Restoring an old car to its former glory, can be a real labour of love. Whether you’re mechanically minded or just dreaming of life on the open road, here’s some tips to make it fun & avoid pitfalls along the way.
Plan your restoration
What’s your ambition – a quick tidy up & service, or a full nut & bolt restoration? Take time to work out costs, prepare a budget & think about the timescales involved. Ensure you’ve the right tools, equipment & sufficient practical space available. When stripping a vehicle, you’ll need extra space for the items being removed – another car sized space is preferable. Research the parts required for finishing, which may require special orders or even no longer be available.
If you’re a first time vehicle restorer, it’s worth considering taking a class or short course to learn or enhance your skills. A specialist job may require experts, so investigate the availability of locally skilled trade professionals – some can be booked up years in advance.
Properly starting out
How do you actually begin the restoration? Firstly, strip the vehicle of all items to be restored or replaced. To make the rebuild easier, take photos & videos of each item as it’s being removed & where it’s located. Carefully box up every bolt, screw & clip which can easily be mixed, lost or discarded. Label your boxes in categories – most items removed first will eventually be refitted last. Recycle or dispose of all fluids & parts being replaced, safely & correctly.
No going back now
Having striped the exterior, interior & exposed the engine, you can proceed with bodywork panel repairs. The replacement parts you’ve previously sourced, should prevent delaying completion of one area, before starting another. Obtaining a shiny new part can be exciting, even though its not needed immediately. Consider self storage to keep items temporarily, until you’re ready to fit them. Renting a fully ventilated unit keeps precious items completely safe & dry, prevents moisture & condensation to cause damage by mould & rust. It’s usually this stage when everything looks a complete mess, with parts, dust & other bits scattered around. Taking time to be careful in these moments, ends up producing the best result.
Well on the way
Here’s the point to be cautious & honestly evaluate your progress so far. It’s easy to realise you’ve taken on too much & need help! Before paying out for locally skilled experts, be friendly & seek for advice from communities of experienced amateurs & hobbyists, on internet forums.
When most repairs are complete, it’s time to start fitting replacement parts – the end is in sight 🙂 Don’t be fooled though, as this stage often takes longer than expected. All those categorised boxes, carefully recorded photos & videos, should now save copious head scratching time! Starting to fit from the bottom up is often the best approach. Tackle jobs including suspension components, brakes, the exhaust system & fuel tank, before moving onto cleaner areas such as the interior.
Finishing touches
It’s popular to add personal touches or lavish accessories, to individually refine a finished result.
More importantly though, does it all actually work? Restorations are prone to teething problems, so thoroughly check for little niggles – then it’s finally time to test drive. Be safe & sensible by driving short distances, before dreaming up long distance road trips! Many restorers book a professional specialist for a check and MOT – even if the vehicle is over 40 years old & it isn’t legally required.
Time to enjoy
All the hard work has been worthwhile, as you begin to revel in driving the vehicle over longer journeys. A great way to enjoy a classic is on a road trip. However, a driving tour provides extra special adventure, whilst you think about keeping it, selling it or starting another!
