Resto Advice: hints & tips
So however you are inspired to restore a your passion, it is always a labour of love, needing lots of time, persistence, skill and yes that's right, an awesome garage with the right bits for the task. For a the average car fanatic, restoring your dream back to life is an exciting experience, & 1 that could see you make some cash when you eventually sell the car.
Vintage & classics are fast turning into a rarity in Australia, with many being too much money for the average buyer. So therefore more classic car enthusiasts are now having to restore as a way of owning their dream car on a budget. But as with all hopes & dreams, there is work to be done before you stand back and admire what you've done (baring in mind average classic car resto's take at least 1,500 hours to get done.
In this page, we will give some help on what to ponder when beginning a a car resto project, and give practical advice to help you get you on your way. This help is mainly designed for those who have never done much with cars before, we need to guide you on the right path regardless of what your past experience or skills with fixing cars.
Rebuilding a vintage or classic : Steps from the beginning
As most of us know Restoring any classic or vintage is a bigger commitment than anything, and it’s easy to not understand factors like parts & tools costs needed to carry on with certain challenges. This is why it is crucially important to do your research before dishing out cash on a classic or vintage.
The cash & Time
If you're pressed for time on your hands, then the project sadly has to be destined for doooom and gloooom from the beginning, otherwise stall for enough time to take any the enthusiasm and excitement out of the whole build. Make certain you can focus properly & fully on the build, without it playing with your family or work.
And as for price, the typical classic car resto will set you back anywhere between $5,000 for a rusty wreck to $60,000 for a near complete car, that is all included in the price of purchasing the vehicle & the necessary tools and parts (and beer) needed. And yes, we only say this an estimate, and your build could be more or even not as much dependant on the vehicle you purchase and how much you need to do on the car.
It’s worth giving yourself a budget and finding a car which suits it (in terms of the upfront cost and how much you estimate you’ll have to spend on it) rather than falling in love with a car and budgeting around it. That said it should also be a car that you feel excited about, as you’re going to be investing a lot of energy into it.
Searching for the ideal Restoration
Now this gets us to the most difficult part of classic car restoration, and that's getting the best car to work with in the first place. Finding a vintage or classic that is easily rebuilt to an exceptional grade while spending as little as possible is a real juggling act, so hunt around and obtain advice from other people doing rebuilds or classic car resto forums, otherwise just contact us and we'll do it all for you.
One of the best websites to begin your search is sites like Gumtree or ebay, If you contact us we might know of some cars available through our networkse can prove a hotbed for bargain classic cars, but make sure you view the car before agreeing to buy. There are also sites out there dedicated to selling quality classic cars in need of renovation, including CarandClassic.co.uk, which features hundreds of old cars from every major manufacturer. In short, do plenty of research online ahead of any major buying decision.
When viewing a classic car, there are a few things to look for which tell you about its condition and how easy it’ll be to restore. As a rule, only buy a complete car that’s solid and free from major damage and rust. While it’s possible to replace parts and fix problems, the cost could spiral.
Tip: If you need to source replacement parts, forums like the one we mentioned earlier are a great place to search for the cheapest deals as recommended by fellow classic car enthusiasts.
Space, Tools and Equipment
Unless you plan to outsource your restoration project to a classic car specialist, the biggest outlay you’ll face is investing in the tools, equipment and materials needed to complete the renovation to a high standard — and that’s after you’ve found a space large enough to act as a workshop.
Here, we list the tools you’re likely to need over the course of the project. Knowing which tools to buy before you start will not only help you to keep a grip of the budget, it’ll save you buckets of time and energy:
