Technical information shared

During his presentation, McGee also said one of the services I-CAR offers the industry is a fair amount of technical information available at no charge through the “Technical Information” section of the I-CAR website (www.i-car.com).

        But I-CAR’s annual meeting also offers attendees several dozen “tech clinics,” one-hour presentations on a variety of topics by representatives of the automakers or industry vendors.

        Always among the most popular of these clinics is the one put on by General Motors. During the session this year, GM’s Bob Hartman reminded attendees that all of his company’s collision repair information is now available free through a website (www.gmgoodwrench.com).

        To access the information, click on “GM Parts and Accessories” from the home page, then “GM Collision Parts” (in the column on the left of the page), then “Collision Technical Repair Information.” Once you agree to the “Terms of Use,” all of GM’s collision repair information is available by model, including body-related service bulletins, breakdown of VIN information, frame procedures. and a matrix showing the reparability of the various types of steel used on GM vehicles.

        On the topic of those steels, Hartman said beginning with new and redesigned models in 2009 and beyond, GM will be marking metal parts with a symbol to indicate what type of steel they are. A wrench symbol followed by “DP,” for example, will indicate dual-phase steel; “LS” will indicate laminated steel, etc. The symbols will correspond to the matrix available at the website that explains what the symbol means, and a technician can then download the repair procedures.

        Hartman said he believes such markings will be similar to those currently used on plastic parts, and the die marks used on GM rails to indicate sectioning locations, in that they will help give technicians the information they need to make proper repairs.

        With laminated steel, for example, MIG welding should not be used because the layer of material sandwiched between the two thin layers of steel can separate during the welding process, resulting in a weld that may look fine but may not hold, Hartman said. More than 20 GM vehicles use such laminated steel, he said, which should be repaired using rivet bonding; the parts, when ordered, he said, come with instructions and the approved rivets.

Awards presented

I-CAR also presents awards at its annual meeting to various instructors and volunteers in each of its regions. But a number of national awards were presented as well. Outgoing board chairman Robby Robbs presented the “I-CAR Chairman’s Award” to Chuck Sulkala for his years of service to I-CAR. Sulkala is a past chairman of I-CAR and one of the four founding trustees of the I-CAR Education Foundation.

        Also during the meeting, Nick Verona presented the second annual “Russ Verona Memorial Award,” which is named in honor of Nick’s father, an Illinois shop owner who was involved with I-CAR and the Foundation from their inceptions until his death in 2006. The award was presented to Jimmy and Julia Suppe, the second-generation owners of Florida Auto Body, Inc., in Fort Lauderdale. The Suppes chair the Broward County I-CAR committee, and earlier this year organized an industry event that raised more than $12,000 for the I-CAR Education Foundation’s efforts.

        John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Ore., who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988.