How to Pick a Classic Automobile to Restore

Author: Ted Strickland

How to Pick a Classic Automobile to Restore
You finally have some extra time on your hands, and some excess income laying around even. So you decide to rebuild the vintage vehicle you've always dreamed of. Here are some steps to look at before starting on your restoration plan.


Picking an Auto Genre
The very first step is deciding an automotive genre that really drives you. Do you think you're hot for the classic autos, the muscle cars and trucks of the 1960's and 1970's? Or perhaps are you really a vintage car sort of man (or woman)?
This may possibly appear to be a rhetorical issue but with all the hard work ahead, you should decide on a vehicle from a period that can bring back some recollections, one which will really get you enthused. You can easily start a car restoration project yet it is much more difficult to finish. Decide on a style that will motivate you to finish the work.

Proclaiming your loyalty
For some auto fanatics, the make or model is unimportant. For some individuals they are manufacturer faithful to the end. If you happen to be a Toyota fanatic, Chevy crazy, or maybe keen about Chrysler, you ought to stick to your beloved brand, at least for your initial venture. Picking out a Model Now that you have decided on a style, narrow your search to a specific model or range of models. You may love the look of the classic fifty seven Chevy. In order to make your research easier you might include the 1955 and 1956 models also. You may even want to consider a Ford out of the very same time period.
Another thing to consider, whenever choosing a classic to make, will be the resale cost. Unless of course you are more motivated by the memories for this auto compared to the monetary possibilities.

Locate a Carcass
Getting a classic car or truck which is salvageable may be the most difficult portion of the journey. You'll find a carcass at a junk yard, but this really is rare nowadays. Try looking in online boards, ads in the classifieds, or even better visit some neighborhood car or truck shows and just ask around. In the event that you do eventually come across a vehicle you like, pay attention to the availability of replacement parts before you finalize your purchase.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/classics-articles/how-to-pick-a-classic-automobile-to-restore-4569984.html
About the Author

Ted is a writer and detective. When not working he likes to work on his latest project car.

Car Restoration: Muscle Car Restoration Are You Ready To Go Down That Road

Are you thinking about restoring a car, it's a long road to nowhere if you don't plan what you want your car to be first. I don't want to scare anybody from restoring their car, but it's a long process, if it's not done right car restoration can be agony on your, and the shop.

You need to know if your going to customize the car, or if it's going to be a factory stock restoration. I've seen a lot of people restore their cars to factory specs, only to discover that it's not what they wanted.


A factory stock restoration is just that, you get new old car, that has the old brakes, and old style engine, and all of the rest of the old stuff. This means that the car doesn't stop like the cars of today do, nor is it emission compliant.

You need to consider all of these things before you decide to do a factory stock muscle car restoration. If you upgrade braking systems to the newest, and best systems that you can get, your car will stop a lot better.

With one of the new create engines, you can get all of the power that you need, and still comply with the emission laws in your state. The other advantage is the fact that all create engines come with a factory warranty, this is a great thing for the customer of the shop.

You should always keep the parts that you take off the car in case you want to return it to factory stock condition. The car is worth more money if it's returned to factory stock condition, but most people don't plan to sell their restored cars, and we all love our toys.

If your a collector who's in the business to retain a profit on your classic cars, it is always better to keep the car as factory stock as possible. Car restoration is fun, it doesn't matter what you plan to do with the car when it's done, the key factor of classic cars is to have fun with them.

In this way it doesn't matter if your a collector, a hot rodder, or just a person who loves the classic cars; all that matters is that you get what you want when the car is done. It doesn't matter if you want a daily driver, or a full on show car, all that matters is that it;s your car done your way.

