Surveys have recently shown that about 77% of all cars were in need of maintenance or repairs. If your car is looking worse for wear, the last thing you want to do is let it sit there and get even worse over time. But working on a car’s aesthetic, in some ways, can be even more challenging than working on interior issues within the car. When something mechanical is wrong with your car, you can know that taking it to the mechanic should fix the issue. An aesthetic problem, or an issue with its outer body, often requires you to make some more personal decisions. What color do you want your car to be? Do you want it to have more of a muscled look or something else entirely?
Body shop supplies differ from the typical auto mechanic supplies. Before you hit the auto body supply store, let’s look into some of the most important supplies you need to consider adding to your toolbox if you don’t already have them.
1. A Painting Kit
When we think of what a body shop does and the most important body shop supplies, we often think about painting. A car’s look can drastically be changed by a fresh coat of paint, and there are a few things that can make it much easier to paint a car fully in a relatively short period of time. Of course, you’ll need a paint gun, which will allow you to spray paint over the car in an even wash of color. For that matter, different nozzles can make it easier for you to get into narrow nooks and crannies. You’ll also want an air compressor, as this will make it easier for you to use the paint gun. Air hoses will allow you to conduct the air under pressure, and you’ll need one that is both light and extended. When visiting an auto body paint and supply store, you may also want to consider a paint booth. It really depends on how often you’ll be painting cars. A paint booth allows you to create a designated space for painting vehicles, confining your work to a specific space.
2. Glass Repair Tools
It’s all too easy for windshields and windows to be cracked or otherwise broken. This can be a major aesthetic and practical issue for your car. Therefore, you should utilize glass repair tools when you can, and definitely make them a part of your list of body shop supplies. The most important tools, in this case, would be a caulking gun, which dispenses adhesives for repairs, followed by removal tools, which would help you remove the damaged glass safely, and a glass setting stick, which would ensure that the windshield or windows were set in place properly.
3. Other Repair Tools
Obviously, you’re not going to be doing the same types of in-depth repairs with body shop supplies that you would be making with internal repairs. But you still need to own repair tools, which can be found at an auto body and paint supply store. You should keep dent repair tools on hand, as well as fillers and spreaders, and a frame straightener for bigger repairs. These types of tools will essentially let you put the car back into shape after it’s been twisted or otherwise aesthetically damaged. You can’t use your automotive paint supplies before the car’s body is in shape and ready to be painted.</p.
Working on a car can be challenging, but when it comes to creating a new look and style for a damaged vehicle, it’s a labor of love. It will all be worth it when you look at the car you’ve been working on and see it freshly painted and restored.
