Issue 8 | Oct 2012
Ziggy on restoring the historic Streamliner to its hot rodding best How iGloss is changing the face of scratch resistance New developments in Tasmanian bodyshops An eight-car garage to envy
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GLASURIT – EDITOR'S LETTER | 03
EDITOR’S LETTER
Welcome to this issue of Gloss magazine (Issue 8). Gloss is our opportunity to showcase a number of interesting Glasurit projects around Australia and New Zealand as well as meet some of our customers that are experiencing success with our range of products. We also like to share the very latest industry news and meet some of those colourful characters that our industry is renowned for. This issue, we take a trip to Tasmania and speak to a number of Bodyshops who are experiencing success and good levels of growth with the 90 LINE product. We meet Jason Green from Robyane, our Tasmanian distributor and hear about his views on the challenges and opportunities in this tough market, and see some of the more interesting ways that our products are being used! Our industry is full of interesting and colourful personalities, and we love hearing their fascinating anecdotes and stories. We meet veteran Hot Rodder and Drag race champion Les Winter in Queensland, who began his apprenticeship in the industry in the ‘60’s. Les has had a challenging last year, nearly losing his business as a result of the Queensland floods which left his workshop under two metres of water. Fortunately he managed to salvage his equipment and parts and was up and running again within six weeks. Les was one of the lucky ones, with the floods severely impacting a number of our Queensland customers. At Glasurit we are proud of our continual dedication to offering the very best new products and technical support. In this issue of Gloss we profile our iGloss Clearcoat product and we speak with a Victorian dealership and repairer who has recently enlisted the help of the Bodyshop solutions team and the VisionPLUS OnLine program to measure KPI’s and improve efficiencies across the business. I hope you enjoy reading Gloss as much as we enjoy sourcing the stories and profiling industry experts. If you have any suggestions, feedback or story ideas, we would love to hear from you.
Kind regards
IAN WILKINSON Business Director, Coatings BASF Australia Ltd
CONTENTS WATERBORNE 08 GLASURIT SHINES IN THE ISLAND STATE Tassie businesses on facing the challenges of a difficult but captive market. FEATURES 04 T HE STREAMLINER: A NEW CHAPTER IN THE LEGEND Ziggy Sadler on the resurrection of Jocko’s famous drag car. 06 FLEETPRO TAKES 55 LINE ON THE ROAD WITH WINNEBAGO Matching the external surface with Winnebago’s luxury interior. 11 O UR CUSTOMER’S POINT OF VIEW How VisionPLUS OnLine is helping businesses track, analyse and improve performance. 12 ACCESSIBLE EXCITEMENT FOR SPORTS CAR FANS The wait is over for Subaru’s thoroughbred BRZ. 13 glasurit LIKES FACEBOOK Get involved with all things Glasurit, cars, paint and tech talk. 14 AN ENVIABLE GARAGE Rohan Smith’s 8-car garage: taking ‘man cave’ to a new level. 16 glasurit afl/nrl footy TIPPING winners Find out who won this year’s Glasurit AFL/NRL footy tipping. 18 C AR FINISH: HIGHER GLOSS AND FEWER SCRATCHES Delivering long-lasting protection from microscratches. 20 R ACING FOR BUSINESS Not even the Brisbane floods could slow this business owner and hot rodder down. 22 GLASURIT NEWS News, views and industry updates.
the STREAMLINER: a new chapter in the legend Norm and Rhonda Longfield's ultra-classic Streamliner was originally built by legendary US builder 'Jocko Johnson' at his base at 29 Palms outside Los Angeles. Throughout the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Jocko built six of these aerodynamic drag cars, of which the Streamliner is the only one still in operational condition and its existence is revered the world over. Jocko’s Streamliner helped write whole chapters in the history of hot-rodding, customising and drag racing. In the day, little was known about aeronautics or how much air pressure you could get over a car to give it traction. Jocko was a forward thinking designer who decided that if they use aeronautical theory in other forms of racing, he would apply it to drag racing. He proved this his first time out with his design, achieving an ET (elapsed time) of around 8.35, a record that took another two years for someone to break. The car was purchased by Norm Longfield sight unseen from America and shipped to Australia, around 18 years ago. On arrival the Streamliner proved to be in need of a thorough restoration, and paint and panel expert Greg 'Ziggy' Sadler of Ziggy's Hot Rods spent six months restoring the body and paint to its original immaculate condition. According to Ziggy, “Even to this day, Americans shake their heads and say, ‘how did you get this out of the country without anyone stopping you?’ I mean, it’s such a serious piece of history to them.” Around eight years later, Longfield was performing an exhibition run during a nostalgia festival at the Cowra Airfield, racing the Streamliner against a trainer jet. The turbulence from the plane and the dip in the runway caused
it to become airborne at just over 322km/h, resulting in extensive damage and the need for a second complete restoration. The car required the damaged 1958 fibreglass be removed in certain places, and the whole outside of the car was completely re-fibreglassed, using gel coating on it to make the body as good as new. All of the structural integrity pieces and inner system were completely re-manufactured in fibreglass and then gel coated. It was then reunited with the chassis and a dry fit-up performed whereby all of the pipes and engine were reconnected with the engine assembly, to prepare it for the paintwork.
Even to this day, Americans shake their heads and say, ‘how did you get this out of the country'. “Unfortunately Jocko is no longer with us,” Ziggy said, “so he won’t actually see the way we’re doing it again, which is more about saluting the original first car. It’s going to be a lot more vintage, more of a heritage look, like the way it is in those first articles. We changed the angle of the scallops originally, and they were done in red pearl and white pearl and we had a sort of hot rod type of approach to it, whereas now we’re going to do it in the solid colours, even down to the Jocko Porting Service on the side in gold leaf. We’re really being very periodperfect with the way we’re approaching it.” When the Streamliner is finally complete later this year, it will no longer be used for drag or exhibition racing. The car will likely be sent over to a nostalgia drag racing meet at Bakersfield in California, and Ziggy believes that once it’s over there it may go on semi-permanent display for six or 12 months at the National Hot Rod Association’s museum at Pomona, along with possible static displays such as SEMA.
