Owning and driving a classic car is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But, over time, vehicles can become worn and used, losing that shine they had from the day they rolled off the assembly line. For real classic car enthusiasts, this is when it’s time for full classic car restoration. Here’s a quick run-through of what you can expect from your classic car restoration!
Rebuilding an Engine
One of the most difficult yet most important parts of any restoration is the engine rebuild. This can be frustrating and messy, but in the end, it’s well worth it! An engine rebuild includes completely disassembling the engine and then rebuilding it from scratch with factory or replica parts where necessary. Ideally, you want to get the new engine as close to the old one as possible without compromising on performance.
Restoring the Brakes
Brakes on classic cars can be quite bad, so they will certainly need to be restored. It’s up to you whether you’d like to install disc brakes if you currently have a drum brake system. Many people do this for safety and handling reasons. Unlike engine restorations, braking systems are not a component you want to mess around with. It’s often best to change out the old braking system for a new one that performs much better and is more reliable.
Body and Paintwork
How the car looks is a massive factor for classic car owners, so you need to get the restoration of the body and paintwork spot-on. You’ll want to remove any excess rust, weld any damaged parts, and then paint your car using a car spray paint gun. If you don’t know how to do this yourself, it’s best to take the vehicle to a body repair shop that specializes in classic cars.
Electrics
A vehicle’s electrical system can also get damaged over time, and this is something else you may want to change. If you want to restore your vehicle to be exactly like the good old days, you may only need to replace the wiring and any other electrical components. However, you may want to add modern electrics, such as a modern sound system, electric windows, air-con, heated seats, and even some screens for the dashboard. How far you want to go with this is completely up to you, but make sure you read up on whether the new additions are compatible with your vehicle before you do!
Restoring a classic car is a complex job, but also one of the most satisfying. Before you start a project, make sure you give some thought to the different vehicle components that need to be addressed and have a good plan for how you’re going to execute the restoration. With your plan in hand, you can start buying parts and collecting the specialized tools you’ll need for the job. If you’d like some advice on how to approach the project or need specialist help, give us a call here at JD’s Auto Repair. Our trained vehicle specialists would love to help you with your project and would be more than happy to give you some advice!
