PROFESSIONAL CLASSICS REBORN Details are the key at the Guild of Automotive Restorers.
ON FIRE! The basics of painting flame effects.
New VISION
CANADIAN JF LAUNIER’S “RIVISION” TAKES TOP CUSTOM AWARD.
PLUS Tips on tinting, Steck’s new tool covers, and much, much more!!! August 2014
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CONTENTS
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profile 19 Tech and Tuner John Mansueto knows service and repair, but finds his passion in customization and performance. regulars 4 Publisher’s Page by Darryl Simmons Apprenticeships.
6 News JF Launier’s award-winner, new tools and more!
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10 Hot Wheels by Michael Carcone New Wheels … New Car!
58 Final Detail by Mike Davey Theory vs. Practice.
features 13 World on Fire
39 Paint Shop
A how-to guide on painting basic flame effects.
Got a situation where you have to tint? You’ll find greater success by following these simple rules.
23 Classics Reborn The Guild of Automotive Restorers specializes in getting every detail exactly right.
29 Hartley Ellis
43 Wanted: Mentor Interviewing shops while they interview you will benefit your future career.
29 SPECIAL EDITION FOR REPORT T E C H GO TIP S :GOLD: G U INATIONAL D E T O SKILLS T I N TCOMPETITION ING OF
A former competitor and current cochair shares his perspectives on the industry and skills competitions.
51 Career Planning
33 Going for Gold
55 Tech Tips
Canada’s top students come to Toronto to compete for the top spot.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of polishing.
Knowing your destination is very beneficial when planning your first steps.
BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS
on the cover: JF Launier and Rivision. See p.6 for more. Photo courtesy of BASF.
PROFESSIONAL CLASSICS REBORN Details are the key at the Guild of Automotive Restorers.
ON FIRE! The basics of painting flame effects.
New VISION
CANADIAN JF LAUNIER’S “RIVISION” TAKES TOP CUSTOM AWARD.
PLUS Tips on tinting, Steck’s new tool covers, and much, much more!!!
AUGUST 2014 bodyworx professional
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publisher’s page
new views
BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER Darryl Simmons 647.409.7070 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com
We need young people, for their passion, pizzazz and power.
general manager Ryan Potts ryan@mediamatters.ca EDITOR Mike Davey editor@collisionrepairmag.com
By Darryl Simmons
ART DIRECTOR Daniela Luberto daniela@collisionrepairmag.com Assistant eDITOR Andrew Ardizzi andrew@mediamatters.ca
W
elcome to Bodyworx Professional, the magazine dedicated to the technicians, painters, preppers, detailers and anyone else in the industry who makes the magic happen. Now, for the first time, we have a Canadian publication dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the technicians in this great industry. You can use this magazine and the supporting website to keep informed and connected, but we know it can be used for another purpose as well. Point it out to those who may be interested in pursuing a career in collision repair.
seemed to need tweaking. Maybe it was stronger, but maybe it’s just different. Opportunities are everywhere for young people in this business, and more of them will realize that if we point them in the right direction. The auto claims economy needs people in all sorts of positions, not just as technicians and painters. There are plenty of positions for those who are gifted in areas that don’t involve working with their hands. We need managers, salespeople, counter staff who go the extra mile, and people in the insurance industry. Learning how to provide solutions is applicable almost anywhere and is a skill that will last a lifetime. There is still a need for the
Canada’s love affair with the car is still strong. In these pages, they will find articles that will help them along their path, as well as show them some of the more glamorous offshoots of the business. We know it’s not all about the glamour, at least not all the time. But it is about people who are problem solvers, who think before they react, people with creative vision that is expressed in a myriad of ways. The way they express that vision might be through custom paint, building hot rods, or simply through the time-honoured technique of performing safe, high-quality repairs. There’s no question the labour pool is aging, but we know Canada’s love affair with the car is still strong. Maybe it was stronger when teenaged guys hung around laneways with the one cool guy who had a license and a car that always
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glamorous side of the business, and there will always be a need for the nuts-and-bolts side. Both require people with passion. The dream is still alive. Not everyone is content with living in cyber game world. It’s time to reintroduce our youth to the joys of cars and to open their eyes to the wide variety of career options this great field offers. Read on. Then pass the magazine on. Together we will attract new talent and keep those we have already. The love and dreams of the open road will live on.
VP Industry Relations & Advertising Gloria Mann 647.998.5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com Director of Sales & Marketing Ellen Smith 416.312.7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca Marketing Assistant Will Jacques will@mediamatters.ca COLUMNISTS Michael Carcone INTERNS Candace Taylor
SUBSCRIPTION One-year $29.95 / Two-year $55.95
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 with out 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. PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1707-6072 CANADA POST CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT No. 40841632 RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to: 86 John Street Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
CMCA AUDITED
Bodyworx Professional is published by Media Matters Inc., publishers of:
BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS
PROFESSIONAL
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magazine
& m o t s u C n o i t a r o Rest Color Program
Rod & Restoration
As the market trends towards restoring classic vehicles to their original or slightly modified condition SherwinWilliams Automotive Finishes is pleased to announce a completely new, restyled Planet Color® Custom Paint Intermix color program, called Rod & Restoration, to meet today’s custom and restoration needs. This new program allows for the creation of 200 new custom and restoration colors utilizing the latest in cutting edge dry-pigment technology with the AWX Performance Plus™ Waterborne Refinish System.
The new Rod & Restoration color program features 3 new color categories:
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Custom hot rod colors.
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news
Canadian JF Launier takes one of the custom world’s most prestigious awards
The award-winning “Rivision” was presented at Detroit Autorama 2014. Photo courtesy of BASF.
Canadian custom car designer JF Launier has won the “Great 8” Ridler Award at Detroit Autorama 2014. Launier, owner of the Osoyoos, B.C.-based JF Kustoms, took home the prestigious award for his custom ‘64 Buick Riviera--dubbed “Rivision”--that beat out seven other amped-up cars to bring home the weekend’s big prize. The Ridler Award is named after the late Don Ridler, one of the original promotors of Autorama in the 1950s, who is remembered for his dedication, creativity and professionalism, qualities which helped Autorama develop and grow. Originally given to the best vehicle shown for the first time, the award for the last 49 years has acknowleged the latest and newest ideas, designs and automotive concepts. The award presently also acknowledges efforts in creativity, engineering and workmanship. A multiple “Great 8” finalist, Launier’s “Rivision” marks the first time Launier has won a Ridler. The design was modified from the ‘64 Buick, but much of the exterior took cues from the boat tail-style rear glass, which was a notable feature on the ‘71 Riviera, with front fender vents, profile and a compactness reminiscent of the ‘63 to ’67 Corvette Stingray. Gone were the backseats of the Buick, which was turned into a 850 horsepower turbo V8 with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the twin superchargers, waste gates and plumbing all could be found in the rear deck compartment. Rivision features many signature elements, including its bright yellow colour, called Rivieran Sunset Pearl, which Launier created for the car. The vehicle also features boat tail-style rear glass, a two-seater
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coupe footprint, and twin turbochargers. To top it off, Launier’s awardwinning custom ‘64 Buick featured BASF R-M Onyx HD paint. “BASF congratulates JF Launier on his much-deserved Ridler Award win for the truly impressive and eye-catching ’64 Buick Rivision,” says Vitor Margaronis, Marketing Director, BASF Coatings Solutions, North America. “We’re thrilled JF chose paint from BASF’s R-M line for this project, which is a shining example of high quality custom work.” Butch Patrico, President of the Michigan Hot Rod Association says cars eligible for the Ridler Award are judged on creativity, degree of difficulty and quality, and that JF’s car embodied these criteria. “It’s a very unique and beautiful vehicle. You have to look at it a long time to appreciate all the work that went into it,” Patrico says. Paint from BASF has been featured on several recent Ridler Award winners. Six of the past 11 winners were painted with the company’s Glasurit line. The 2012 winning 1955 Ford Thunderbird designed by Jonathon Peace and built by Torq’d Design Lab and Greening Auto Company, featured Glasurit 90-Line Brilliant Red. BASF served as the silver sponsor of this year’s Ridler Ball at the Detroit Autorama. Held annually, Autorama is the largest indoor custom car show in the United States. The Ridler Award is given out every year at the show to the best new creations. The award itself is named after Don Ridler, who started promoting Autorama in the 1950s, and was responsible at least in part for the show’s rock ‘n roll atmosphere. The first awards were given out in 1964. Cars must make their public debut at the show in order to be eligible. For more information on JF Launier and the award-winning Rvision, please visit the company website at jfkustoms.com.