Back home, Ziggy recommends the Streamliner become a Crackle Fest car, “so they just start it, rev it, and put it through the motions. At a drag strip you can’t get close to those cars anyway because you’re miles away from where they’re staging and racing, so it’s a way of the spectators being more directly involved and feeling the horsepower and the period and the history behind it.” “Norm’s got the de-tuned top fuel dragster engine in it that runs nitro, so it has (roughly) 20 inch flames out the pipe, so it’s quite a spectacle when it starts. The exhibition of the Streamliner at Crackle Fests will provide an exciting opportunity for hot rod enthusiasts to get up close and personal with the high profile and historically significant car. Says Ziggy, “these Crackle Fests are really taking off worldwide, because the old technology and the old cars are getting a bit dangerous to use; you have all sorts of insurance issues trying to run these cars, so it’s a nice way of still having involvement with those cars and introducing the public to cars they’ve never seen before. I mean, this has got two and a half thousand horsepower in it, and it’s just sitting there revving up, and some people might be lucky enough to sit in it and feel that power. It’s a good fun way to pass some time away!”
streamliner poster & calendar in PRINT issue
GLASURIT – THE STREAMLINER | 05
Photo: LEE DAVIS
Clockwise from top: Ziggy is restoring the car for the second time in 18 years; sunset at an event; original specs from one of the first cars; the first streamliner set the historic 8.35 ET record in '59; smoke & rubber fly at a drag event; the shattered fibreglass shell after the Cowra accident.
06 | GLASURIT – ON THE ROAD WITH WINNEBAGO
Fleetpro takes 55 LINE
on the road
with Winnebago
BELOW The completed Winnebago Classic Premium
Award-winning Winnebago motor homes have taken stylish recreational travel to the level of art. Ensuring that the external surface matches the elegance inside, Western Sydney heavy vehicle specialist, Fleetpro, is employing industry-leading painting technology and Glasurit’s 55 LINE solution for new Winnebago motor homes.
On any day, Fleetpro could have any large vehicles coming into the workshop, each with different surfaces requiring prep and paint. Tim Cullen, head of Fleetpro Bus & Coach, said, “Painted steel, sandblasted steel, fibreglass, aluminium, enamel, even industrial plastic – we see everything here. Working on roughly 50 vehicles per month, we need to have access to a very broad range of solutions. The Glasurit 55 LINE is perfect for the Winnebago and we are really happy with the results.” Fleetpro’s Prep and Paintshop Manager is Romanian-born Stelian Nisteriuc, who first heard about Glasurit in his home town of Suceava, where he started working in his uncle’s smash repair business during the summer holidays. “We used to send customers to collect their own paint in the city. The Glasurit was sold from a shop next to another, inferior, paint supplier. We would tell the customers to get Glasurit but sometimes they would buy the cheaper paint, thinking they were saving money,” Stelian said. “The Glasurit colour matching was always spot on whereas the cheaper paint colours just weren’t right. I learned then that it’s worth
GLASURIT – ON THE ROAD WITH WINNEBAGO | 07
buying the best. Glasurit helped me along as I learned my trade by having the best product and giving the best finish.” That valuable lesson helped when it came time to find the best solution for painting the Winnebago which, as a recreational vehicle, boasts design specific to each model and requires more detailed work. This vehicle’s market is very different to the trucks, state-wide and suburban buses, boats, farm machinery and NSW fire engines handled by Fleetpro. Using the Glasurit PROFI matching system, Stelian and Darren Bartley from Glasurit distributor, Wishart’s Paint Solutions, were able to identify complete matches with each of the vibrant automotive colours in the Winnebago palette. “It was more than just the colour-matching that made the 55 LINE such a good choice for the job,” said Stelian. “On Winnebagos, the finish must be clean, without a build-up of paint leaving ridges between the various taped sections. We want efficient set-up, minimum booth-time, optimum coverage and quick drying. Glasurit meets all those requirements easily.
ABOVE Masking preparation for the Winnebago Classic Premium's distinctive livery
“The painting is done in one of three specialist large-vehicle booths with our painters positioned on elevated mechanized work platforms, which they operate with one hand while spraying with the other. These are huge jobs. It’s important to get it right, first time."
“This is miles away from the normal automotive repair and painting jobs usually associated with spray-painting. Fleetpro has a very impressive operation and is the leader in its field. No wonder it’s such a good fit for Glasurit.”
Stelian really enjoyed his recent work on the Winnebago Classic Premium which is top of the line. He said, “It was probably the most challenging work I’ve ever done.”
"We want efficient set-up, minimum booth-time, optimum coverage and quick drying. Glasurit meets all those requirements easily."
Darren Bartley had no doubts about recommending the Glasurit product for Fleetpro. “Fleetpro is already familiar with a huge number of BASF solutions. In the case of the Winnebago, I knew that 55 LINE would offer the right quality, scope and versatility. The enormous range of colours that mix the same, every time, really impressed them,” said Darren, who has been in the industry for 25 years and also teaches automotive painting at TAFE, part-time. Darren knows the value of Glasurit training as well, although, with Fleetpro’s specialist experience with large and very large vehicles, he thinks perhaps they could lead some training modules of their own.
08 | GLASURIT – GLASURIT SHINES IN THE ISLAND STATE
Glasurit shines in the island state Tasmania, Australia’s most southern state, is the world’s 29th largest island with 334 much smaller surrounding islands. It is a stunning picture of natural beauty, charmingly small cities and strong community ties.
When the going gets tough With almost half of the state’s 510,000 people living in greater Hobart, the concentration of the state’s motor traffic is also there, although peak hour in Hobart never even approaches the levels experienced in other capital cities! We speak to three of Hobart’s automotive Bodyshop businesses, each employing Glasurit painting technology while facing the challenges of a difficult, but captive, market.
Clockwise from top left: Cram Works: Chris Noy, Spraypainter; owner Petrina White; the new paint mix room.
