by Craig Thornburrow
Auto restoration is a big undertaking, but if done right can save you money and give you more customization. Below is a general overview of the points needed to do the work and your particular job may differ in some ways. Most importantly you should focus on doing these procedures safely while using the proper protective gear for yourself as well as others.
There are seven steps to a basic auto restoration.
Inspection and Evaluation
1) First wash the vehicle to allow for a clear look of all surfaces.
2) Make a list of parts needed that can be seen at this time.
3) Make a list of labor that that can be seen at this time.
4) Make list of tools and materials needed, such as a compressor, air regulator, air hose and hardware, hand tools, and other metal working tools as needed. Sandpaper and fillers will be necessary as well.
Disassembly
1) Expand on part list as you disassemble vehicle.
2) Organize lose parts.
3) Take detailed photos/video of complicated areas before disassembly.
4) Find safe storage for delicate parts
5) Do not dispose of any parts unnecessarily until the vehicle is finished. This is very important.
Clean, Strip and Protect Metal Parts
1) Before stripping be sure to have tools and materials in place for coating, such as: A good rust converter for rust that will not be removed, and a good primer to help protect the metal while body work is being done.
2) Power sand, sand blast, plastic media blast or chemically strip: Rotary sander should be variable speed used below 1000 RPM.
Do the Metal Repairs and Filler Work
1) Get decent tools like a die grinder, stud welder, MIG welder and hand tools.
2) If the job is large, concentrate on one or two areas at a time.
3) This is the time for filler tools and materials. Use decent filler and sandpaper; it isn't worth purchasing cheap products. A dry guide coat is recommended for leveling the fillers.
Finish the Body Work and Start Priming
1) Polyester Putty is usually the final filler.
2) Direct to metal primer then 2K (filler) primer is applied.
3) Undercoating is usually done prior to doing the finish painting. Good "direct-to-metal" paints can protect the underside from deterioration.
The Painting Process
This is one of the most important processes of auto restoration and takes a lot of preparation and time. If you are planning on restoring your car, definitely look into this process further, as well as the other processes.
Compounding
After waiting for the paint to harden somewhat you can sand with ultra fine sandpaper (usually between 600 and 2500 grit) to remove orange peel, dust nibs, runs and other surface imperfections. If paint is fully cured, compounding and polishing takes longer, but is less likely to be damaged.
As mentioned earlier, if you are truly planning to restore your automobile, hopefully this gives you a rough outline of what you need to do, but you should certainly look into it further to give you a full idea of a complete auto restoration.
Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on auto restoration and an auto restoration part at http://www.autorestorationtip.com.
Auto restoration is a big undertaking, but if done right can save you money and give you more customization. Below is a general overview of the points needed to do the work and your particular job may differ in some ways. Most importantly you should focus on doing these procedures safely while using the proper protective gear for yourself as well as others.
There are seven steps to a basic auto restoration.
Inspection and Evaluation
1) First wash the vehicle to allow for a clear look of all surfaces.
2) Make a list of parts needed that can be seen at this time.
3) Make a list of labor that that can be seen at this time.
4) Make list of tools and materials needed, such as a compressor, air regulator, air hose and hardware, hand tools, and other metal working tools as needed. Sandpaper and fillers will be necessary as well.
Disassembly
1) Expand on part list as you disassemble vehicle.
2) Organize lose parts.
3) Take detailed photos/video of complicated areas before disassembly.
4) Find safe storage for delicate parts
5) Do not dispose of any parts unnecessarily until the vehicle is finished. This is very important.
Clean, Strip and Protect Metal Parts
1) Before stripping be sure to have tools and materials in place for coating, such as: A good rust converter for rust that will not be removed, and a good primer to help protect the metal while body work is being done.
2) Power sand, sand blast, plastic media blast or chemically strip: Rotary sander should be variable speed used below 1000 RPM.
Do the Metal Repairs and Filler Work
1) Get decent tools like a die grinder, stud welder, MIG welder and hand tools.
2) If the job is large, concentrate on one or two areas at a time.
3) This is the time for filler tools and materials. Use decent filler and sandpaper; it isn't worth purchasing cheap products. A dry guide coat is recommended for leveling the fillers.
Finish the Body Work and Start Priming
1) Polyester Putty is usually the final filler.
2) Direct to metal primer then 2K (filler) primer is applied.
3) Undercoating is usually done prior to doing the finish painting. Good "direct-to-metal" paints can protect the underside from deterioration.
The Painting Process
This is one of the most important processes of auto restoration and takes a lot of preparation and time. If you are planning on restoring your car, definitely look into this process further, as well as the other processes.
Compounding
After waiting for the paint to harden somewhat you can sand with ultra fine sandpaper (usually between 600 and 2500 grit) to remove orange peel, dust nibs, runs and other surface imperfections. If paint is fully cured, compounding and polishing takes longer, but is less likely to be damaged.
As mentioned earlier, if you are truly planning to restore your automobile, hopefully this gives you a rough outline of what you need to do, but you should certainly look into it further to give you a full idea of a complete auto restoration.
Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on auto restoration and an auto restoration part at http://www.autorestorationtip.com.
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