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news
Steck introduces new Soft Strike tool covers for aluminum repair Steck Manufacturing Company has released another tool kit designed to help technicians safely repair aluminum. The company notes that many vehicles use aluminum now, including the new Ford
The new Soft Strike covers from Steck. The company says they allow you to use your existing steel tools on aluminum without the risk of contamination.
F-150, and says that using everyday steel tools can cause galvanic corrosion. Steck also notes that many rubber dollies are not heavy enough to work effectively during body repair. Soft Strike Rubber Dolly Body Covers and Soft Strike Dinging Spoon Cover are made from Buna rubber for your steel heel dolly and dinging spoon. Steck’s Soft Strike Hammer Cover is made from vinyl to allow technicians to easily transition from working body tools on steel to aluminum without the worry of cross-contamination and galvanic corrosion. The red rubber removable covers are simply applied to the tools you already own. The Soft Strike Dolly Cover also eliminates the problem of a rubber dolly not being heavy enough to work effectively by allowing you to simply add the cover to your existing steel dolly. Steck says the Soft Strike Covers eliminate the need to invest in redundant, special aluminum application tools, as they allow for the safe and uncomplicated conversion of existing steel tools to work on aluminum without worrying about contamination. For more information on the Soft Strike covers, please visit steckmfg.com.
New XS Bit Kit from Mueller-Kueps Mueller-Kueps has introduced the ultra-short and strong XS Bit Kit. The company says it is ideal for working on very narrow areas, thanks to the flexibly maneuverable gear ratchets. Two different ratchets can be moved back and forth or sideways, and also be locked once in the desired position. The handle is specifically designed to provide a firm grip without slipping. The kit includes 21 short bits (only 20mm in length) of various shapes for high versatility and universal use. All pieces and ratchets come in a sturdy metal box, including an item chart to keep the set organized. The kit comes with the following bits: XZN: M4, M5, M6, M7, M8, M10 T-Shaped: T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, T40, T45, Hex: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10mm T50, T55 Adapter: 1/4” & 3/8” For more information, please visit mueller-kueps.com.
CANADA’S CHOICE: Trusted. Timely. Relevant. Visit us on collisionrepairmag.com
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The XS Bit Kit from MuellerKueps.
hot wheels
change your look New wheels are a relatively inexpensive way to give a vehicle a fresh appearance. By Michael carcone
A
re your clients tired of the look of their vehicle? Do they want to buy a new car but it’s just not in their game plan at the current time? If they have thought these thoughts, then they are not alone. Today, for many, the thought of going out and spending the money on a new vehicle is just not in the cards. There are other more important things that seem to always take priority. Is this wrong? Absolutely not, it is, in most cases reality. If you have thought these thoughts, you are not alone. Today, for many, the thought of going out and spending the money on a new vehicle is just not in the cards. There are other more important things that seem to always take priority. Is this wrong? Absolutely not, it is, in most cases, just reality. Now what if I were able to tell you that you do have options, and that these options are far more obtainable than you might think? A few years ago I wrote an article titled “Reinventing the Wheel.” What I mentioned back then is very relevant and still current today. The number one thing that you can do today to change the entire look of a vehicle is to change the wheels. Wheels are not only a functional and integral part of every vehicle. To me, the wheel is the vehicle. Let’s think about this. Our vehicle is no different than the person driving it. We all accessorize ourselves by simply changing what we wear, the shoes we have and the hairstyles we choose. An outfit can have an entirely different look by changing one’s foot-
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wear. Should this not be the same with your car? Today there are so many different options when it comes to your vehicle’s wheels. Wheel size, style and colour come to mind when I think of the different options that are available and could affect the decision making process.
Even better, new patterns are making their debut all the time. Currently, the newly popular offering is camouflage. The humble wheel has truly taken on a life of its own. If you or your clients find yourself in the market for a new set of wheels, you should know that there are many avenues for you to choose from. For professionals and serious auto enthusiast, there are enormous shows like SEMA, held every year in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has a lot to offer besides the auto component, but again, it may not be in the cards for you right now. It can be a very expensive trip. The good news is that there are plenty of local and regional auto shows. There are a lot of these over the summer months, but they take place throughout the year. The summer is still the best time to catch as many as you can. Shows are good, but remember: there are always your local OEM dealers and tire and wheel shops. They’re always
Wheels today have taken on an entirely new look and feel. Wheels today have taken on an entirely new look and feel. Where 13 to 15inch wheels were once the norm, 18 to 24-inch wheels are quickly taking over. The large number of companies getting into this industry is helping the end user by not only offering a greater number of choices but it is also helping to cut and lower costs, making the decision to purchase new wheels easier. They can come direct from the OEMs, or from the many aftermarket manufacturers with offerings in this area, or from wheel reconditiong and refurbishing companies. The options seem almost endless. In a lot of ways, the wheel has become an accessory. It’s the ‘“bling“ on your car, or your client’s vehicle. It seems that every year the wheel takes on a new look. We’ve seen them go from bright colours to flat or matte finishes, so a wide range is available.
available to help you with making the selection that’s just right for your vehicle or your clients’s cars. Replacement wheels are less expensive and much more practical than many other forms of automotive bling, but the expense of brand new wheels may still be too much to bear. Another option for you is to have your existing wheel refinished. Bring the shine or lustre back, have them polished or painted to match your car or your style. At the end of the day the sky is the limit to what you can do to change the very look of your car’s appearance and just think: it’s simply by changing the wheels. Michael Carcone is the co-owner of Carcone’s Auto Recycling and Wheel Refinishing, located in Aurora, Ont. He can be reached via his company’s website at carcone.com.
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how-to
<<<
Flaring Flames Travis Roma talks ‘True Fire’ custom paint jobs. By Andrew Ardizzi
G
rowing up in West Chezzetcook, NS, Travis Roma spent a lot of time indulging his passions: cars and art. Always sketching on anything he could find, his late father, Terry, who worked in the collision repair business at the time, took notice of his son’s creative talents and bought Travis his first airbrush at 13-years-old. Eight years later Travis enrolled at Nova Scotia Community College’s automotive collision repair and refinishing program, later graduating at the top of his class. Upon finishing school, Travis was hired at Overall Collision and Custom Restoration where he still works to this day as a painter. Travis has continued to indulge his flair for creativity throughout his career, a fact made evident by his expansive online portfolio on the Travis Roma Custom Paint Facebook page. Travis has painted an eclectic collection of custom jobs, including motorcycle helmets, goalie hockey masks, cars and a
Travis Roma customized this Legends race car for Mark Whynot.
flight helmet for Prince William. Throughout his career he has painted custom KISS paint jobs, in addition to Sons of Anarchy, deepsea exploration and pirates sailing the seven seas while fighting off the Kraken. Each of these jobs are expertly done, but for someone wanting to try their hand at similar custom paint work, what’s the first step? Travis spoke to Bodyworx Professional about his methods and offered some hints and tips to custom painters about one of his more favoured design techniques: painting true fire.
