Classic car restoration is a big project, 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 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 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 came from and where the new parts should be placed. When taking the parts of the vehicle you will need to put them in an orderly manner so you can locate them again if you need them. Cartons come in real handy at this stage. Cateloging the parts is a great way of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what the parts are called in case you need to purchase a newer 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. 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 remind you of 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 determine what parts can be reused and what parts will need to be replaced. This is the best time to finalize your budget for your classic car restoration project. This is a lot easier than it looks. Arrange your parts into 2 categories: Repair & Replace. Go through the replace box and mark down every part in it on any notes under the replace column. Now do the same thing for the repair parts and put them on your any notes under the repair column. By now have an idea of what you might need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration task might 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 many of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

While during the appraisal period, you will evaluate what needs to be done. 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 situations there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and mark all the spots that need to be replaced or repaired. This process will discover whether your vintage car is a beauty or whether it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make certain you have found all the problem spots. Once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Prime

Start with the hardest job of removing the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is complete you can move on to the lighter jobs. Once your vintage car is done 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 spots. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. After glazing has dried the first layer of paint can be applied. The prime coat will resolve how smooth your vintage car looks finished so it is very important to do it correct the first time around.

Prep & Sand

You will need to prepare the car for paint and sealer after the dust has been removed from the car. Even though it is an extra process, 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 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 now complete 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

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