Watching the transformation of an old classic car going from rust bucket back to its original form is a fun thing to witness, especially if you are the one doing the transformation. Car restoration is a hobby that many car enthusiasts wish to pursue and many of which end up doing it. However, it is extremely easy to spend big money on a car restoration, even a lot more than you intend to spend. Everyone knows that a car restoration can be expensive, but not everyone knows the little secrets about how saving on car restoration can be accomplished while pursuing such a project.
Decide On the Level of Restoration
The first question to ask yourself is: What am I trying to accomplish? The cost for car restoration car varies depending on the quality of restoration you are looking to complete from regular weekend driver to concourse quality.
Do Not Buy Parts Ahead of Time
Years ago, when I got into the classic car restoration process finding parts was like a treasure hunt process, but now there are plenty of aftermarket parts suppliers for almost any vintage car.
It is an exciting time when you decide to do a car restoration. It is extremely easy to get overly excited, make a list of everything you need, and buy it all at once so you do not have to wait at all transitioning from one project to another.
Buying all the parts you think you need all at once can cost you a lot of money. Try to not get ahead of yourself. Only buy certain parts for your car restoration when you are working on that system or part of your classic car. There are a few reasons why I suggest this. The first reason being that if you have a pile of parts sitting in the corner for months at a time, you have a good chance at losing some of those parts and damaging or denting some of the bigger parts. The second reason is because you may think you need a certain part only to find you wasted your money and need a different part. And by the time you discover you do not need that part anymore, either the warranty or the return grace period has expired.
Buy A Project That Is Running
If you do not have your classic restoration project yet and are actively looking for one, it might seem enticing to purchase a classic car that is not running because it is cheaper.
While there are a handful of those out there that can easily fix a classic car that is not running because of their expertise, I recommend that you buy a project that is already running. Yes, you will be paying a little more for a classic car that is already running, however, you will also save yourself a headache and money by not purchasing a classic car that is non-functioning.
There are a common reason people sell their classic car that is not running. Either they did not want to pay the money to get it up and running and/or they did not know what the problem is and did not want to address it. Chances are, you would spend more getting a non-running project to run than you would by just buying a project that is already running.
Join Online Forums
If you are a car enthusiast, you have joined or at least looked at online forums. Despite their outdated look, forums are a fantastic way for people to connect with each other about specific topics, and they are usually free to join.
Whatever classic car you are restoring, I guarantee there is an online forum about that specific car. You will be able to find a slew of knowledge already discussed on these forums and you will be able to ask specific questions if you cannot already find the answer on there. This can be a lot cheaper than talking to a mechanic.
Most people who are a part of the forum are more than willing to help answer questions you may have. Most people on these forums own the same car you do so aside from answering your questions, they will also be able to give you helpful tips and tricks that you normally would not be able to find elsewhere.
Check Local Salvage Yard
People underestimate the value of using a local salvage yard. Salvage yards, also known as junkyards or wrecking yards, is a place where decommissioned and wrecked cars are brought and parked. Salvage yards are open for people to come and browse through the cars and take out parts from them that they can use. You do have to pay for the parts, but the price is usually pennies compared to buying the part from any other place.
Usually salvage yards will have a website or a social media account that you can follow. You can also sign up for email notifications if you would like. They commonly email and post on social media about any sales they are having or new junk cars they have received.
Since you are restoring an older classic car, chances are you will not be able to find the exact parts that specifically came with your make and model on which you are working. However, a lot of parts in classic cars are interchangeable and you can use of a lot of parts from other cars that will work great.
Wait For Shipping Sales
Buying parts online is incredibly convenient. Being able to shop online in the comfort of your own home while anticipating your purchase to be delivered right to your doorstep is simply the best way to go.
However, there is a big catch with buying online: shipping costs. If you are buying bulky, heavy, and/or awkward shaped items, shipping costs can be more than the price of the actual part. In that case, you would rather just find a store somewhere and buy your parts there.
While shipping can be expensive, there are a few loopholes you can take. Car part websites will have occasional sales on shipping, about every few months. I recommend getting a little list together of parts you need right now and wait until those sales happen. It is hard to wait a little longer to get your parts, but you will save hundreds of dollars by waiting for shipping sales.
Use Online Promotional Codes
I am someone who hates paying full price for anything, especially for car restoration parts. If you are willing to take time to hunt for deals, you will be able to find them.
