Classic car restoration has become a popular hobby in recent times and it is easy to see why. It can be incredibly rewarding restoring and improving a beautiful classic car as well as a fun and interesting process to go through along with the obvious benefit of having a classic to drive upon completion. Classic car restoration can certainly be an expensive hobby, but there are ways to make it more affordable too. There are also some important dos and don’t of classic car restoration – read on to find out more.
DO Choose the Right Restoration Type
Perhaps most important is choosing the right type of restoration. If this is your first project, you should always start off with driver restoration where you simply make it operational and make cosmetic upgrades. This is followed by street show restoration, show car restoration and finally concourse restoration.
DON’T Skip Making a Budget
Another common mistake that people make when it comes to car restoration is not setting themselves a budget. You need to work out how much you can afford to spend right at the start otherwise the costs can very quickly spiral out of control. If you know roughly how much you can afford, you can then find a vehicle, restoration level, tools and equipment and materials to fit within this budget.
DO Read the Owner’s Manual
Once you have found the right car to restore, you should then spend time reading through the owner’s manual. Skipping this step would be like working on the car with your eyes closed, so you need to get to know the vehicle first and re-read this if you are ever confused about anything.
DON’T Underestimate Time Required
Another common mistake that people make when it comes to classic car restoration is underestimating the time required to complete the work. Even a basic restoration will require a lot of time and effort, so you need to make sure that this is something that you can fit into your life and around your responsibilities. Without this, it is likely that this becomes a project that never gets completed.
DO Take Out Classic Car Insurance
There is no feeling like completing a classic car restoration, but before you get behind the wheel, you need to make sure that you have classic car insurance in place. Classic car insurance will provide you with financial protection if you encounter any issues as well as peace of mind knowing that your investment is protected.
Hopefully, this post will help anyone considering classic car restoration and stop you from making a few of the more common mistakes that people make. This can be a fun, rewarding and interesting hobby to start, but it is also a big commitment to make.