How to Restore a 1957 Lincoln Convertible

During the 1950s, car fins were the hottest thing since sliced bread, and in 1957 no one's fins flew higher than Lincoln's. If you long for the look and feel of the old days, this convertible Lincoln may suit you. Not many were made, so finding one in mint condition would be difficult and expensive. Here are a few tips to help you restore one.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Look in car magazines, Craigslist or eBay to find an affordable 1957 Lincoln Convertible to restore. Try to find one that has all of its chrome parts and a clean interior. Look for a car with a rust-free chassis to reduce the amount of work you will have to do.
2. Create a workspace for your car's restoration; you will need to make sure that you have plenty of space to move around the car and enough space to store parts as you remove them from your Lincoln.
3. Transport your 1957 Lincoln Convertible to your workshop and begin stripping it down. Catalog and label all of the parts as they come off of the vehicle. Make note of the parts that you will need to replace or fabricate.
4. Find replacement parts. There are many automotive catalogs that list 1957 Lincoln Convertible parts. Look on eBay or in car magazines to find parts at a good price. You may be able to get interior car kits to restore your 1957 Lincoln convertible, depending on the model.
5. Strip the paint from the body work by using sand paper, power sanders or chemical dipping. Be cautious when removing interior trim as this a difficult item to restore on old vehicles.
6. Reassemble all of the body panels and exterior of the 1957 Lincoln convertible. Apply a coat of primer. After the primer has cured apply your car's exterior paint.
7. Attach the convertible roof to your car by bolting the bottom of the extension frame to the top of the car's body.

Tips & Warnings

• A sheet or tarpaulin spread out on the ground is useful for keeping track of parts during restorations.
• You will need some automotive knowledge, but old cars are simpler to restore than modern ones and you will learn a lot.
• Dividing the project into subsections will make it seem more manageable.
• It can take 1,000 hours or more to restore a 1957 Lincoln convertible. Make sure you are up for the task.