Jud McClanahan decided as a boy how he would make his living as an adult and stuck with it.

Since graduating from Salina South High School in 1977, McClanahan has earned a living painting automobiles.

He spent mornings during his junior and senior years in high school in the training program at Salina Area Vocational-Technical School, now called Salina Area Technical School.

"It's all I've ever done, and I still enjoy it," McClanahan said. "Every job, every vehicle is a different challenge, so you don't have the monotony of a factory job."

McClanahan has been working as a painter since 1991 at Crossroads Collision, an auto body repair shop at 1334 N. Ohio.

He's simply "the best" at painting vehicles, said Mike Anderson, who owns the business with his wife, Jane Anderson. They opened Crossroads Collision in 1983.

"When he gets done, I don't have to worry about any flaws or mismatches with the paint," Mike Anderson said. "It's right."

Matching the paint to the existing car color is the biggest challenge, McClanahan said, especially when colors fade over time.

"The sun's probably the worst enemy to a paint job," he said.

Crossroads' guarantee

Crossroads Collision uses "European technology" paint and equipment that McClanahan said is a key to the success. Colors are easier to match, and the paint jobs last longer.

"It is far superior to anything we've used before," he said. "We can guarantee the paint for as long as you have the car."

Most of McClanahan's work involves cars and trucks that have been damaged in crashes. Crossroads Collision first repairs the body and frame, then the affected parts receive a coat of primer before the painters do their work.

The repaired portion of the vehicle receives two to four coats of paint and two clear coats with ultraviolet protection against fading.

Painting is done in booths where dust and other floating debris are filtered out.

"We have some of the nicest paint booths around," McClanahan said. "The key to a paint job is the cleanliness."

The painters "blend" their work into the car. For example, if a fender needs repainted, the adjacent panels also are painted and clear-coated.

Waxing also is important to protecting the paint but not until a month after painting.

"The parts we paint need to breathe," McClanahan said. "The thinners from the paint need to evaporate from the paint before you seal it with wax."