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…{"id":4074,"date":"2013-09-19T14:37:58","date_gmt":"2013-09-19T21:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=4074"},"modified":"2014-02-07T09:50:09","modified_gmt":"2014-02-07T17:50:09","slug":"restoring-a-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/19\/restoring-a-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"Restoring a Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"

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. \u00a0Finding an old beater is often the easy part, just check our classifieds<\/a> or come out to our show on October 20th<\/a>… but then what?<\/p>\n

First off, figure out what you want from the project, and what it will take to get there. \u00a0Do you want it to be a perfectly restored show car? Maybe a daily driver? \u00a0Or maybe you just want to flip the car for a profit? \u00a0Determining your end game will help you budget. \u00a0It 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).<\/p>\n

Next, inspect the car from top to bottom to find out exactly what it needs. What works? \u00a0What doesn’t? \u00a0Does it run? \u00a0How’s the paint? Any rust? \u00a0What can be fixed, and what has<\/em> to be replaced? \u00a0You get the point. \u00a0Knowing what you’re up against in the beginning can save you some serious aggravation down the line. \u00a0(And trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities for aggravation as you go!)<\/p>\n

Now lay out the order in which you plan on attacking the beast. \u00a0A lot of builders start with the engine. \u00a0Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter how beautiful a car looks if it doesn’t run. \u00a0After you have the engine purring, move on to the other systems: brakes, belts and hoses, steering and suspension, cooling, exhaust, etc.<\/p>\n

Once the guts are on track, you can focus on the interior and all the shiny parts. \u00a0Depending on how well the interior has been maintained, you may need to totally replace everything, or it may just need some reconditioning. \u00a0You can save a buck by reupholstering the seats instead of buying brand new ones.<\/p>\n

Now the paint! \u00a0Make sure you use the proper undercoating to prevent future rust. \u00a0After that, the possibilities are endless. \u00a0If the car is just for you, go nuts. \u00a0Pick your favorite color and run with it. \u00a0On 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).<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0Of course, that’s assuming that all of the pieces are still there!<\/p>\n