Car RestorationAbout the Author

By: David C. Atkin

My area of interest is classic cars, and muscle cars, but in the past a few years I have become increasingly concerned about our country. I have been in the automotive industry in one form, or another for about 30 years, and I started on the internet to help the automotive industry with a place that they could afford to advertise their businesses. Automotive Advertising
Car Restoration

(ArticlesBase SC #2463269)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Car Restoration: Muscle Car Restoration Are You Ready To Go Down That Road

How To Prep Your Antique Car For Restoration

It is no doubt a fact that to rebuild and restore any type of classic car engine will involve a great bit of your time. Even though, admittedly, it may provide you  with great personal satisfaction. For that reason alone it's important that you do as much preparation work as possible before tacking the "easy" part of disassembling it. Keep in mind that specific engine removal procedures are not the same for all cars and if in doubt don't hesitate to pick up the service manual for your specific make and model.


If you look at the engines from classic cars of many hears ago, one thing stands out. And that is that they have many fewer components than even the simplest of today's engines. Even so, this doesn't diminish the importance of taking great care when disassembling a class auto engine. Before beginning, video tape or take pictures of the engine and all components connected to it from every angle. And document anything about the engine that is unusual.

Keep in mind that when you start the restoration project, you never know exactly how well the restoration project will develop. Inevitably, there will always be surprises. You may have the engine in pieces for day, weeks, or even months. It's very easy to forget where certain components of the car came from. And there's nothing more frustrating than having one or more parts left over when the re-assembling is complete.

It is important that you do not throw away any of the original parts that you have removed - until the refurbishing is finished. This is true even if you have a replacement part for it. Save them all in a box until the engine has been reassembled and is running. Label parts as you remove them to avoid confusing similar looking components. You can use tags to label them or if the part is not an internal engine component, you can inscribe them with identifying marks.

Personal safety is key. So, before you start,  ensure that you have decent protection for your eyes. In addition, you'll probably find that wearing a pair of mechanics gloves will help to save your knuckles. Also, make sure that the engine is cold. Also, in some cases you may have to remove the car hood in order to get enough clearance to remove the larger parts of the engine.

As you take apart the car engine, be careful not to harm any of the engine components that you are working with. A tip for doing this is to start by taking out all accessories from the engine block and head starting with the exhaust and intake manifolds. Now you can begin to disassemble the engine block. The important thing during this stage is to not force anything unless absolutely necessary. Using brute force on any part of an engine will do more harm than good. If studs have rusted try using a rust penetrating lubricant before attempting more drastic measures.

Sometimes the penetrating lubricant that you use will not work. If not, try a stud remover as a second choice. But tap the head GENTLY. And do not try to force them. It can't be stressed enough that you should be as gentle with the stud as humanly possible. As a last resort, if the stud still cannot be removed, you may have to find someone familiar with arc welding techniques which can be used to remove studs.

Keep track of all of your parts. One way of doing this is, as part of your tagging, number all of the piston tops, connecting rods, rod bearing caps, and other components that come in multiples. Tag other components such as the valve lifters, push rods, and valves as to their position.

Prep is important in getting your tasks done on time. And, if you properly do the auto disassembly prep work before beginning your engine restoration, you have just made your restoration job immensely easier.
About the Author

By: Carl Phillips

Carl is a classic car enthusiast who writes articles on restoration issues of interest like car paint colors and classic car pricing. Please visit his site for additional articles.

(ArticlesBase SC #3643456)

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Ford Mustang – The First Generation Models for your Restoration Project

1964 was the banner year that Ford Motors unveiled a new breed of car at the World's Fair in New York.  With the belief that a small sports car would be the next hot ticket, Ford made strides to make it one of their automobiles.  Understanding that true success would come with volume sales, a two-seat design was dropped and Ford introduced the 1965 Mustang based on the Falcon with numerous options to give buyers the opportunity to customize their purchase.  At the base price of $2,320, the Mustang racked up over 22,000 in sales its first day, 417,000 in the first year and surpassed the one million mark in March of 1966.  The attention was now on the pony car, and is the only class of muscle car that still exists today.  The Ford Mustang is the only original pony car to remain in uninterrupted production.


