For those of us who dream of cars that come from yesterday, we cannot just walk into a car dealership and buy one. At the same time, buying a used car that is three, four or even seven decades old can present a whole host of mechanical problems. Is the engine in decent shape? How about the transmission and electrical systems? In addition, the upholstery inside and the paint outside may be in questionable condition. But if you have some time, money, and lots of ambition, you may want to consider car restoration. Cars are not built to last forever, but a classic car restoration can breathe new life into an older vehicle and make it look and run like new and in some cases better than new (when the car was new). This makes the car more valuable at a sale or auction, thus guaranteeing its collectible status.
The car restoration will not be easy. The job — and its cost — will depend on what car you have selected and how much work needs to be done. But if it is done correctly, car restoration gives everyday drivers a chance to tool around in a classic vehicle as if it had just come off the dealer’s lot the year it was made.
Fortunately, the Internet has made the art of restoring cars more accessible than ever. Cable TV has brought the art of car restoration into everyone’s home with the concept that restoring a car is a simple process easily achieved in under an hour. Many companies offer parts online for older and obsolete vehicles. Our blog originated to bring the reality of classic car restoration to all hobbyist to help them thru the process, and to help avoid the inevitable headaches.
Weekend mechanics also have access to all kinds of guides and expert advice on restoration. So, if you have ever thought about restoring that old clunker in your backyard, now is a great time to give it a shot. In this post, we will give an overview of the car restoration process. No matter whether you are doing all or part of the restoration yourself or giving the entire project to a restoration shop we will talk about a few of the steps involved, and what it takes to transform a rusting hulk into your dream machine — inside and out. Again, knowledge is power in getting to the end result you wish.
Car Restoration Basics
Classic car restoration has become more than just a hobby. It is a thriving business that is fed by automotive clubs, auctioneers and everyday car enthusiasts who want to experience the thrill of driving a vintage car like its brand new.
The first step is choosing a car you want to restore. Again, consider your personal dream car — if you had a time machine, what car would you bring back to the future? When we hear the term “restoration,” we often think of the classic American car from the 50s, 60s and 70s — those are the cars that many auto enthusiasts grew up lusting after. However, any type of car can be restored, from classic BMWs to the iconic DeLorean sports cars of the early 1980s (speaking of time machines). Still, keep in mind that the more obscure and rare the car is, the more difficult and expensive it will be to find parts for it.
There are a number of questions you should ask before buying a car to restore, including:
- Does it run safely on its own?
- What works and what does not?
- Is there rust or leaking?
- What shape are the tires in?
- How long have you owned it?
- Why are you selling it?
Of course, restoration means more than just making a vehicle’s exterior look nice. A full factory restoration involves replacing nearly every part on the car with a newer, better working one, from the gauges in the dashboard to the lining of the trunk walls. In many cases, restorers aim to be as historically accurate as they can — that is, making the car look exactly like it did the day it rolled off the assembly line.
Also, make sure you have the right tools for the job. You will need tools like clamps, hammers, screwdrivers, and torque wrenches, among many, many others, but you also may have to buy things to cover incidental jobs like sanding, welding, buffing, polishing and painting. Again, you can find out what tools you need for the job in guidebooks and on various Web sites.
In the next section, we will look inside the car and find out what it takes to have a top-notch restored interior.
Restoring the Car's Interior
Before we discuss the logistics of restoration any further, let’s pick a car to use as an example. For this purpose, we will use a Chevrolet Chevelle to explain some aspects of the job at hand because it is a popular car with plenty of parts readily available on the market.
Even if a car looks perfect on the outside, if you step inside and the upholstery is torn and the gauges are falling out of the dashboard, the restoration job can hardly be considered complete.
The work required depends on the condition of the car. For instance, a Chevelle that has been carefully cared for in a garage since the 1960s will obviously need far less work than one found in a junkyard. This means that you need to take stock of what you need. Does the car need all new seats, or do the current ones need to be re-upholstered? Can the switches and gauges on the dash be fixed or do they need to be replaced? What about a sound system — do you want an entirely new radio with modern capabilities like a CD player or will you go the purist route and re-install the original factory radio?
