A lot happened in 1940: The first McDonald’s hamburger stand opened in Pasadena, CA; Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” hit the box offices; the Battle of Britain marked Hitler’s first defeat in World War II; Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected for his third term as President of the United States; and, of course,Chevrolet announced a completely redesigned line of vehicles: The Deluxe. Chevrolet declared the Deluxe, “First Because It’s Finest!” Advertisements hailed, “First in beauty . . . first in driving and riding ease . . . first in performance with economy . . . first in modern features . . . first in all-round value!” The line of vehicles boasted a 90 horsepower engine and a body that measured over 15 feet long. At an original MSRP of $659–$934, the Deluxe proved to be Chevy’s top selling vehicle for the next decade.
A lot has happened since 1940, but the Chevrolet Deluxe remains a beautiful vehicle, now serving as a window into the development of the automobile industry in the United States.
Here at Exclusive Detail, we recently had the privilege of caring for a 1940 Chevrolet Deluxe. In its 76 year life, this particular vehicle had been through a lot. At some point, the vehicle was modified and the paint was redone. In addition to the usual beating a car’s exterior takes, the Deluxe we serviced had been vandalized. To restore the paint, the owner took the vehicle to a different shop, where detailers wet-sanded the exterior in an attempt to remove scratches. They got the results shown below.
Some time later the owner discovered our shop and decided to bring the Chevrolet Deluxe to us. The challenge: Make the paint live again!
Paint correction on this scale is not for the faint of heart. Restoring the shine took multiple stages of polishing, using a number of different pads. We also had to add extensions and modify our polishers in order to reach parts of the vehicle made difficult by the body’s dramatic features and curves.
Our in-depth knowledge of automotive paint and paint correction coupled with hard work, perseverance, and relentless attention to detail goes a long way. Coupled with our high levels of safety, we’re proud of the work we do. We use the latest technology to keep our restoration experts safe, ensuring that both our staff and your vehicle remain in good hands. Super Dry Systems sells air compressor desiccant dryers online, which paint shops can use to ensure a healthy working environment is maintained. This is especially important when working on older vehicles, which may have high levels of lead present in the paint. Despite the challenges this vehicle presented, we were able to rejuvenate the depth and clarity of the paint. It was a pleasure for our shop to serve as a time machine, giving the exterior of this Chevrolet Deluxe the kind of shine it had when it rolled out of the lot in 1940.
How can our rejuvenation and protection services benefit your vehicle? Do you have a classic vehicle in need of intensive paint correction? Perhaps your vehicle needs a polishing to remove 6 years of scratches instead of 76? Or, if you have just purchased a new vehicle allow us to preserve your investment with Paint Protection Film (Clear Bra) and a premium Ceramic Coating, so that years from now your paint can shine as does today. Whatever services your vehicle needs, give us a call at 704-525-5225.
