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 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 pull them off so you know where they were came from and where the new parts should be placed. When taking the parts of the car you will need to place them in an orderly mode so you can find them again if you need them. Cardboard boxes come in real handy at this stage. Labeling the parts is a great method of remembering where they go, what they do, and what the parts are called in case you need to purchase a new part. Never throw away the parts until the car is finished as you may need them again at some point.

Tear Down

The second step 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 quite a bit of time as you should take pictures on a continuous basis. The pictures will consist of what the vehicle looked like before the part was taken off 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 best time to finalize your budget for your classic car restoration project. This is much 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 any notes under the replace column. Now do the same thing for the repair parts and place them on your any notes under the repair column. Now you have a view of what you might need and what you don't need to buy. This part of the classic car restoration procedure may seem repetitive but it most likely 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 best method is known as acid dipping but you will need to check to see if it's offered in your area. This type 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 estimate what needs to be accomplished. 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 many cases there will also be rust holes and dents. Now take a sharpie marker and identify all the spots that should to be repaired or replaced. In this way you will discover whether your car is a beauty or whether it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to ensure you have found all the trouble spots. Of course, once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Prime

Begin with the hardest job of removing the dents out and removing or repairing the rust spots. Once this is finished you can move on to the easier tasks. Once your classic car is finished to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to paint the last and final body coat until it is just above level. Before completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to along those problem areas. Once this is complete you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the first layer of primer paint can be applied. The priming process will resolve how smooth your vintage car looks as finished product so it is vital to do it right the first time around.

Prep & Sand

Now 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 best 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 assist to 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 classic car restoration is complete you can cruise around to show off all your hard work and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Classic Car Restoration

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