Travis recently completed work on a Legends race car for Mark Whynot, sporting flames across the front of the hood and crackling up to the top of the roof and has shared his process for this particular job with us. No matter what approach you take to creating flames, or any other custom paint job for that matter, Travis says it’s critical to make sure that you have a gameplan before you start. Depending on the base colours it can be very difficult to go back to correct mistakes.
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how-to
How to Paint ‘True Fire’
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It’s critical to make sure that you have a gameplan before you start. depending on the base colours it can be very difficult to go back to correct mistakes.
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After all of the prep work is done, I normally choose my ground colours. A lot of the time, like with the Marks race car, the ground colour ends up being a purple pearl, acting as the foundation colour that I’ll be painting the flames on top of. Once I have my foundation colours ready and painted on, I loosely sketch out where I want the flames to trail. A lot of the time I’ll use a whiter shade, but sometimes I’ll use a really bright yellow as my base colour, which I use in my stencil. With “True Fire” there is no set way to approach it, so just be free with it. I find it’s best to find a balance between using a stencil and drawing free-hand simply because it looks more natural. But don’t get too uptight with what you’re trying to achieve and just let it all flow.
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Lay out where you want your flames to fall, how you want them to look and rough in the basic design pattern. After the flames have
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6 been laid out, I typically rough in where my images are going to go and then I paint everything red with a candy red dye. Go back to your bright yellow from the first step and begin to heighten up the flames a little bit, making sure that you stay within the red glow.
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Select a candy coloured orange and go right back over the whole red and yellow image, with the orange now acting as an under-colour for your yellow, giving it an undertone. At this stage you can really start to design the tips of the flames a little bit more. Returning to your bright yellow, here you’re really going to define the shape of your flames as the colours all begin to blend together to create a fiery visual. I’d suggest a candy yellow.
Continued on page 16.
Congratulations Collision Repair magazine on your new publication Bodyworx!
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how-to
How to Paint ‘True Fire’ Continued from page 14.
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At this point the completed image should really be pulled together, but there’s still a little work to do. What I tend to do at this stage is focus on the flame’s hotspots and emphasize them. Instead of using a pure yellow base coat here, I lean towards using a white base coat with a few drops of yellow to create a very pale yellow basecoat that’s predominantly white. Basically what I do here is work on each hot point and whiten them to create that “True Fire” effect. Following this, I go over it again with a candy yellow.
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The image should be completed, but it’s here where I assess the total image and see what needs to be touched up. How easy this is depends on the base colour of the vehicle, with a blacker coat being easier to manipulate underneath your flames. If your image is ready, it’s time for the final step. Apply your clearcoat and buff the finished job. What you use is your call, but make sure you know the pros and cons of your product before you proceed while following the corresponding procedures.
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profile
<<<
John Mansueto.
B umpe r to B umpe r John Mansueto knows repair, service and collision, but finds his passion in customization. By Mike Davey
T
he high school auto shop class brings back a lot of memories for most people in the industry. A young person may have a passion for automobiles, and may even have some knowledge of how they work, but auto shop is often where they first start to formalize their knowledge and put it in context. For John Mansueto, that wasn’t an option. “My high school didn’t have an auto shop class, but I knew it was something I want-
ed to do,” says Mansueto, who spent considerable time “fiddling” with cars when he was young. “I was curious enough to sign up for a co-op placement, and that’s where I got started.” The first challenge was in locating a coop placement. While there were plenty of automotive service and repair facilities near Mansueto’s high school, he had his sights set on one in particular: IAC in Mississauga, Ont, which later moved to Woodbridge, Ont as the company expanded. The
facility, which became part of the Assured Automotive chain in 2010, was not only a repair and service facility, but a locus for the local tuner community, selling numerous performance products out of its attached showroom. There was one roadblock in John’s way, though. The facility wasn’t near his school, St. Paul’s Secondary School in Mississauga, Still, Mansueto made it work. “Mr. Sacco, our co-op director, really worked his magic in getting me enrolled with IAC,”
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profile
John Mansueto and Rocco Aurelio of Assured Automotive with a high performance engine. Assured Automotive Vaughan does mechanical, collision and tuner work.
says John. “The fact was, I really wanted to go to this particular place.” Mansueto says he was never a very strong student in the years leading up to his co-op. It’s a common challenge for those who prefer doing over talking. Simply put, the school system in general values book learning. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it leads to high dropout rates among students who don’t fit that model. In John’s case, it was the co-op that led to academic success. “My hours at my co-op are what made me want to stay in school,” says Mansueto. “I knew that I needed to work hard at school to get to where I wanted to be.” He found such success in the co-op program that he actually did it twice, both times at the same shop. After his second co-op term he was hired on part-time. “Every co-op there is, you start at the bottom. I didn’t mind, that’s what you’ve got to do to pay your dues and learn the business. You do a lot of sweeping and cleaning,” says Mansueto. “After I was officially hired, I was started on doing the basics, oil and tire changes. I really enjoyed it, but I wanted to do more.” Mansueto knew more than enough about cars to carry out those basic tasks, but he also knew that he would need more formal
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“My hours at my co-op are what made me want to stay in school. I knew that I needed to work hard at school to get to where I wanted to be.” - John Mansueto
training to get to do the things he wanted to do. He enrolled in a formal apprenticeship program, attending school once a week for a full semester while continuing to work part-time. Experience is the best teacher, but it’s often idiosyncratic. Formal education as an Automotive Service Technician or Autobody Collision and Damage Repairer will not cover everything you need to know. This isn’t due to a fault in the teachers or the course material. The subject matter is simply too broad and too deep. What formal schooling does provide is a good starting point. “A lot of the knowledge you need, a lot of the skills you want, you get from working,” he says. “But you need that formal schooling. It gives you a grounding in the basics and you can build your skills from there.”
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That was a few years ago. Today, John is employed at Assured Automotive Vaughan, a “one-stop-shop” that performs automotive service and repair, collision work and last but not least, auto customization and performance. The combination of services make it a perfect fit for him. “My work is my hobby,” he says. “You’re always problem solving, trying new things and learning what works best. It’s a passion. You’ve got to work on what you love.” Mansueto has worked on a number of custom vehicles for Assured Automotive Vaughan’s customers, as well as customizing his own vehicles. “When it comes to my own cars, I got started with an ’89 Honda Civic Si,” he says. Customized Civics are a common sight in the tuner community. “I got rid of the stock engine and put in a dual overhead cam engine, along with bigger intake manifold, throttle body, headers, high flow exhaust, and some cylinder head work. It was red and loud. Of course, you get started with that stuff and you just can’t stop. I put on a body kit, big stereo and I was always getting pulled over.” Tired of attracting that level of attention, he switched out the Civic for a van with a more conservative appearance. In the case of his van, the party was on the inside. “I was really getting into stereo stuff at the time, so I packed it with custom audio.” he says. “It was just as loud, or louder, than the Civic, but you could turn it off.” These days he drives a Chevy Tahoe. Naturally, the stock just wouldn’t do. He’s installed 24-inch wheels and tires, as well as a new exhaust, cold air intake, and some other goodies underneath the hood. When he originally purchased the truck, he also lowered the body and changed up all of the suspension components to present a sleeker profile, and to improve handling, traction and stability. Lowering a vehicle can make it less suited for winter driving, but there’s an easy solution for that if you’ve got the skills and the tools: raise it up again. “Why not? I have the best of both worlds. I can go low in the summer and take some tight corners, and when it comes to winter i can throw it in 4x4 and plow through the snow. I get to do what I love,” he says. “I really couldn’t ask for anything more.”
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RESTORATION
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A technician checks over some details on the Bugatti Aerolithe. When you’re recreating a one-of-a-kind vehicle, no detail is unimportant. Below: David Grainger, President and Founder of The Guild of Automotive Restorers. Grainger went into restoration after establishing a successful career as a wildlife artist. Photo by Joe Weicha.
