Owning a classic car or any vintage vehicle is a great feeling, and there’s no better project to keep a car enthusiast busy than a restoration of one of these. 

However, restoring a classic car (to whichever degree), is a major commitment in terms of time, effort and finances. Even if you’re doing it for fun, it’s a project that should be well-planned and taken seriously, if you want to avoid wasting a boatload of money. If you have a vehicle that you’re looking to fix up, there are some crucial things you need to do. 

Plan Your Budget

First of all, you need to gather at least a rough idea of what this will cost, and how much you will be able to spend. 

Factor in major expenses like purchasing the car itself and then consider everything you’ll need to buy to make the magic happen. This will include parts and replacements, tools and equipment and even external labour. Remember that purchasing replacement parts and other items like batteries for vintage cars can be expensive and they might be difficult to find, so remember to factor these costs into your budget. 

Buy the Materials

Once you’ve figured out the financial side of things, there are some important items that you need to buy (unless you already own them). This will, first of all, include a basic toolkit – wrenches and other hand tools that you may already have in your garage. 

When it comes to design and aesthetics, you’ll need items such as rust converter paint, new paint and primers, and new upholstering materials. These items will be found in various places, but you might want to ask around for advice on where you can get the best materials and the best deals too. 

Purchase or Hire Equipment

Next, there are a few key pieces of equipment needed to restore a vehicle. These are more specialised items that could be expensive to purchase, especially if you’ll only be using them for this one project. However, if this is a hobby you might like to continue long-term, then investing in your own equipment could be worth it. 

If you don’t wish to buy these items, you should be able to rent them or even hire the labour by visiting a business that specialises in car restoration. Paint strippers and dent pullers are just a few examples of the many tools you’ll need to get through this project. 

Learn the Skills

Finally, before you start, it’s a good idea to make sure that you know what you’re doing, so you don’t make too many serious mistakes. Join a group of vintage car enthusiasts and find someone to help you out, or look for some videos and other resources online that might help you. 

Alternatively, you can get assistance for your project with businesses like Prestige Restoration in the UK. Companies like this exist to work on the project with you and complete tasks according to your specifications to ensure that it’s done right. 

You can even get the family involved, too!