Articles


Car Restoration

by Dan Farrell

Car restoration is one activity that will leave you with an extreme sense of accomplishment. It is a hobby that demands dedication, time and money. Fords and Chevy's are the two models that are the easiest to begin with as parts are more readily available.

Before any car restoration you will need to set up your shop for the task at hand. Gather the materials needed such as a camera, a few cardboard boxes, a sharpie and some tags for labels. It is important to keep track of the parts that are taken off now rather than later. When it is time to take the car apart you need to determine what needs to be replaced and what needs to be repaired. With this type of organization you will ensure you are not wasting parts at any time during the car restoration project.

Take inventory of the parts as you remove them by separating them into two separate cartons labeled replace and repair. Take pictures of them as you do this so you know what the car looks like with them on and off. This process will also assist you in estimating how much money you will need and how long it will take you to finish the car restoration.

Once you have your parts removed you can begin the cleaning process. The cleaning process of the car restoration entails the car be stripped down to bare metal. This can be done through several methods although you will need to find one that you feel the most comfortable with. The easiest way by far is to have the car dipped in acid. This removes dust, rust, and other foreign materials.

Now you will see the damage to the car once it's stripped. You may find rust holes, damaged floorboards, and dents. But do not despair! Even if the car didn't look very bad when you purchased it you must realize that this car has had a full eventful life. You want to extend it's life right? So get busy and take that Sharpie to mark all the things that either require replacing or repairing.

Now it's time to fix all those dents, holes, and other areas in order to get ready for sanding. You will use several grades of sandpaper during the sanding process beginning with 36 to 80. Once you have completed this step you are now ready to apply the glazing. Begin with 220 wet grit sandpaper and go on to 800 wet grit sandpaper. This will leave your car with a hazy mirror image and also offer a preventative measure against scratches.

Your car restoration is complete! You are now ready to show off your beautiful car to the neighborhood with well earned pride.

For All The Essential Information On Car Restoration go to: Car Restoration

Published March 30th, 2008

Filed in Hobby