For all of us who appreciate cars, but have never had the time, money or know-how to actually restore one, here’s a post about the effort that goes into fixing up a classic.  Finding an old beater is often the easy part, just check our classifieds or come out to our show on October 20th… but then what?

First off, figure out what you want from the project, and what it will take to get there.  Do you want it to be a perfectly restored show car? Maybe a daily driver?  Or maybe you just want to flip the car for a profit?  Determining your end game will help you budget.  It will also help you set the scope of the project so you can make decisions about the required parts (i.e. how “original” you really need to go).

Next, inspect the car from top to bottom to find out exactly what it needs. What works?  What doesn’t?  Does it run?  How’s the paint? Any rust?  What can be fixed, and what has to be replaced?  You get the point.  Knowing what you’re up against in the beginning can save you some serious aggravation down the line.  (And trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities for aggravation as you go!)

Now lay out the order in which you plan on attacking the beast.  A lot of builders start with the engine.  Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter how beautiful a car looks if it doesn’t run.  After you have the engine purring, move on to the other systems: brakes, belts and hoses, steering and suspension, cooling, exhaust, etc.

Once the guts are on track, you can focus on the interior and all the shiny parts.  Depending on how well the interior has been maintained, you may need to totally replace everything, or it may just need some reconditioning.  You can save a buck by reupholstering the seats instead of buying brand new ones.

Now the paint!  Make sure you use the proper undercoating to prevent future rust.  After that, the possibilities are endless.  If the car is just for you, go nuts.  Pick your favorite color and run with it.  On the other hand, if you’re working to restore a 1966 Mustang to showroom condition, I’d go with Springtime Yellow (or one of the other colors originally offered by the factory).

While we’re focused on the exterior, don’t forget about the mirrors, door handles, trim pieces, gas cap, headlights, taillights, bumpers… polish what you can and replace what you can’t.  Of course, that’s assuming that all of the pieces are still there!

Restoring classic cars can be a very time consuming and expensive hobby.  But, if you’ve got the time and ambition to see a restoration through to the end, you just might end up with your dream car!