The 1965 Ford Econoline van got quite the TD Customs transformation. It came in with a two toned paint job, with red on the bottom and white on top. It also needed some rust repair, new rocker panels and other body work before paint.

Like always, the metal work was the first thing we dived into. When there is any rust on a body of a vehicle, you need to cut it all out before doing anything else. Rust spreads very quickly and easily, so taking out the existing rust is the only way to reverse the rusting process.

Once the rust is gone, we patch in new steel where it is needed. In the case of this van, we welded in new rocker panels and corners.

Of course, there is body work to do after the metal work. We do a ton of sanding to ensure that the entire body of the van is straight. After it’s been primed, we can see (and feel) where the flaws are, if any. Then it’s back to sanding it down and focusing on the areas that need work.

The van was bought by Green Mountain Maple company that is located both here in Mills River and VA. (Their maple syrup tastes awesome, by the way!) Since their company colors are green and white, we refinished the van in a nice white and deep green for their business.

The paint job at the very end is always the exciting flashy part, but most of the work happens before paint. Before a full paint job, we need to focus on the body of the vehicle. This is a very important part. If there are any flaws we missed, they will jump right out after paint.

There is also the less flashy work of refinishing the interior, and making sure all the little parts of where they need to be. Vehicles in for full restorations generally need some refinishing to the interior as well. The Econoline van got some wood paneling and new carpet put down.

This classic restoration was a fun one to do because it was a big different from many of the vehicles we typically do. We love doing full custom paint jobs, especially two toned paint jobs where the colors really pop.

This beautiful vintage van came out great. The dark green matches perfectly with the owners’ business colors. As with many of our customers, we got to know them along the way and they couldn’t be happier with the finished product.

The ’65 Econoline van really came a long way. It’s so rewarding to see a vehicle go from old and beat up, to full restored and beautiful again.

AFTER TD Customs Full Paint & Body

TD Customs is a full service auto body shop, located in Mills River, just down the road from the Asheville Airport & WNC Ag Center. We specialize in custom paint jobs and classic restorations, but accept all vehicles and close to all kinds of auto body services. Read more about our Restorations, or browse our Photo Galleries for more of our finished work. Contact us to discuss your project with Tim today!