According to Jason Green, Robayne’s sales manager for Tasmania/South Australia, the island state supports about 100 panel shops. This equates to 5100 people per shop – marginally higher than the mainland average which is closer to 4890 per shop. Yet, as IBISworld market research indicates, the collision repair industry as a whole is facing a challenging environment with improved auto technology, fewer collisions, newer vehicles, rising petrol prices and much quicker write-offs through insurance companies. “Everyone agrees that the market is going through a testing time,” Jason said. “Robayne sees this as the catalyst that will change the face of the repair industry in the state. With everyone looking for low prices and high quality, we are putting a lot of thought into what customers get for their dollar. We have invested heavily in Tasmania with a new training centre. Having this facility on the island allows us to hold training course locally without having to send people to the mainland. This allows shop owners to send their staff off to training with the minimum amount of disruption to their productivity. We have two full time technical
people, Gary is our training manager and runs the courses in the training centre while both Gary and Stewart spend time in shops doing one-on-one training.” For Petrina White of Cramp Bros. Bodyworks, one of Hobart’s heritage-listed links with the past, customer loyalty and return work is a feature of the business. “Cramp Brothers was established in 1892, initially building and working on coaches and carriages. “Given our strong ties to the past, it amazes me how quickly the industry is revolutionising,” said Petrina who bought the business in 1990 with her late husband. 120 years on, and although the technology has changed, our standards pertaining to quality workmanship, staff loyalty and customer service are more important than ever in the current environment”. A motto that originated with the Cramp Brothers was “Work up to a standard, not down to a price” and to this day that still applies.” “We even worked on a car brought in by a grandson of the original owners. That was a real honour.” Within a few years of running Cramp Bros. Petrina introduced Glasurit 55 LINE because
GLASURIT – GLASURIT SHINES IN THE ISLAND STATE | 09
Clockwise from top left: Bocchino Motors: catering to prestige vehicles has always been a core market ; Steven Hursy; Shaun Campbell.
she trusted the product and the longevity of the company. Then, two years ago, the business transitioned to 90 LINE and embraced the realm of waterborne technology. “It was a big adjustment, definitely,” Petrina said. “When you start working with a completely different substance, the changes flow right through, from quoting, coordinating jobs, drying times, delivery and workshop space. “Our guys absolutely love it, quite apart from the lack of fumes! The 90 LINE paint blends beautifully, with great colour matching and very few issues, even on pre-2005 cars. “We are located in a residential area and we are very mindful of our neighbours. Changing to 90 LINE, and, installing a paint mix room, has been a very good investment. “It seemed to me that an industry move to waterborne paint was inevitable, for the good of my workers and the environment.”
Aiming for prestige European Technology Bodyworks (ETB), formerly known as Bocchino Motors, has always been committed to catering for the prestige niche in the Hobart market. The business was established 32 years ago in 1980 and has been an accredited BMW repairer since 1987 (one of only two in Tasmania), working also on Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris. Vincenzo Bocchino, the youngest of four brothers who are directors of the business, was nominated
as the one to train in spray painting. It was a complete family affair – the boys’ father had been a concreter in Italy and helped to construct the workshop. “My brothers managed the mechanic side, the panel-beating and the administration so my goal was to be the best painter I could be. I’m proud of the quality of work we do,” he said. Part of that commitment meant sourcing Glasurit products in Adelaide, because they were not distributed in Tasmania at that time. “We went across and brought them into Tasmania. Being European we knew that was what we wanted in order to be the best. For a while we considered distributing but we knew that other shops wouldn’t buy from us,” he laughed. We have just redeveloped our building frontage and office area to match the kind of work we want to attract – sleek lines, using tinted and a black façade. We want customers to know we will give their car the loving care they expect.” ETB has also focused on the importance of
referral in sourcing customers, either from BMW dealers or word of mouth. “We have taken our ad out of the phone book,” said Vincenzo. “We don’t need it – almost every job comes from hearing about us through a friend who recommends us. That’s a great situation to be in.” In 2010, Vincenzo led the business as it embraced waterborne technology with Glasurit 90 LINE. The transition has been seamless, with good support from Robayne. “The boys love working with 90 LINE,” Vincenzo said. “It’s less trouble, the air is cleaner, it’s better for everyone. “From a quality perspective we love working with it. Solvent-based paint is fairly easily penetrated but, with the waterborne, once it’s on and dry, it’s on; it doesn’t budge. It gives great results. And the colours are just so easy to match, especially with the European cars. “I’m waiting for the Glasurit Clear Coat to be developed in 90 LINE so we can be solvent-free!”
10 | GLASURIT – GLASURIT SHINES IN THE ISLAND STATE
Clockwise from top left: Stewart Paine, Technical Sales Rep at Robayne; the paint re-stocking board at Schorta; Andre Schorta.
Up, up and away Schorta Bodyworks is located close to Hobart’s Cambridge airport right on the central highway, in an ideal position to handle passing business as well as their insurance works and fleet customers. In 1975 Jorg and Helen Schorta immigrated from Switzerland with their two sons Andre and Markus. Jorg worked for a local bodyshop until he started his own business which has now expanded to its current location in Cambridge. This successful bodyshop ensures that all members play an integral role in the business. “We have worked hard to make this business work and have always focused on having a progressive attitude towards technology and service,” Andre said. “I am in charge of the Paint Shop but I guess we all do a little bit of everything. “My father is the innovator and has always sought out the latest in machinery and processes. We actually were the first shop in Tasmania to adopt waterborne technology, 15 years ago. We knew it was
more environmentally friendly and much less aggressive to do rework. Through existing relationships with other European products and various distributors Schorta Bodyworks built its business on waterborne solutions from Glasurit competitors. Then, a few months ago, the business made the move to Glasurit 90 LINE. “Everyone is very happy with the results,” said Andre. “With 90 LINE, the colour has more depth and higher gloss. The coverage is great – it feels like we are using much less product. That leads to a greater return on investment which is so important these days. “I also like the Profi colour matching tool. We have also purchased our own spectrometer so we know that we can faithfully capture any colour, and then, with Profi, we can accurately match it.”
