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What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

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Recently updated on September 22, 2023 at 07:48 am

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

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 What you should know about classic car restoration! Many consider cars not only a practical means of transport, but also as Status symbol or real collector's item. However, the ravages of time, wear and tear from normal use and, not infrequently, the extreme weather conditions to which the vehicle is exposed, ensure that the car you have grown fond of is subject to continuous wear and tear. Therefore, disposal at the scrap yard is the last option for many. However, more and more owners are opting for the automobile, which is often also the case emotional memories hang, to restore. Especially when the vehicle has reached vintage status. This status often gives the vehicle a considerable appreciation, but also causes additional problems since they are vehicles that pre- at least three decades were licensed for use on the road, sometimes even a long time ago. This is a special challenge, because what is to be done when the classic car starts to rust or certain parts of the vehicle break completely? The solution lies in the car restoration, either with the help of a professional garage or on your own. We have put together important tips and information so that you can keep your favorite vehicle in the long term without losing sight of the costs or fighting against windmills. Info: a special method in the restoration is the restoration by means rotary lift. More information can be found in our article "Down to the last detail: This is a rotisserie restoration!".

Auto restoration of vintage cars

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?Who is only interested in very specific areas around the topic "Auto restoration of vintage carsiIf you are interested, you can use the following jump labels to navigate directly to the desired topic with just one click. And just as quickly you can return to this overview from the selected menu item with just one click. However, we recommend our readers to always read the entire article. Some menu items are only really comprehensible and understandable once the full info article has been read.

  1. Is my car a vintage car?
  2. What is a "rolling restoration"?
  3. How do I prepare for the restoration?
  4. What are the costs of a vehicle restoration?
  5. What types of classic car restoration are there?
  6. Car restoration in the home workshop
  7. Auto restoration in-house
  8. Time frame of a restoration
  9. Unsubscribe or not?
  10. Can I become an auto restorer?
  11. What costs are possible?
  12. Full or partial restoration appropriate?

Is my car a vintage car?

The love for one's own vehicle is individual, but at what point does a car actually count officially as a vintage car? In general, cars are referred to as vintage cars whose first registration at least 30 years ago. If they are still in their original condition or have been professionally restored, they can also be used H-plates (There are also red H-marks/07 numbers) receive. This license plate officially classifies the vehicle as a historic vehicle. "Back to overview

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

What is a "rolling restoration"?

Perhaps you have the term "rolling restoration“ have you ever heard of it in the context of classic car renovation, but don’t know exactly what it means? The explanation is actually quite simple, because the car continues to "roll" even during the restoration. In practice, this means that a vehicle, in principle can be continued, while gradually only individual parts are renewed. So it's not always in the workshop. "Back to overview

How do I prepare for the restoration?

Before you start with the (rolling) restoration, you must determine wo you want to refurbish the vehicle. You need a place where you can safely park the vehicle for a longer period of time and carry out all necessary care and repair work. Of course, your own garage is best suited for this. However, if this is not available or is unsuitable, a carport or a similar shelter can be considered as an alternative. It always depends on how extensive the whole thing is supposed to be. In addition to finding a suitable place for the restoration, you should also look at the quality of the tools pay attention and, if necessary, treat your existing equipment to an upgrade. "Back to overview

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

What are the costs of a vehicle restoration?

This question can be don't answer in general, as the costs vary depending on the condition, type and necessary work on the classic car. However, the necessary spare parts, materials, tools and any work performed by third parties must be calculated as cost factors. The total amount remains the same rarely below the five-digit range. "Back to overview

What types of classic car restoration are there?

The age and general condition of a vehicle have a very decisive influence on the restoration plan, whereby during the restoration there is always between Full and partial restoration is distinguished. The deciding factor is whether only certain parts of the vehicle have been affected and need to be replaced, or whether the entire vehicle needs a general overhaul. So there is in principle two types of repair of the vehicle that you can opt for.

