Classic Car Restoration: 3 Things to Check Before Work is Carried Out

While modern cars offer the best in comfort and convenience, there is something special about older classic models. Unfortunately, buying a classic car which is in perfect condition is often outside of the price range of the typical person. However, this doesn't mean that you can never fulfil your dream of driving a classic car. A much more affordable way of getting your hands on one is to buy one which is in bad condition and then have restoration work carried out on it. If you decide to go down this route, it is essential that you keep the following things in mind.

Check that the bodywork can be repaired

Often, classic cars which need restoration have been involved in some form of accident or have suffered damage to the paintwork or body. Before you buy a car, it is worth commissioning an inspection report from a bodywork mechanic. The mechanic will assess the frame of the vehicle to make sure it is sound. If the frame is twisted, it may be impossible to restore the car to a drivable state. However, if the damage only consists of minor dents and faded paintwork, the restoration can go ahead as these can be easily repaired.

Check that the vehicle will be legal to drive

Depending on the age and model of the car, even in its restored state, it may not be legal to drive in on a public road. This is because legal safety standards have changed over the years and are now much stricter than they once were. This means that your classic car may not have seat belts fitted or its braking or signalling system may not comply with current regulations. A professional auto restoration garage will be able to assess your car before advising you as to whether it will be legal to drive once restored. If you want to drive the car on public roads, you may have to ask the auto restoration mechanic to add additional parts in the car to make it legal to drive on public roads.

Check if reproduction or original parts will be used

Finally, it is worth checking if the auto restoration shop will use reproduction or original parts. While reproduction parts are cheaper than originals, they can devalue your classic car if you want to sell it at a later date. However, in some cases, it may be impossible to source original parts so replacements will need to be used.

If you would like to find out more, you should contact an auto body and paint shop today.

Share