A GUIDE TO RESTORING CLASSIC CARS

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A GUIDE TO RESTORING CLASSIC CARS
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RESTORING A CLASSIC CAR

• For some people, restoring a classic car is
  the most economical way of being able to afford
  one. Buying a classic car in pristine working
  condition is often very expensive, but if you can
  afford the time then restoring a beat-up
  version to its former glory is a more viable,
  more affordable, option.For others, restoring
  a classic car is a rewarding hobby in itself,
  each project a labour of love. They may well sell
  the vehicle when finished, but there are easier
  (and quicker!) ways to make money, so its rarely
  just about the profit.Whatever your reason for
  restoring, there are a few things to
  consider when it comes to restoring a classic
  car

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CAUTION

• Restoring a classic car requires a serious
  commitment. You'll find yourself committed to the
  project both financially and regarding the vast
  amount of time required.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• The car. Obviously. Youre restoring it, not
  building it from scratch - though it might feel
  that way sometimes!Whatever condition its in
  when you acquire it, youll also
  needA place to keep the car safe, perhaps in a
  dismantled state, and certainly for an extended
  period ofTime. The average classic car
  restoration is estimated to take at least 1,000
  hours to finish. So youll also needPatience.
  You cant rush a restoration. The work takes a
  while, and you may need to track down
  parts.Youll need certain skills, too, or the
  willingness to learn them (see time and
  patience).Oh, and tools.And a budget, even if
  its just a rough idea.

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THE CAR

• Due to the costs involved, its well worth
  window-shopping before you commit to
  buying.Check out the adverts in local papers
  and in specialised car magazines. There are
  various restoration clubs and forums online too
  (useful for tracking down parts as well), plus
  auction sites like eBay.If you intend to
  purchase from an online source, ALWAYS view the
  car before buying.Some cars can be bought
  partially restored but they tend to be more
  costly. Its worth shopping around, as time spent
  looking carefully now is time saved in the long
  run, should you buy a car that needs too much
  work.You might want to check with salvage
  centres, too, before committing if parts are
  going to be hard to come by theyre likely to be
  more expensive, and your restoration project can
  take a lot longer while you track them down.

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BODYWORK

• Bodywork. You may need to hammer panels back into
  shape, or even rebuild certain parts. There may
  be rust, and almost certainly a need to repaint.
  When it comes to the cosmetics of a repaint, its
  probably worth using a professional you can
  always prime the car yourself to keep costs down.
  Typically, a restorer will remove the body panels
  and strip them of paint with chemicals or by
  sand-blasting. Rusty panels can also be
  sand-blasted, or replaced with new metal. Under
  the bonnet. The car has probably been left
  standing for a long while, so there are bound to
  be things under the bonnet that need attention.
  Parts that previously moved may have seized up
  due to corrosion. Fluids in the brake system and
  transmission will need replacing. You might be
  able to salvage some of the parts, but be
  prepared to buy replacements. Salvage centres can
  help you here, as can online sources.Electrics. 
  Batteries die, wires degrade (especially in damp
  conditions), and even animals can cause damage,
  chewing through cables or making homes inside a
  neglected vehicle. Interior. Mould can affect
  the upholstery. Often this is easily cleaned
  away, but it may indicate a more serious problem,
  such as a breach that allows moisture inside the
  car.

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A SUITABLE LOCATION

• Youll need more than simply a place in which to
  store the car youll need room to move around
  it as well so you can work effectively and
  safely.You may even need to dismantle the
  entire thing!Note If you do dismantle the car,
  remember to catalogue what goes where you dont
  want to finish and find you have a handful of
  spare parts! Take frequent photos for later
  reference.Some people find it easier to work on
  the car in a space away from home, but unless a
  friend has a garage theyre not using this can
  create additional costs, and what you gain in
  focus you may lose in convenience, meaning youre
  less likely to work on the car at all.

