How To Restore A Car
by DAN FARRELL
Car restoration is one activity that will leave you with a high sense of accomplishment. It is an activity that requires dedication, time and money. Fords and Chevy's are the two models that are the easiest to start with as parts are more readily available.
Prior to any car restoration you will need to prepare your shop for the project. Collect the materials 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 take 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 at any time during the car restoration project.
Take inventory of the parts as you pull them off by dividing them into two individual boxes labeled replace and repair. Remember to take pictures of them as you do this so you know what the car looks like with them on and off. This process will also assist you in determining how much the cost will be and how long it will take you to finish the car restoration.
Once 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. This can be done through several methods although you will need to find one that you feel the most comfortable with. The easiest way by far is to have the car dipped in acid. This removes dust, rust, and other foreign materials.
You will be able to view the damage the car has been through once it is stripped. You could find rust holes, damaged floorboards, and dents. Do not despair! Even if the car didn't look too bad when you bought it you need to that this car has had a had a event-filled life. You only want to add to it right? So get busy and take that Sharpie to mark all the things that either require replacing or repairing.
Now it's time to fix all those dents, holes, and problem areas to get ready for sanding. You will use several grades of sandpaper throughout the sanding procedure starting with 36 to 80. Once you have finished this step you are ready to apply the glazing. Begin with 220 wet grit sandpaper and go on 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 finished! You are now ready to show off your beautiful car to the neighborhood with pride.
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