Restoration for a beginner...
Discussion
Basically im 17, and soon will be moving into a house with a double garage, I've always liked classics, one of them being the original mini and the other being the classic beetle,which is easier for a beginner to restore? I would love to restore one but do not know much about car restoration and mechanics, so I was wondering how much would i expect to spend on all the tools, the car itself, and everything put together, can I learn from step to step guides and books? I have a lot of time and effort to spend on this project, as well as money which i will eventually build up for it
any replies appreciated
any replies appreciated
davepoth said:
Whichever one doesn't have rust. 
Seriously though, both cars are quite simple, and won't trouble anyone who can turn a spanner and read a book. Bodywork on the other hand takes a bit of skill to make it look good.
Thanks, skills I can learn from reading and watching videos or?Seriously though, both cars are quite simple, and won't trouble anyone who can turn a spanner and read a book. Bodywork on the other hand takes a bit of skill to make it look good.
TheCarFather said:
davepoth said:
Whichever one doesn't have rust.
Seriously though, both cars are quite simple, and won't trouble anyone who can turn a spanner and read a book. Bodywork on the other hand takes a bit of skill to make it look good.
Thanks, skills I can learn from reading and watching videos or?Seriously though, both cars are quite simple, and won't trouble anyone who can turn a spanner and read a book. Bodywork on the other hand takes a bit of skill to make it look good.
I did exactly what you're planning to do. I chose a Mini.
I think your priority should be finding a car with bodywork as sound as possible in your budget. Mechanical components are much easier to change than scuttle panels and door skins. I'd probably recommend leaving the decision down to whichever car you find with the best bodywork first.
I think your priority should be finding a car with bodywork as sound as possible in your budget. Mechanical components are much easier to change than scuttle panels and door skins. I'd probably recommend leaving the decision down to whichever car you find with the best bodywork first.
Fixing mechanical stuff on older cars is easy and cheap and a great way to learn
Body and paint prep is very hard to get right and expensive - old Mini's and Beetles are very easy to work on mechanically but will almost certainly have rust issues too - you might be better looking for a newer "old" car which is more likely to have a better shell.
My advice would be to buy a simple older car with a solid bodyshell for a few hundred quid and learn the mechanical stuff as you go - as for tools many older cars require little more than a standard socket & spanners set, screwdrivers a multimeter - and hammer. You can buy it all as you go along
Good luck
Body and paint prep is very hard to get right and expensive - old Mini's and Beetles are very easy to work on mechanically but will almost certainly have rust issues too - you might be better looking for a newer "old" car which is more likely to have a better shell.
My advice would be to buy a simple older car with a solid bodyshell for a few hundred quid and learn the mechanical stuff as you go - as for tools many older cars require little more than a standard socket & spanners set, screwdrivers a multimeter - and hammer. You can buy it all as you go along
Good luck
Edited by caprirob on Monday 4th March 07:07
As has been said, mechanical is generally easier than bodywork, but one of the things you'll learn along the way is trouble-shooting, i.e. which bit is really knackered vs. just a bit rusty.
I've got an old (1984) BMW E30 323i which is my daily driver, but it's also a bit of a rolling renovation project - the interweb is chock full of useful stuff and resources and has saved me a lot of time chasing down blind alleys to find out what the actual fault is, rather than what I thought it *might* be. Invariably someone has been there, done that, and got the grazed knuckles to show for it !! Point being, with Minis and Beetles, there's more than enough info to get you going in the right direction and also to avoid wasting money on stuff which doesn't need fixing.
One other thing to maybe look into is whether your local college, etc., does courses (maybe evening classes) for skills that might be useful in car restoration, e.g. welding. However, that's said with the proviso that sometimes it's better to let professionals do a job properly rather than you risking a safety issue by not doing something quite right.
Also, try to get friendly with a local mechanic or machine shop so you can get them to do odd little jobs such as removing / fitting new bearings, etc., that require specialist tools like presses.
TheCarFather said:
Basically im 17, and soon will be moving into a house with a double garage, I've always liked classics, one of them being the original mini and the other being the classic beetle,which is easier for a beginner to restore? I would love to restore one but do not know much about car restoration and mechanics, so I was wondering how much would i expect to spend on all the tools, the car itself, and everything put together, can I learn from step to step guides and books? I have a lot of time and effort to spend on this project, as well as money which i will eventually build up for it
any replies appreciated
Go on a course, there is only so much you can learn from reading and the 'net, when things go wrong these often won't tell you why. Try local colleges, they often do car resto' courses and on evenings too.any replies appreciated
You'll need £££thousands in equipment, but it can be built up slowly as and when you get to a particular stage.
This: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php
Is a good place to start and I agree with cutting your teeth on something which doesn't matter so much if you mess it up for your first attempts.
Having watched a mate try and subsequently give up restoring a mini from a rotten starting point, I think my advice would be to consider budgeting for a new body shell from day one (I think my friend said these were £1500 ish but that was a while ago).
If you're handy with welding and/or body prep or want to learn that side of things, then ignore the above. If you're like me though, bodywork is a black art and not one that I ever think I'd master. I'm more into the bolting bits on and off side of things and frankly with a mini, or probably a beetle for that matter, if the shell is sorted you aren't far off having a big mechano set.
Tools wise, there will be a large element of buy stuff as you need it however there are going to be some essentials as well to get . A decent socket and spanner set is the obvious one, Halfords do some great offers on their pro range. Screwdrivers. A multimeter is handy for when you get onto the electrics.
Axle stands, and make sure they're good ones. Probably a trolley jack too but there are a few options here so it depends how you intend to lift the car.
Don't forget about your own safety. Working under a car requires eye protection. Don't (like many of us) learn the hard way. Gloves, a fire extinguisher etc..
If you're handy with welding and/or body prep or want to learn that side of things, then ignore the above. If you're like me though, bodywork is a black art and not one that I ever think I'd master. I'm more into the bolting bits on and off side of things and frankly with a mini, or probably a beetle for that matter, if the shell is sorted you aren't far off having a big mechano set.
Tools wise, there will be a large element of buy stuff as you need it however there are going to be some essentials as well to get . A decent socket and spanner set is the obvious one, Halfords do some great offers on their pro range. Screwdrivers. A multimeter is handy for when you get onto the electrics.
Axle stands, and make sure they're good ones. Probably a trolley jack too but there are a few options here so it depends how you intend to lift the car.
Don't forget about your own safety. Working under a car requires eye protection. Don't (like many of us) learn the hard way. Gloves, a fire extinguisher etc..
Edited by Gad-Westy on Monday 4th March 09:06
Buy a Series 2 or 3 Land Rover - you could buy an restore one for the purchase price of a rotten mini or beetle. They are also the ideal first project, as they are built like a big meccano set, ad the only welding needed is simple chassis stuff not any nasty complex body sills or wheel arches etc.
Parts are also incredibly cheap and readily available.
Parts are also incredibly cheap and readily available.
Monty Python said:
Have you just made that up :-)?
Nope, but i did spell it wrong!Its "oxalic acid" or wood bleach
It removes all traces of rust without harming the paint (except paibt that it on the rust ofcourse lol )
http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/showthread.php?t=1...
One of many examples
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