November 5, 2020
Humvee Restoration for IOP Police Department
It’s not every day that you get we get asked to help out on special projects, but when the Isle of Palms Police Department reached out and asked if we could love up on this military issue Humvee, we jumped at the chance. We are fairly new to James Island, our newest shop and third in the Charleston area, so we were not only delighted, but honored that we had been asked to partner on this noble venture.
The vehicle was gifted to the Charleston Suburb Police Force a while back, but the department was uncertain how to best utilize such a vehicle, and it had been left to the salt air and natural elements for some time and needed serious TLC to bring it back to life. The IOP explained to our JHBS James Island team that they had envisioned purposing the workhorse as part the Isle of Palms Hurricane Relief force, as well as use it as a show piece that reflected the beachy community spirit when not “on-duty”.
Prep for New Paint
As it stood in the early stages, the Humvee had been spot painted several times and it was covered in uneven layers of cheap paint. Saltwater was eating away at areas and the stripped-out screws buried in the parts of the metal made for a bigger challenge to repair and replace parts. The design team decided that the first step would be to disassemble as much as they could and have the vehicle media blasted to remove the old, chipped up paint and smooth out the surface. Working quicky, the bare metal then had to be primed with epoxy and sent back to our painter, Daniella Johnson, to do her magic. It was decided that unlike the Humvee original paint task (to hide in the background), we wanted it to stand out with BASF matte gray body and black accented doors and trim.
Protect the Interior
All of the interior has been coated with a heavy duty, sprayable bed liner that gives it great protection against severe elements, such as acid rain, salt water and long hours of direct sunlight, that can be harsh on metals. The rails on the sides of the bed will be fitted with wooden slats, so it fits in with the beach vibes of its new home.
Finishing Touches before Delivery
There is still some work to be done and we are waiting on the finishing touches to be added to this one-of-kind addition to the Isle of Palms force. We can’t wait to unveil our creation and hand over the keys very soon. Check back in with us on FaceBook, Instagram and our website for updates and the big reveal!