Automotive
Archaeology By Mike Davey
David Grainger and the Guild dig deep to restore classic cars.
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here’s a lot of science and engineering wrapped up in restoring classic and antique cars, but don’t let that fool you. Anyone who does it is an artist. That’s doubly true for David Grainger. Grainger is the owner of The Guild of Automotive Restorers in Bradford, Ont., one of the largest antique and classic restoration companies in North America. The Guild has built a reputation with its customers through painstaking research and attention to detail, and with the general public through its appearances on the History Channel show Restoration Garage, not to mention numerous appearances in print and online publications. Grainger also writes a regular column, Reincarnation, for National Post.
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RESTORATION
Grainger was a professional wildlife artist for 18 years, with restoration simply a way to relax in the evenings when the light would begin to fade. Hobby restorers are almost always led by passion for particular vehicles. They fall in love with a type or brand of car. For Grainger, his projects of choice were military vehicles. He started with Jeeps, and moved on to armoured vehicles and tanks. “It was Janice Stone, my girlfriend, who first suggested that I try restoring something someone might actually want to buy,” says Grainger. “We got a Corvette from a salvage yard and I restored it and sold it. I did a few more after that, and then I got a job at a restoration shop.” In a way, that shop turned out to be the genesis of the Guild. Poor management practices showed Grainger what not to do, and he pitched a cooperative plan to his fellow employees. The coop didn’t survive the test of time, but the business did, building a reputation for incredibly detailed and authentic restoration work. Reputation is important for attracting clients, but it’s also important for attracting top talent. This is just as an important concern for collision repair and auto service facilities, but the skill sets and attitude are completely different. Grainger is certainly open to employing people with experience in the more traditional service and repair world, but it doesn’t always work out well. “We had one guy who was only here for a few months, because he couldn’t break himself of the habits he’d learned working in a flat-rate shop,” says Grainger. “He was very fast, but it’s not about speed here.” The cars in the shop at the Guild aren’t repair orders, they’re projects. Their eventual owners will likely value them as historic and artistic pieces just as much or more than their undeniable beauty as vehicles. The key concern is not efficiency, but accuracy. In other words, it takes the time it takes. Some restorations are easier than others. Restoring a GTO, for example, is a relatively simple task, especially if you pick the right model year. Many members of the
public would likely consider restoring a Model A Ford to be a daunting task, but in reality every single replacement part is available, including body panels and trim pieces. It’s the unusual cars, the ones where only a few were ever made to begin with, that present a greater challenge. Body parts must often be fabricated, but that’s not uncommon in the customization and restoration world. Often, it’s the research that takes the most time. Research, and replicating what it uncovers. “One of my guys came to me one day
The usual turnaround time is a lot shorter than that, but it cannot be stressed enough that when it comes to certain restorations, accuracy isn’t just the most important thing, it’s the only thing. That’s not to say that every vehicle that comes through the door is treated this way. The Guild has many customers who are more than satisfied with a classic car that is not technically accurate. This may sound strange, but bear in mind that to the Guild, “technically accurate” may very well mean “hand-cutting every single screw to make sure the angles are the same as they would have been in the factory in Italy in 1922.” The average customer may not have the resources or desire to afford this level of accuracy, but the Guild does what it takes to satisfy those who do. While the detail put into the restoration changes with what the customer wants, the process used does not. This is one place where efficiency and accuracy go hand in hand. When a vehicle comes in, two technicians are given the job of dismantling it almost completely. Mechanical functioning is not as important at this stage as structural integrity. They must determine which structural parts can be repaired, and which can be replaced with reproductions. Every vehicle and every step of the process is rigorously documented, and all the parts are obsessively tracked as well. These are good practices in the collision world, but it’s an absolutely necessity if the part you’re tracking is literally the only one in the world. Grainger says he’s proud of all their vehicles, but there’s one project that stands out: the Bugatti Aerolithe. Don’t worry if you don’t recognize the model. There was only one ever built. Featuring a magnesium alloy body, the Aerolithe premiered at the Paris Auto Show in 1935 and disappeared shortly after arriving in London in 1936. It’s unlikely that the mystery will ever be solved, although there are plenty of rumours and fanciful theories as to what happened to the car. “Nicholas Cage spoke to me a couple of times about sponsoring the project, but as
For Grainger, his projects of choice were military vehicles. He started with Jeeps, and moved on to armoured vehicles and tanks.
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and said, ‘Boss, I want to buy a kiln,’” says Grainger. “He had found out that the badging he was fabricating had baked enamel on it, and he wanted to learn how to replicate it. He told me he thought he could figure it out in five or six days, working with the kiln, so I told him, ‘Do what you need to do.’” The kiln was purchased, delivered, and set up, and now there’s another process that the Guild has down cold. “We’re always learning new things about how they used to build cars,” says Grainger. “In a lot of ways, I think of us as helping to preserve some of these methods.” A delay of a week would be borderline intolerable in a repair setting, but it’s simply a different case when it comes to restoration or customization. Simply put, customers are there because they want to be there. Grainger says there are cars that have been in the facility for years, waiting on a vital part, or for a process to be rediscovered.
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RESTORATION
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before
After
A lot of painstaking effort goes into restoring any classic. The older the vehicle, the more complex the challenges may become.
After
Results speak for themselves.
before
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After The first stage of restoration is an almost complete tear down to examine structural integrity.
before
it turned out, I doubt he could have afforded it,” says Grainger. After hearing what went into “restoring” an automobile that technically doesn’t exist, we’re not quite sure if he’s joking. The level of painstaking research and work that has gone into the car so far is worthy of a book in itself. The first step was sourcing everything they could find out about the car. Unfor-
tunately, that’s not much. Only 11 useful photographs of the car were known to exist at the time the project begun. Two more surfaced during research, but none of the photos showed interior details or the engine compartment. “We computer enhanced a few of the photos, and we were able to learn a lot that way,” says Grainger. “But in a lot of cases,
The Guild does not build trailer queens. It’s important that the vehicles can actually be driven.
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we had to figure out what it would looked like from a solid knowledge of what they were building at the time.” The Bugatti Atlantique was based off the Aerolithe design, and that could serve as something of a guide. However, Grainger notes the Atlantiques were slightly more advanced, so it became necessary to study the Bugattis leading up to the Aerolithe as well. “We assembled an absolute wealth of engineering detail. We did research into every single kind of fastener, clip, bolt and screw that would have gone into that car. We’re pretty sure we knew exactly how the original car was built,” says Grainger. The project first started to germinate in the late 90s, and Grainger began writing articles about the car in 2006. The car was declared finished in early 2014. “It took a team of extremely skilled craftsmen to produce this, along with a very dedicated patron who has asked to remain anonymous,” says Grainger. “Magnesium alloy is extremely challenging to work with, and that wasn’t the least of it. But it’s worth it, knowing that we’ve not only helped to preserve history, but to recreate it.”
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skills competition
Guidance breeds confidence
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Ellis believes hard work, confidence and dedication are keys to collision repair success.
Ontario College of Trades’ Hartley Ellis is at the centre of the push to encourage new young techs to get into the business. BY Andrew Ardizzi
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erseverance and hard work often closely find themselves attached to the select few who are able to endure anything and everything that life throws at them, wade through the hardship and toil to come out on the other side the better for it. That’s why, if you’ve ever known such a person, you find them inspiring. Quickly you discover that nothing ever comes easy, but if you put in the time, hard work and never give in, it’ll pay off. Hartley Ellis’ is one such success story. Ellis came to Canada from Jamaica at the age of 17. At that point of his life he recalls his natural affinity for assembly and disassembly of any project he worked on. “I took apart everything in the house. When I came to Canada and started working, I just felt like there was something missing,” he says.
