Old truck
restorations:
choose your best approach.
Truck
restorations can be achieved in one of several ways and you may even be
able to completely avoid the hassle of restoring classic trucks if you
have enough money to buy one that has already been restored. But even
if you have the money it may be difficult to find the exact truck you
dream of, restored exactly the way you want.
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The first
decision you have to make is about the model of pickup truck you want. There
are classic tucks that look good and may be sold at a very low price
but may be a problem to restore because of the lack of parts. A truck
that you buy for a very
low price may become a big headache when you try to find parts
for it. Restorations may even be impossible in some cases.
Go to classic car and
truck events and look around, talk
to owners of classic pickups and
ook at the vehicles for sale. Check into
something that matches your budget and ask more
questions.
Is the truck
running?What would be the percentage of
rust you
see in it? Is it in its original condition or
has it been modified?
Would it be easy
to find parts for it? How much fabrication would
it be necessary in order to finish the
truck
restoration in
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order to finish
the pickup? Is it a truck that would be relatively easy
to sell?
Once you find the
type of vehicle you are looking for and can afford, you
have to decide what you want to do with it. Do you want
to use it as a daily driver? Or do
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you want it to sit
in your garage and be ready for an occasional
ride? If the truck is running maybe you can just
buy it and drive it away.
Even if it's not
fully restored it might serve your purpose. But if you
want to have a precious jewel that is to be taken
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to car shows, one
that has to be restored the way you want it, you have to
do some serious thinking
before you commit
your hard earned cash and buy the
rust bucket... I mean, the old truck.
As I said
above there are several ways to do truck restorations. The most common
is for the owner him(her)self to go ahead and work on the vehicle.
Naturally you have to have the tools and the space available. You can't
restore an antique
vehicle on the driveway of your house or in the
parking lot of your bulding. The ideal place would be a
spacious warehouse but a two car garage will do.
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As for the tools the choice may depend more of
your skills than the tools themselves. Make sure you know how to work with the
tools before going to the store to buy them. Safety
above all.
For some
people the idea of getting involved in the restoration
of pickup trucks may sound crazy. But it isn't necessarily so.
Classic trucks are basic machines that are very simple to understand and to work with.
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And you
don't have to do everything. You can use the services of specialists to
work on your engine or your transmission or your electric wiring and so
on. The same goes for body work and painting, upholstery, etc, etc. In
other words, do what you can do and contract the rest.Truck
restorations are not too complicated. You may be able to do most of it.
Another
advantage of a restoration project is that it can take as long as it
takes. There's no need to rush since there are no deadlines. Even if
you run out of money during the restoration of your old truck, it's not the
end of the world. I know lots of people who have a truck sitting in a
garage for two, three years or even more because they don't have all
the money necessary for the whole project. Do part of the work, save
some money and do another part.
But if
you don't have the skills nor the space and still want to take your chances at
truck restorations there are other ways.
You can
go to a professional restorer and leave your truck there. They will do
everything exactly the way you order. But beware! Most professional
restorers are not cheap. They may charge you by the hour and the
restoration will inflate the price of your truck by tens of thousands
of dollars. But a professional restorer will give you a vehicle that
will also be worth tens of thousands of dollars more.
And you
can use a professional to do only the body work and painting. Take the
truck home and look for another professional to work on the drive
train, brakes, wiring and so on. Take the truck back home and look for
still another professional to do the upholtery, sound system, air
conditioning and so on. This installment type of restoration
may take longer but may be more affordable.
Old truck restorations can be fun and may even become a family affair. Ask your
wife to help you. Or your father, your son, your brother or your best
friend. Take pictures during the process and take notes too. You'll
have a great story to tell for the rest of your life.
But
truck restorations can become painful if you go over your head. Do
yours only if you're sure you can tackle the project. If not, hire the
services of a professional after a thorough discussion of the project
with him and after making sure you'll be able to afford the costs
involved.
The main
rule about truck restorations is this: TAKE YOUR TIME! To restore an
old truck is not like working on a newer vehicle. Your truck may be one
of a kind and it deserves special attention and care.
The bottom line is
you should prepare yourself before deciding on the
restoration of any classic vehicle. J. Crosby Milliman,
of Stovebolt.com,
says "knowledge is the best resource" and it's true. Do
your home work and you'll be able to enjoy the
restoration of your classic vehicle, from beginning to
end.
If you live in
Eastern Canada check the excellent restoration work of
The Guild of Automotive Restorers, Inc., of
Bradford, Ontario.
