If you have a car that is more than 20 years old, you may have a classic on your hands. Is it older than 40 years old? Then you have an antique car. Cars built before 1931 are considered vintage. Regardless of what kind of vehicle you have on your hands, it’s important to understand what you need to restore it to its original condition.
Safety Equipment
Many old cars aren’t equipped with the same safety features that you’ll find in today’s models. If you want your vehicle to be safe to use on the road, you’ll first need to update its safety equipment. At a minimum, replace the seatbelts (or, if the car doesn’t have them at all, add them). If you aren’t worried about the car being a 100% authentic restoration, you can even add some technological safety features, such as heads-up displays and rearview cameras.
Better Brakes
Brakes in classic cars are nowhere near as safe and effective as brakes are in today’s models. If you make any type of upgrade to your classic at all, it should be the brakes. This keeps you and everyone else on the road safe. The drive will also be more enjoyable since it will reduce the amount of time you need to stop and save money on brake system maintenance. Chances are that your classic’s brakes have rust buildup on them, especially if the car is more than 30 years old. Affordable products like Wildwood brake kits can help you upgrade your system at an affordable price.
Fuel Injection Kits
Fuel injection kits like the Holley sniper EFI Master Kit will make your classic car more efficient because it will use its fuel in the most optimal way. This is because it uses Electronic Control Modules that receive data from engine sensors and then calculate the perfect amount of fuel for the type of driving that you’re doing. However, it’s important to understand that the installation of a fuel injection kit into a classic car can be complicated. If you’re new to restoring cars, then you may want to ask someone who has more experience to help you.
Body Work
One of the biggest tasks you’ll take on when restoring your classic car is repairing the body and its paint. Most classic cars have some rusting, faded paint, dents, or scratches that need to be taken care of. Take care of the problem head-on. If you can, take courses that let you handle the welding and metalwork yourself, that is if you want the experience of doing the job all on your own. There’s also no shame in hiring someone to do the “heavy lifting.” Once your car’s body is free of dents, scratches, and rust, you can choose paint colors and make your car look brand new.
Restoring a classic car is an excellent project that will leave you feeling accomplished and proud of yourself. From adding brakes and Holley Sniper fuel kits to creating a gorgeous body for your car, you won’t be able to wait until you can get your car on the road again.
Also Read: Involved in a DUI? See how much your Nevada car insurance will increase