Você está na página 1de 4

In association with

Morris Lubricants
helping your world run smoothly
SAM glovers guide to... www.morrislubricants.co.uk

planning YOUR
Stock up on reading matter
2 Hunt for literature that relates to your car. A good workshop manual is essential, and if youre
really lucky, an obliging expert will have written a model-specific restoration manual. Search old
issues of Practical Classics for relevant tech features and scour the internet for stories of people

resto project
whove restored similar cars if nothing else, you can learn from their mistakes.

Maximise
3 your
capabilities
How to turn a festering nightmare into the classic of your dreams The easiest way of expanding
the range of work you can carry

C
out at home is to build on your
ars are not complicated. Moving properly. Take care of your thrust washers, money will be needed for each, and youll Know your limits
people in a specific direction and your axle assemblies will take care of have a watertight restoration plan. Follow
own abilities. Harvest know-how
from books, magazines and the 6 Regardless of your facilities, skills and
while keeping them safe, dry and themselves. The key to planning a the advice on these pages, and your internet put in a few hours ingenuity, there will always be some
comfortable simply requires a large restoration is to break down a big, daunting restoration will be off to practice and youll be able to facets of a project that are best delegated to
number of little bits of metal, rubber and problem into a series of small, manageable a good start. perform a plethora of hitherto experts. Processes like chrome plating and fuel
plastic. Restoring a car involves repairing ones. Work out how to solve these, put dark arts. Restoration courses tank repair require equipment thats beyond the
realms of the home restorer. Other delegated
or replacing any bits of metal, rubber or them in a logical order, calculate provide a concentrated hit of
hands-on experience, too. processes justify minor expenditure by saving
plastic that arent doing their jobs how much time and
drudgery having panels shot-blasted rather
than stripping them by hand springs to mind.

Tools
4 A well-stocked tool
cabinet leads to
self-sufficiency and reduces
the risk of damaging
components or skinning your
knuckles. Basic metalworking
kit and a MIG welder will
quickly save the money
you forked out for them. Seek support
Specialist tools can be hired
from local renters or
7 Speak to enthusiasts and experts in
your chosen marque for inside
borrowed from people in information on parts availability, prices and
pubs [really? Ed]. Clubs potential pitfalls. Clubs are an excellent source
often have car-specific tools of specific information, hard-to-find parts and
to loan to their members. shoulders to cry on.

Strike a time/
8 money balance
Work out how much of each you can
dedicate to the project, as theyll both have a
major bearing on how it unfolds. A huge budget
that allows lots of delegation and new parts will
see the project completed in a short timeframe.
Restoring old parts and doing almost all the
work yourself will take longer but cost less.

start
Managing
Before you begin Facilities delegation
5 A heated, well-lit workspace with electricity, compressed air, good Choose who you delegate work to with
tool storage and a two-post car lift is restoration nirvana. Sadly,
1 Set a clear aim most of us have to make do with lesser set-ups. But great things can be
great care. Ensure they are the right
specialist for your car, and that their
The crucial first step is to work out what you want the end result to achieved in a domestic garage if its thoughtfully equipped. A driveway can standards are aligned with yours. Ask
be. Is your aim to re-engineer the car to MoT standards, or transform it into be an ideal working environment in sunnier months, but expect your club members, restorers and - again -
a better-than-new concours winner? Both exercises can be considered to motivation to wilt when it drizzles. Shared workshops, drive-through people in pubs for recommendations.
be restorations, but one will take ten times longer than the other. garages, and rented lock-ups can provide top-notch facilities when needed, Carry out cursory research into the work
and some storage specialists have areas where light work can be carried out. youre asking them to do, so you
know exactly what to ask for. n tur

[[1L]] JANUARY 2011 // PRACTICAL CLASSICS www.practicalclassics.co.uk www.practicalclassics.co.uk PRACTICAL CLASSICS // JANUARY 2011 [[2R]]
In association with
Morris Lubricants
helping your world run smoothly
RESTO PROJECT PLANNING www.morrislubricants.co.uk