Aside from comparing prices from one website to another and finding the best deal, there are other ways to save. Most websites have promo codes that you can use that will give you a discount. They usually have them for free shipping, 5%-10% off, or even 20% off your first purchase.
Any time you go to buy something online, always look for a promo code first. All you need to do is search for it in Google. For example, in Google’s search bar, type in “[website name] promo code” and you should get a list of a few that you can use. Before you check out on the website, there should be a little bar that lets you type in the promo code you found. This method has saved me hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Sell Old Parts
When you really start getting deep into your classic car restoration, you will notice a nice pile building up in the corner of old parts you have taken off and plan to throw away. Do not throw that pile away just yet.
Before tossing any part, you have taken off your restoration that you do not plan to use any more, look online or on local classifieds to see if any of these parts are worth anything. You have a big chance that a large majority of your classic car parts are worth something if they are in decent condition.
I was able to sell about $6,000 worth of parts when I was restoring a Chevelle. That extra money was nice to have, and it went a long way with my restoration process.
Sand The Body Yourself
The most expensive component to any car restoration is the body work. I do not recommend you paint your classic car yourself because that requires training and skill to get right. You can mess that up very easily if you do not know what you are doing.
However, there is a lot of body prep work you can do yourself that will save you a lot of money. The reason body work costs so much is because it requires time to complete. If you have the time and the patience, try sanding down the body yourself. It is a process, and it does take quite a bit of time, but it is completely doable and will be great with your budget. And it is almost free to do it yourself.
Shop Around for Paint Job Deals
This is like acting as a general contractor for a car restoration. It takes a bit more time, patience, and research but it can be a great way to save money on one of the more costly parts of a classic car restoration project.
Like I said before, do not attempt to paint your classic car restoration yourself unless you absolutely know what you are doing. It is easy to think you can do it by yourself and save some money, but it will cost you more money in the end. I attempted to paint my own Chevy Pickup and it did not work out so well. I ended up having a professional do it.
Plan to have a professional do the paint job. It is a little painful to look at the prices you will be spending on a new paint job, but that is what you get when you start a car restoration. And I promise you will be so grateful you paid a professional.
Do not have your heart set on one place to do your restoration paint job. Even if your best friend has offered to do it for you in their shop, call around to a few places to compare prices. Often you can negotiate prices with some places if you can find a lower offer from somewhere else.
Check Local Classifieds
Aside from finding great deals on parts while searching online, it is not a bad idea to also look at and check your local classifieds. You can find these either in the newspaper or online, often through Craigslist or Facebook marketplace.
Other people will be selling parts to their classic cars that they are not using any more. You would be surprised at how often you are able to find specific parts from people that live around you.
Purchasing parts through local classifieds also gives you the chance to see and examine the part before you buy it and can make sure it is the right fit. Another bonus is that you get acquainted with other car enthusiasts that may be able to answer some of your questions.
Get An Owner’s Manual
If the purchase of your classic car restoration did not come with the owner’s manual (which is common because previous owners have a hard time keeping track of those), it is a good idea to obtain one.
Having an owner’s manual will be able to answer questions for you such as specific specs, parts, part numbers, etc. That is a lot of information you would not be able to find elsewhere, even the internet. The information an owner’s manual gives will save you time.
The good news is that you can usually find an owner’s manual for free online. You can Google the owner’s manual for your specific restoration project. Check any forums you are a part of and see if anyone has downloaded one or has one to give for free. You should never have to buy your owner’s manual.
Join A Local Car Club
If you are aware of any car clubs around, it is a good idea to become a member of them. Some may think this is a bit nerdy, but there is actually a lot of value being a part of a car club.
Not only do you get to be a part of a group of fellow car enthusiasts, but you also can learn from these people. You will need to try to be a part of the group, but that should not take much energy at all since you are a part of a group that has similar interests as you.
Often, if you become good enough friends, you can render help from other members for free. Some people love cars so much that they enjoy helping a friend fix issue or help with a particular project that takes a lot of time. The knowledge and help you can get from these people can really help you save money.
Finally
I have restored several cars and consider myself to be a budget-oriented person. I have been able to get a promising idea about ways to save on a car restoration that work. For me understanding my capabilities as a DIY mechanic and then knowing how to leverage others and shops to complete a classic car restoration goes along way to saving on car restoration instead of handing over my car to a restoration shop along with tens of thousands of dollars.
