Auto Restoration Tips and Tricks

If you are taking on a car restoration project, it can be helpful to know some auto restoration tips and tricks from professionals and seasoned automotive experts. At Vintage Rod Shop, we specialize in classic car restorations and parts supply and we are always happy to talk shop with our clients and give them any pointers that we can on how to streamline their car restoration process.

Tips for Restoring a Classic Car

Restoring a classic car can be frustrating at times, but it can also be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience if you are patient and ready to learn. Some helpful tips and tricks for car restorations that might help you to make the process easier include:

Make Yourself an Expert

Before beginning your restoration process, you should study up on everything that you possibly can related to the make and model of the car you plan to restore. Reading blogs, websites, manuals, books, and anything else you can find related to your car will help you to be as efficient as possible during the restoration process. Knowing the car’s history, factory specs, optional parts, and more will help you to make decisions as you work.

Keep All Hardware

It might be tempting to throw away hardware as you remove it, but this temptation should be resisted. Even if you have a wealth of hardware in your shop or garage, there are likely to be pieces that are factory made and will need to be special ordered and having the old pieces on hand will make it easier to track where the new pieces go.

Document Everything

Take pictures of everything as you work, and make sure that you write down the work that you do. This will come in extremely handy if you ever need to take a break from work as you wait for a part to arrive or if you cannot remember where a certain part came from. It can also help to document the different pieces of hardware as you remove each one.

Set Goals and Be Flexible

Make sure that you go into the project with goals lined up about how you plan to do the project and what the desired outcome might be. If you plan to sell the vehicle once it is restored, it is unlikely that you will recoup the full cost of what you spent restoring it, so make sure your goals are realistic. You are also bound to run into unforeseen circumstances, so make sure that you are flexible with deadlines and the amount of time you plan to spend working on the car.

If you are interested in learning more auto restoration tips and tricks, or to find out more about the car parts and services that we offer, please contact us at 604-538-8842.