If you’re a car enthusiast, you might have thought about restoring a classic car before. Not only can it be a fun, challenging project, but you will also be left with a gorgeous car that you can either sell for profit or keep for yourself. However, before you embark on this venture, it’s important to understand that it can be an expensive hobby. Think about whether the cost of a project like this will be worth it for you, and also if you have the time to dedicate to it so that it doesn’t sit in your garage half-completed for years. If you think this is something you’re able to do, here are a few basic tips on how to restore a classic car.
Find Room to Work on it
Firstly, you will need to make sure you have adequate space to work on your restoration project. If you have a large garage at home that can accommodate this, then great; if not, you might want to consider leasing a space such as a storage unit or workshop space that will be big enough to fit your car, give you room to work, and to store it securely when you’re not around.
Assess the Amount of Work You Need to Do
Some cars will need more attention than others, so once you have your classic car check it all over to see how much work there truly is to do. The seller should have walked through this with you, but it’s always good to double-check in case they have missed anything out. Take photographs of the vehicle if this helps, and this will also help you throughout the project to remember where everything goes. You can always get a professional mechanic to take a look at it for you if you’re not entirely sure.
Take it Apart
When you have assessed the work that needs doing, and you’re confident that you have everything you need to get started, the fun part begins. You will need to remove the windscreen and make sure that the glass is kept somewhere safe unless you are planning to replace it altogether due to damage. Then take out the seats, carpets, and trim from the interior of the car, and you might want to take off the bumpers as well, particularly if they need to have the chrome restored. Take out the dashboard as well, but make a note of where all the gauges and dials go. If you want to replace any of these, you will need to purchase a gauge kit.
Send Off Parts
You will need to send parts of the car to be tested and restored by experts, such as having the engine tested and rebuilt if necessary. Having the body of the car properly stripped and repainted is also worth doing if you have little to no experience doing this yourself; otherwise, you won’t have the best finish. Seats may also need to be reupholstered after years of wear and tear.
Putting it Back Together
When you have all the parts restored, it’s time to put the car back together. Start within wiring in the car and make sure that is working correctly. Then you can put the dashboard back on, followed by the carpets and trim. Then put back on the windscreen and the rear window, the doors and other windows, the seats, and recarpet the trunk. Finally, put the bumpers back on, and voila! Your car should be ready to go!
Restoring a classic car can be a very satisfying project if you do it right, and while there are more intricate steps that aren’t listed here, this will be the basic order you should be working in.
