Restoration Classic Cars

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 10 - Cotter Pin RemovalPicture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsSometimes it's easy to remove cotter pins and sometimes it seems like they are holding the entire car together. You pull and bend and twist, using a strong pair of pliers, and it takes way too long to get the pin out. You've even managed to break perfectly good needle-nose pliers by trying to get a cotter pin out, haven't you? What to do?Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsThe chief reason a cotter pin is hard to remove is because you are pulling "in line" with the pin. Any bends or twists in the pin lodge it in its hole. What you need...

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 9 - Drat That Tape!Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsWe've all had this problem. The roll of masking tape in the garage has been sitting around for several years, through winter and summer. We desperately need to use it and now, when we start to pull a strip, it comes off in shreds or tears along its length. It's nearly a full roll and it seems to be useless. Besides, now we'll have to go buy another roll or find a neighbor who has some.Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsDon't run off just yet! There's probably some hope for that stiff, aged roll of tape. Take it into the kitchen and place...

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 8 - Brake Fluid EtiquettePicture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsBrake fluid "eats" paint. Although widely used for many decades, brake fluid is nasty stuff that - given the chance - will spill onto your paint and strip it off. Thousands of unhappy do-it-yourselfers have had the unfortunate experience of "topping off" the master cylinder and spilling a little fluid on the firewall, fender or cowl area under the windshield wipers. Later they've discovered damaged paint that couldn't be buffed out or repaired without a touchup.Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsA good habit to get into is to wrap...

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 7 - Tisket, Tasket, Who's Got a Gasket?Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsIt never fails. Just when you need a certain gasket either the stores aren't open or they don't have one to fit. Worse, you just ruined the one gasket you had, and now you have to stop the project.Not to worry, however, because you can make your own! Right now, before you forget, run down the to auto parts store, hardware store or small-engine repair shop and buy some gasket material. You can find all sorts of gasket materials, from cork to composition, fuel-resistant to metal. It comes in sheets roughly the size of typing paper...

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 6 - Can't Find Sheet Metal?Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsThese days most of us live in urban areas that, while well represented by big box stores and strip malls, are devoid of sheet metal shops and other industrial supply stores. When you need sheet metal for that welding repair on the fender, where do you go?Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsSure, you can hop in the car and take a drive out to the countryside to visit some outlying town where such shops still exist, but that's a lot of effort and wasted time. Also, many sheet metal shops have a minimum requirement that you purchase...

Restoration Classic Cars Tip 5 - Painting tipsPicture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsThe nozzles on spray paint cans are precision-engineered and the orifices are typically laser-drilled for accuracy and spray pattern. Once used, even though the can has been inverted to clean the nozzles, there is a film of paint left inside. This film can affect the spray pattern and atomization in subsequent applications.Picture Classic Car - Restoration Classic CarsTo keep nozzles clean or to renew a clogged nozzle, soak it in lacquer thinner for a few hours. Then put it back on the can and invert to spray out the solvent. Keep a few extra, used,...