How to Restore Old Muscle Cars
Restoring an old muscle car is a classic American pastime for many car enthusiasts. This can also be a time-consuming hobby, as well as a big financial investment. Acquiring the vehicle does not necessarily mean that replacement parts are readily available, and these can sometimes cost more than expected. The reward, however, is nothing short of incredible; keeping the restored muscle car adds to personal wealth, and restored muscle cars also sell quite well. Ideally, a basic understanding of vehicle repair and auto-body work will be helpful.
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Things You'll Need
- Tools
- Car jack
- Engine hoist
- Container for catching old fluids
- Safety glasses
- Budget
- Paper and pencil
Instructions
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Purchase an old muscle car to restore. To find an old muscle car for sale, consult local newspapers, car dealerships and auctions. If the desire to fix up an old car is greater than available funds, consider going halves on a vehicle with a close friend or relative and working on the restoration together, while splitting the costs.
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Determine the car's needs by making a list of the specific areas that must be restored. In many cases, this is going to be a long list. If you're lacking a solid understanding of vehicle and engine repair, have the vehicle assessed by a mechanic and an auto-body specialist; both will provide a detailed, itemized report.
Main areas to focus on initially are the engine, tires, interior, windows and outer body. Depending on the age of the vehicle, and how often it was used, all of the fluids will likely need replacing, and in many cases an entirely new engine will be a necessity. If the outer body of the vehicle is in good condition, save for appearances, this can often be fixed with a good fresh paint job.
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Assess the budget available for restoring the vehicle and compare the budget to the overall financial needs based on the list of repairs or replacement parts. Divide the list up so that one or two needs are affordably taken care of at a time, leading to a full restoration in a step-by-step fashion. These one or two need at a time do not necessarily have to be related or in a specific order; for example, the windows and mirrors could be replaced one month, then the tires the next, then a new paint job, eventually a new engine and so forth.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider junkyards and websites when searching for replacement parts; often, you can find just what you need at a significantly more reasonable price with only a little additional effort.
When replacing large automotive parts, such as an engine, use a proper engine hoist that is capable of lifting and safely supporting the engine's weight, and always have a buddy present in case of emergency or injury.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit classic image by Joshua Peterson from Fotolia.com
