Americans have always had a love affair with the automobile. No where is this more apparent than with those restoring an antique or classic car. A serious auto collector knows that when a classic automobile is being restored, they are restoring a piece of history. Considering the enormous time, effort and expense that may go into restoration of an antique car, in the end, the owner knows that restoration is a labor of love. Quality of work, accuracy of the restoration and authenticity of the parts used are all factors the owner will consider when undertaking the project. Work done in a precision manner using historically authentic parts is going to result higher valued vehicle.

Bringing a classic car back to its original condition can be a painstaking task. Entire sections of the vehicle will need to be disassembled, cleaned and inspected for their condition. If necessary, parts will need to be repaired, straightened, cleaned or in some cases, replaced.

Few owners can complete a project on their own and will need the assistance of a quality mechanic or classic car restoration shop. When choosing a shop to have restoration work performed, the owner should look for the same passion and attention to detail as the owner himself has. .

Some vehicles may require a “frame off” restoration, where the body of the vehicle is removed from the chassis, the engine is removed and the frame is cleaned, primed and repainted. In other cases, the vehicle may have previously had restoration work done and the remaining tasks are not as involved. That is why it is important to allow the shop to inspect the vehicle and discuss what should be done to bring the car back into top condition.

Budget is also a factor and this should be discussed with the shop. Finding original parts may not be possible in some cases and some restoration steps may not be economically feasible. An experienced restoration shop will be able to work with the owner to determine how much of a restoration is needed. It is imperative that the owner get a quote from the shop before work begins.

Finding a shop that specializes in restoration projects, and that has the same passion as the owner for quality work, is the first step when beginning the project. Bringing back a quality piece of machinery to its original glory creates a sense of joint satisfaction both the car owner and shop owner will appreciate.