The world of water Things have changed too, at Robayne. “We no longer sell 55 LINE in Tasmania,”
said Jason Green. “With the ease of application and the cost effectiveness of Glasurit’s waterborne solution, our focus is solely on the future of water. “With Glasurit technology and training at our facility, and ongoing support from two technical people, we want to equip our shops to produce the highest quality finish in the shortest possible time. At the end of the day, time is a panel shop’s biggest expense.” “Gary Laugher, at Robayne, is only 12km away. He pops in regularly,” according to Andre. “They keep us in the loop with new ideas and technology – we really appreciate that.” Vincenzo agrees. “Robayne understands our business, because they have close contact with the mainland where the prestige car market is much larger.” Motor vehicles are becoming more complex as are the colours they are painted in. It is important to be investing in the best products and training available. That way our customers won’t be able to live without us!”
GLASURIT – GLASURIT AFL/NRL FOOTY TIPPING WINNERS | 11
glasurit afl/nrl footy TIPPING winners
What an AFL and NRL season it’s been so far. Injuries, upsets, boil overs, suspensions and some things that just can’t be explained. And to make it even more interesting, there’s been the ups and downs of the Glasurit AFL and NRL tipping competition. Who wouldn’t get pumped up when you can snaffle major prizes like this? It’s enough to make any red blooded footy fan rip off their gear and whack on the boots and shorts and go charging down the street looking for a place to enter.
If you’d like to be part of all the action in next year’s competition and get your chance to get your hands on these fantastic prizes, just email us at tara.witten@basf.com Put in a big preseason and we’ll let you know when the tipping season proper starts. It’s a whole lot of prize for not much effort. Get involved in 2013... the countdown is on.
Congratulations to 2012’s AFL and NRL lucky winners: AFL
NRL
Dayle Horner – Kingpin
Mark Belleri – Narrabeen Smash Repair
Peter Richardson – Darby's Paints
Glenn Hartley – Sape
Check out the prizes:
A F L
The AFL Players Lunch prize is a not-to-be missed event. It includes tickets for two at the Grand Final lunch hosted at Zinc in Federation Square where you’ll be entertained by an array of guest speakers and past and present AFL players. There’s 5 star accommodation at The Grand Hyatt, a fabulous gourmet food selection accompanied by an amazing premium beverage selection and the list goes on.
N R L
The NRL League Legends Bar packages prize includes two of the best seats in the house, with the opportunity to mingle with some of Leagues greatest legends, such as Paul Sironen, Brett Kimmorley, Willie Mason and many more League celebs. There’s your accommodation, private bar at the game stocked with premium beverages, live entertainment and heaps more.
12 | GLASURIT – A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT
A whole new level of accessible excitement for sports car fans Subaru’s first rear-wheel drive sports car, the thoroughbred BRZ is now on sale. With a low centre of gravity comparable to the world’s best – and most expensive – supercars, BRZ is an economic alternative for enthusiastic drivers. The new generation Subaru FA 2.0 litre fourcylinder horizontally opposed Boxer engine is designed specifically for the model and is mounted as low as possible, producing agility and a thrilling, nimble drive. It produces an impressive 147 kilowatts of power and 205 Newton metres of torque. Contrasting with conventional direct injection engines, the FA offers perfectly balanced high output, fuel efficiency and eco-friendly performance. BRZ’s low centre of gravity (CoG) combines with light weight, compact size and Subaru’s trademark Boxer engine to provide one of the most entertaining drives of any new sports car of the past decade, right across the speed range.
BRZ features new 17-inch alloy wheels, designed for light weight, rigidity and braking performance. It also boasts superior ride comfort and low levels of impact harshness, while maintaining sharp steering response, impressive levels of mid corner stability and excellent dynamic balance due to the low CoG, inherent in the design of Subaru’s Boxer engine. Nick Senior, Managing Director, Subaru Australia, said: “BRZ is a stunning package on so many levels. It’s priced to be accessible, yet is one of the most entertaining and fun sports cars available. BRZ has amazing on-road presence, while inside, the driver’s seat is positioned low and close to the centre of gravity, helping the fantastic feel, agility and thrilling response. “This car clearly has Subaru DNA all over it, with some components directly developed from our WRX STI, including the propeller shaft. The new Subaru Boxer engine is already winning accolades for its ideal combination of high power and fuel efficiency, and it’s the first of our engines to feature direct petrol injection. And of course BRZ continues our standard of five-star occupant safety.”
BRZ is such a sell-out success worldwide that Subaru expects only 201 vehicles to be available for sale between now and the end of the year. Because supply is so tight, Subaru has taken the bold initiative to exclusively sell it online, via subaru.com.au, to provide a seamless customer experience. Mr Senior added: “High demand with short supply gave us some challenges on how to give our customers the best possible purchase experience. We believe that online purchase will provide transparency in supply, pricing and delivery expectations that match our high standards. Additionally, we have appointed a BRZ coordinator who will be a dedicated point of contact for BRZ customers. Our aim is to provide an exclusive experience. Every BRZ we sell will be numbered and customers will be able to log on and receive updates on the status of their BRZ.”
GLASURIT – GLASURIT LIKES FACEBOOK | 13
glasurit likes facebook
And if you don’t mind us drooling over your best projects or examples of any state of the art paint jobs that you’ve seen, upload them to our Facebook page as well.
Glasurit is now on Facebook!
To get involved with all things Glasurit, cars, paint and tech talk, jump on and ‘like’ us at www.facebook.com/GlasuritAustralia It’s a great place to get your questions answered, find new ideas and get the latest info from Glasurit. Add your comments and opinions. As the industry experts, we want you to share your knowledge, photos or videos and let us know what you are up to.
You can also now find GLOSS, the Glasurit magazine, online. Subscribe at www.glasurit.com.au/glasurit/gloss-magazine and read it at your leisure. And while you’re at it, why not check out all the latest Glasurit technical videos at Glasurit TV on our website. Glasurit. King of the Booth… and now doing it nicely online.
