Car restoration is one activity that will leave you with an extreme sense of accomplishment. It is a hobby that requires persistence, dedication and money…to say nothing about time. Fords and Chevy’s are the two models that are the easiest to start with as there are always parts available as the need arises.
Before any car restoration you will need to prepare your shop for the project. Collect the supplies 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 sooner rather than later. When it is time to start taking the car apart you need to know what needs to be replaced and what needs to be repaired. With this type of organization you will make sure you are not wasting parts during the car restoration project.
Take inventory of the parts as you remove them by separating them into two separate boxes labeled replace and repair. Take pictures of them as you do this so you know what the car will look like, before and after. This process will also assist you in figuring how much money you will need and how long it will take you to complete the project.
After you have your parts removed you can start the cleaning process. The cleaning process of the car restoration requires the car be stripped down to bare metal. There are several ways to do this but you need to find the one you are most comfortable with. The easiest method 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 bad when you purchased it you must realize that this car has had a full life life. You want to extend it’s life right? So get busy and take that Sharpie to mark all the things that either need replacing or repairing.
Now it’s time to patch up all those dents, holes, and other areas in order to get set for sanding. You will use several grades of sandpaper during the sanding process beginning with 36 to 80. Once you have finished this step you are ready to apply the glazing. Begin with 220 wet grit sandpaper and proceed to 800 wet grit sandpaper. This will leave your car with a hazy mirror image and also give a preventative measure against scratches.
Your car restoration is complete! You are now ready to show off your beautiful car to the neighborhood with pride.
For All The Essential Information On Classic Car Restoration, go to: car restoration classes
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