Young 128 project enters the “Piranha Phase”

The first stage of a quality restoration begins with what we at Roadster Salon jokingly refer to as the “piranha phase”. Arguably, it’s one of the most fun parts of the project. Just like the ravenous flesh-eating fish, (albeit much more carefully) we strip the existing chassis down to the bones. During this segment, we completely disassemble the car and catalogue all the parts that are being kept for the future. Even in an original style restoration, only a portion of them can be refurbished and reused. In modified builds, even fewer make their way back into the car.
This part of the restoration process is critical, because our technicians must be able to see all parts of the body shell, from the inside out. This way any problem areas with the body structure can be revealed and then properly repaired.

Once the interior components and insulation are removed, the tub is taken down to bare metal and cleaned with anti-bacterial solution. This rids the subject of that “old car” musty smell.

The engine and transmission are next to be removed along with wiring and other components. Color changes will be detectable unless all the existing painted metal areas are exposed.

Finally, our “Piranha team” attacks the car’s exterior removing all trim and glass. Once completed, the car is ready for media blasting where all surfaces are taken back to bare metal and sealed with epoxy to prevent pinhole rust from forming.