Sometimes when you know deep down what it is you’re to do with your life, it simply hits you without prejudice and defines your calling simply because it’s what comes naturally to you. For Ellis, he knows his aptitude all too well and from the time he set out to pursue a career in the collision industry and beyond, he’s put every effort into meeting his goals. “My decision to go into the trade was interesting. I worked in a small shop for a couple years, and then one day I saw an ad to work at Kenshaw Lexus Toyota,” Ellis says. “I called them up and said I was looking for a job.” Upon calling, he was asked by the manager on the other side of the line why he should hire Hartley. His response should come as no surprise if you’ve ever met him, but he flatly and confidently replied: “Because I want to work.” Ellis says that was the beginning of something amazing, as he hit the ground
running at his new job and six months later received his Level 1 apprenticeship through Centennial College. Clearly proving himself an apt student, posting a 4.05 GPA in his first year, his mentor Ken Smith encouraged him to enter Skills Canada’s Ontario competition to compete against the province’s brightest, young and talented collision repair technicians. In that first provincial competition Ellis won a gold medal and earned himself a spot at Skills Canada’s national skilled trades competition which took place in Vancouver, B.C. in 2002. At that 2002 Skills Canada competition, Ellis tested his mettle against the country’s best, and came out with a bronze medal to show for it. “That first competition was held out in B.C. and my boss paid to allow my family to accompany me to Skills Canada, which was the first time an entire family had come to Skills Canada,” he says. “Ev-
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skills competition
eryone is still supportive to this day, even my automobile coordinator accompanied me to all of the skills competitions.” Ellis would again compete on the national stage in 2003, again winning a bronze medal. With his passion and desire for the craft pushing him onward and forward, he travelled to Winnipeg, Man. for the national skills competition in 2004 and nearly secured that elusive gold medal. If not for a freak accident early in the competition that hampered him, he may have won first place that year. Yet the story behind his silver medal performance is remarkably noteworthy. “As soon as I started on the first day I sliced my hand open on a door and it just started bleeding, and they told me that if I left the area to have it treated that they would have to disqualify me,” Ellis recalls. Luckily, they were able to stop the bleeding from his right hand. Again ready to compete, Ellis went to pick up the same door that had just caused his injury, and then another twist turned his tale into a legendary outing. “I walked up to the door and then I cut my other hand and then it started bleeding too,” he says. Now with two injured hands, Ellis immediately put gloves on to protect them—especially his newly injured hand—and continued on and took part in all the events required of him, all the while judges continually checked his right hand, none the wiser that his opposite hand was bleeding and painting the inside of his glove crimson red. While he still regrets not winning a gold and only receiving silver for his safety infraction, he looks back on that year and the bronze medals he won in 2002 and 2003 with appreciation for what he accomplished and everything his time as a technician has given him. This is only half his story, mind you. Following his third national skills competition, he began teaching the detailing and auto body programs at Toronto’s Centennial College part-time while also working at a Porsche dealership for one year. From the time he walked into his first
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Confidence drives success, so when someone is confident it breeds success no matter what they’re doing. class, it became clear to him and anyone else that he not only had the ability to succeed as a technician, but he also had an organic way of connecting with young students. And as time has gone on, Ellis has returned to Skills Canada as co-chair of the Ontario competition while also
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Hartley Ellis tells a joke and gives a young technician some pointers at Skills Canada in Mississauga.
working as Enforcement Officer with the Ontario College of Trades. He also recently acted as a judge at the 2014 Skills Canada national event in Mississauga, Ont.. Longtime friend Sean Slaven, Technical Sales Director at Absolute Solutions, feels the future is very bright for Ellis. He knows him to be a very confident yet humble person, having seen him at his lowest and ultimately his highest points. He believes truly that Ellis has some very special qualities that can raise him to the industry’s heights. “He takes his job very seriously,” says Slaven of Ellis’ current role with the Ontario College of Trades. Based on his experiences, Slaven can see the effect Ellis has on people in how he connects with them. It’s an intangible characteristic, friends and students gravitating around a personality that lights his path going forward. “I think he’s a fantastic teacher to come train new techs,” Slaven says. “He has an ability to just capture people.” As a teacher, no matter in the classroom or shop, Ellis wants to contribute to the industry that has given him so much. Always appreciative of what he’s been provided, working with youth across several avenues—including Skills Canada—has given him the chance to guide the collision repair industry’s future technicians. “The passion behind Skills Canada is to give back,” Ellis says. “It gives these kids a litmus test of what their skill level is and what they can accomplish. “Confidence drives success, so when someone is confident it breeds success no matter what they’re doing.” While Ellis is hardly the only instructor in the world, his message to young techs is clear. He feels that with the average age of collision techs increasing, instructors need to show that the kids taking part in events like Skills Canada—or even if they simply are going from shop to shop looking for a job—have that support and guidance. That, combined with a little hard work and dedication from young technicians can make a substantial difference moving forward. “When you care about the students, it shows,” he says.
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SKILLS COMPETITION
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National stage The best young techs and painters gathered in Toronto for Skills Canada. By Andrew Ardizzi
Young techs from across the country took part in the Skills Canada auto body and car painting competitions.
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hen the sparks settled, the paint dried and the final tallies were made following Skills Canada’s national skilled trade competitions, four students took home gold medals in their respective age brackets in the auto body repair and car painting categories. The 2014 Skills Canada national skills competition was held inside Mississauga’s International Centre, featuring over 500 youth training in the skilled trades. The event, which ran from June 5 to June
6, brought together the top youth from across the countr y from 42 different trades with the field composed of the provincial winners from Skills Canada’s regional competitions. Alberta’s Justin Dambitis won gold in the post-secondary auto body repair category, finishing ahead of silver medalist Steven LeMagueresse of Ontario and bronze medalist Marc-Andre Benoit of New Brunswick. In the secondary auto body category, Kevin Disterhoft of Manitoba won gold, beating out silver medal winner Jacob Wall of British Columbia and bronze medalist Jeremy Lessard of Quebec.
Nova Scotia’s Ryan Smith painted a quality first place performance, winning gold in the post-secondary Car Painting category. Smith finished ahead of silver medalist Daniel Kidd of Ontario and Kassandra Plante-Bilodeau of Quebec, who took home a bronze medal. At the secondary level, Quebec’s Vicky Bouchard won car painting gold, finishing ahead of silver medal winner Catherine Elizabeth Mathewson of Ontario and bronze medalist Ryan Beattie. The competitive aspect aside, Skills Canada’s purpose swells far beyond simple competition and works to show students a path towards a future in the skilled trades.
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SKILLS COMPETITION Leanne Jefferies, AIA Director of Collision Programs and the Director of the CCIF skills program, says the importance of the Skills Canada program is immeasurable and is a great way to reach the youth of today and introduce them to skilled trades like auto body repair and car painting. “It’s great to show interest in these young kids in the industry and it’s a great learning experience for them,” Jefferies says. “I think they can really feel the support of the industry here.” Complementing the practical learning experiences for the students taking part, Jefferies and other CCIF members were on-
“It’s great to show interest in these young kids in the industry and it’s a great learning experience for them.”
Silver medalist Jacob Wall welcomes secondary school gold medalist Kevin Disterhoft to the podium as Quebec’s Jeremy Lessard soaks in the experience.
From left: Ryan Beattie, Vicky Bouchard and Catherine Mathewson receive their medals. Bouchard took home gold, with Mathewson and Beattie finishing second and third respectively.
-Leanne Jefferies hand at the CCIF booth where pamphlets were available for competitors and the general public so they could read about the various career paths collision repair training provides. Additionally there was an interactive painting demonstration where anyone could try their hand at painting a digital representation of a car part. “This is a really great opportunity for industry and education to come together,” she says. “It’s nice to get all of the stakeholders together for something that benefits the industry. It lets them meet the kids in person, and some have even been offered jobs right on the floor.” William Speed, an auto collision repair instructor at Toronto’s Danforth Collegiate Technical Institute and Chair of Skills Canada for the last several years, says he likes to see his
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Nova Scotia’s Ryan Smith finished first in the postsecondary car painting category, edging out Ontario’s Daniel Kidd and Kassandra Plante-Bilodeau of Quebec.
