How To Restore A Car
Car restoration is one activity that will leave you with a high sense of accomplishment. It is a hobby that demands persistence, dedication and money!to say nothing about time. Fords and Chevy's are the two models that are the easiest to start with as there are always parts available as the need arises.
Prior to any car restoration you will need to organize your shop for the task at hand. Gather the materials needed such as a camera, a few cardboard boxes, a sharpie and some tags for labels. It is important to keep track of the parts that are taken off now rather than later. When it is time to start taking the car apart you need to determine what needs to be replaced and what needs to be repaired. With this type of organization you will make sure you are not wasting parts during the car restoration project.
Take inventory of the parts as you remove them by separating them into two individual boxes labeled repair and replace. Take pictures of them as you do this so you know what the car looks like with them on and off. This process will also help you in estimating how much the cost will be and how long it will take you to complete the car restoration.
Once you have the parts removed you can start the cleaning process. The cleaning process of the car restoration requires the car be stripped down to bare metal. There are several ways to do this but you need to find the one you are most comfortable with. The easiest and fastest method is to have the car dipped in acid. This removes dust, rust, and other foreign materials.
You will be able to view the damage the car has been through once it is stripped. You may find rust holes, damaged floorboards, and dents. But do not despair! Even if the car didn't look bad when you purchased it you need to that this car has had a had a event-filled life. You want to extend it's life right? So get busy and take that Sharpie to mark all the things that either need replacing or repairing.
Now it's time to repair all those dents, holes, and problem areas to get ready for sanding. You will use several grades of sandpaper during the sanding process beginning with 36 to 80. Once you have completed this step you are ready to apply the glazing. Begin with 220 wet grit sandpaper and proceed to 800 wet grit sandpaper. This will leave your car with a hazy mirror image and also provide a preventative measure against scratches.
Your car restoration is finished! You are now ready to display your beautiful car to the neighborhood with pride.
For All The Essential Information On Car Restoration go to: car restoration stories
Published March 30th, 2008
Filed in Hobby