


In today’s modern world, it’s also worth exploring the online element as an alternative (or supplement) to traditional club membership. Few organisations offer such an endless source of encouragement many will take as much pleasure from seeing one of ‘their’ cars returned to its full glory as you will. A club may well have its own stocks of spares which as a member you’ll get access too – or at least knowledge of where to go to find them. This experience can save you a lot of time and money, as many members will know the car and its weaknesses inside and out. The club will be full of friendly people who are completely passionate, and a fair few of them will have been through a restoration or five themselves.

When embarking on your first restoration, there’s no reason not to join the club for your car. Remember: learning how to do a job properly means that you’ll be in with a chance of being able to do it right, first time. Many colleges around the country run relevant night classes or even full time courses.

You may well be able to pick these skills up from friends, family, fellow club members, or even tutorials on YouTube (these aren’t to be sniffed at) – but don’t discount learning from professionals. Aside from good old spannering – and depending on how much of the restoration you’re prepared to take on – you’ll need to develop skills in bodywork and welding, paint, electrics, and even basic upholstery. Restoring a classic involves many processes, some of which you may already be well versed in, while others might be totally new. To make sure it’s more of the latter, here are our top tips for first time restorers. It may well be a world of blood, sweat and tears, but done right the world of classic car restoration can be one of immense satisfaction and fun. Understand the basics, know where to go for help and advice, and be ready to hand some jobs over to the professionals when you reach the limit of your abilities anything is possible if this basic formula can be adhered to. Some may reach this point because their beloved classic has either been bought as a runner or has grown too tired to keep on the road, while others see buying a basket case as a way to work gradually towards their dream car.įear not, however: regardless of starting point, with a bit of planning even the most complex of cars can be restored. Here are our tips to cut out some of the disappointment and heartacheĭeciding to take on a classic car restoration is a major milestone in the career of an enthusiast. Your first classic car restoration project can be daunting.
