Preserving Value
by Conservation
Conservation with oils and waxes. To give rust no chance.
To preserve the value of your vintage car long-term, the condition of the underbody is critical. At SCHAD Originale we use a three-step procedure and products of highest quality to protect the structure of your Mercedes-Benz vintage car permanently.
Step 1: Dry-ice blasting
The entire underbody is cleaned and prepared for the subsequent treatment. Old sealings and loose rust are completely removed. The dry-ice treatment also allows us to subsequently assess the current condition of the undercarriage. In addition an endoscopic examination is carried out to document the current condition.
Step 2: Conservation with oils and waxes
The entire underbody and all cavities are sealed with a combination of oils and waxes specially designed for your vintage car. First, the oil is applied. Secondly, the application of a wax sealant fixes the oil and prevents moisture and air from reaching the car body. This process is carried out manually and requires a high level of accurateness. It requires only a limited amount of disassembling whilst offering the best possible protection against corrosion.
Step 3: Check
After all layers have been applied thoroughly, endoscopic examination is once again carried out to inspect and document the work. So you can be certain that even the last crevice of your car underbody has received a lasting protection against corrosion.
Dry ice blasting – not just for vintage cars
A customer’s experience
Completely by chance, Marco S. discovered a few months ago that there were cracks in the underbody of his Mercedes-Benz. A closer examination revealed extensive rust damage under the cracks. He immediately paid a visit to his local Mercedes-Benz dealership near his home townhometown of Fulda, confident that with the regular maintenance that had been performed on his vehicle, as documented in its service history, he would be entitled to repair services under the warranty. Asserting warranty claims, however, proved more difficult than expected. But Ultimately it was the means proposed by the dealership to repair the defects that motivated Mr S. to look for alternatives.
Online research led him to dry ice blasting, a proven technology up until nowbut one rarely used to free vehicle underbodies from deposits and rust prior to conservation, and thus to SCHAD Originale. Schad Originale is has been using this technique for almost two decades and remains one of the very few specialized providers in this area today. After an extensive preliminary talk with general manager Bernhard Schad, an on-site appointment in the Vintage Car Restauration Workshopvintage car restoration workshop in Bad Vilbel to assess the current statecondition of the underbody, and the presentation and discussion of a detailed cost estimate, Mr S. commissioned SCHAD Originale to carry out the work.
"The unique thing about Schad Originale is that at this company, the focus is on the longevity of the work done. If I am going to spend so much money, I have to know that it is going to be worth it”, says Marco S., explaining his decision. He was also impressed by the honesty with which Mr Schad explained all the advantages and disadvantages to him beforehand. “It really didn’t seem to make any difference to him whether he gets got to work on the car or not.”
An intensive collaboration followed, in a spirit of partnership, lasting for a period of three months. In order to reduce costs, Marco S. and his family carried out part of the work themselves. “Everything was perfectly prepared. The support they provided was excellent. They helped us out again and again and patiently explained everything,” Mr. S. is pleased to note. “This is not a pretentious kind of company. The people, the way they deal with customers, it all fits.” For him that also justified the long drives from Fulda to Bad Vilbel.
After the dry ice treatment, the rusted areas were sanded down and treated with reactive rust remover and primer. Finally, the SCHAD Originale specialists applied a sealing coat of oils and waxes to the underbody, for lasting anti-corrosion protection. “When I saw the final result, I was very happy. Everything was done right, and I would do it the same way all over again, any time”, says Marco S., summing up his experience.