Antique Car Restoration and Classic Car Restoration and Auto Restoration Parts

Classic car restoration is a big 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 pleasurable time out of it. Classic cars are meant to be one thing, and that is pleasurable, 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 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 placed. When taking the parts of the car you will need to put them in an orderly mode so you can find them again when need them. Cardboard boxes come in handy at this point. Labeling the parts is a wonderful method of keeping track of where they go, what they do, and what the parts are named just in case a new 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 quite a bit 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 off 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 look at your budget for your classic car restoration project. This is a lot easier than it might sound. Sort 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. Do the same thing for the repair parts and put them on your your notes under the repair column. By now have an idea of what you need and what you don't need to purchase. This part of the classic car restoration procedure might seem repetitive but it should 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 method is acknowledged as acid dipping but you will need to determine 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 a lot of foreign substances, such as paint and rust.

Evaluation

During the assessment period, you will evaluate 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 removed or repaired, and in many cases there will also be holes and dents. Take a sharpie marker and mark all the spots that need to be repaired or replaced. In this way you will discover whether your car is a keeper or whether it is a pile of metal when finished. Take your time to make sure you have found all the trouble spots. Once the car is painted you can not undo the project.

Body Work & Final Paint

Start with the hardest tasks of getting the dents out and removing or repairing the rust spots. Once this is done you can move on to the lighter tasks. Once your vintage car is finished to 36 or 40 grit paper, it is time to spread the last body coat until it is just above level. Before completely dry you will take 80 grit paper to smooth these trouble spots. Once this is finished you can glaze the car. When the glazing has dried the initial coat of paint can be applied. The priming process will tell you how smooth your car looks finished so it is important to do it correct the first time .

Prep & Sand

Now you will need to prep the car for paint and sealer once the dust has been removed from the car. Even though it is an extra step, 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 see before moving on. Applying 600 grit wet paper will help you achieve that hazy mirror effect. Your prep work is now complete 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.

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