How much will it cost to restore my car?
It all depends on what you want the final product to be. Are you looking to create a show car or daily driver that looks and runs nice? Does originality matter? What kind of shape is the car in now? All these things need to be taken into account. Every car is different and when dealing with older classic cars it complicates things even more because you don’t know what kind of work has been done previously, what parts can be reused and what will need to be replaced, how extensive the body work will need to be, etc. Simply put depending on the year, make, model and condition of your and whether its minor cosmetic work or a full on restoration all of these things will factor in to the overall cost of the restoration which is very difficult to put a price on. Our recommendation is to bring the car in and for a minimum charge we can assess the vehicle and from there give you an idea of what would need to be done and then be able to provide some kind of a rough estimate.
What will you do during the restoration process?
Step By Step Restoration
Stage 1
Trim removal with an eye towards reassembly, noting any holes or fixing points that need repair and making sure that the trim, lights, grille etc. that you are going to use putting the car back together fit properly. Also any replacement parts or re-plating or refinish work to original pieces you are planning to use has been completed and the fit checked. Any holes, cracks, imperfections noted and listed so they can be addressed. Also any modifications anticipated, electric fan, power brakes etc. should be factored in at this time also. Trunk, hood and door latches should be left on at this point.
Stage 2
Engine, trans and mechanical parts removal with similar eye on reassembly, extra time spent on stage 1 &2 pays dividends on the re-assembly and finished product. Everything should be removed so the car still rolls.
Stage 3
Make necessary brackets to mount car and to support the frame while on rotisserie, remove last of the suspension for refinishing.
Stage 4
Temporary fitment of all soft trim affecting panel gaps i.e. Trunk seal, door weather stripping etc should be applied now and trunk and hood release, door operation including latching checked at this point. After double checking all work needed and going over the car, doors, trunk and hood hinges marked for ease of reassembly and remaining latches, locks, handles removed at this time.
Stage 5
Removal of all body panels wings, shrouds, etc again noting any fittings that are broken, stripped captive nuts etc. With the new hardware on hand for comparison purposes. Panels sent for stripping, shrouds alum welded where necessary.
Stage 6
Frame checked and repaired where necessary and sent out for mediablasting.
Stage 7
Any repairs, welding found necessary after blasting, taken care of excess media removed and etch primer applied to frame and previously stripped panels.
Stage 8
Assembly of panels, doors, hood etc to car and bodywork attended. All blocking, sanding etc done on the assembled unit.
Stage 9
Removal of panels and final prep for paint. Applying paintable sealer to body seams as factory. Refinish all parts inside and out.
Stage 10
Final reassembly of panels to body, final polish fitment of refinished suspension parts with new bushes etc.
Stage 11
Removal from rotisserie – alternatively fitment of all under body pipes, wiring, prior to removal from rotisserie.
Stage 12
Final reassembly of complete car.
The most important thing to consider when doing a restoration is to make sure all the steps are followed properly and thoroughly as this will save you thousands in the end once the car is back together. We have seen countless restorations that were just completed then brought to us with a problem so now the customer is spending even more money and time due to something not being done properly the first time.