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

  • In the case of partial restoration, also known as "rolling restoration", only individual parts are repaired or renewed and the vehicle can normally continue to be driven. This form of restoration is based on the concept of not doing all the work on the vehicle at the same time, but rather doing it gradually while the car continues to be used over the period of the refurbishment.
  • The other variant is this complete restoration, also as "Frame-off restoration" known. It is not only particularly complex, but also requires a great deal of specialist knowledge. At the same time, it is often used in the restoration of vintage cars whose general condition is not good or that need to be made roadworthy again. During the "frame-off restoration", the entire vehicle is dismantled or gutted. The aim is to repair or replace practically all important parts of the vehicle. That's what you lead usually rather on an old Bentley than on an Opel Kadett. "Back to overview

Car restoration in the home workshop

Especially if you have little experience and know-how in car restoration, a professional workshop is a good choice. But even if you like to "screw the screws" yourself in your free time, you should consider that workshops can usually obtain certain original parts of the vehicle more easily and quickly than private individuals. A circumstance that not only saves time but also nerves. Added to that Experience the experts, which is a great advantage when dealing with classic cars. If you decide to leave the restoration of your oldie to the professionals, you can arrange the following professional services, among others:

  • Preliminary discussion and advice on necessary measures and services.
  • Professional appraisal of the classic car to evaluate the overall condition. (Repair work or a complete restoration)
  • Have care, maintenance and repair measures carried out professionally.
  • Expert repair of sheet metal or other damage caused by accident or wear and tear.
  • If necessary, body work (for historic vehicles).
  • Repair and/or renewal of the engine, gearbox and vehicle axles.
  • Professionally executed painting work on the body.
  • Upholstery and upholstery work in the interior of the vehicle.
  • Working using Dry ice and sandblasting.
  •  "Back to overview

Auto restoration in-house

Despite the advantages, the idea is the car to restore yourself also an enticing one. Especially if you have the time and desire to restore your classic car as a new leisure activity. But so that your project really ends up as a hobby and not in total frustration, there should be at least a few important basic requirements, i.e. a certain General knowledge about motor vehicles - to be available. And that includes skilled craftsmanship and a degree of creativity as well as of course the friends trying to get their hands really dirty. If these basics exist, ideally in combination with a little creativity, you have numerous opportunities to acquire the necessary know-how.

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

There are numerous books, trade journals or even all about the topic of "car restoration". Workshopswho help to implement the project independently. Another important source of knowledge about classic car restoration is of course the Internet, where experiences and ideas are exchanged in forums, supplemented by video instructions and articles about the repair of historic vehicles. But even if you decide to restore your car yourself, you should not do without the opinion of a specialist in advance. Leave one professional assessment make whether a Full or partial renovation is appropriate and which work is actually necessary or only optional.

The following work is particularly common in the context of partial or partial restoration:

  • Touch up or repaint vehicle paintwork.
  • Replace hoses and cables.
  • Reupholster or upholster seat surfaces and seats.
  • Completely dismantle the vehicle.
  • Renewal of the brake systems and wheel bearings.
  • Complete bodywork overhaul.
  • Dent and seal bodywork.
  • Clean, replace or repair all important parts.
  • Clean, maintain, repair or replace gearbox and engine.
  • Decorate the interior of the vehicle.
  • Maintain or replace the steering wheel and fittings.

At a partial restoration complex work on the body is rarely planned, which makes the vehicle more usable and saves time and money for the moment. In the long term, however, a "rolling restoration" or partial renovation may have to be carried out again after a few years. Depending on the condition of the classic car, there is sometimes one complete restoration necessary. In this case, a specialist workshop is usually the better choice, because errors due to the complex work quickly lead to a depreciation in the value of the classic car. As well as that Non-use of original parts. And safety also plays a role when it comes to restoration, because after all, the classic car should not only look as true to the original as possible after the work, but also withstand the demands of modern road traffic. "Back to overview

time frame of a restoration

The question of the time required can be answered just as little in general as the question of the costs. However, there are certain criteria that make an assessment easier. A partial restoration does not take as much time as a complete restoration. In addition to the actual working time, the research time and delivery time for the suitable spare parts to be included. This can usually be done much faster by professionals. Putting the restoration in the hands of professionals will usually also provide you with a schedule and regular updates, making it easier for you to calculate how long it will take to achieve the end result. "Back to overview

Unsubscribe or not?