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SKILLS COMPETITION
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1 Ontario’s Catherine Mathewson took home a silver medal, finishing second in the secondary school level car painting category. 2 New Brunswick’s Marc-Andre Benoit took home a bronze medal in the auto body category at the post-secondary level. 3 Quebec’s Vicky Bouchard put her skills to the test and put on a gold medal-winning display in the car painting competition. 4 Skills Canada participants were asked to complete a number of set tasks. 5 Skills Canada participants had the chance to try out a car painting demo program at the CCIF booth at Skills Canada 2014.
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kids succeed, especially noting one young female competitor in the car painting category who he says is so good she’s already been receiving work offers. “I can take very little credit for what they do though,” he says. “Some of them just grab the opportunity and run with it.” From a technical perspective, he adds these competitions serve the additional purpose of putting each competing youth in a real life highstress situation where they must be efficient and technically sound in order to finish their trade-specific tasks within the allotted time. “It puts them out of their normal realm, so they need to step up their skill level because
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in some cases they may not have ever done the tasks we’re asking them to complete.” Echoing Jefferies, Speed feels the industry response has been immense however its stakeholders need to continue supporting Skills Canada to further grow the profile and stage skilled youths are being given. “We need even more employers to come out and see what these kids are doing because they’re the industry’s future,” he says. “The average age is getting higher and we need to get some young blood into shops.” It’s that reality that defines Jefferies’ reasoning for being so supportive of
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Skills Canada’s programming, which allows skilled youth to converge and continue their path into the skilled trades, and to see support growing from the industry is gratifying for her. Even more, the competitions habitually see former competitors returning to take part in the organization and judging of the events. “They get to have this experience as competitors, and they get to share that experience with each other and the next generation,” she says. “I think this competition altogether highlights industries like ours and shows where you can work in the industry if youth follow their passions.”
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COLOUR
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Tinting Right
Lighting Quality
Getting the best results from your last resort. By Justin Jimmo, Technical Representative - Refinish Sales for Co-Auto Co-Operative
The author tests colour accuracy using a 3M Sun Gun.
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inting colour is probably the last thing any painter wants to do, and on days where your paint booth is already backlogged with five cars, it can be hard to even find the time. With so many variables impacting the colours you need to match, it’s inevitable that sooner or later you will run into a problem colour. When that happens, keep calm and get ready to have some fun. Now I’ll assume that you’ve already evaluated each variant, looked into service formulas, and are at the point where you’ve determined that your colour is in no way blendable. To find the closest matching variant to start with it’s best to do your evaluating outside in natural light. If that is not a possibility then the 3M Sun Gun or a similar device is the next best thing. The reason for this is that in natural daylight you are observing the colour under all of the visible wavelengths of light, so you will see the colour in its truest form. Most indoor
Lighting quality and type has a serious impact on your ability to see colours properly. Light sources vary widely in ability to accurately reflect the true colours of objects. Natural light is best, as it represents the full visual spectrum. Artificial lights may be lacking one or more colours altogether, although it is more likely that they simply do not possess the exact same colour wavelengths as found in natural light. The colour rendering index (CRI) scale is used to compare the effect of a light source on the colour appearance of its surroundings. CRI is scaled from 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating less colour distortion. Lights made specifically for paint booths typically score 90 or higher on this scale, while fluorescents for home or general commercial purposes often have a CRI in the 60s. No matter what light source you are using, lighting quality is key.
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COLOUR
Colourful Language Value: This describes the overall intensity of how light or dark a particular colour appears. Hue: This is what most people generally think of when they use the word colour; red, blue, yellow, green, etc. Technically, the “middle” of a hue is pure. For example, a green hue that reflects no other wavelengths is known as a pure hue. The actual colour itself is effected by other factors, such as chroma and value. Chroma: The strength or dominance of the hue, as compared to other tints or shades present in the colour.
lighting only contains a portion of these wavelengths and certain colours will appear predominant depending on the exact lighting source. Before you focus too much on the colour itself you should ensure that you have a formula using similar metallics to your sample, if your colour is a metallic. If you start with a formula containing a coarse metallic such as a star flake, your going to have a bad time trying to match it against something with a fine flake. To evaluate your sample you should place it on the panel beside the one you are matching, not directly on it (leaving a small gap). Tape off your sprayout card after each adjustment or have some methodology that allows for you to observe how each adjustment changes your colour. Always look to tint from within your existing formula and follow your manufacturer’s tinting guide. A tinting guide provides you with all of the necessary information on how each toner impacts both the face and pitch (sidetone) of your colour. If you don’t have a tinting guide, ask your paint manufacturer how to obtain one. Your first adjustment should be to the
Tinting a colour can be frustrating. Follow these tips and you’ll have more success.
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Spray booths should use specialty lighting to try to simulate natural lighting as much as possible.
face, and the first dimension of colour you will want to look at is the “value.” The value refers to the lightness/darkness of a colour. In many cases you can rely on black to darken a colour and white to lighten it, but not always. To lighten colours such as green and yellow a better choice might be a lighter toner that contains the respective hue (ex. light yellow to lighten yellow). When darkening certain colours such as red, a better choice might be a dark maroon rather than black to avoid getting a brownish tone. Each colour has its quirks, so it’s worth your time to familiarize yourself with how black and white impacts that particular colour. Using both black and white toners will often have an impact on the dirtiness of a colour and make it more or less saturated. The next dimension to look at is known as the “hue.” The hue refers to what most people would think of as the formula colour itself. Each colour can only move in certain directions; redder, bluer, greener, and yellower. What does that mean? Well, for example, a blue can either go towards a greener or redder colour, while a white can go towards a bluer or yellower colour. A good tinting chart or colour adjusting course can provide you with more information on how each
COLOUR
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When possible, always observe your work under natural light. It will show you the true colours.
colour can move, but looking at a colour wheel can give you some idea. When you’re looking to make adjustments to the hue, you need only to focus on the two directions the colour can move in and tint accordingly. The last dimension of colour is known as the “chroma.” Chroma refers to the cleanliness or dirtiness of a colour, also known as the saturation. To make a colour less saturated (dirtier) you can add gray or a low-strength black, to make a colour look cleaner add a bright toner that is similar to the hue. A metallic colour can also become cleaner by increasing the amount of metallic. It’s also best to use low-strength, transparent toners as an opaque toner to hide the metallics causing your colour to look dirtier. Tinting should really only be done as a last resort and you should take full
You should take full advantage of every colour tool in your system before altering a formula.
advantage of every colour tool in your system before altering a formula. If you’re fortunate enough to have a spectrophotomer available, make sure you put in the time to learn how to use it effectively. In many cases a spectrophotomer can evaluate your colour and make the adjustments with more precision than your eye. The most important thing of all is to maintain your mixing bank in accordance with your manufacturer’s recommendations. Follow the recommended shaking/ agitation schedule to ensure you’re getting the colours the way they were intended. Many other variables come into play with colour-matching from equipment settings to spray technique. To learn more about colour, be sure to ask your paint manufacturer for enrollment in the next colour adjustment training course.
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APPRENTICESHIPS
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Frank DiVito sits at the lunchroom table at his facility. The table was covered in carbon fibre by techs in his facility, in part so they could learn to work with the material. Special projects like this help techs develop new skills without interfering with production.