1964½-1965

The first Mustang model, the early 65 or 64½, available as a coupe or convertible, featured a base 170 cubic inch six-cylinder engine with a three-speed floor shift transmission.  Optionally a 260 cubic inch V-8 engine in addition to a four-speed manual transmission or three-speed automatic Cruise-O-Matic transmission was available.  1965 was also the debut of the Shelby GT350 Street, a high-performance Fastback 2x2 Mustang, featuring a modified K-code 289cid V8 engine with 306 hp.  Engine replacements were made and are often referred to as late 1965 models, switching out the 170 cubic inch with a 200 cubic inch version with increased horsepower.  The 260 cubic inch was replaced with a 289 cubic inch with 200 hp, with an optional four-barrel solid-lifter which produced 225 hp, or the "Hi-Po" which generated 271 hp.

Indentifying an Early 1965 Mustang

An Early 1965 Mustang, or 1964½ to enthusiasts, was built between March 9th and July 31st 1964.  Identifying features are a factory-equipped generator starting system and a generator charge light (later 65 models used 'Alt' light), a 170 ci V6 (U-code), a 260 V8 (F-code), or a 289 V8 (D-code) engine, large horns mounted on the frame behind the radiator, a brake light pressure switch on the master cylinder, a two-speed heater with center 'off' switch, and the front hood features angled edges that are not folded which were modified in the later 1965 models to a rolled front edge.  Another difference is that the passenger seat in the early 1965 models was in a fixed position.

1966-1968

Slight moderate changes to the 1966 Mustang were to the grille and wheel covers, along with a new instrument cluster and revised side scoops featuring chrome trim and three wind-splits. 1966 was also the year that the millionth Mustang was sold.  Changes to the 1967 Mustang were major going for a more muscular and aggressive look and feel.  Changes include a full Fastback roofline, longer nose, triple tail lamps, a wider chassis and bigger grille.  The release of the Shelby GT500 with a 428 cubic inch V-8 with 355 hp was also in 1967.  1967 was also the last year the Ford block letting appeared across the front edge of first generation Mustangs (The lettering was re-added in 1974).  1968 saw the release of the 302 cubic inch V-8 engine to replace the older "Hi-Po", with a mid-year release of the 427 cubic inch engine, along with the 428 Cobra Jet engine aimed at racing enthusiasts. Front and back side markers and shoulder belts were also added to the 1968 model in accordance with Federal regulations, and this was the first year that the rear view mirror attached to the windshield instead of the frame.

1969

Body style changes in 1969 included a longer body for a more aggressive muscle car appearance. The title Fastback was dropped and Sportsroof was adopted.  A new 302 cubic inch engine with more than 220 hp was released, and a 351 cubic inch Windsor generating 250 hp with a two-barrel carburetor or 290 hp with a four-barrel.  Special-Edition Mustangs available in 1969 were the Boss 302, 429, Shelby GT350, GT500 and the Mach 1, all with performance engines.

1970-1973

Changes to the 1970 Mustang were minimal with only the addition of a ram air Shaker hood scoop.  The 1971 model was a foot longer than earlier Mustangs making this the biggest Mustang and heaviest by 600 pounds.  The Mach 1 was the only special edition Mustang to make the cut and remain in the line-up.  1972 saw no changes to the body style, and the Sprint model, featuring red, white, and blue exterior paint and tape styling was released.  In 1973, the fuel shortage and newly introduced emissions standards brought an end to the muscle car era; designers moved away from the Falcon platform and discontinued the convertible.
This is seen as the end of the first generation of Mustangs.

About the Author

By: James R.M. Brent

James grew up coveting classic Mustangs with the idea to one day own one from each year. While that never quite worked out, James was able to assemble an online Mustang Parts site to make sure that those who are restoring their Mustangs can find their parts and accessories. You can visit his site at restoremustangs.com
A lifelong Mustang enthusiast penned this article; I recommend restoremustangs.com for Mustang parts.

