Career Spotlight: Classic Car Restorer

Picture your dream car. Is it a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche? A Mercedes-Benz convertible? Maybe it’s a brand new SUV with heated leather seats and an ultra-modern navigation system.

And what if your dream car doesn’t come from the present or the future, but from the past, like a classic Mustang or an old Sunbeam Tiger? Many of us dream of owning a vehicle from yesterday, but are also aware that a used car that’s three, four or even seven decades old is likely to have a whole host of mechanical problems. Is the engine in good shape? How about the transmission and electrical systems? Even the upholstery inside or the paint outside might be in questionable condition.

Cars aren’t built to last forever, but restoration can breathe new life into an older vehicle and make it look and run like new. This makes the car more valuable at a sale or auction, guaranteeing its collectible status. That’s why classic car restoration is a steady, reliable career in the field of mechanics. If you’re fascinated by old cars and love to give vehicles a new life, classic car restoration might just be one of the many automotive careers in Toronto for you.

Ordering parts

Restoration isn’t easy. The cost of any given repair depends on the customer’s car model and how much work needs to be done. Fortunately, the Internet has made the art of restoring cars a little less troublesome, as many companies offer parts online for older and obsolete vehicles.

A full factory restoration involves replacing nearly every part on the car with a newer, better working one, from the gauges in the dashboard to the lining of the trunk walls. In some cases, restorers aim to be as historically accurate as they can, making the car look exactly like it did the day it rolled off the assembly line. In others, the customer will prefer that the latest technologies, parts and innovations be used to make a stronger, faster and more modern restoration of a classic car.

In both cases, you’ll need automotive training in Toronto as well as tools like clamps, hammers, screwdrivers, torque wrenches and more. Other jobs may include sanding, welding, buffing, polishing and painting.

First impression

On any car, the first thing a customer notice is the way it looks on the outside. An exterior restoration means more than just a new coat of paint. Depending on the state of the car, a full restoration can mean having to strip the whole car down to reach the bare metal underneath. Sometimes, restorers remove every panel from the frame of the car toeliminate any traces of old paint, often via chemical treatments or sandblasting.

Rust is one of the trickiest issues you might face when restoring a vehicle, even for someone who’s followed mechanic courses in Toronto. While some rust can be sandblasted away, there are times when you’ll have to decide whether to repair an exterior part, like a fender, or replace it. In some cases, you may even have to weld in some new sheet metal!