Printable View
How does one go about restoring an old car?
:sweat: I have a really nice old car that needs a complete restoration. But I don't know anything about doing so. Where does one start?
Books, sites, anything helpful?
Here's a picture of the car I want to fix up.
And some pictures of what it could look like.
Owners manual for the car would be a start.
Auto Scrap yards for parts, though, that doesn't look like a common car so you'll likely have to pay a lot of money to buy parts online.
If you've never restored a car before or aren't mechanically inclinced (or an auto mechanic), this is probably not a good idea, given that you'll likely have to strip that car down to nothing and remove the engine et all.
I really just need a general check list of what you do first and so on. Money, tools, and parts won't be a issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
The Car was my grandfathers. My dad will most likely help me out with the money if I show him that I am serious and will put the work into it needed to fix it.
We have a 2 door that my dad doesn't care to much about it. I'll probably go get it and trade parts on it to get the ones I need from a collector, or someone else who fixes these.
Tools are not an issue. My dad collects, repairs, and restores old military vehicles. If we don't have it, he has a friend who does, or can find one.
Gotta start some where.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
Check the engine then. Probably has a carburator, you'll have to remove it and clean it out (make sure there aren't any bugs or shit in there), drain and refill the oil/gas (might have a gas plug under the tank), battery, wiring/electrical and then start the car.
Might help to do a google search on 'restoration car model'.
Thanks, ill look into all of that.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
EDIT: It is a real shame that none of you have commented on what kind of car that is. Surely someone here knows their cars.
To be honest I've never seen that model before, looks similar to a Nomad... I know it's not that though ;)
The biggest problem with older cars like that and restorations is you need to make sure you have a solid frame and check the body for rot and rust, if the frame and most of the main body panels are in good shape then it would cost a lot less and much less work then if the the frame is rotted where repairing something like that is a pain even for people who restore cars.
What make is that, Pontiac or maybe an Olds?... I was more into the late 60's early 70's muscle car era myself so that is why I'm not too familiar with that car ;)
it's a 1959 Ford.
You know what it is, you're just not thinking.
I was just going to ask. It would be pertinent information to share, you think?Quote:
Originally Posted by IronPlant
...It really shouldn't be *that* hard to restore such an old car. Cars were much simpler back then.
Its an Edsel.
Oh, and its also the ghosbuster ambulance.
If you want a complete restoration, prepare for hundreds of hours of work. This involves stripping the car down to nothing, repairing rust and or rot (as someone else said), and then building it up from there. If you want an example of what you're in for, head on over to this page to see the progression of one guy's restoration of an old replica car. I've read about 2/3 of it (it will take a couple of hours to read in-depth), and it's very informative, and shows the types of barriers and such that one would come to with a restoration.
Body work's a fucking bitch, and judging from that pic you're gonna have to do a ton of it. It looks rusted to hell. My advice is don't even try.
looks like the fuckikn griswald family truckster :DQuote:
Originally Posted by IronPlant
Yes, it is a 1959 Ford Edsel Villager wagon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mman
It was the most modern and luxurious car made for the open market back in 1958. It had several push button features that are now trivial standards for cars today. One however, that never caught on, and helped doom the car was a push bouton transmission. In theory it gave you the ease of a automatic but the manageability and fuel economy of a stick.
All of these luxuries came at a price and with a sag in the economy of the US, not many wanted to put up the cash for it. Plus many people did not like all the new features. People found them complicated and frustrating to get used to. This was one of the few cases that a car was too advance for its own good. After 3 years of production, Ford ended the Edsel line of cars.
Notable things about my car.
Total Production: 5,687
Original Base Price: $2,971.00
Engine: Express V8
Maximum hp: 225 @ 4000 rpm
Maximum torque: 325 ft-lb @ 2200 rpm
No, not quite. Though there was a ambulance package that people could get on the villager, there was never an official run on it. Plus the ghostbuster car, though you got the year right, was a 1959 Cadillac. If you look, the grill is different and the Cadillac has a larger fin and is a few feet longer. BUT, the edsel would be easier to get insurance on. I'm not a 100% sure, but I don't think you can get official ambulances insured.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mman
Here are some nice pictures of the Ambulance Edsel, and one Ghostubuster pic.
Don't forget the police beacons and annoying horn in your restoration.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mman
I think not. Though it would be nice to have a ecto-1, making that car one would be the fastest way to make womenz run from it.Quote:
Originally Posted by cka
Not that I'm doing it for the womenz, but considering the time and money it will take to restore it, I'd rather not have it running them off.
Really, I could have sworn that the ecto was always an edsel...
The very old car riding is good entertainment. The old car like king riding. The old car a very careful because of their parts are not available in the market.
If only there were a warehouse one could order parts from and I could get a coupon for said warehouse.
As long as it offers replacement parts for king riding.
That would be most GOOD ENTERTAINMENT.
That spam wasn't even intelligent. What the hell was the point? And I always thought that old threads from a certain age were locked.
And geez, while we're at it...did you ever manage to fix up that car IP?
no. Never got the extra cash. Or the work space.
I still have the car though. I've thought about fixing it up and using it as a form of advertising and writing it off. Plus since it is large wagon, I could do rep work in it and carry products with me.
its really an issue of extra money though.