(ArticlesBase SC #3629496)

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Restoring Classic Cars

When it comes to cars, you cannot get any better than restoring classic cars. Even car enthusiasts that did not grow up in that era know these cars just as well as the cars we see on the road today. Sadly, we see less and less of the classic cars on the road today due to age, weather, and neglect.


Because of this, restoring classic cars is a very popular, although expensive, hobby in the United States. There are a slew of companies that offer replacement parts when restoring classic cars for the popular ones such as the Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette. If you are on a budget, you may also get lucky at your local junk yard or Pick-and-pull to find the parts you need. Due to the scarcity of some parts, or the desire to have an original piece of factory equipment, you can find many forums or clubs dedicated to restoring classic cars with members that are willing to either trade, sell, or give away parts they do not need. If you are the proud owner of a classic car that is in need of some love, restoring classic car can be easier and more affordable than you think.

There are a slew of companies that offer hiring for many of the popular classic cars such as the Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette.

Due to the cost of having a classic car for a few days or even hours, you can find many forums or clubs dedicated to classic car hire with members that are willing to share the best deals.

If you are the proud owner of a classic car that is in need of some use, hiring your classic car can be a good way to face the cost of restoring classic car.


About the Author

By: Shirley Warren

Shirley Warren is associated with Internet Marketing of Hero Events which is specialized in organizing Classic Car Events (trials and tours).

(ArticlesBase SC #3509287)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Restoring Your Classic Car

Classic Cars Restoration: Ford Cortina 1600e

At the moment it feels like we are performing a classic car restoration of a Ford Cortina MK2 1600e. The car is in fantastic condition for a 41 year old but it is going to better than when it came out of the factory all those years ago, At the moment we have the car on a spit so that we can clean the underside of the car which was well protected by a very thick coating of waxoil .


There have been a few patches that need dealing with but nothing major we have put on a new sill which was quite simple to do but has improved the look of the car. But before we can prepare the underside for paint we need to clean the inside of the cars floor , but once it has been done it should look really good because the body work is faultless .

We have realized that its not going to be a quick classic car restoration but it has become a labour of love in our spare time. It beats sitting at home watching that square thing in the corner of the room. Driving the Ford Cortina MK2 on the road again after all the hard work is going to be the most amazing experience. After all, they dont make cars like they used to and the ones that get all the admiring looks are the classics not the new family cars of today. If you want to see how we are getting on with the classic car restoration of the Ford Cortina MK2 then you can have a look at our website www.cortinamk2.com

Restoring a Car - Easy Ways to Get Started

Walk down the street in any suburban neighborhood and you are bound to eventually come across a home that has one or more cars that are being restored parked in the driveway. In fact, restoring cars is a very popular trend in American, as many enthusiasts strive to recreate the zooming, and often muscle cars, of America's auto pastime.
However, for those who are just getting started on this fabulous journey-that can net you a really sleek-looking restored car-there are few great starter tips that can greatly aid you along the way.
Shop for car restoring parts online and at junkyards. These days, you don't even need to step foot outside of your home in order to get your hands on the car parts that you will require for restoring a classic car. There are countless online car parts websites that offer great deals and vast selection on the hardest to find of classic car parts. You can even find online junkyard inventories, for those especially difficult to locate parts.
Know what you're getting into beforehand. A good rule of thumb to follow is to really know what you are looking at, as far as overall costs of restoring a car, before you leap off the diving board and into the money pool. There is a great way to easily accomplish this, too. Let's imagine that you were considering buying a classic car that needed to be restored, but you had no idea what was required in order to bring it up to par. One way to find out fast is by hiring the services of a mobile mechanic, who could meet you at the location of the vehicle and offer you an honest and reliable assessment of the parts needed, as well as what type of costs you will have to pay to restore the car, for a nominal fee.

About the Author

By: Lynn West

Mr. Leroy Daniels owns and operates the new website, CarsAndExercising.com. It serves as an "online Go-To Corner of the Internet to find informative and fun information about Cars And Exercising."

(ArticlesBase SC #3274078)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Restoring a Car - Easy Ways to Get Started