Vans
Armored Van and Cash-in-Transit Body Repair Near Placentia
An armored van is a secure transport vehicle first and a van second. Every repair has to leave the ballistic envelope intact, which rules out the shortcuts that work on an ordinary body. We handle cash-in-transit and secure transport vehicles in-shop in Yorba Linda, a short drive from Placentia, under controlled access while the vehicle is with us.
Can structural repair be done without compromising the armor envelope?
Yes, but only if the repair is planned around the armor rather than around the sheet metal. The protection on these vehicles is a continuous envelope of ballistic steel panels with deliberate overlaps at every joint, and a repair that leaves a butt seam where an overlap used to be has quietly created a weak point.
Before any cutting we identify what is armor, what is structure and what is cosmetic skin on that specific build, because upfitters differ. The repair plan then keeps armor panel joints in their original overlapped configuration, restores the correct fastening or welding pattern and returns the backing structure that carries the panel weight.
Ballistic steel is not ordinary body steel and it does not behave like it under heat. Uncontrolled welding heat changes its properties, so we follow the upfitter procedure for the panel involved and, where a panel cannot be repaired without compromising it, we say the panel needs replacement instead of quietly repairing it anyway.
What fails first on armored doors, glass and gun ports?
Weight is the enemy of every moving part on these vehicles. An armored door with laminated glass can weigh several times what the base van door weighed, and the hinges, checks, latches and the body structure they bolt into were designed with a very different number in mind.
We rebuild hinge assemblies, replace worn pins and bushings, repair the hinge mounting surface where the reinforcement has pulled or cracked, and reset door checks and latches. A cash-in-transit door that has dropped will start missing the striker, and a crew that has to slam a hundred pound door forty times a shift accelerates every one of those failures.
Laminated and ballistic glass gets replaced as a unit with the correct thickness and lay-up for that vehicle, not with whatever laminated glass fits the opening. Delamination at the edges, clouding and spall layer damage are all replacement conditions. Gun port hardware, sight ports and vault door mechanisms get inspected, lubricated and adjusted while the door is apart.
How do you handle chassis load and vehicle security in the shop?
An armored van runs close to its gross rating every working day, so the chassis wears differently than a delivery van on the same platform. Springs sag, shock valving fades early, brakes work harder and steering components see load that a standard duty part was never selected for.
We inspect springs, shocks, air springs where fitted, bushings, steering components and brake condition as part of any collision repair on these vehicles, because a body repair that returns a vehicle with tired suspension has not actually returned it to service. Firestone and Air Lift air springs and heavier shock options are common corrections on units carrying constant load.
Security is handled procedurally. The vehicle is kept in a controlled area, keys and access are logged, and we coordinate with your operations manager on who is authorized to release or receive the vehicle. Cash, valuables and cargo must be removed by your crew before drop-off, and we document the vehicle condition photographically at intake and at pickup.
What is included
- Armor envelope mapping before any cutting or welding
- Ballistic panel joint and overlap restoration
- Ballistic and laminated glass replacement to build specification
- Gun port, sight port and vault door hardware service
- Armored door hinge, pin, bushing and check rebuild
- Hinge mounting reinforcement repair on the body structure
- Suspension, air spring, shock and brake capacity inspection
- Controlled access and logged custody while in the shop
Questions we get asked
Can a regular collision shop repair an armored van?
Our doors are sagging and hard to latch. Is that a hinge problem?
How do you handle security while our vehicle is in your shop?
We Can Help! Contact Us Today.
Bring it to the shop and we will assess the damage, document it properly for your insurer, and tell you exactly what the repair involves. Serving Placentia and the surrounding area from our 35,000 square foot facility.
All work performed in-shop. We stand behind our work.