In this guide, we’ll offer advice on what to consider when starting a classic car restoration project, and provide practical mechanical advice to help you get started. The guide is designed for people who’ve never restored an old car, to point you in the right direction no matter what your previous experience or skills. Classic Car Restoration: Laying the Groundwork

The best headlight restoration kits - Car Magazine Products The best headlight restoration kits - Car Magazine Products

But, while it’s true absolute originality will fetch a higher price when it comes to selling the car on, we think it’s better to go with your gut and inject personal touches as you go. The car should be modified to please you, not the next buyer, so don’t be afraid to choose the colours and design choices you like over those pre-assigned by the car’s original appearance. Mechanical Considerations Once you have finished sanding, wipe clean and dry the headlights. Apply the polish, either by hand or with the drill pad provided in a circular motion to ensure even and full coverage. Do I have the skills and expertise to complete the work to a high standard? Welding and metalwork are just two of the skills you’ll need to restore a car. Invest in training courses or outsource jobs to achieve a great finish. If you’re serious about mastering the art of classic car restoration, why not invest in a welding and metalwork course? Lending you the skills to sculpt brand new body panels for your car out of sheet metal, a metalworking course is a worthwhile investment if you want the satisfaction of completing the whole project yourself. Our Plastic Restorer lasts a long time! You will be amazed how it lasts through even the toughest car washes and the worst rain or snow! A little really goes a long way with this one and you will be amazed at how it can make your whole car look new in a matter of minutes!

Mechanical Considerations

Sanding. All the kits above come with a range of sanding pads with varying degrees of abrasiveness. Follow the instructions in your kit and work your way through the sanding pads, starting with the most abrasive through to the least. Both the sandpaper and headlights should be wet during the sanding process to keep the plastic cool and prevents grit build-up as you sand. Take your time and be fussy. What is my budget, and have I accounted for the complete cost?? If the answer’s no, it’s time to dig out the calculator and do some sums.

Car Restoring Spray - as seen on Instagram Neat Freakz Car Restoring Spray - as seen on Instagram

Related: Best waterless car wash products | The best car cleaning kits for comprehensive car care How to use headlight restoration kits Tape around the edges of the headlights. This is very important because the tape will protect surrounding paintwork from sanding pads that accidentally stray from the headlight. A debate that has long raged in the world of classic cars is whether to restore a car to its original condition or add your own flair and personality to the mix. Equally, some kits are intended for use with a power drill and some by hand. The difference between the two is that the former comes with a drill attachment for the sanding and buffing pads. Buying online can be a daunting task, so we want you to realize that there are zero risksin buying something and trying it out.

Such kits vary in terms of what you get. The most comprehensive headlight restoration kit will have a number of sanding pads, a polish, a sealant and perhaps a buffing cloth, too. Some more basic kits will provide just the sanding discs, polish and pads. STREAK-FREE FORMULA - Unlike other products, this restorer won't leave streaky residue after a rain shower or car wash

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Even if an old car looks OK on the outside, you can almost guarantee there’ll be something than needs attention beneath the bonnet. When left to stand for a long period, moving parts seize due to corrosion and decay. Fluids such as transmission and brake fluid need to be changed at least every two years, or else the systems are liable to fail. If your old car has been left to rot in a shed for years, you might find you have to repair or replace most of its moving parts. This brings us to one of the hardest parts of classic car renovation — finding the right car to work on in the first place. Choosing a car that can be restored to a high standard while keeping costs down is a balancing act, so shop around and get advice from fellow enthusiasts on classic car renovation forums like OldClassicCar.co.uk. One wipe to new! Put a few drops on the included applicator, and wipe the trim or plastic. After just one wipe you will see the difference! Super easy to apply and will make your trim shine like new! Do I have space to work and store the car in? If not, consider other options like hiring a workspace or borrowing a family member’s garage. If there’s one problem most old cars share, it’s damaged paint and bodywork. Even if they’ve been well looked after, classic cars have a tendency to develop faded paintwork as well as damage in the form of rust spots or dinks.Restoring a car is a big commitment, and it’s easy to underestimate things like material costs and the price of tools needed to carry out certain jobs. That’s why it’s important to do your homework before splashing out on an old car. If you don’t have enough time on your hands, your project will be destined to fail from the off, or else stall long enough to sap the enjoyment out of the whole experience. Make sure you can concentrate fully on the project, without it interfering with your family or work life. 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. 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.

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To give you the best chance of performing a successful classic car restoration, here are some questions to ask yourself before diving into a new project. To save on costs we’d recommend hiring these tools when they’re needed. Some of the tools require specialist skill and knowledge, so be prepared to get help with certain jobs or else invest in a training course to carry out the work yourself. Apart from the 2-in-1 Turtle Wax product, the kits above follow the same procedures for restoring degraded headlights. Once you have everything you need, you will need to: Clean the headlights when washing the rest of your car to remove abrasive grit and acidic matter, such as bird poo. 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.

If you spot signs of mould in your car’s interior, don’t write the car off just yet. Surface mould is actually easy to remove from the interior of a car using a regular cabin cleaning product like Simoniz Upholstery and Carpet Cleaner; simply apply the product to the mould and scrub away with a cloth. Be aware, though, that the presence of mould could indicate that the cabin isn’t watertight, and this will need to be plugged to stop mould spreading again in the future. Is Restoring an Old Car a Viable Option? Sealant is a must too. In the same way that you apply a paint sealant or wax to polished paintwork to protect it, a sealant must be applied to headlights after using the polish. There may be a kit you quite like but does not possess a sealant but don't be concerned about this because you can buy appropriate sealants (recommended below) separately. What is my timeframe, and how much time will I need to devote to the project each week? Make sure the project doesn’t conflict with your other commitments. Remember, a complete and thorough restoration could take a year or more. Assuming you’ve acquired a humble old ‘fixer-upper’ and have the space, tools, time and money to restore it from boot to bonnet, it’s time to think about what work is required to reinstate its original charm and showroom shine.