Restoring a Classic Car
Ever see a beautiful old car traveling down the road? Chances are that vehicle has not always been shiny and new. Everything deteriorates over time, and sometimes we have to restore these relics of the past in bringing them to their former glory.
Choosing your Car
Most people who restore cars prefer one from the 1950's or 1960's because of their unique style. While foreign cars can be beautiful, often times they can be expensive and hard to find parts for. Lots of older American cars such as Chevrolet or Ford are available for sale, and are easy to find parts for.
The car you see in this photo is a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle before being restored by my Uncle Mike.
Stripping the Vehicle
Every single part of the car must be taken off. If you can reuse the part, it should be kept in a safe place and labeled for future use when reinstalling it. If the part is not reuseable, make sure you can get a new one and discard the old one.
In this photo is the old broken engine before being removed.
Removing all the parts of the car can be a difficult job. It is important to make sure you are as careful as possible. Some things may be difficult to repair or replace if they break!
Here is a photo of the car with the front end and engine removed.
Removing Rust, Grease and Dirt Deposits
After all parts are stripped off the car, it is time to carefully inspect everything and make sure nothing is damaged. After inspection, we can begin removing contaminants (such as rust, grease and dirt) on the metal that have accumulated from 45 years of abuse. Popular methods include using a sand blaster, grinder, or wire wheel.
Fixing the Old Rusted Metal
In some areas, the body of the car may be rusted out completely. Whenever this happens, the rusted area will be cut out and new metal will be welded in place.
Paint, Paint and More Paint
Once all the basic bodywork is done on the car, it is time to apply the paint. A base coat is first added to all metal surfaces, including the underside of the car for protection. Black is usually the color of choice.
Reinstalling the Parts
Remember all of those things we took out of the car? Well they need to go back in. All of the bad parts need to be replaced, and all of the good parts can typically be reused.
Here is the brand new engine getting retrofitted in place.
The Final Paint Job
The last process the car goes through is called finish painting.
First a layer of primer is sprayed on.
Next, whats called a base coat of paint is applied.
Lastly a clear coat is added to protect the paint and make it shiny.
In this photo we are wet sanding the final clear coat. This is what gives the paint a mirror shine.
The Finished Product
Here it is! After nearly three years of restoration, we have a brand new looking 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle, a testament to a time when American manufacturing was progressive and groundbreaking.
Restoring anything can take a lot of time and work, however taking pride in doing something yourself has its own intrinsic payoffs.
Sources
A big thank you to my Uncle Mike and Diane for sending me pictures for this assignment.
Grizzly, Peter. A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Restoring Classic Cars. http://www.squidoo.com/classiccarrestoration
How to Restore a Classic Car on a Budget. http://www.carsdirect.com/classic-cars/how-to-restore-a-classic-car-on-a-budget