Paint manufacturer Standox has introduced a range of tools designed to assist bodyshops in capitalising on the business opportunities presented by the restoration of classic and vintage vehicles.

Restoration work has gone from an occasional sideline to a vital element in many bodyshop businesses and recognising this Standox now offers a range of information, support tools and training in this specialist field. Standox say they can give their bodyshops access to the right coating systems, state-of-the-art colour tools for accurate colour matching and even marketing concepts to attract the classic car owner. The latest addition to these tools is new online colour documentation, consisting of eight digital volumes which include comprehensive information on vehicles and colours from a wide range of manufacturers over the decades.  It covers the colours of European car brands, sorted by make, from Auto Union to Volvo, as they were offered by the OEM manufacturers at the time.

A Standothek guide entitled Prestige and classic cars is also available on the website, and covers all aspects of vehicle restoration from protecting historic vehicle bodies to using old paintwork as a substrate. The guide also provides practical tips on:

• Estimating the work required and all of the steps of the repair process
• How to protect historical parts effectively against corrosion
• Finding the right color shade
• Creating the perfect finish to make the paintwork look like new.

You can download a copy of the Standothek guide Prestige and Classic Cars and access colour information at  www.standox.co.uk/classic