Mentors Matter Autobahn CARSTAR doesn’t just hire apprentices. They mentor them. By Mike Davey
I
t can be challenging for a young student to find a repair facility willing and able to take on an apprentice. There may be a strong temptation to sign up with any facility willing to take you. It must be resisted. An apprenticeship is distinct from many other entry-level jobs. A starting job typically involves some training, and there is often some room for advancement, even if it’s relatively limited. An apprenticeship, on the other hand, is primarily about training. You may be paid, but the central focus should be on building your skills and making contacts within your new industry. This is what makes the facility you apprentice with so important. In fact, it wouldn’t be out of line to suggest that it’s the single most important career decision you will ever make. Simply put, there are good facilities and there are bad facilities from the perspective
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APPRENTICESHIPS
of an apprentice. The difference may not always be obvious. Frank DiVito is the owner/operator of Autobahn CARSTAR in Barrie, Ont. He’s had many apprentices come through his facility over the years, and he and his staff have always done what they could to encourage them to learn on the job.
There are places in the shop for all sorts of skills, not just those that require intense technical knowledge. As Frank puts it, “Just consider switching tracks a bit. There are opportunities for front office staff and appraisers. The most important thing is always your attitude. “
Autobahn CARSTAR is large, progressive and well-equipped. For those seeking an apprenticeship, those last two factors can be incredibly important. The repair facility at which you apprentice doesn’t necessarily need to be large. There are plenty of good facilities that don’t have a big footprint. What’s really important is that they are progressive, meaning they are always moving forward, always looking for new efficiencies and ways to improve, and frequently investing in training. It’s important that the facility be wellequipped, as vehicle technology has been in a state of rapid change for years now, and there’s no indication that the pace is slowing down. In fact, it may be increasing. In any case, apprenticing with a well-equipped facility should give you the chance to learn hands-on applications of new techniques. Note that we said “should.” A repair facility may be progressive in most ways, and have all the latest equipment, but may not have the most important attribute of all: a culture of mentorship.
“Some shops are better at it than others, and some technicians are better at mentoring than others,” says DiVito. “Say you’ve got a guy who came into the business years ago and started washing cars and sweeping the floor. He was doing it for a paycheque, not because he had any love for the business. He stuck around, learned to sand bumpers, and picked up other skills, but he still didn’t have any love for the business. Now, at age 40, he’s miserable. How good of a mentor do you think he’s going to be?” A good apprentice can be a boon for a busy facility, and a good facility can be a definite plus to a career-minded apprentice, but it’s important to make sure that everything matches up. This includes your passion for the work you’re doing. “If you’re apprenticing at some place that’s always dirty, you’re going to pick up that attitude,” says DiVito. “Your attitude is incredibly important for the work you’re doing. In a lot of ways, attitude is the most
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APPRENTICESHIPS
important thing you can have. Maybe you’re into cars and really want to work in the business, but you try a bit of basic bodywork and find out you’re just not good with your hands. That doesn’t mean you have to leave the industry. Just consider switching tracks a bit. There are opportunities for front office staff and appraisers. The most important thing is always your attitude, but in the front it’s absolutely vital.” You can develop a good attitude, and the shop you work at can help, but it really has to come from within. Attitude is important, but you can develop it on your own. Your apprenticeship is officially about building your skills. For several years, Autobahn CARSTAR had a unique way of helping apprentices build new skills. The Volkswagen Westfalia is an icon. When you think “hippie van,” chances are you’re thinking of a VW Westfalia. Several years ago, a decrepit Westfalia made its way to Autobahn CARSTAR. It had not been involved in a collision, in fact it likely had not
been roadworthy for years before making it to the shop. It may have been in bad shape, but it’s still an icon, and DiVito saw it as an opportunity to further mentor young people, while helping journeyperson technicians to brush up on skills they may not use very much. “At any given time, if an apprentice needed something to do, they would work on the van,” says DiVito. He acknowledges that it needed a lot of work. “There were a lot of parts we needed to make.” Making parts is not a typical component of the day-to-day work of a collision repair facility. Acquiring replacement parts is usually a matter of ordering them from the dealer, an auto recycler or an aftermarket parts provider. However, ordering parts for the Westfalia was not an option. Most of the parts simply aren’t available. Fabricating parts is common enough in the hot-rodding and customization industries, and picking up the rudiments of those skills will serve any technician in good stead throughout
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There are good facilities and there are bad facilities from the perspective of an apprentice. The difference may not always be obvious.
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APPRENTICESHIPS
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Frank set up a special training area for students to hone their skills without interrupting production flow. refurbishing a decrepit vw van, seen here, required students to think outside the box and develop new skills.
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his or her career. It can be a difficult and demanding task, as curves and angles must be extremely precise to ensure a good fit and match with corresponding parts on the other side of the vehicle. This is part of what made the Westfalia a good project for apprentices. “Most of it wasn’t too hard,” says DiVito. “The Westfalia is pretty flat in the body. There are a few curves, like around the windshield, but otherwise they are relatively simple parts to fabricate.” Looked at as a repair job, the VW Westfalia was almost certainly not very profitable for Autobahn CARSTAR. DiVito says
the complete refurbishment of the vehicle took nearly four years. “We could have gotten it done faster, of course, but that wasn’t the point,” says DiVito. “It took somewhere between 300 and 400 person hours to get it back in shape, but getting it out the door was never the major concern.” No, the major concern was to return a beloved classic vehicle to the road, while mentoring apprentices and helping them develop their passion. On that level, Autobahn CARSTAR’s VW Westfalia project was a complete success.
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Choose your steps wisely and find the road to success. By Andrew Ardizzi
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etting where we want to go hinges on everything falling into place no matter what you pursue. Planning your career and ultimately being successful, especially in collision repair, hinges on your own ability to step out from your own shadow and come into your own, combined with making all the right moves to raise your profile. It also doesn’t hurt to have a little help. “I had an amazing high school teacher that pushed me to excel at a very young age who saw my potential and just continued guiding me in the right direction,” says Mark Millson, General Manager at Excellence Auto Collision’s Concord location. “Without him I wouldn’t have got ahead like I did at such a young age.” That support base launched Millson, who had a natural passion and aptitude for collision repair, into skilled trades competitions across the country, competing in both provincial and national auto body Skills Canada competitions. Millson experienced fair success in the competitions, earning a 2005
berth in the international skills competition that was held in Helsinki, Finland that year. While he didn’t win, his strong seventh place finish among the world’s elite competitors gave him unmatched experience and taught him a lot about his craft. “Because my teacher pushed me to go, I was able to surround myself with people who frankly were better than me at a young age,” he says, recalling how he absorbed so much knowledge from competing at that high a level. “Even if you absorb one thing from every person you meet in the industry and put that into your mental toolbox, the experience is more than worth it.” Now 28-years-old and several years removed from actively competing in the skills competitions, Millson believes strongly in the experience of taking part in the skilled trades competitions, noting especially that it looks great on a resume. More importantly you discover what you’re capable of as a technician. “I was very fortunate to be successful, but I would strongly urge any young students to get involved in the programs,” he says. “I
encourage my staff to compete if for no other reason than it pushes you to rapidly excel because the competition is so stringent and at an industry level.” Bill Speed, an auto body instructor at Danforth C.T.I. and five time co-chair of Skills Canada, says the experience itself is worthwhile for young techs, especially with shop representatives frequently serving as judges not only for the sake of the event, but also as a way to recruit potential techs. Speed feels it’s a lost opportunity to not get involved in the skills competitions. “More shops should take the opportunity to judge and help out, because these kids are the industry’s future technicians,” Speed says. Speed has a number of former students working in the industry throughout Toronto. Ever a strong presence in his students’ career paths, Speed has watched one of his young female students—two-time Skills Canada competitor Catherine Mathewson— excel, winning a silver medal at Skills Canada 2014 in car painting. Speed says over the last two years of provincial and national competition she has been offered roughly a
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dozen jobs. Highlighting the technical worth of competing, he also feels Skills Canada is a key networking tool to meet the right people in the industry. “Networking is huge,” Speed says. “You need to go through the various channels and really begin to apply yourself.” Speed says you need to stand out and make a solid impression on shop owners. Although Speed does what he can for his students, even sending out their resumes to his contacts, they still need to produce quality work. That’s why he feels co-op placements are as important as taking part in Skills Canada when trying to land a job. “I tell my students that if you do your job right at your co-op placement, sometimes they will find the space for them. I’ve seen that happen in the past,” says Speed. “It’s their best shot if they can get something through the school.” Millson feels young techs also need a palette of skills and abilities beyond their inshop aptitudes. With technologies always
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Ask them what they want out of an apprentice, what expectations they have for apprentices coming into their shops.
