Key Steps to Effectively Restore an Old Car on a Budget
Date Posted:7 December 2017
Many vintage stuff has been coming back and forth in our trends and there is no question why. These vintage items exude class and elegance, not to mention durability as it can remain in a good working condition for decades. That is why many car enthusiasts and owners opt to revive old cars and use them on the streets. But just like any other restoration procedures, restoring an old car is indeed a meticulous job.
First, you have to ask yourself why you'd want to restore an old car. Are you going to use it or sell it? Whichever the case may be, be sure that the numbers and details on the engine, body, frame and transmission match. Then you have to ask what kind of car are you hoping to come up with? If you want to restore its originality, you have to work on researching about its specific parts and mechanisms. But if you want to customise it, you better work on parts and gears that work well with the existing car parts.
Now that you have a background information on your restoration project, you must determine how you would execute it. Scout ideas from the internet, books and magazines, and from some of your car enthusiast friends, too. You can also ask an experienced mechanic to help you with the planning, then eventually decide whether they will do the work for you. Remember, you can always keep the cost lower if you are doing it by yourself. But for confidence's sake, better hire a mechanic for a meticulous restoration job.
When you start working, assess all the existing car parts. For those which are already worn out, better to replace them right away as these may cause damage to other parts or to the entire car eventually. As you do it, take note of every part that are being taken out from the car. It would be better if you'd organise them in a way that you'll know from which specific part it came from.
Lastly, consider having the repainting to be done by you. Generally, you'll have to pay $2,000 to $20,000 or more for a paint job from a shop compared to doing it yourself. Do an extensive research on which products you would need and the correct procedure for doing it.