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14 | GLASURIT – AN ENVIABLE GARAGE
Rohan Smith is the proud owner of an enviable garage, featuring all the kit for car resto projects, along with three TVs, a bar and a 500-beer fridge. Smith was awarded runner up recently in Just Auto Legends' search for Australia’s most passionate car enthusiasts. We speak to Smith about his home, his cars and his new-found fame. Below: Smith relaxes by the 500-beer bar fridge Right: The two XC Falcon Coupes currently housed in the eight-car garage
Tell me about this amazing garage. It’s designed for two 4-post moveable and one permanent 2-post clear floor hoist and most of the tools required for amateur work – buffer, wire wheel, drill press, sand blast cabinet with extraction fan, parts washer, transmission and engine hoist, oil drain, vice, Karcher with tank water, compressor with three air attachments, fixed benches and hand tools.
What was the motivation for building it? Having too many cars and having to rent garages around Melbourne. I was living in St Kilda (at the time), and I thought I’ll either live in Brighton and buy a factory in Braeside or somewhere, or live in Brighton East and have a garage in the back. So I bought Brighton East because the blocks are bigger and it’s a bit more affordable, and I can work out the back and play with my cars.
The garage has a bar with a 500-beer fridge, three tv’s and a bedroom. And space to fit eight cars comfortably, which currently includes my AC Shelby Cobra Replica, Shelby Daytona Coupe Replica, and two XC Falcon Coupes.
Where does all your car memorabilia come from? It has been collected over the years, and I had a shed-warming party in 2010. I had stubby coolers made up and had some scantily clad women;
GLASURIT – AN ENVIABLE GARAGE | 15
it was all catered for and it was a whole weekend of just boys and fun and the invitation mentioned that if you’ve got any old memorabilia that’s on your walls that you don’t want to use anymore, bring it along. So a lot of the guys brought some really nice stuff over, others have been donated over the years. I bet you’ve had some pretty awesome parties in there… There’s been a few, yes. Is your garage the envy of all your friends? Is your place where they all seem to congregate for ‘man-time’? Yeah I go through a lot of beer now (laughs). Everyone says I’m lucky but no, I’ve worked hard and I’ve planned and it was a long process. It’s a big decision to buy a house to knock down the back part of it to put a garage up and it’s not luck, it’s hard work and vision. You’ve got some classic cars of your own. Were these restoration projects that you worked on yourself? I bought one car and pranged it and had to rebuild it, and I built one car from scratch with a colleague of mine, and bought another one recently that’s been resto-ed, and I bought another one last year that’s in a million bits. What’s the approximate timing on rebuilding a car of that nature? To build a kit car, it took four years to do one of them. To rebuild an existing car probably takes two years. That’s a long time. How do you feel when you finish? The four year project was amazing because it’s
Everyone says I’m lucky but no, I’ve worked hard and I’ve planned and it was a long process.
the first time I’ve done it. But driving that car is disappointing because it’s not a nice car to drive which is a shame, but most sports cars aren’t nice to drive, they’re good to look at, but not to drive so…you go with the flow. Is that the priority for you, to restore its looks more than ‘hotting it up’ to drive? It’s more about just making it look good and sound good. I’ve got Fords, I’ve got kit cars, I’ve got real cars, I’m not biased in one way. Most manufacturers have a nice car, and it’d be nice to have one of each, one day. Do you have a soft spot for any one type of car? There’s a car called the Lamborghini Miura which is probably the most beautiful car ever made, that’s a stunning car. How did the ‘Just Auto Legends’ nomination come about? I entered the shed through Just Parts magazine – I just had to put some photos in and talk about how it started, and this has all come from that – I got runner up in that, the Bayside Leader did an article, then The Project did a segment, and it’s just snowballed from that.
You’re actually becoming a bit famous. How does it feel? Good and bad, it’s nice that I can show the garage off, but it gives me a slight hesitation about being broken into, that’s the only thing about it – because the cars are valuable, and I don’t want too many people to know about it. But all the people have been good, they haven’t mentioned addresses or anything. What advice would you give to others that are planning their dream garage? Speak to the council, and don’t speak to your neighbours before you do it! I tried to do the right thing by speaking to all the neighbours when I first moved in; it was a big block and they thought that the person that bought the block would put units on it (like the neighbouring block). I had a meet and greet with all the neighbours and said, “I’m not going to put units on it, I’m going to put a garage in the back and pull the house down eventually, and put a normal house in the front.” They were all happy because it wasn’t units going up, but to try and get the shed through the neighbours was an absolute nightmare. The shed is 100% legal via the council. Council rules and regulations, especially in the Bayside area, are very strict so you can’t do anything wrong – and I did everything right and the neighbours still caused grief. What would happen if for some reason you had to move house – would you do it all again? I’d do it a lot better, yes. If someone offered some money for the block and it was advantageous I would move and do it again because you learn. It’s the first time I’ve ever built anything non-car related, and I’ve learnt so much and I made mistakes, and if I had the opportunity to do it again I’d probably save 20% and it’d be 40% better.
OUR CUSTOMER’S POINT OF VIEW VisionPLUS OnLine VisionPLUS OnLine is an interactive, online tool set that enables bodyshops to track, analyse and improve their performance. Participants are able to monitor their workshop’s effectiveness through such key performance indicators as productivity, booth utilisation, gross profit margins, sales per repair and cost of paint per job. Workshops can then benchmark their results against other users, develop strategies for improvement, set objectives and track their progress towards them. We spoke to a Victorian dealership and repairer, who have established a new bodyshop on the same site. Having already measured the service department on a daily basis, the manager enlisted the help of Glasurit’s Bodyshop Solutions to help assess the panel shop with relevant key performance indicators. We discuss his experience with VisionPLUS OnLine, and the positive impact it had on his business, and equally importantly, on his team. How did your participation in VisionPLUS OnLine come about? Had you previously heard about the service? We had heard about the service before. We attended a seminar conducted by BASF, they outlined it all for us there, and it was something that stuck in my mind. Because we’re a fairly new business we thought it would be helpful to benchmark ourselves against businesses that are more established. I look after the service department, the parts department, the bodyshop and also a tyre shop
that we’ve just started. So for me to be able to gauge the businesses in a similar sort of fashion is important. We do a lot of benchmarking in the service departments throughout our many dealerships, so we sort of know where we should sit, but this is the only bodyshop we’ve got in the group, and as it was something new, to have the help of benchmarking was a valuable tool. What steps have you undertaken with your Glasurit consultant so far? Basically we’re just setting up and we’ve loaded up six months of prior data; at the end of the day I believe the best person to benchmark yourself against is yourself. So we’ve analysed that, and there are things that really stand out for us as massive positives, which has been great for me to take back to the team. They can see that their efforts are contributing to a result, and they can see how other shops in the same sort of realm fare. When they are streets ahead in certain situations or on certain measures, it does give them quite a lift.
