Classic car restoration is a big project, 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 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 pull 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 manner so you can find them again when need them. Cardboard boxes come in handy at this point. Cateloging the parts is a wonderful method of remembering where they go, what they do, and what they are called just in case buy a newer part. Never throw away the parts until the car is finished as you may need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The second 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 quite a bit of time as you will need to take pictures on a continuous basis. The pictures will remind you of 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 look at your budget for your classic car restoration task. This is a lot easier than it might sound. 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 you should have a picture of what you need and what you don't need. This part of the classic car restoration procedure may seem monotonous 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 method is acknowledged as acid dipping but you will need to check to see if it's available in your area. This form 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 assessment 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 removed or repaired, and in most situations there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and identify all the spots that need to be replaced or repaired. This process will discover if your car is a beauty or if it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make sure you have identified all the trouble spots. Of course, once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Prime Coat

Begin with the hardest job of getting the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is finished you can move on to the lighter jobs. Once your vintage car is done to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to paint the last body coat until it is just above level. Before it is completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along those 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 resolve how even your vintage car looks finished so it is important to do it right the first time around.

Prep & Sand

You will need to prep the car for paint and sealer after the dust has been removed off 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 help you 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 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

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