Auto Body Tacoma

Many of us in Tacoma, WA would prefer not to ever set foot inside a auto body repair shop in Tacoma, WA.  Auto Body repair shops are associated with the thoughts of collision repair in Tacoma, WA.  No one ever plans to need auto body repair, ever.  Sure some of us would love a new paint job in Tacoma, WA, but beyond that, who would want to be in an auto accident?  Nonetheless, vehicle collisions do happen, and Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair can get your auto, car, truck, or SUV repaired and back on the road.

Auto accidents do happen, whether we are prepared for them or not.  Collision repair in Tacoma, WA is not all equal.  For this reason,  Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair would like to explain the Tacoma auto body process, and what do expect when dealing with  Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair for auto body repair in Tacoma.
First off, do not accept the assumption that auto body shops in Tacoma are dirty; on the contrary, a Tacoma collision repair shop should be tidy and well kept.  Modern car repair in Tacoma requires diagnosis with advanced electronics which requires skill, education, and specialized tools.  Auto body repair has changed greatly in the passed decades, keeping up with newer and more complicated vehicles.  This is why any given auto body shop in Tacoma is not the same, and why it is so important to do some research before paying any money.

Any professional paint shop in Tacoma, and any auto body shop in Tacoma, will be proud of their auto repair shop.  The layout, equipment, training of their staff – and most of all their people, all should be examples of the pride that the repair shop puts into their work.

Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair encourages you to be involved in the auto body repair process, and come take a tour of our facilities. Hi-Tech Auto Body & Collision Repair would be more than honored to give you a tour of our auto body repair shop in Tacoma, and show your our auto body repair capabilities as well as examples of our finished products.

Most people don’t know that pinstriping predates the automobile. Pinstriping is another vestige of the horse and buggy era that has carried over to the car. Pinstriping was an ornamental design for horse and buggy carriages. Pinstriping on cars was frequently done at the factory up until the later 1930′s. The last production automobile to have pinstripes was manufactured by General Motors in the late 1930′s. Custom pinstripes, added after the factory assembly line, started appearing on automobiles in the 1950′s. For those enthusiasts who had muscle or sports cars, frequently referred to as “Hot Rodders,” customizing the appearance of their ride was the last step to complete customization. When all the performance upgrades to your auto such as, camshafts, valves, exhaust, intakes manifold, headers , wheels & tires, the only thing left is apply a custom paint finish to make your auto really stand out.

The most common applications for pinstripes are to paint in two tones: one that accents the primary color of the car or truck, & another, a narrow line, in a tone contrasted with the stripe to make it visible and stand out. For larger vehicles, such as trucks, station wagons, vans, mechanical pinstriping is the easiest method to get good looking pinstripes.

Mechanical pinstriping keeps a fixed width, so that you can get the best alignment on the working surface of your automobile. Magnetic pinstriping uses center grooves to hold paint templates for even more choices for stripe design. Two magnetic strips applied to your car hold the template in place while paint is applied and can also act as a guide for your hand. Obviously magnetic pinstriping is not an choice for cars with a fiberglass body.

Stencil tape is another popular choice for applying pinstriping. Stencil tape comes in several different choices that are suitable for the myriad of designs for car pinstriping. Stencil tape striping uses brushes, and a specialized pinstriping brush is an essential component in a successful project. One of the main advantages to stencil stencil tape is that you can apply different color stripes without waiting several hours the other stripes to dry.

For unrestricted creativity applying pinstripes freehand is the only choice. It is also the most difficult method to master & takes some practice to get right. If you have never done it before, you may want to try a couple practice stripes on some scrap metal or wood. For newbies, the simplest way for a freehand striping is to apply a strip of masking tape down approximately a quarter inch from where you want the finished line to be, & then use this tape as visual guiding for your stripes. Household masking tape will allow paint to bleed through, whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of using ordinary masking tape. Auto body masking tape can be purchased from any auto supply store.

Any method that you use will give your car a distinct look that is uniquely yours. Practice makes perfect, just like anything else worth doing right. Patience is elementary when painting anything. Don’t hurry through or try & take shortcuts. Don’t attempt to pinstripe your vehicle without proper equipment & tools, painting errors are costly to correct & take time. Exceptional results make pinstriping your car, truck, or van uniquely yours.