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DeutschWHO WE ARE
I am Károly Soós a body ironer and mechanical engineer. I would like to introduce myself and my company. We deal with restoration and construction of vintage cars, bikes, hot rods, trikes and other means of transport.
My affinity to cars and custom-built cars started in my childhood. This is due to the fact that I saw a picture of a Hot Rod in a children’s magazine, with open engine compartment, 8-cylinder engine, chrome rims, wide rear tires, black lacquer finish and beautiful tongues of flame on the side. I knew then that, when I grow up, I want to build these kind of cars.I used to mend my and my friends bikes before working with cars.. When I was about in fifth grade in the primary school, in the next door there was a garage where Gyula Kovács body ironer worked. Once, when I saw what he was doing with cars I was fascinated to go there every day after school. When I had the chance I hung out with him and I watched every move. So I became a body ironer instead of becoming a car mechanicer. He became my first teacher , and I chose this beautiful profession because of him. A few years later, my parents built a garage in the garden of our house, which was later rented by Gyula Kovács. Thus, the cars were repaired in my house and since then it has completely filled my life. In 1991 I completed the body ironer vocational school and then I was working with my master for two years.
The second master of mine was Mihály Veres who was my uncle. Once I went to visit him with my father to his own garage where he repaired cars from western Europe, which I really liked. I was really interested to see how he worked. I learned a lot from him because he was an infinitely precise man. I took over his preciseness and patience.
My third master was László Pozsár, who was much younger than the previous ones, but he did his job very well. He had a beautiful and vigorous working style which was completely different from the the previous masters.
After that I found a position in one of the largest vintage car collection owners in Hungary, István Jankó, who is currently the president of the Hungarian Association of Vintage cars. My affection for vintage cars was completely fulfilled there. István Janko collected a lot of cars of every age and every condition. The collection consisted of the products of all socialist cars as well as Western European and American car miracles. I admired his collection so much although some of them were in a very poor condition.My job was changeable because I sometimes worked in the garage or sometimes I drove these cars at weddings or took them to filming.
Then in 1998 I came back to my parents' garage and I still work here where I can use everything I learnt all those years .Life gave me the opportunity to work with my masters for a longer or shorter period of time in my own garage.
Beside work I continued my studies as a part-time student and completed the BSc in Mechanical Engineering in the University of Szent István on faculty of Automotive technology. The knowledge I gained there is now used during the restoration of vintage cars. Thanks to it I can define the renovation or repair parts production technology better.I can work better and more smoothly with the representatives of internal companies involved in the production of spare parts.
Thank you for your attention.
Károly Soós
WHAT WE DO
We offer complete or partial renewal of old timers. We not only want to build hot rods, but building unique cars that have optical tuning.
RENEWAL OF OLD TIMERS
DESIGN AND CREATE HOTRODS
DESIGN AND CREATE UNIQUE CARS AND MOTORS
We offer full restoration of vintage cars
The full restoration of the car includes the complete bodywork, its varnish, the renovation of the main structural parts and the interior and upholstery refurbishment. During the renovations digital photographs are taken to show the process of dismantling from the beginning to the end.We record written documentation of what kind of work has been carried out and which parts have been replaced or refurbished .We also record where the parts are from.
Vintage car restoration
The restoration of vintage cars as all the meticulous restoration is time-consuming and therefore a costly process. Even an older model consists of several thousand components. The main difficulties of a classic car restoration are that until all parts are disassembled and cleaned you can not know what lies ahead. If we are ready with the dismantling and cleaning, then we can see in what condition the parts are, and how big task it is for us. During the restoration process, each component must be cleaned, inspected and in some ways they need to be upgraded ,constructed, or if it is possible a new component need to be installed. After all this, all parts should be taken apart to the smallest components and from there the renovation can begin.
Body Restoration
The restoration of the body, as the largest component of the car is the most time-consuming as well as the most difficult task. It can easily take thousands of working hours which can cost millions of Forints. Until the paint and chassis paint protection is removed from the body it is impossible to determine the real state of it. Over the decades several layers of putty, paint and also underbody covering can get ont he body covering all demages. When the car comes back from sandblowing with a primer paint layer on the surface, all the corroded parts as well as all the professional or unprofessional repair of the previous mechanical damage will be seen on it. The first session on the cleaned body is to assemble it,then we set all the fixed detachable elements and also set the gaps and check the lines. Then we can really start to work on the corroded parts of the car from outside to inside. If there is no new spare part, we have to manifacture the elements. First we produce all the new pieces and only then remove the bad parts of the body and we then we can move further. When we reached the innermost element and corrected then we can start to fit the previously manufactured and put aside items to the chassis. We need to fix and restore the old mechanical injuries at this time, which is also difficult because the original direction and extent of the damage cannot be seen.
Production of body parts
The production of body parts always starts with making paper place setting, and if it is necessary we create a disc or a cardboard template as well. We make the certain parts in one or more pieces depending on the complexity of the element regarding that we manufacture everything by hand tools. If a body panel is made of several sub-components the sheet metal parts are always fixed to each other with butt autogenous welding process. This welding process has the great advantage of that it takes longer to transfer the heat so the weld will be softer so that it is much easier to smooth and shape.
Once the restoration of the body is ready the painting can come.Before the car would get the new paint we put the underbody substance on it. The bottom of the body is degreased, then it is painted with a primer paint. After that the joints of the disc and edges are sealed with a flexible rubber-based paste, than it is coated with protective material in the lower half of the chassis, which will get the same color as the car itself during painting.
Paintwork
The vintage cars paintwork is a very lengthy and meticulous process, since the chassis of the car is cleaned completely. The paint technician must put the same layers on the car as the oroginal painting had. Moreover, since the vast majority of cases the body parts of the cars are not restored by extruded material,much more equalizer is needed.They also leave more drying time between the coats for a perfect end result. The cost of the paitwork depends on the size and the colour of the car and the number of colours.
The main structural pieces
The engine, transmission, axles, steering and brake systems as well as the electrical equipment and wiring looms are updated in parallel with the restoration of the body. Each unit is mounted into the smallest components and then cleaned, using visual inspection, then we design the technology of renovation process. Finally, we start purchasing or producing the parts. Of course,we paint or use other surface protective coatings on the necessary items.
Interior and upholstery
The seats, door trims and roof and other renovation of the interior are done by subconstractors. We take the upholstery and the seats out of the car, and I deliver them to the upholstery shop where we discuss the process of the renovation.
We not only want to build hot rods,but building unique cars that have optical tuning. It is not only about the shape of the car, but we would like to produce the new accessory parts of the car from steel-sheet instead of using plastic product of accessory producing companies. It would be fixed to the body by welding replacing the original parts partly or completely so it would become part of the body. Building a car like this is more or less the same as renewing oldtimers. The couse of the differences is that we change some technical parameters of the car and it results in changes.
OUR TEAM
Every day, our team members bring their talent, commitment and diverse perspectives to do the best work.
PORTFOLIO
I have two collegaues working with me in the company with great working experiances. They are masters of their job and committed to it.
Blog
We publish articles, videos and music about our work, oldtimers, hotrods and more.
CONTACT US
Do you have a question? Or do you need support for your car? Don't worry, we are here for help. Please use contact form below for support, feedbacks and so much more.
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