Classic car restoration is a big ordeal, but if it's tackled in the right way it can also be a lot of fun, especially if you do it with your family and make a big family fun time out of it. Classic cars are meant to be one thing, and that is fun, 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 restoration. You will require a camera, a place for the parts, and a labeling system. It is best to take pictures of the parts as you pull them off so you know where they were came from and where the new parts should be positioned. When taking the parts of the vehicle you will need to put them in a neat manner so you can locate them again when need them. Plastic boxesCardboard containers come in handy at this stage. Sorting the parts is a great method of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what the parts are called in case you need to buy a new part. Never throw away the parts until the car is finished as you might need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The second step to classic car restoration is to tear down the car in sections. Begin 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 should take pictures on a continuous basis. The pictures will consist of 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 best time to determine your budget for your classic car restoration task. This is a lot easier than it might sound. Arrange your parts into two categories: Repair & Replace. Go through the replace box and mark down every part in it on list under the replace column. Do the same thing for the repair parts and put them on your list under the repair column. Now you have an idea of what you need and what you don't need. This part of the classic car restoration process might seem boring but it most likely pay off 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 best method is acknowledged as acid dipping but you will need to determine if it's offered in your area. This form of stripping doesn't leave sand in every crevice of your car like sand blasting. Acid dipping removes many of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

While during the evaluation period, you will evaluate 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 removed or repaired, and in many situations there will also be holes and dents. Take a sharpie marker and identify all the spots that need to be repaired or replaced. In this way you will discover if your vintage car is a beauty or if it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to ensure you have identified all the problem spots. Once the car is painted you can not go back.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Begin with the hardest job of removing the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is finished you can move on to the lighter tasks. Once your classic car is done to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to paint the final body coat until it is just above level. Before completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along these problem areas. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. After glazing has dried the first layer of primer paint can be applied. The prime coat will resolve how silky smooth your classic car looks as finished product so it is very important to do it right the first time around.

Prep & Sand

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

Now that your classic 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

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