Sunday, March 25, 2018

Refurbish Vintage Car: You Will Need Street Rod Chassis Kits

By Betty Roberts


With even experts in the field putting at least a thousand hours into every project, amateurs can be expected to put forth around 45 minutes a day over a 2 year period. Refurbish vintage car to its former glory isn t quite the disassembly and reassembly job, starting from street rod chassis kits, that even experienced mechanics expect it to be. But forewarned is forearmed, so what are some of the considerations to be kept in mind?

Which is why so many restoration jobs never reach completion. They re either stopped midway, or even at the very outset, once those involved become aware of the true burden it places on one s time and resources. Even with an enormous mound of cash set aside specifically for the task, it s impossible to predict the cost of finding all the vintage parts needed for the vehicle to become even a shadow of what it once was.

And after the small fortune put into getting the job done, consider yourself lucky if you see returns on even a quarter of that amount once you put the car back on the market. Unless the vehicle had previously had a celebrity owner, or is considered otherwise highly desirable by collectors, the odds of actually turning a profit in the business of vintage car restoration are slim to none.

Only once the prospect of financial gain has taken a backseat can one begin the actual preparations for the task at hand. Because of the ongoing nature of the project, having the option of working from home becomes invaluable. That keeps the process fluid. So, determining which parts and components are best serviced at your house s workshop, as opposed to the garage, would go a long way towards streamlining the project as a whole.

For now, start on the trimmings. That would include components like the bumpers, side trims, panel trims, and any lettering. Care should be taken in verifying how the trims are held in place, whether with screws or clips, and that they re pried off in one piece. Having to replace antique trim can be an expensive endeavor, one best not undertaken unnecessarily.

So, all trim should be heaped together and tagged so as to specify its exact location on the vehicle. Some sections look alike but don t serve the same function making them easy to confuse with similar looking parts. All the more reason for being meticulous when detailing them. Taking apart the window trimmings, and hopefully without ripping the rubber, requires much patience. And after having already spent a day removing the other trimmings, the tedious nature of the work might start becoming apparent at this point.

Before any more invasive repairs can be done, and due to its breakability, its best to remove all glass from the vehicle first. The windshield and rear windows are the best places to start. Since the exterior trim s been removed, only the windshield and rear windows interior trims remain. After that, they can be easily pushed out from inside with their rubber molding still intact.

The process detailed so far should give you a rough idea on how to get started with your planned refurbishment. The rear window is removed similar to the windshield. After that there s the side windows, vent windows, vehicle interior trimmings, the dash, and the drivetrain which would require some specialized tools especially for lifting out the engine, and so forth. Hopefully by now you realize your vintage car refurbishment won t get done overnight, so while its good to focus on the end result, for the time being, learn to enjoy the ride and it ll be a smoother and more enjoyable one for years to come.




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