"...there are things that really stand out for us as massive positives, which has been great for me to take back to the team."
What types of things did you measure? The measures that we go through are based around profit. You want to make sure that your costs and everything are in line with turning a dollar, basically that’s what the doors are open for. But we also look at capacity and output, to make sure that the facilities are used properly, and that we’re maximising every opportunity out of the work base that we’ve got. Glasurit do go into great depths with it all; they break it down into four separate segments – sales, costs, profit, and then capacity and output in the last segment. How informative was the report in helping you identify areas for improvement or greater efficiency? It’s very good, because along with just the figures that go with the report, Glasurit go further and add comments in relation to those figures, so they give you an indication of what’s causing those figures to be where they are. You’re getting insights out of it along with the actual data. Would you recommend the service to other bodyshops? For sure. For us it’s not always about highlighting issues, sometimes it’s just about confirming that what you are doing is right, and having something tangible to put to the team. It’s most important for us to have clarification for the staff that we are doing well, it gives them a sense of achievement and a sense of belonging to the company when you can share the results with them rather than just hand a paycheque out every week and say, “Well done, we had a good month.” Rather, we can say, “This is why we had a good month, because you guys are really good with this part of the business or that part of the business.” You can let them see exactly what their efforts go towards. For more information contact Mark Wall, Bodyshop Solutions Specialist, on 0409 741 784 or visit www.glasurit.com.au/ value-added-services
GLASURIT. EXPERTS IN PAINT TECHNOLOGY. (AND WE‘D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH YOU).
Newsletters articles Online tutorials
Glasurit, market leaders and innovators in paint technology, are excited to share their outstanding industry knowledge with their Australian and New Zealand customers. Ian Johnston, Technical Manager at Glasurit, will be delivering regular updates on new industry information, technical advice and trends from Europe and Australia. These invaluable resources will be distributed quarterly, and will be available in a number of formats including a newsletter, video and online content (such as tutorials), accessible via the Glasurit website, Glasurit Facebook page and future issues of GLOSS. We welcome your input into topics of most interest to you. Visit us at www.facebook.com/ GlasuritAustralia to share your thoughts and ideas on content. Watch this space!
Glasurit, 231-233 Newton Road, Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Australia Tel: 02 8787 0100 Fax: 02 8787 0133 www.glasurit.com.au
18 | GLASURIT – CAR FINISH
CAR FINISH: HIGHER GLOSS AND FEWER SCRATCHES BASF’s iGloss® clearcoat provides long-lasting protection from microscratches The colour and gloss of an automotive finish play a major role in a potential car buyer’s decision. Estimates suggest that one out of four car buyers is prepared to switch car makes due to a particularly attractive finish.* However, even the prettiest finish suffers from many external impacts over its lifetime. They include climatic influences such as sun, rain, snow and temperature fluctuations, as well as road salt, sap and bird droppings,
When tiny scratches on the surface multiply over time, the automotive finish can begin to look dull and unattractive. all of which attack the paintwork. A further problem is the tiny scratches on the surface primarily caused in the car wash by the brushes and dirt on the car body. If the scratches multiply over time, the automotive finish can look dull and unattractive. The job of the clearcoat, the uppermost of the four layers of an automotive finish, is to offer protection from this wear.
In order for the clearcoat to fulfil its protective function, it must not be too hard or too soft. If the finish is too hard, it won’t offer sufficient weathering resistance, and it will become brittle and quickly flake off. If it is too soft, it mostly stops protecting the finish from microscratches and chemicals such as fuels, which might wet the coating during refuelling. With the innovative iGloss, BASF has developed an automotive clearcoat that offers the best of both worlds, providing the car with a glossy appearance for significantly longer than conventional coatings. Previous standard clearcoats for cars have consisted almost exclusively of organic material, referred to as polymers, which are long-chain branched hydrocarbons. In contrast, iGloss combines two kinds of materials in a nanostructured hybrid. Between 90 and 95 percent of the hybrid material, depending on the area of application, consists of organic material which forms the paint matrix. This makes the finish flexible and elastic and ensures a high level of weathering resistance. Five to ten percent of the inorganic material is embedded in the organic matrix. These silicate
nanoclusters are particularly hard and scratch resistant. They consist of a small number of atoms and are distributed throughout the coating homogeneously and densely. The organic and inorganic components are covalently and thus elastically bonded. This allows the clearcoat to immediately spring back to around 90 percent, for instance, when hit by the bristles of a car wash brush. This is referred to as “elastic recovery” or “instant reflow” by paint experts. Conventional clearcoats only attain reflow rates of approximately 70 percent. With the new BASF clearcoat, the microscratches that occur are significantly flatter and therefore less visible. “Over the course of five years of research and development, we have succeeded in combining the advantages of hard inorganic and soft organic materials,” said chemist Dr. Matthijs Groenewolt, who is responsible for developing iGloss at BASF. But there’s more to the innovative clearcoat than scratch resistance. It also offers superior weathering resistance, meaning the ability to withstand sun, rain and fluctuations in temperature. A lab test under extreme conditions with both very high temperatures and high radiation intensity showed that even after 4,500 hours, the new clearcoat retained most of its gloss. In contrast, other clearcoats became dull and showed cracks during this unusual stress test. Practical tests under everyday conditions with subsequent scratch tests confirmed the lab results: for surfaces finished with the BASF clearcoat, the gloss remains for about twice as long as with conventional clearcoats. Despite its innovative composition, the clearcoat can be applied with the existing paintlines without requiring any major changes. After outstanding results during pilot tests, it has been used in mass production since mid-2011. Daimler is the first carmaker worldwide to use it, coating several models at its Bremen plant, including its Mercedes SLK. And other car manufacturers have expressed a great deal of interest as well. This means that in the future, other car models entering the market will be coated with the innovative highly scratch-resistant iGloss. * Source: Chemical Industry Fund within the German Chemical Industry Association in cooperation with the Deutsches Lackinstitut GmbH (German coatings institute – DLI), Frankfurt, March 2003.
