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Classic car restoration is a huge project, but if it's tackled in the right way it can also be loads 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 placed. When taking the parts of the car you will need to situate them in an orderly fashion so you can find them again when need them. Cartons come in real handy at this stage. Sorting the parts is a great way of remembering where they go, what they do, and what the parts are named in case you need to purchase a newer part. Never throw away the parts until the car is finished as you might need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The 2nd phase 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 some time as you should take pictures on a continuous basis. The pictures will be what the car looked like before the part was taken out and then after the part was removed.

Inventory

In the next step you will find out what parts can be reused and what parts will need to be replaced. This is the ideal time to finalize your budget for your classic car restoration job. 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 any notepad under the replace column. Now 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 picture of what you need and what you don't need to buy. This part of the classic car restoration job might seem monotonous 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 better way 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 evaluate what needs to be completed. Most classic cars will need the floorboards and the trunk floors, including trunk extensions that attach to the trunk floors changed out, and in most cases there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and mark all the areas that need to be repaired or replaced. This process will discover if your classic car is a keeper or if it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make sure you have identified all the problem areas. Of course, once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Begin with the hardest job of removing the dents out and removing or repairing the rust spots. Once this is done you can move on to the easier jobs. Once your vintage car is done to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to spread the last body coat until it is just above level. Before it is completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along these spots. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. After glazing has dried the first layer of primer can be applied. The prime coat will determine how even your classic car looks after all else so it is important to do it correct the first time .

Prep & Sand

Now you will need to prepare 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 help you achieve that dull shine that you want to complete before moving on. Applying 600 grit wet paper will help you achieve that hazy mirror effect. Your prep work is now complete and now you can apply the sealer.

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

Classic Car Restoration