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 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 task at hand. You will need a camera, a place for the parts, and a labeling system. It is best 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 positioned. When taking the parts of the vehicle you will need to place them in an orderly fashion so you can find them again if you need them. Cartons come in real 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 named just in case buy 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. 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 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 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 task. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Sort your parts into two categories: Replace & Repair. Go through the replace box and mark down every part in it on your notes under the replace column. Now do the same thing for the repair parts and put them on your your notes under the repair column. By now have a picture of what you might need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration procedure might seem repetitive but it will 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 known 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 cranny 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. 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 cases there will also be holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and mark all the areas that should to be repaired or replaced. This process will find out whether your classic car is a keeper or whether it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make certain you have identified all the trouble areas. Of course, once the car is painted you can not go back.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Start with the hardest tasks of getting the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is finished you can move on to the smaller tasks. 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 those spots. Once this is finished you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the initial layer of primer can be applied. The priming process will tell you how even your car looks as finished product so it is critical to do it correct the first time .

Prep & Sand

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 best 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 assist to achieve that dull shine that you want to see 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 vintage 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