Car Restoration: Do Your Homework

When admirers ask who restored your classic auto, imagine answering, “I did it myself.” Here’s what to consider before taking the plunge

There’s no doubt that owning and driving a beautifully-restored classic car is a very pleasant thing to do. Everyone notices you go by and whenever your “treasure” is parked it becomes the object of endless conversation.

While ownership of a classic car is nice enough, if you were the one who performed the car restoration the sense of personal achievement and satisfaction is downright intoxicating. The hundreds of hours of meticulous cleaning, rebuilding, painting and installation pay for themselves when the car comes to life and transports its owner to a parade, show or a pleasant drive.

The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with some of the important considerations that must be addressed in order for such a car restoration project to come out successfully. Many would-be car restorers have become disillusioned by the heavy costs in time, space, equipment and money. This is almost always due to improper research and planning (or none at all) up front, so here are some basic guidelines to consider before starting your car restoration project: