Classic cars are in a tier all their own. If you’ve just purchased one and are looking to have it restored, you likely know you’re at the beginning of a long journey that can be very rewarding. There’s something remarkable about seeing an older car come to life again as, piece by piece, its functionality is reborn, giving it a new chance to drive down the road in fantastic style.

Classic car restoration involves many steps and we won’t document absolutely all of them here. Our goal is to provide you with some general guidance to get started, or inspire you to leave the work to us! We have exceptional Brisbane car restoration services with over 50 years of combined experience that leaves no stone unturned.

Find a location
While your classic car is being restored, it’s going to be sitting in one spot for some time. Best practice stipulates that you should have at least two separate areas for restoration. One area will be used for parts related to mechanical and body. The other region will be used to store items related to upholstery and electrical. Remember, you need to have enough room in your location to store your tools and move around, as well.

Decide on a budget and plan
A wise man, (or maybe it was a woman!), once said that you won’t really get anywhere without a plan. Or rather, you might get someplace, but it won’t be where you had hoped to be!

Making a plan is an important preliminary step. Decide on how much money you have to invest in your car restoration. Start by determining a budget for the entire process, and then break this down into smaller budgets for each section of the car. Do you want to restore the entire vehicle or just one section? Are you interested in full-body or minor body repair? This will make a difference in your final costs.

It’s also important to decide on a time frame for completing your project. A time frame will provide you with goals to meet along the way, and guidance so you don’t veer off track.

Dive in
Car restorations typically start with stripping away the interior. Remove your dash and wiring, and take out the engine gearbox as well as the transmission. Take out all external panels and the car’s window glass. Remove the headlights and everything underneath. We’re going all in!

Work on the exterior
Next, turn your attention to stripping the car’s paint. Remove rust and dents. Paint stripper, sanding, and electric grinding all work. Decide on a new paint colour and apply.

Look at the engine
Decide if your engine is a keeper or if you should swap it out. Take it out and fire it up. Remove and replace auxiliary parts, and see what you think.

Reassemble everything
Finally, it’s time to piece it all back together. Taking the car apart has shown you what parts need replacing or repairing. With newly functioning parts and systems, and technical know-how on your part, your car should be drive-ready in no time. Put it together and take it out for a test drive!

At Image Auto Vault, we offer comprehensive Brisbane classic car restoration. Our experts have experience handling all types of restorations including complete engine rebuilds, internal bespoke custom features, and specialty repairs. We document your car’s restoration process from start to finish so you feel a part of the journey as much as we do. Visit our site throughout your rebuild to share in the excitement!

Contact us today to learn more and build your dream car with us.