GLASURIT – CAR FINISH | 19
The paint system of a modern automotive finish
1.
Above: Final check in the varnishing line: the clearcoat as uppermost layer protects the automobile from external influences. With the clearcoat iGloss a car looks as good as new for longer. Facing Page: Automated varnishing line: depending on the model, a car has a surface of 15 to 25 square metres that needs to be coated. The coating is in total a mere 100 to 110 micrometres thick.
Cathodic electrocoat (e-coat): After the areas have been pretreated with zinc phosphate, first the e-coat is applied. The body is dipped in a bath with a waterborne dispersion (consisting of cross-linking agents and binders) for approximately three to five minutes. Then a direct voltage of 250 to 500 volts is applied to the body and a counter electrode located in the bath. Electrically charged paint particles are deposited on the body and form an approximately 20 micrometre thick coat there. Its primary job is to provide corrosion protection.
2.
Primer: Next, the primer is applied. This approximately 30 micrometre thick polymer coat (often polyester or polyurethane) smoothes out small surface irregularities. For this reason, it contains inorganic fillers like kaolin, chalk or talcum. In addition, it improves adhesiveness and corrosion protection. Because this layer is particularly elastic, it prevents the paint from flaking off when it is exposed to stone chipping, since it absorbs and redirects the energy of the impact.
3.
Basecoat: Now the basecoat is applied. This layer is also a plastic and usually consists of polyurethane. With a mere 15 micrometre film thickness, however, it contains the key elements determining the appearance of the vehicle: colour and effect pigments known as metallic or pearl effects.
4.
Clearcoat: The single- or multicomponent clearcoat applied in the final step is what creates the very tough and glossy protective layer. The job of this approximately 40 micrometre thick coat is to protect the finish from a variety of environmental influences.
20 | GLASURIT – RACING FOR BUSINESS
Racing for Business Veteran hot rodder and drag race champion Les Winter has a whole lot to be happy about. He runs a successful panel beating business in Queensland, and he’s always got at least two hot rod projects on the go, as well as a drag race ‘55 Chevy up on blocks. Les also has a string of awards to his name and in 2006 was inducted into the prestigious Nostalgia Drag Racing Hall of Fame. “My home-built Supercharged ‘55 Chevy was one of the first five sedan cars in the country to run 200 miles per hour in the quarter mile in 1993, and it was the second ever car – or ‘door slammer’ – in Australia to run the quarter mile in six seconds,” he told GLOSS. As recently as June 2011 he competed at the prestigious Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland but engine damage ended his weekend prematurely. Les said getting into racing was ‘a given’ because he’s loved all things mechanical since he was a kid around his parents' truck and bus workshop on the Darling Downs in Queensland. “Growing up, I always loved tinkering with cars. I trained to be a panel beater and that’s where I made my friends. We were all into cars – mainly old pre-war V8 Fords and mid 50’s Chevys – so it was a natural step to start rebuilding hot rods and then get into drag racing.”
He started drag racing at the Surfers Paradise International Raceway in the '70s in a hot rod that ran the quarter mile in 15 seconds and says he still loves it, although he hasn’t been out on the track for the last 12 months. “I’d love to get out there again but at this stage it’s desire more than intention – it takes time and money – there’s nothing definitive yet about my plans,” he said. Time is an issue. Last year, he nearly lost his business, care of the Brisbane floods, which filled his workshop with nearly two metres of water. Fortunately, Les managed to salvage his race car – the very one in which he’d achieved the six second quarter mile – which was stored in the workshop at the time. “The race car was on the hoist but sitting on the ground when Energy Australia shut off the electricity supply. A mate literally stole a forklift
from a neighboring business to lift the hoist as high as we could. The water rose very quickly and it was full of chemicals – too dangerous to be in. So we took off then went back in with a boat to secure the car to the hoist in case it floated away.”
“Many of my clients are curious about the method of repair to their vehicle and often ask what sort of paint we use. When I tell them about the quality of Glasurit and it’s origins, it instills them with confidence.” When Les returned the next afternoon, the high water had reached just an inch below the race car tyres. Six vehicles under repair in his workshop had been destroyed and he was faced
GLASURIT – RACING FOR BUSINESS | 21
Last year, he nearly lost his business, care of the Brisbane floods, which filled his workshop with nearly two metres of water. with a swamp of chemicals and water… but at least the legendary race car was safe! He quickly discovered the support of his local hot rodding and race car community, when 15 people turned up to help open hundreds of water logged boxes that were full of parts. “Everything had to be cleaned and lubricated, from sheets of bearings and spark plugs to piston rings and tap-and-die sets,” Les said. “It was a huge job and it took the best part of six weeks to get back up and running.” Fortunately, he also managed to drain and fire up his unrestored ’28 Ford sedan, which had filled with toxic oils and water.
“We installed a new Lowbake booth earlier this year, and I believe the new gas heated oven and the 90 LINE Glasurit will complement each other.” Now, Les says, it’s business as usual although the place has never been so clean or organised! Winters Smash Repairs, at Sumner Park Queensland, employs two panel beaters, two painters and an office manager. One of his painters and his office manager have been with Les for 20 years.