A complete interior restoration job usually involves completely vacuuming out the car, removing the floor panels and inner door panels, thoroughly cleaning the inside with a solvent or other cleansing solution, taking out the old seats and re-installing the new parts you have ordered piece by piece. You also have to carefully clean and restore smaller parts like the glove compartment and sun visors.
Luckily, restoration does not have to break the bank — that is, if you are smart about it. Door panels sometimes can be saved and restored if the vinyl is undamaged. Chrome spray paint can touch up the chrome trim inside the car. Also, every part does not necessarily need to be ordered brand new. In fact, you could find many parts in a scrap yard [source: Mustangs and Fords].
We have covered the inside; now, let us look at the exterior. In the next section, we will discuss restoring your car’s outer surface.
Restoring the Car's Exterior
They say first impressions last forever. On any car, the first thing you notice is the way it looks on the outside. If you are going to restore a car with the intent to sell it at an auction or other event, it had better have a top-notch exterior or it will not get noticed.
An exterior restoration means more than just a new coat of paint. Depending on the state of the car, a full restoration means stripping the whole car down to the bare metal underneath. Usually, restorers will remove everybody panel from the frame of the car and remove any traces of old paint, often via chemical treatments or sandblasting. The panels are then coated in a gray epoxy primer before they are repainted piece by piece and placed back on the car.
Rust is one of the most expensive issues you might face when restoring a vehicle. You can expect some rust, often hidden under the paint, because of the car’s age. While some rust can be sandblasted away, there are times when you will have to decide whether to repair an exterior part (a fender, for example) or replace it entirely. In places where rust is affecting just one part of the panel, you may even have to cut away the rusted part and weld in some new sheet metal.
Once the car has been primed and all the rust removed, it is time to paint the car. The exciting part of this is that you or your restoration shop can do whatever you want. Want to add some racing stripes or flaming graphics? Go for it! If authenticity is what you are shooting for, many automotive stores offer original factory paint. For popular muscle cars like the Chevelle, you can find a wide variety of original colors on the market.
The exterior job does not just end with rust removal and new paint. Think about all the parts that comprise the outside of a car — door handles, mirrors, the windshield, the gas cap, headlights, taillights, bumpers, hood latches and more. All these things need to be examined and repaired or replaced as necessary.
In the next section, we will look at one of the most difficult and exciting parts of car restoration — restoring the engine.
Restoring the Car's Powertrain
People loved classic muscle cars like our Chevelle example, mainly because they were fast. Sure, many of them looked great, but it is quite likely that fewer people would remember them if they were slow. Therefore, one of your most important restoration tasks is to rebuild or replace the car’s engine.
First, start by completely dismantling the engine. Fuel pumps, carburetors, cylinder heads and compressors — everything must go. As you did with the car’s exterior, examine each part, and see what needs to be repaired and which parts need to be replaced.
The ease with which you can find parts for your car’s engine varies from model to model. For instance, you can find parts for your Chevelle just about anywhere, but if you decide to restore something a little more unusual, like an older European or Japanese car, finding the parts you need might require a little more searching.
You can rebuild the car’s original engine if you desire authenticity. However, if it is more of a personal project than something you would sell at an auction, there is nothing wrong with installing an entirely new motor. Why keep that old 396 cubic-inch V-8 in your Chevelle when you could upgrade to a higher horsepower modern LS engine? With a so-called crate engine, also available online and from various parts catalogs, you can custom build your dream car with ease.
Finally
Restoring a car is a big undertaking. In fact, this article barely scratches the surface of how difficult and involved the entire process really is. It is not something to begin unless you have plenty of time, money, and knowledge. But if it is done properly, you can bring a car back from the dead and up to its original factory specs — or you can build your own custom machine. In any case, why pass up the chance to finally drive your dream car?
Thanks again
Who do you recomend?
I recommend searching out a local restoration shop if at all possible so that you can stay involved with and regularly communicate with restorers. We feature a number of posts on how to select the right shop and how to foresee the issues at: https://classicautoadvisors.com/category/restoration-shop-advise/