It seems with the wintry weather and some snow many classic cars are now sitting in the garage with no place to go. Over the past few weeks in speaking with various car hobbyists they pine for the good weather wondering where they should take their car for repairs while it is sitting. However, many people do not realize that there are quite a few repairs and maintenance any home mechanic can do on their own so to help get you off the couch we have provided a few of the easy classic car projects.
Easy Classic Car Projects Start with a List and Parts
Each fall while going thru the car winterization process, I make a list of repairs or maintenance that I need to before getting the car back on the road in the spring so I can locate the parts with plenty of time to take on any work that I need to done before that first spring drive.
If you do find yourself with an extra hour or two to invest in working on your ride, then we have some small projects that typically take less than an hour to accomplish. Some of these assume that you already have the replacement part on hand, but if you do not then you might want to spend the time searching eBay Motors or other online retailers for the parts you will need.
Some of these small projects might seem like common sense maintenance, but we have included them anyway just in case they have slipped your mind. You will find that some of our suggestions are simple part swap-outs instead of restoring what you already have. In many cases it is just more time and cost effective to replace a part than it is to spend your valuable time and money restoring it. If you believe that an original part is either too hard to find or will really keep the “original factor,” then by all means take the time to restore the part if possible.
One last item to note is that none of these small projects involve you crawling under the car. You should also note that this is by no means a definitive list, nor will every idea relate to every car. You will likely have to adjust this list and add some projects of your own.
Even Easy Classic Car Projects Require Tools
Depending on your level of being a DIY mechanic expertise will determine how many tools you may have in your toolbox. It is a good move to check for what tools you will need before starting any work as this will take some of the frustration out of the repair job by having to stop and start your work looking for tools. As we have posted in the past there are a number of old school methods to get the job done.
Some Of the Easy Classic Car Projects
There are hundreds of things you can do to any vehicle that would take under an hour to complete. To get you started, here are some of small projects you can perform on your classic car or truck during this strange time.
- Swap out the spark plugs and/or adjust the points.
- Exchange the spark plug wires, rotor and cap for new ones.
- Change the air filter and fuel filter (often).
- Check the timing and adjust it if necessary.
- Fine tune the carburetor mixture and make sure the choke is adjusted properly.
- Exchange any worn or damaged exterior mirrors.
- Install new windshield wiper blades.
- Confirm that all headlamps and taillights work and replace any bulbs that have burned out.
- Exchange the stock external voltage regulator with a solid-state one.
- If your master cylinder cover has a worn finish, exchange it with a new one
- Strip and repaint the metal power steering pump cap
- Those under hood decals have been waiting patiently for you to apply them ever since you completed your restoration
- Confirm that all engine ground straps are securely fastened and clean
- Double check that the battery cables and battery hold down are also securely fastened and clean.
- Lubricate all hinges like hood and door hinges. You can also lubricate the locks.
- Exchange door, hood and/or deck lid rubber bumpers if they are damaged or missing.
- Replace the insulation under the hood if it is missing or looks less than desirable.
- For the firewall and fender-mounted accessories, replace any incorrect hardware.
- If your fuel lines and filter setup are roughly assembled exchange it or make it right.
- Find and replace that aftermarket radiator cap with an original or correct reproduction.
- Window washer reservoirs often discolor or leak. Switch it out with a new or reproduction one.
- Make your aftermarket battery look like an original by adding a battery topper.
- Repaint the worn but original voltage regulator cover.
- Check and top-off all fluids if needed.
- Exchange all the vacuum hoses.
- Exchange the radiator and heater hoses and take the opportunity to install the correct clamps.
- Check to make sure the carburetor linkage is properly adjusted to ensure true wide-open-throttle.
- Replace any worn or dried-out belts.
- Remove body trim pieces and emblems that are easy to remove to clean behind them.
- Install a new steering wheel. Just remember to keep the original. You can do the same with the shifter knob.
Finally
It seems in owning a classic car I never run out of things to do so having a bit of down time in the winter gives me a great opportunity to do all the little things on my cars to keep up the appearance as well as those small maintenance items that could cause a bigger problem latter. I am sure we are only scratching the surface of all the possible easy car projects that any classic car hobbyist can do with a little extra time on their hands.