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TIME

• Youll need plenty. A common estimation is 1,000
  hours for an average restoration, so even if you
  can manage 20 hours a week (which is a
  considerable amount) youre still looking at the
  best part of a year to finish the project.You
  may not get to work on the vehicle frequently,
  but when you do you should ensure that youre
  focused, able to concentrate on the task at hand
  with few distractions. (This is why some people
  choose to work on the car away from home, though
  this may not always be practical.)Try to set
  yourself a time schedule to maintain momentum. If
  its a project of passion then this shouldnt be
  an issue, but if its simply a necessary chore
  then a restoration project can easily fall by the
  wayside if not made a priority.

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SKILLS

• Of course, doing the work yourself is kind of the
  point with a project like this, but if youre not
  a mechanic there may be some aspects of restoring
  a car that require skills you just dont
  have.It may be that you can pay someone else to
  do this work, but if you want to do it all
  yourself then perhaps look at enrolling on a
  course an especially good investment if you
  intend to restore more cars in the
  future.However, if restoring the car requires
  some particularly complicated work, it might be
  worth using a professional rather than trying it
  yourself only to then hire someone to fix your
  mistakes!

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TOOLS

• To restore your classic car youre going to need
  some tools.Some are obvious, and common enough.
  Screwdrivers, for example, pliers, spanners. You
  know, the basics.Then there are more
  specialised items, like sheet metal scissors and
  electrical tools like an air compressor. You may
  need a blowtorch, a welder, metal grinders, an
  engine crane it depends on the work
  required.Unless you intend to restore and
  restore again as a hobby, you can save yourself a
  lot of money by simply hiring the tools when you
  need them.Try to get your hands on a copy of
  the cars workshop manual, too. Itll be one of
  the handiest tools for the whole job!

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BUDGET

• Costs are difficult to estimate. It depends a
  great deal on the vehicle you choose to restore,
  and how much work it requires.The cost also
  varies depending on how many specialised tools
  youll need to buy or hire. If youre restoring
  your first car the initial outlay may be steep,
  but with each car you restore afterwards youll
  be better prepared.Make an inventory of all the
  parts youll need and the work youll need to pay
  for, tools youll need to hire, and base your
  estimate on that. Add 30 to the final figure to
  allow for surprises along the way. And remember,
  you wont need to pay all of this at once.If
  its a hobby, you can set the budget first and
  let that determine what you restore. If theres a
  particular car youve got your eye on, then your
  budget will need to accommodate this, and be
  prepared to see it evolve (i.e. grow!)

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CLEAN YOUR PLATE

• One way you could help fund your restoration
  project is to sell the cars registration.Some
  older registration marks are very desirable and
  can fetch a high (and helpful!) price.Once your
  car is at a stage where it can pass an MOT youll
  be free to transfer the registration from your
  vehicle. Simply register it with a company like
  Plates4less.co.uk and when its sold youll have
  more money to put towards your project.Of
  course, some people prefer the authenticity of
  having a vintage registration on their vintage
  vehicle. If yours doesnt have the right
  registration for its year, you can find
  appropriately aged registrations at
  Platess4less.co.uk too!

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• When it comes to the finished car, you have two
  options.You can restore it to its original
  glory, working to get every tiny detail just
  right. For purists, its all about historical
  accuracy, even ensuring the right brands are used
  for replacement parts! This may even help you
  sell the car in the future.Alternatively, you
  can customise the car to your own tastes and
  preferences as you restore it. Upgrading the
  stereo system is a popular choice, for example.
  Maybe you want to replicate an old favourite car
  from when you were young, or perhaps youre
  aiming to mimic a famous car from a film or
  television series (including the number
  plate!). The limits are really yours to decide.

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• Dont forget, there are forums online where you
  can discuss restoration projects, and a variety
  of restoration clubs as well, so you can always
  ask others for help or advice.

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• Whatever your reason for restoring a classic car,
  and whatever car you choose to renovate, we hope
  this guide has been helpful.Enjoy!

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• www.plates4less.co.uk