Car restoration: features, nuances and price

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Restoration of vintage cars involves a very complex and lengthy process, which is carried out according to special requirements and using expensive tools. As a result of these works, the machine looks like it just came off the assembly line. Due to its complexity, car restoration can only be done professionally.

It is hardly possible to ensure such a quality of work performed with your own hands.

Types of work

Today, two types of work are known that are often used for retro cars:

1. True restoration.
2. Simplified.

What each of these types of work implies, we will consider in the following sections.

True restoration

It is also called "real", and means returning the car to its true appearance with the removal of all later overlays. Howevertrue restoration is not used very often due to its high cost. Judge for yourself, because sometimes it is not possible to find original spare parts for a car that was discontinued more than 50 years ago, even for huge money. Therefore, such services are ordered from special masters.

But even with the required amount of money, it is not always possible to ensure the speed of these works. In order to manufacture an original spare part, you must first find out the exact year of manufacture of the vehicle and its initial configuration. Thus, the true restoration of cars includes a whole range of works, which consists not only in painting the body, but also in finding and replacing original spare parts.

Simplified restoration

But the car can acquire its original appearance with minor changes. Partially, such units as the engine and gearbox can be assembled from parts of other cars. The simplified restoration is very popular with middle-class collectors. And since they make up the majority, this type of work is much more popular than the one described above. But there are also disadvantages. The main disadvantage of a simplified restoration is that after all the necessary restoration work has been carried out, the car will not be called a retro car. Often experienced collectors use the terms "hot rod" or "custom" for such specimens. And all because the simplified restoration of cars is less demanding on the originalspare parts and details. Accordingly, it is more popular among collectors.

Restoration of old cars - the main stages

Most often, at the initial stage, the basis of the machine, the frame, is being finalized. If the latter does not have serious damage, then you can immediately proceed to the restoration of the body. At the same time, all attachments are completely removed from the machine. The body is carefully inspected for deformation and corrosion. If they are found, all cracks and damage are eliminated with the help of professional welding and putty. In some cases, the condition of the body metal is so bad that it is necessary to look for donors - cars of the same brand. Next comes the painting process. The machine is fully prepared, then primed and painted on its surface in several layers.

It is worth noting that it is very difficult to find even similar spare parts for retro cars in Russia. If in the countries of Western Europe entire divisions have long been created for this, then we often have to manufacture "original" parts from a familiar turner, miller or locksmith.

How is car restoration proceeding next? After the painting procedure, the places of welds and joints undergo an additional anti-corrosion treatment procedure. This will keep the original look of the machine for several years.

But car restoration doesn't end there. With such details as engines, transmission and running system proceed as we described earlier - either for these elementsare similar to the "donors", or they are made to order. Restoring a car interior is also a difficult process. Here, too, every little thing is sorted and made to order. Do-it-yourself car restoration in this case is possible, perhaps, only for the most patient collector.

What do we end up with?

As a result of these works, we get a real retro exhibit, which can be proudly shown at world exhibitions. But until recently, this vehicle could be compared with a rusty trough. Thus, during the restoration, the car is subjected not only to tuning, but also to major repairs.

Very often, collectors do not withstand such tests, because in addition to huge financial contributions, you will need a lot of patience (because the work sometimes drags on for 6-10 months). In this regard, many simply go the distance, and those who have stood the test of time end up with unique cars, the number of which, perhaps, is less than 10 copies.

How much does it cost?

As we noted earlier, this procedure is sometimes inaccessible even to we althy car owners. Very often, in order to restore the car in all respects, you have to lay out from 50 to 100 thousand dollars. Moreover, the rarer the brand of the car, the more expensive it will cost. If this is a Mercedes, the number of which is no more than 50 copies in the world, naturally, the pricework can be valued in the millions of dollars. Well, if this is some old VAZ, spare parts for which can be found to this day in any city, you will be charged no more than 1-1.5 thousand dollars. At the same time, the car really looks like from the assembly line.