The Best Car Restoration Practices To Keep An Antique As Original As Possible

When it comes to antique cars, keeping it original is important when doing restorations. There are some parts that may need to be replaced, and there are others that can be rebuilt or restored to their original glory. The smallest details like relining brake shoes make a big difference in the value of antique cars. Here are some tips for the best practices to keep your classic as original as possible when you do restorations:

1. The Brake Parts That Need Replacing and The Ones to Restore

The brakes are important to keep you safe if you drive your car, and there are some parts that may just have to be replaced, such as corroded brake lines. There are also brake parts that can be restored. Old steel brake shoes can be repainted and relined to keep them all original. Brake cylinders and calipers can often be rebuilt and reused as the original parts, rather than replacing them with new parts.

2. An Original Engine, Rebuilding and Tuning to Keep It All Original

An original engine should have serial numbers that match the VIN plate on your car. In antique cars, engine blocks are often solid hunks of steel that can easily be rebuilt. If the block is too damaged, it may need to be replaced. Look for cracks and signs of extreme damage to decide whether to rebuild the engine or replace it. If you must replace the engine, use as much of the original components as possible.

3. Body, Paint and Small Parts That Are Best Left Alone with Only a Polish

Body and paint are what people look at the most when they see an antique car. Make sure that you use all original paint when possible, which can be restored by buffing and polishing. If you do have to replace body parts or do repairs that require paint, blend them in with the original paint by using a buffing technique to preserve the original paint. In addition, small parts like labels and trim can also be polished if they are only faded. If the parts are chrome, an antique car parts service will be able to help with re-chroming and restoring them.

When it comes time to restore a car that is more than just a classic, consider some of these tips for keeping an antique auto restoration all original. Contact a antique car parts service like Brake & Equipment Warehouse to get help with tasks like relining old brake shoes and other repairs to your original auto parts. 


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