If you decide to completely restore a classic car yourself, there is another important question to answer: the vehicle for the period of the restoration unsubscribe or not? You do not use the vehicle during this period and deregistration is actually the obvious thing to do, but in practice this can be unexpected legal problems entail. Especially when you are planning the car on their private property to restore. Because the regulatory office can ask you to dispose of the car properly because environmental damage is feared. If you do not comply with this request and environmental damage actually occurs, for example through oil or coolant, you face severe penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment.

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

Because as soon as the actual purpose of the car no longer exists and there is no new purpose, according to the law there is a will to discard. With a vehicle, the purpose is to use it as a means of transport and this no longer exists due to deregistration, which means that the beloved classic car is officially as waste applies, which must be disposed of. This may sound surprising, but it is based on Section 3 of the Circular Economy Act (KrWG) and this states that waste must be correctly recycled and disposed of. Due to the fact that it is no longer used as a means of transport, the public order office can refer to this and ask you to have the car disposed of by a certified vehicle dismantler. However, you can counteract this unfortunate development by informing the responsible authorities when deregistering that you only want to restore the car and put it back into operation. In this case you can then also use a corresponding file application, which prevents nasty surprises. "Back to overview

Can I become an auto restorer?

Once all the hurdles have been cleared and you have successfully started restoring the car, you may find it so much fun that you want to turn your hobby into a career. There is no classic training for this, but as a basis you should at least learn the profession of automotive mechatronics technician. You can then continue your career through internships and jobs in specialized workshops car restoration occupy. There may also be further training in the area Old and youngtimer technology in question. "Back to overview

What costs are possible?

The costs of a car renovation are an important point, but can only be calculated individually. Condition, age and also the decision whether to restore it yourself or have it restored in a workshop are decisive cost factors. "Back to overview

Full or partial restoration appropriate?

In the case of a partial restoration, it may make sense to become active yourself, since this occurs again every few years and causes new costs that you reduce by acquiring the necessary know-how and taking action yourself. In general, as mentioned above, it is recommended Original parts to be used, as the character of the vehicle is preserved in the best possible way. But the OEM parts also have a higher cost than similar third-party parts. The costs of a complete renovation in a workshop can even exceed the value of the vehicle itself. If you go this route, be sure to discuss the cost factor advance, with the pros. This is particularly important as the cost factor is not uncommon underrated and the appeal of making a historic vehicle "fit" again outweighs it. The new owners are often not so concerned about the property itself, but rather about it about the repair process independently or by professionals.

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

Calculate the costs as realistically as possible before you buy a historic car in order to renovate it. Exchange and be sure to get yourself the advice of professionals one. If you then actually decide to make a purchase, don't be too hasty here either. Take the time to find the right classic car, because often so-called "Replikas“ Offered as a vintage car. However, this is about replicas and not originals. Check the history and vehicle number authenticity (Keyword: Matching Numbers), because dealers or salespeople who aim to deceive you often lend a hand here too to make the swindle more credible. To avoid such scams, ideally make your purchase with a professional on your side or from retailers with a good reputation. "Back to overview

We hope that you have received our information report on the topic / term Classic Car Restoration (Other designations/keywords are: restoration, restoration, restoration, classic restoration, car restoration, vehicle restoration, complete restoration, complete restoration, classic car restoration, classic car restoration, classic car/youngtimer restoration, classic car youngtimer restoration, interior restoration, interior restoration, vehicle restoration) from the Autotuning category. Our goal is to have the largest German-speaking tuning lexicon (Tuning Wikipedia) and to explain tuning technical terms from A to Z easily and understandably. We are therefore expanding this lexicon almost daily and you can see how far we have already come HERE see. And soon the next one will be Tuning scene concept illuminated by us. There's a theme that not can be found in our Wikipedia? Then send us an email at kontakt@tuningblog.eu and gives us the term. We will write a suitable article as soon as possible. PS. By the way, you will be informed about new topics if you have ours Feed subscriber.

What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

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What should be considered when restoring classic cars?

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About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

2 comments

  1. I also think that the "rolling repair" concept is the most effective and safest. Because if all parts are restored or replaced at once, the car may have problems with it. I always take my classic car to the workshop and talk to the mechanics a lot.

  2. Good to know that if you leave the restoration to the professionals, you'll get a schedule and regular updates. I own an old VW that I also want to restore. The best thing I can do is make an appointment with a professional auto repair shop.

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