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Classic car restoration is a huge ordeal, but if it's tackled in the right way 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 task at hand. 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 car you will need to place them in an orderly method so you can find them again if and when need them. Plastic cartons come in real handy at this point. Cateloging the parts is a wonderful way of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what the parts are labeled in case you need to 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 second 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 car looked like before the part was taken out 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 perfect time to determine your budget for your classic car restoration job. 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 your notes under the replace column. Now do the same thing for the repair parts and place them on your your notes under the repair column. By now have a picture of what you need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration task might seem repetitive but it should return a handsome 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 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 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 estimate 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 many situations there will also be rust holes and dents. Take a sharpie marker and identify all the areas that need to be replaced or repaired. This process will determine if your vehicle is a beauty or if it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make sure you have found all the trouble areas. 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 spray the last and 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 paint can be applied. The priming process will resolve how silky smooth your car looks after all else so it is crucial to do it right the first time .

Prep & Sand

You will need to prepare the car for paint and sealer once the dust has been removed off 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 help you 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 complete after this and you can apply the sealer.

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

Classic Car Restoration