evolving, he believes young technicians need to understand the IT end of things so that they can access OEM manuals and procedures online when completing repairs. “Automobiles have become so complex in their construction on the structural end and on the mechanical side, even the slightest and most minute detail can pose a challenge if you’re not familiar with the systems,” says Millson. He also feels up-and-coming techs need to be able to problem solve while utilizing the shop’s technology to complete jobs efficiently. Even though experienced techs will always be around for advice, he encourages young techs to troubleshoot and plan based on their own judgment if only because it’ll help them become better technicians. Quick to offer advice, Millson says students should talk to their teachers and instructors at the post-secondary level, combined with doing research on the shops in their communities and making a list of
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CAREER PLANNING
Hartley Ellis and Bill Speed at Skills Canada 2014.
shops where they’re interested in working. From there, visit the shop and ask the owner if they’re looking for apprentices.
“Ask them what they want out of an apprentice, what expectations they have for apprentices coming into their shops,” Millson says. He says persistence is key, recalling that he got his first job by continually bothering one shop owner until he couldn’t help but hire him. “I told him, ‘I really want to work here and you need to hire me,’ and that was it,” Millson says. “I think it was a great decision for both of us. I think it helped that owner understand the shop value of young people.” Millson knows full well that there’s a shortage of young technicians in the industry. Knowing where the business is headed, he fully supports co-op placements and apprenticeship programs that encourage students to get into the business. It’s critical from his perspective to give students the opportunities they need to progress. “We love apprentices here, we fully support the programs and we have as many apprentices here as we’re allowed to per licensed technician,” he says.
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Finally, he says, young technicians need to show their eagerness to learn, grow and work with intensity. Students need to be driven and passionate, because those are the types of people shops are looking for. For Speed, he says he tries to encourage students who want to push themselves to go all-in if they want to pursue a career in the business, adding that having a good attitude towards your work means everything; if you have a bad one, you won’t last no matter how skilled you might be. With your skills and knowledge, combined with how you carry yourself, everything will come together. “Getting into the business can be hard, but it can also be as simple as going from shop to shop and filling out applications like I did and eventually I was hired,” he says. “After that it was all networking and word-of-mouth, and I don’t think I filled out another job application in my career. “Talk to everyone who comes into the shop. You get a reputation just talking to people and things often just fall into place.”
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TECH TIPS
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Once dirt gets into a paint job, removing it becomes a frustrating and time-wasting procedure. The best move, for both efficiency and the look of the refinish work, is to make sure it never gets in there in the first place.
Preventing
Dirt
The world is a dirty place. Here’s how to keep it out of your paint. By Justin Jimmo, Technical Representative - Refinish Sales for Co-Auto Co-Operative
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mong the many challenges a refinish technician is faced with in the course of a day, keeping a paint job clean is one that can sometimes be much more difficult than it sounds. While a contemporary paint booth and modern equipment can certainly be beneficial, it is by no means a guarantee of clean work. In many cases dirt nibs end up in your paint jobs as the result of something fairly simple that’s being overlooked. We should all be in agreement that proper booth maintenance is crucial, from changing your filters regularly to keeping the inside clean and clutter-free. One thing to ponder: when was the last time you changed your airline? What condition is it in? Air lines wear and can sometimes be neglected, driven over, and covered in dust or over spray. What you can’t see is that airlines also wear on the inside. The inner wall can actually break away and unless you’re using a
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Proper booth maintenance is crucial, from changing your filters regularly to keeping the inside clean and clutter-free.
line filter it can send particles through your gun and into your paint. By properly maintaining your airline you can avoid finding dirt specks that you may never even have had a chance to see! In newer, high-end paint booths, cabin pressure is not generally something to worry about. However, many paint booths do not automatically adjust the cabin pressure and it must be verified on every job. Different sized objects in the paint booth and filter saturation will both impact your cabin pressure. While negative pressure can increase airflow, it can also draw dirt into the booth. In most cases you will want to be running at a slight positive pressure. Evaluate your preparation materials, ensure that you are in the lint-free zone! Lint can usually be easily spotted so take some steps to eliminate it from your paint booth. Lower end masking paper and rags will introduce more lint, so avoid the temptation to cut costs by using them. The same rule applies for tack cloths. A low quality tack rag can break apart, fail to remove particles, and even transfer residue. If you’re using a cotton tack cloth look for a tighter weave instead of a low thread count, or consider a polyester knit tack cloth instead. When it comes to maintaining spray equipment you should break down your gun often and ensure it is always as clean as possi-
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ble. After cleaning let your spray gun air dry rather than wiping it dry with towels. This will prevent lint from contaminating your spray gun and ending up in your paint jobs. When spraying, set your wall regulator to the lowest pressure needed to achieve the required PSI at your gun. This will not only reduce air surges, but also improve your spray guns’ performance.
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Dirt in the paint is obvious under a naked eye inspection, especially under extreme circumstances. A professional looking finish will be completely smooth.
Lastly, remember that with a great paint job comes great responsibility. There is no time like the present to take those preventative steps that you’re already aware of. Toss away that reusable wheel cover, save masking for the end, and use your stands for the paint booth only. Take the time to evaluate your current process and invest yourself into prevention, not polishing.
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They need to complement each other. By Mike Davey
T
here’s no substitute for practical experience. This is as true of auto repair and service as anything else. You can’t really say that you know your business until you’ve worked on a wide range of vehicles with a wide range of issues. You can’t get that experience out of a book or from other people. You need to get your hands dirty, as the saying goes. Would you trust a surgeon who had never performed surgery? Of course not. Before you climb up on that table, you’d want to know that they had spent countless hours honing their skills. With that said, you wouldn’t trust a surgeon who only had practical experience to guide them. They need a solid base of theoretical education before they’re ever allowed to work on live human beings. There are similarities when it comes to automotive service and repair. Obviously cars aren’t people. For one thing, you can always bring a vehicle back to life if you’re willing to invest the time and money. You can’t say that about human beings. Nevertheless, a solid base of formal education is extremely important if you want to succeed in the automotive world. The benefit of practical experience is obvious. The benefit of schooling may not be as obvious, but it is no less important. Practical experience working on cars is the best teacher, but it comes in pieces. Those pieces may not connect to each other, leaving gaps in your knowledge of which
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you might not be aware. You can’t know what you don’t know, if you see what I mean. Your formal education helps connect the pieces. Straight up, you will not learn everything you need to know in school. You simply won’t. This is not the fault of the instructors, the system, or yourself. The areas of knowledge you will need in your career are both too broad and too deep to absorb fully in a classroom environment. School puts in the foundation for the rest of your career. It’s the theoretical base on which you will build the rest of your skills, and provide a way for you to connect the rest of the pieces you will learn as you go forward. A strong foundation makes for a stronger building. You can put up a house that looks good without a strong foundation, but sooner or later the cracks will start to appear. In addition to the strong foundation formal education provides, the classroom is simply something you’re going to have to get used to. Everyone in the industry knows that automotive technology advances at a rapid pace and shows no signs of slowing down. Always keep learning, both in the classroom and in the shop. You owe it to your employer and your clients to be the best you can be. Most important of all, you owe it to yourself.
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Mike Davey is the editor of Bodyworx Professional. He can be reached at 905-3700101 or via email at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.
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