“I remember the day, over 20 years ago, that a painter fresh from Sydney came looking for a job. “He told me, ‘I’ll only work in a Glasurit shop’. That painter was Trevor and he’s still with me today. So is Joan who manages the office.” Les says the process of panel repairing has changed dramatically over the years. “When I did my apprenticeship in the 60’s much of the paint was enamel, then I saw the transition to lacquers and then, in the 80’s, solvent based 2-packs. Now the next step is to waterborne 90 LINE Glasurit. “We installed a new Lowbake booth earlier this year, and I believe the new gas heated oven and the 90 LINE Glasurit will complement each other.” Les said he often talks to clients about the processes he has in place at Winters Smash Repairs. “Many of my clients are curious about the method of repair to their vehicle and often ask what sort of paint we use. When I tell them about the quality of Glasurit and it’s origins, it instills them with confidence.”
22 | GLASURIT – NEWS
GLASURIT NEWS
OUT OF THE BOX electronic gate at his prominent residence on Cliff Road, Wollongong. “He had a particular design in mind, a detailed design with specific idiosyncratic colours,”said Darren. “The paint had to be 2-pack, with a satin gloss finish, and to accurately match specific architectural colours. The Profi system matched the colours perfectly and Wisharts assisted me with technical information.
Among the more unusual applications of Glasurit technology are these examples, from the country outside Hobart, Tas., and from the ocean-front in Wollongong, NSW. Petrina White owns Cramp Bros. Bodyworks in Hobart and has used Glasurit in her business for the past 15 years. When she decided to remodel the kitchen in the historic family house, Petrina turned to her son, who designed and executed cabinetry, and to Glasurit.
Yet, perhaps even more unexpected than a Glasurit kitchen is a Glasurit gate, painted in the style of an artist from India’s Gujarati province. Darren Bartley of Glasurit distributor, Wisharts Paint Solutions, was personally approached by the owner of global resource company, NRE Gujarat, to complete the paint work on the front entrance
“The aluminium gates, identical on both sides, are only metres from the Pacific Ocean so also needed excellent corrosion resistance. For me, Glasurit products were a surprising but logical choice for every part of the process, from priming, cleaning and painting to clear coat with matt additive. “A local Glasurit bodyshop, Coulson Body Repairs owned by Glen Cahill, completed the paint work. A few days after it was finished, the gate featured on the front page of the local paper. That was very exciting, actually!”
“The kitchen is beautiful,” she said. “All of the cabinetry is painted in a Glasurit 3-Layer Pearl colour. It just shines, whichever way I look at it. The colour was chosen from Glasurit’s PROFI system and being a three layer pearl was incredibly time consuming to apply. The product is excellent and certainly a talking point in my home which was extended to fit all of the grandkids in.”
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GLASURIT – NEWS | 23
GLOSS MAGAZINE Issue 8 | Oct 2012
BODYSHOP Questionnaire: Greg Carey, Foresto & Emmerson Smash Repairs
Name of Bodyshop: Foresto & Emmerson Smash Repairs. Position: Owner. Location: Mareeba , Far North Queensland How long in this position: 3 years. How many employees do you have: 9. Why did you decide to be involved in this industry: Started as an apprentice panelbeater.
What is the biggest challenge facing Bodyshops today: Parts availability.
Cover photograph: SUBARU
Your name: Greg Carey.
Ziggy on restoring the historic streamliner to its hot rodding best How iGloss is changing the face of scratch resistance New developments in Tasmanian bodyshops An eight-car garage to envy
Best part of your job: Satisfied customers. Worst part of your job: Unrealistic customer expectations. What is your dream car: Not fussed really. Favourite movie: Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Favourite type of music: Top 40. What would be your ultimate meal: Chilli Mud Crab with an Ice Cold Beer
How long have you been a Glasurit customer: 15 years.
What three people would you choose to share it with: Dad, wife and kids.
What do you like most about dealing with Glasurit: Quality product.
How do you relax outside of work: I love my ride on mower. No phones, no pressure.
And our next feature in GLOSS magazine is … YOU!
I M PR I N T Editor
Ian Wilkinson – Business Director, Coatings Australia & New Zealand BASF Australia Ltd 231–233, Newton Road Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Australia E: contact-australia@basf.com Phone: 02 8787 0100 Fax: 02 8787 0133 Glasurit® is a brand of BASF Australia Ltd, a company in the BASF-Group. www.glasurit.com.au www.asiapacific.basf.com Advertising Trudi Raymant – OMG! Creative Level 3, 180 Flinders Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia Phone: 03 9654 0532 E: trudi@omgcreative.com.au Editorial Contributing Editor Lucy Sutherland Lucid Communications Pty Ltd Australia & New Zealand Contact for press enquiries: Phone: 02 9555 9476 E: lucy@lucidcomms.com.au Art Direction, Design & Production OMG! Creative Level 3, 180 Flinders Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia Phone: 03 9654 0532 www.omgcreative.com.au
We want to hear from our readers, whether you’re a bodyshop owner, staff member or distributor. We want to hear about any interesting refinish or restoration projects that you’re working on, things that are of concern to your bodyshop or the industry, changes you’ve implemented that you’d like to share with other readers or just funny stories from your bodyshop. Write us a letter, drop us an email, send us a photo or
just ask us a question if you want. We’re looking forward to featuring some of your contributions in future issues of GLOSS. Contact Trudi at OMG! Creative trudi@omgcreative.com.au or phone 03 9654 0532 This publication is printed at an ISO14001:2004 certified plant with Forest Stewardship Council® Chain of Custody certification.
Photography Subaru Ziggy’s Hot Rods Richard Jupe Michele Ferguson Lee Davis Street Machine Magazine Winnebago Australia Les Winter Petrina White Darren Bartley © BASF Australia Ltd 2012. No responsibility is accepted by BASF for the accuracy of any statement of advice contained in the text or advertisements. All material appearing in GLOSS magazine is copyright. BASC0103
When you take pride in your work, you use Glasurit.
A brilliant paint job is a work of art. If you’re serious about the quality of your work, then it makes sense to use the best refinishing products to give you the best results. Our unique colour matching system gives a better match every time. Which is no doubt why almost every major car manufacturer in the world recommends Glasurit. King of the Booth.
Glasurit, 231-233 Newton Road, Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Australia Tel: 02 8787 0100 Fax: 02 8787 0133 www.glasurit.com.au