Feel Confident Behind the Wheel: Maintain Your Own Car

Classic Car Body Restoration Checklist

17 July 2018

Craig Hicks

If you are a classic car lover, car body restoration is the first thing that comes to mind every time you think of your favorite classic. More often than not, restoration is a tiresome journey, and it could as well be expensive. To those who are successful in restoring classic vehicles, the result is satisfying, and they receive accolades from all corners. It is also a good venture as classic cars fetch a lot of money today depending on their make and year of manufacture. If you have given car body restoration a thought, the following is a preparation list that will guide you.

Consider the state of the car.

This is the first step before deciding to do a restoration. Some cars are in excellent condition while others are in a devastating state. While everything is possible, it might not be worthwhile restoring cars whose bodies are in a terrible state. It is critical that you are comfortable with the scope of repairs that the vehicle needs.

Inspect the vehicle.

Visually inspect the car interior, exterior and underneath. Notice any missing and damaged parts and make a list for replacement. You can engage a mechanic in this step if you do not have adequate knowledge about cars. Ensure that all parts in the list can be easily acquired. At this stage look out for rusted parts, and dents in the car body.

Prepare a budget.

This step will help you decide if you can manage to do the restoration or not. Inquire on the costs of the required body parts. If the restoration is to be done in a garage, inquire how much it will cost to undertake the repairs. An important factor will be if any storage costs are charged in the garage.

Decide on the scope of work to be done.

Car body restoration involves body repair, paint job, rims repair and spraying, and interior refurbishment. You can choose to do one component at a time or do the whole restoration if time and money allow you. If done at once, multiple teams might be working on the vehicle, and you will need a close inspection to ensure everything is done as you would want.

Restoration will require proper planning. Many people give up on projects since they did not plan regarding the availability of spares, time and budget. It is also essential to check the state of the vehicle before attempting any restoration.

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