Classic car restoration is a big ordeal, but if it's done right it can also be a lot of fun, especially if you do it with your family and make a big family pleasurable time out of it. Classic cars are meant to be one thing, and that is pleasurable, if it's not fun for you, then you might want do yourself a favor and sell it.

Shop Preparation

The first step during a classic car restoration is to get your shop ready for the project. You will need a camera, a place for the parts, and a labeling system. It is better to take pictures of the parts as you take them off so you know where they were at and where the new parts should be positioned. When taking the parts of the auto you will need to put them in an orderly manner so you can locate them again if you need them. Plastic cartons come in very usefully at this point. Labeling the parts is a wonderful method of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what they are called just in case buy a new part. Never throw away the parts until the car is finished as you may need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The 2nd phase to classic car restoration is to tear down the car in sections. Start at one end and work your way down the car until you reach the end. This process will take quite a bit of time as you will need to take pictures on a continual basis. The pictures will be what the vehicle looked like before the part was taken out and then after the part was removed.

Inventory

During this step you will find out what parts can be reused and what parts will need to be replaced. This is the perfect time to look at your budget for your classic car restoration job. This is much easier than it might sound. Arrange your parts into two categories: Replace & Repair. Go through the replace box and mark down every part in it on any notepad under the replace column. Do the same thing for the repair parts and place them on your any notepad under the repair column. Now you have a view of what you might need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration task may seem boring but it most likely return a handsome profit in the end.

Cleaning Process

Once all the parts are removed you can begin to strip your car down to bare metal. There are several methods to get your car in this state, including sand blasting, glass beading, garnet blasting, and sodium bicarbonate blasting. The better method is known as acid dipping but you will need to see if it's available in your area. This type of stripping doesn't leave sand in every cranny of your car like sand blasting. Acid dipping removes a lot of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

While during the appraisal period, you will calculate what needs to be accomplished. Most classic cars will need the floorboards and the trunk floors, including trunk extensions that attach to the trunk floors changed out, and in many cases there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and identify all the areas that should to be repaired or replaced. This process will identify whether your vintage car is a beauty or whether it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to ensure you have identified all the problem areas. Of course, once the car is painted you can not go back.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Begin with the hardest job of getting the dents out and removing or repairing the rust spots. Once this is complete you can move on to the smaller jobs. Once your vintage car is finished to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to spread the final body coat until it is just above level. Before completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along these spots. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the first layer of primer paint can be applied. The prime coat will resolve how smooth your car looks after all else so it is vital to do it right the first time around.

Prep & Sand

Now you will need to prep the car for paint and sealer after the dust has been removed from the car. Although it is an extra process, it is better to seal the car at this point. Begin with 220 grit wet sandpaper to even the surface of the primer. Apply 320 grit wet paper will assist to get that dull shine that you want to get before moving on. Applying 600 grit wet paper will help you get that hazy mirror effect. Your prep work is complete after this and now you can apply the sealer.

Now that your vintage car restoration is complete you can cruise around to show off all your hard work and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Classic Car Restoration