| Restoration isn't a hobby - it's a way of life. Whether | | | | auto parts and car accessories, including chrome, |
| you have a recently-purchased classic (stored safely | | | | glass, stainless steel and other delicate materials, |
| under a car cover) or something that's been sitting | | | | without scratching the surface. Use it with chrome |
| on blocks (without so much as a sun shade), taking | | | | polish to brighten stainless to a high luster, polish auto |
| that first step towards fixing it up can be a daunting | | | | parts with chrome trim like molding or wheels, and |
| task. Here you'll find a few tips that can help prioritize | | | | clean around your headlights or rocker-panels. You'll |
| the job and keep you from having to do things more | | | | find it in most hardware or do-it-yourself stores. One |
| than once. | | | | thing to remember when using anything for the first |
| Tip 1: Restoring a car is like building a house. There's a | | | | time: start small. Begin in a corner, underside or |
| logical order. You wouldn't build the roof before the | | | | unnoticeable area and work your way out. It's the |
| foundation. So, the first step in any restoration is to | | | | best way of avoiding disaster should the surface not |
| plan out exactly what needs to be done, making a | | | | be compatible with the grade or chemical treatments |
| complete list of the entire project to avoid missing | | | | in your polishing pads. |
| something essential or risk damaging a refurbished | | | | Tip 4: Taping off an area to be painted protects |
| bodyline or fresh paint job. Once you have an | | | | windows and trim but also raises the problem of |
| overview, organize it into a game plan. Depending on | | | | tearing off a freshly painted surface if you use the |
| the repairs you're making, it's best to proceed in the | | | | wrong tape. If you can, use masking tape designed |
| following order: transmission, engine, electrical, | | | | especially for your application. But when you don't |
| suspension, interior, body and wheels. | | | | use the right thing and realize too late that you're |
| Tip 2: An older car may have been built like a tank, | | | | going to tear up your new paintjob, there's a simple |
| but the downside is it usually sounds like one too, | | | | way to get standard masking tape off without |
| especially on the freeway. If your restoration includes | | | | ruining your finish, and it's as close as your own |
| stripping the vehicle down to the undercarriage, take | | | | bathroom: a hair dryer. Gently heat the tape as you |
| the time to sound-proof your ride with spray | | | | peel it off the painted surface. In case you're |
| undercoating, insulating foam or reflective insulating | | | | wondering, the operative word there is GENTLY. If |
| wrap. Undercoating helps minimize vibration through | | | | you're a pro and have a heat gun, that works too, |
| sheet metal and is highly effective when you need to | | | | but keep the temperature LOW. The tape will pull |
| reduce noise coming through metal air ducts or | | | | right up. It may leave a slight residue but it's easily |
| fender voids. Expanding foam is great for filling | | | | removed with a mild solvent or a variety of car |
| cavities in car bodies and holes in firewalls. Keep in | | | | waxes like Zymol wax. |
| mind, it's called expanding foam for a reason. So, be | | | | Tip 5: Gluing vinyl or leather material onto panels or |
| sure to leave room for expansion, or your fender | | | | seats can result in splotches of contact cement on |
| may swell out like a botched Botox treatment. Finally, | | | | the appearance side. Cleaning products like 409, Mr. |
| reflective insulating wrap comes on rolls that are | | | | Clean or other solvents may remove the glue but |
| either two or four feet wide. It installs with spray | | | | discolor the vinyl or leather in the process. Instead, |
| adhesive and is thin enough not to require any | | | | grab some vinyl or aluminum duct tape and wrap a |
| modifications to upholstery or trim, making it ideally | | | | little bundle around your fingers with the adhesive |
| suited as a liner in doors, hard tops or over flooring. | | | | side out. Then, just like removing lint from a sweater, |
| Tip 3: The words steel wool and auto repair aren't | | | | pat the glue spots with tape and the glue will come |
| often used together. But there are different grades | | | | right up. This technique also works on sewed seams |
| of steel wool intended for a variety of uses-notably, | | | | and seat covers, a task that's nearly impossible to |
| very fine grade 0000. It can be used on a variety of | | | | achieve with cleaners. |