Classic car restoration is a big 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 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 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 placed. When taking the parts of the vehicle you will need to put them in a neat mode so you can locate them again if you need them. Cartons come in very usefully at this stage. Cateloging the parts is a wonderful way of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what they are labeled just in case buy a new part. Never throw away the parts until the car is completed as you may need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The 2nd step 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 a lot of time as you should take pictures on a continuous 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 determine your budget for your classic car restoration job. This is much easier than it looks. Sort your parts into 2 categories: Replace & Repair. Go through the replace box and mark down every part in it on your notepad under the replace column. Now do the same thing for the repair parts and put them on your your notepad under the repair column. By now have a view of what you need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration job may seem tedious but it should 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 way is acknowledged as acid dipping but you will need to check to see if it's available in your area. This type of stripping doesn't leave sand in every gap of your car like sand blasting. Acid dipping removes a lot of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

During the assessment period, you will calculate what needs to be completed. Many classic cars will need the floorboards and the trunk floors, including trunk extensions that attach to the trunk floors changed out, and in many situations there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and mark all the areas that should to be replaced or repaired. In this way you will find out whether your vehicle is a keeper or whether it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to ensure you have identified all the problem areas. Once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Start with the hardest job of getting the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is complete you can move on to the smaller jobs. Once your classic car is finished to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to spray 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 finished you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the initial layer of paint can be applied. The prime coat will tell you how smooth your classic car looks finished so it is crucial to do it right the first time .

Prep & Sand

Now you will need to prepare the car for paint and sealer once the dust has been removed from the car. Even though it is an extra process, 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 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 classic car restoration is finished you can cruise around to show off all your hard work and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Classic Car Restoration