Restoration

          Restoration is in fact a fundamental aspect of this hobby, since cars are usually found in very poor condition. Suffice to say that quarries, scrapyards, long-abandoned damp garages, quiet roadsides and fields are a favourite hunting ground among enthusiasts in search of elusive parts or whole cars. Very few cars are found in driveable condition, bar rare finds of the one-elderly-owner-from-new variety.

Briefly, a full restoration involves the removal of every last nut and bolt. If the car has a separate chassis which can be removed from the body, it usually is. Chassis and body are them grit blasted to remove years of grime and every last trace of rust and paint. The car is then trailered back to the garage and immediately coated in etching primer to prevent a fresh onset of rust. What is known in greasy-fingernail circles as a weldathon (welding marathon) then starts, with the body and chassis being painstakingly repaired, pulled, beaten or otherwise brought to the its correct shape, sometimes after despairing at the crude modifications carried out in the past to keep the car on the road.

The mechanical side is then tackled with engines, gearboxes, braking and suspension systems coming in for the full treatment. Of course this would be after sourcing of correct parts and engines, with fellow members and the Internet being a very useful source of spares and information. Paintwork, wiring and upholstery follow, and it is indeed a great satisfaction to start reassembling the car back together and eventually going for its first run, sometimes after decades of being inactive.