Classic Car Restoration
Do you love old cars? Vintage cars are shown by collectors throughout the country in shows and admired wherever they go. Owners of older cars that have been virtually brought back to life have a double sense of pride if they have performed the restoration themselves.
The process of car restoration encompasses not just the parts of the car that can be seen by others, but also the mechanical components should also be restored to their original condition. Vintage car restoration is an art form unto itself. It takes people years to restore classic, vintage cars properly.
There is a difference between automobile restoration and simple rebuilding. A rebuilt car can contain any type of part. True restoration, consists of getting as much authenticity into the automobile as possible, right down to the hub caps. The car will only retain the value if it is restored back to its original condition, not rebuilt into a different car. While “pimping” a car may be popular at the moment, a restored car is supposed to take us back in time, not remind us of the present.
Vintage automobile restoration involves the process of disassembling the entire car, cleaning and either replacing or repairing the original parts and then reassembling the vehicle. In order for the car to maintain its original value, it must be restored with all of the proper parts. In most cases, the engine must be completely rebuilt.
A person who wants to restore a vintage automobile should have extensive knowledge about cars. Mechanical knowledge is as important as doing body work to the car. In most automotive shops, body work and mechanical work are two different trades. Someone who wants to restore vintage cars has to know both aspects of car repair.
In addition, a car restoration includes the interior of the car. It is usually more desirable to repair the upholstery, if at all possible. Naturally, you will not be able to get a replacement seat for a 1955 Chevy, but you can recover the seats in materials that mirror those used for a 1955 Chevy.
A car that is merely replaced with lookalike parts has not been properly restored. A vintage car can be worth quite a bit of money to a collector if it has been carefully restored to its original condition. This usually means that you will have to do quite a bit of searching to find parts and paint for your car.
Speaking of paint, you will want to use the original paint, if possible, to repaint the car. There are many different places where you can purchase the original car paint, or one as close as possible. We will be discussing places to purchase parts and accessories later in this book.
There are business that practice the art of vintage car restoration. They can generally restore a vintage auto in much less time than you will be able. Those who collect automobiles or do not have the time or inclination to work on the projects often send their cars to such businesses.
Money can also be made by learning how to restore vintage automobiles. Once you have successfully completed one restoration project, you may find you miss your hobby. It is common for people who restore automobiles to continue with this hobby throughout their lifetime. As they can only use so many cars, they often sell those they no longer want and make quite a profit.
Vintage automobile restoring is an art form unto itself. If you plan on doing this as a weekend project, it can take years. It is, however, well worth it. There is nothing like revving up the engine in the car that you loving restored back to life.
You need to have patience, time, space to work and money in which to buy parts and materials. Most important of all, you must have a love for cars. If you love old cars and do not want to see them put to rest in the junk yard, this is your opportunity to give them a new lease on life. Although it can be costly, the restoration can be done over a period of time to accommodate your budget. You will need a place to work on the car and storage for the automobile when it is not in use.
Tools You'll Need
Before embarking on your project, make sure that you have all of the right equipment. In addition to mechanical tools, such as a lug wrench set, you will also need body work equipment and protective gear and clothing for yourself.
Some of the items you should have on hand before beginning your project include the following:
Rubber gloves
Face mask
Eye goggles
Abrasive pads
Electric drill
Electric sander with different heads for sanding and buffing
Glazing putty
Car tape (masking tape is fine)
Magnetic cloths
Power paint sprayer
Wax
Primer
Paint
Remember that it is just as important to protect yourself and your environment when you begin restoring your vintage car. Make sure that you wear goggles and a respirator, especially when working with sanding and painting.
Before Beginning the Restoration
Do you know how to take a car apart and put it back together? What about an engine? What about the body of a car? Do you know how to strip off the original paint of a car? What about repainting a car? Do you know much about how to reupholster car seats? Do you know where the interior parts of the car belong? Do you have a good understanding about how they work?
These are just some of what you should know if you plan on restoring your vintage car. While it may seem daunting at first, you need to take the project into pieces. All of the information that you need to do this job can be found either in books or on the internet. You just have to show the desire to want to learn.
One thing that you will need to know is where you are planning on doing this work and where the car will be stored. In most cases, the place is your own garage. The restoration will most likely take place in the garage as the car will not be able to be moved about during most of the process.
If you do not have a garage and plan to work on the restoration in the driveway of your home, make sure that you check with your building code administrator to make sure this is allowed. In some neighborhoods, cars are not allowed to be on display on blocks, which is how your car will be a good part of the time.
Things that you will need are basic mechanic tools as well as a power stripper. As you continue with the project, you may need additional tools to work on the chassis. As some tools, such as a power sander, can be expensive to purchase, you can often rent them from some auto stores. It is also a good idea to network with other restoration experts so that you can not only learn tips, but also borrow tools.
You will need to know how to rebuild an engine. This is a task unto itself, but can be learned simply by going online. If you have not taken any automotive courses in the mechanical workings of an automobile, this may be the time to do it, prior to when you begin the restoration process. Chances are, however, if you are thinking about restoring a car on your own, that you already have extensive knowledge about cars.
Once you find out the type of car that you are planning on restoring, make sure that you find out everything about it. There are manuals put out on every car that is made. These manuals often turn up on Ebay or other online auction sites and are sold to restorers. You may have the car, but chances are that you do not have the manual. If you take a look online, chances are that you will be able to find what you are looking for.
What type of car are you going to restore? There is a difference between restoring an old Model T and a 1960s muscle car. For one thing, parts are much easier to find for the later model cars than what are considered “antique” cars. Your first project should be something a bit easier on a car that does not cost you a lot of money. As you get better