The PPG automotive refinish business continued its commitment to custom car restorers with a two-day restoration seminar last month at the PPG Business Development Center in Wixom, Michigan. The class, intended for professional custom builders, hobbyists, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) representatives and vocational technology students, focused on the challenges involved in the restoration process and highlighted PPG techniques and products for successfully prepping and painting automotive restoration projects.

Jeff Matauch, manager of the PPG Business Development Center in Wixom, and Charley Hutton of Charley Hutton’s Color Studio in Nampa, Idaho, led the seminar. Matauch has more than 35 years of professional experience restoring and painting award-winning cars, and Hutton’s painting skills have earned him an array of prestigious honors in the custom car world such as three Ridler Awards. The two men provided attendees with interactive classroom instruction as well as practical hands-on training.

“Custom automotive restoration projects can be complex, challenging and puzzling, especially when it comes to the critical stage of prepping and painting a vehicle,” said Randy Cremeans, PPG director of training. “We want to support our customers—Jeff and Charley have so much knowledge and they’re eager to share it. This two-day class is valuable for restorers at all levels.”

The seminars are designed to keep PPG customers on the leading edge of industry developments, Cremeans said. Comprehensive instruction covers surface preparation and the selection and proper use of appropriate PPG undercoats, topcoats and clearcoats for different types of restoration projects.

“There’s so much to be aware of when restoring a car,” Hutton said. “We want people to walk out feeling they’ve learned something and have the ability to apply that knowledge when giving a custom car, classic or street rod a world-class finish.”

According to Mark Lauth, owner of MPB Restorations, Willis, Michigan, Hutton and Matauch achieved their objectives. “The PPG class was beneficial, giving me clear and valuable new information about the restoration process. That’s my business, and I’ll be able to use what I learned right away—tomorrow.”

Tom Roth, a proficient paint technician at Impact Collision, Grand Rapids, Michigan, agreed. “There’s always something to learn at these classes. I came here to find out about new PPG products and processes. I also wanted to talk to Charley and Jeff and get their insights.”

Each attendee received a copy of the PPG Custom Restoration Guide. The manual, created by Cremeans and other industry specialists, offers a real-world look into the restoration process. The guide details standard operating procedures for custom builds and restorations and outlines PPG’s recommended process for successful surface prepping and painting. It documents the techniques involved in all steps of restoration, from stripping a substrate to color identification and paint application. The guide is available online at the PPG website and may be viewed or downloaded free of charge. Also available online is an introductory video of the custom restoration seminar that provides an overview of what is covered in the two-day class.