How to... Interrogate your


vehicle with the PC 1
Keep parts 2 3
costs resto planner
down
T 4
he Practical Classics Restoration doubtless require some disassembly. Make
Planner is a to do list, shopping list sure youve taken all the measurements,
Go auto jumbling and reality checker rolled in one. panel profiles and photos necessary to
The best places to pick up
The idea is to break down the project into complete the restoration before you Whose time is it?
bargain-priced spares for
popular models are the big a series of manageable stages and give remove critical parts. Photograph each 4 You wont need to list the time it
takes to complete delegated
jumbles at Beaulieu and regional a reasonably accurate prediction of the system as you disassemble it, and use
tasks this time is someone elses. But the
restoration shows. Jumbling work, time and money involved at each. bags or boxes to keep all associated parts
more you delegate to save time, the more
may not be good if youre Assessing all aspects of a project will together. Throw nothing away! your project will cost you.
restoring a Zundapp, though.

Print out Expect mishaps


1 Produce a separate sheet for 5 Add a realistic buffer of time and
every section of the restoration. cash to account for bits youve
Flip the page for our advice on how to split forgotten about, breakages, acts of god 5
your project up, and what to look for at and idiocy. This picture shows a little-end
each stage of the restoration. bolt that was stretched due to reading the
wrong side of the torque wrench.
Systematic
2 assessment Be realistic This form

Work systematically though the 6 Make a vaguely pessimistic


isnt limited to
Club, surf, mag ads section of the car youre assessing, and estimate of how long itll take to
restoration it works
for planning pretty
Club membership is ideal for all note down any parts that are less than put all the bits back together and return
much any
classics and essential for lesser- perfect. You may find it useful to add a few them to their rightful places on the vehicle. car-related
supported cars. Flick through memory-jogging notes as you go along. job.
club magazine classified ads, Include parts that are missing. Make a proper list 6
keep an eye on internet forums 7 Theres little more annoying than
and ask around at shows.
To restore or wasting restoration hours driving
3 replace? That is to Halfords to fetch forgotten trifles.
the question
Find the most logical option for each item.
Anything can be restored or refabricated,
but is it worth the time and money involved
in doing so? In the case of the first item on
7
the example list, it isnt. There is no point in
restoring a set of brake shoes when a brand
new set can be bought for less than the
Bide your time cost of doing so. If the best option isnt
Work out what you need and obvious, investigate both as weve done in
give yourself time to track it the case of the brake drums.
down. Bargains are unlikely to
come your way on demand.
Patience is an essential virtue.

Buy a spares car


Parts are far cheaper when Time Planning Choosing a project
theyre all bolted together. But
Projects have a habit of finding restorers, rather than the
buy with care salvaged bits Approach tasks in a logical order. It makes theyre finished. Theres a moral advantage Type of vehicle slight. Always over-estimate costs
might be worse than those on sense to start with the chassis/ in being able to restore parts and fit them other way round. But if you have the luxury of shopping many projects fail because the
Spares availability, club and trade
the car youre restoring. monocoque, as this is what all the other straight away. around for a resto, bear in mind the following points. cash has run out unexpectedly...
support, vehicle complexity and
parts will be attached to as and when Tackle big delegated tasks early in the the access to related literature all
project. Avoid hold-ups by getting these affect a projects difficulty. Originality
out of the way while you still have plenty Restoration of a Triumph Spitfire Past bodgework is far more difficult
of other stuff to do. That was the plan will be a doddle compared with that to restore than original rusty metal.
when we arranged to get the Jaguar Mk2 of a Stutz Bearcat. Original trim will also give you
JAG BEING project dipped, anyway. something to work from even if its

DIPPED Set targets. Choose a final completion Condition heavily foxed.


