Classic car restoration is a huge 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 require 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 situate them in an orderly fashion so you can find them again if and when need them. Cardboard boxes come in real handy at this point. Labeling the parts is a great way of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what they 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 second phase to classic car restoration is to tear down the car in sections. Begin 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 will need to take pictures on a continual basis. The pictures will be what the auto 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 perfect time to determine your budget for your classic car restoration project. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Sort your parts into 2 categories: Replace & Repair. 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 you should have a picture of what you might need and what you don't need to buy. This part of the classic car restoration task 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 way is identified 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 cranny of your car like sand blasting. Acid dipping removes many of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

During the evaluation period, you will estimate what needs to be completed. Many classic cars will need the floorboards and the trunk floors, including trunk extensions that attach to the trunk floors changed out, and in most cases 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 find out if your classic car is a keeper or if it is a pile of metal when completed. Take your time to make certain you have found all the problem spots. Of course, once the car is painted you can not go back.

Body Work & Final Prime

Start with the hardest tasks of removing the dents out and filling the rust spots. Once this is complete you can move on to the easier tasks. Once your classic 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 trouble spots. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the first coat of paint can be applied. The prime coat will determine how smooth your vintage car looks finished so it is critical to do it correct the first time around.

Prep & Sand

You will need to prep the car for paint and sealer once the dust has been removed off the car. Although it is an extra process, it is better 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 get that dull shine that you want to complete before moving on. Applying 600 grit wet paper will help you get that hazy mirror effect. Your prep work is complete after this and now you can apply the sealer.

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

Classic Car Restoration

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