The orange build, part 3 of 3
Behind the scenes at Mahood’s, the orange build is up on the lift with a wheel on. The door jambs and the inner panels carry the same color as the outside, which is what you get when a car is painted apart. The plastic and tape over the top stay on while the car goes…
The Porsche bay, part 5 of 5
The newest thing in the Porsche bay is not steel. This coupe body is up on the lift with a carbon fiber door fitted, and you can see the weave in the panel. The green tape marks the spots being checked along the bottom edge. A lightweight panel like this has to be fitted with…
The Porsche bay, part 4 of 5
Another shell from the Porsche bay, in white and seen from the rear quarter. The engine lid, glass and bumpers are off, and the dash is still in place. With a car stripped this far you see the shape of the body on its own, and there is nowhere for uneven work to hide.
The collision side, part 4 of 4
Earlier on the collision side we showed a Civic with its front end off. This is where every one of those jobs is headed: a gray Honda Civic parked under the Mahood’s sign with the panels on, the gaps even and the paint matched. If your car has been in an accident, estimates are free.…
The collision side, part 3 of 4
The sign says hot rods and muscle cars, but walk out front on any given day and you will see something like this: a gray Sprinter van parked under the sign, next to a pickup. Vans and trucks come through the shop alongside the classics.
Around the shop, part 2 of 2
Also on the shop floor: a Chevelle in green, partway through going back together. The front bumper is still off. Look at the hood and the fender tops. The reflections run straight from panel to panel, and that comes from the bodywork done before any color went on.
The Porsche bay, part 3 of 5
Further along in the Porsche bay, a different car at the color stage. This classic coupe shell is in light blue, rolled outside into the sun with the doors, glass, lights and trim all off. Painting a car as a bare shell lets the color reach the door jambs, the edges and the openings, the…
The orange build, part 2 of 3
Last time on the orange build we said we would go underneath. This is the view from below the lift: the floor pan is painted to match the body, and the frame is finished in gloss black. Most people will never look under this car. It was finished as if they will.
The collision side, part 2 of 4
Back on the collision side. This white Ford Super Duty is out front with the fender, grille and headlight removed, which leaves the structure behind them open to inspect and repair. A truck like this usually earns a living for somebody, so getting it repaired and back on the road matters.
The Porsche bay, part 2 of 5
Back in the Porsche bay, a white car with the hood up and the front bumper off. In this photo the front fender is being worked by hand. A lot of body work still comes down to this: a person, a sanding block and the patience to keep checking the panel until it is right.
