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 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 restoration. 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 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 car you will need to place them in a neat method so you can find them again when need them. Plastic cartons come in handy at this stage. Labeling the parts is a great method of remembering 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 completed as you might need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The 2nd 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 a lot of time as you should take pictures on a continuous basis. The pictures will consist of what the auto looked like before the part was taken off and then after the part was removed.

Inventory

During this step you will determine 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 job. This is much easier than it looks. Sort 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. By now you should have a view of what you need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration task might seem monotonous but it very well could return a 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 acknowledged as acid dipping but you will need to determine if it's available in your area. This form of stripping doesn't leave sand in every gap of your car like sand blasting. Acid dipping removes many of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

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 most situations there will also be holes and dents. Take a sharpie marker and identify all the spots that should to be replaced or repaired. This process will find out whether your classic car is a keeper or whether it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to make sure you have identified all the problem spots. Of course, once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Paint

Start with the hardest job of getting the dents out and removing or repairing the rust spots. Once this is done you can move on to the easier tasks. Once your classic car is finished to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to spray the last body coat until it is just above level. Before it is completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along those spots. Once this is finished you can glaze the car. After glazing has dried the initial coat of primer paint can be applied. The priming process will tell you how silky smooth your vintage car looks finished so it is vital to do it correct the first time around.

Prep & Sand

Now you will need to prep the car for paint and sealer once the dust has been removed off the car. Although it is an extra step, it is best 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 assist to 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 now complete and you can apply the sealer.

Now that your classic car restoration is finished you can cruise around to display all your hard work and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Classic Car Restoration

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