date, then set target dates for each facet Buying the best project car you can
eBay savvy of the restoration. Youre bound to miss a afford will save a massive amount Equipment
Use eBays save search facility few of them, but at least youll always have of time and money during the Have you got the workshop
to receive e-mail alerts something to work towards. restoration. The price difference accommodation and equipment
whenever specific parts become Ticking off tasks as you complete them between a scruffy but solid vehicle you need to enable you to
available on the auction site. is a satisfying experience. and a total basket case is often work on the project? turn

[[1L]] january 2011 // PRACTICAL CLASSICS www.practicalclassics.co.uk www.practicalclassics.co.uk PRACTICAL CLASSICS // JANUARY 2011 [[2R]]
RESTO PROJECT PLANNING

Project segments
what to look for
Treat each of the following to a fresh planning sheet, and youll end up
with a small stack of bite-size plans. In combination, these should see your
project through to glorious completion. When youve finished, add up all
the time and money totals for a sobering dose of reality.

Body & chassis


A good place to start, as the
chances are this will be the biggest
section of the project. Most issues
are likely to fall into the restore/
refabricate category, but do look
into replacement panels theyre a
real bonus if available.

Transmission & hubs


Work through the drivetrain from
gearbox to hubs in search of play,
wobbles and graunchiness. If youre
lucky, you may just have to replace
the odd seal, bearing and universal
joint. Replace the clutch while you
have access to it.
Trim and brightwork Wheels and tyres
Rechroming is a highly specialised
Refurbishing steel wheels can
and pricey process, and theres no Electrics
definitely be tackled at home, but
DIY option for large items. Buying Look out for items that are missing or
alloys can be more advanced.
replacements is often cheaper broken - switches, light lenses,
Tyres will probably appear on all
than restoring originals, but some relays, etc. Grope beneath the dash
shopping lists, and decent ones
bits might be hard to find. Dont and inside the engine bay to assess
can be expensive.
forget to check seals and rubbers. the state of wiring degradation

Interior re-fit Suspension, steering can you get away with localised
Saggy springs can be retempered, repairs, or will you need a new loom?
Many restorers choose to delegate
but picking up a good set at an A new battery will probably be a
interior fit to specialists. But if you
autojumble could be a cheaper must. Starters, alternators, dynamos,
have the time, tools and skills, its
option. Shock absorbers are best voltage regulators and ancillary
an area in which huge financial
bought new or reconditioned. electric motors can all be rebuilt.
savings can be made. Consult
Check everything that moves for
specialists such a Woolies to price Any other business
sloppiness, and look out for
fabrics, trim and rubber bits. Use a spare sheet to note down
degraded rubber bits.
anything else unusual you stumble
Brakes and clutch across recharge air-conditioning
If the cars been standing for a long
unit, repair tonneau cover,
time, its a safe bet that all moving
recondition radio, replace door locks,
hydraulic parts will need to be
buy wiper blades, etc.
rebuilt or replaced. Hopefully
spares are available. If not, totally
re-engineering dead cylinders is
possible, but its a specialist job.
Final word
If this planning system sounds like a lot of hard work,
fair enough. Many people favour a more abstract big
picture approach to project management.
Engine
Classic restoration is supposed to be enjoyable,
If the engine is an unknown
so pick-and-choose the sections of these pages that
quantity, whip it out and have a
you find useful and create a system that suits the
look at the inside of the bores, the
way you think and work. But next time you encounter
camshaft and a couple of bottom-
a seemingly unsolvable problem, or your car grinds to
end bearings. This should give a
a halt at the roadside, remember the blame
good idea of its basic condition and
lies simply with a little bit of metal, finish
allow you to tailor your rebuild plan.
rubber or plastic.

[[1L]] JANUARY 2011 // PRACTICAL CLASSICS www.practicalclassics.co.uk


Your Restoration planner
area of car:
restore or refabricate REPLACE
difficult bits & other stuff to do Hours Cost Cost

+ ASSEMBLY SUB-TOTAL SUB-TOTAL

TOOLS, EXPENDABLES &OTHER BITS AND PIECES Cost Notes

Você também pode gostar