Restoration of vintage cars on the Cote d’azur

Stages of restoration of retro cars

«Auto Retro Shop» specializing in services related to retro cars: sales, investment and creation of collections, complete restoration and partial repairs, maintenance, conservation and consulting. Retro cars released more than 60 years ago are called Oldtimers in many countries. And indeed, looking at them, it seems as if I have fallen into another time. But time, about which machines can tell a lot, was inexorable to them, in places really merciless: they aged and rusted, silently and slowly, year after year, there were structural chemical changes in the materials from which the parts are made, and the structural elements accumulated micro-damage caused by exploitation. Car restoration is a painstaking and lengthy process. It may take years to complete the original parts and restore a collectible car, but each case has its own nuances.

After reading this section, you will learn how we will restore Your Oldtimer. Our company uses the Western experience of restoration of retro cars: parallel operations, skilled labor, strict compliance with the technical task and design drawings-this is the key to the success of the repair and restoration process. Below you will find several video examples of the work that has already been done, as well as a detailed description of the car restoration process.

Dismantling and disassembly of a retro car, cataloging parts, removing old paint, cleaning the body

Any restoration of cars begins with the disassembly of the interior, body, chassis, components and aggregates. The car is spun, which is called to the bolt, only so you can assess the degree of wear and determine which parts are original, and which have changed. Our main capital is books and technical documentation.in the course of work, the available equipment is checked with the literature on this model (drawings, spare parts catalogues, repair instructions, etc.).

Production / repair of body parts made of steel, aluminum, fiberglass

Argon welding of aluminum is a painstaking and complex process, which is due to the chemical characteristics of aluminum. When you try to weld aluminum in a normal atmosphere, an oxide film instantly forms on the surface of the metal, which prevents further work. Therefore, the use of conventional electric arc welding when working with aluminum parts is impossible.
To carry out such work at a high level, several components are required: argon, high-quality consumables, good modern equipment, and, most importantly, professional specialists.

Welding of ferrous metals is carried out according to generally accepted standards and technologies. Welding equipment is used for arc welding with coated electrodes, semi-automatic welding with a melting electrode in a carbon dioxide environment, and gas welding.

If there is a wooden frame in the car, we restore it from the appropriate wood species: beech, ash, oak are used to recreate the wooden frame of the body of retro cars, and acacia wood is used for the restoration of wooden wheels.

Extensive experience of the masters allows you to take into account all the nuances when carrying out tin works. If the damage to the original part is insignificant, it is possible to carry out local repairs using a special, sparing technology, which is important, given the age of the metal. If it is impossible to restore or the part is missing, it is made again according to the original drawings.

If the original design of the car contains fiberglass parts, we restore them. If the part is not subject to restoration, we search for and purchase the missing spare part. It is also possible to make a full copy of the original fiberglass part, in agreement with the customer. In cases of work on creating replicas of cars and custom cars, the production of fiberglass body parts is one of the key stages.

Restoration of the car chassis

It is difficult to underestimate the importance of this stage, because the frame is the basis for fixing the car body and aggregates. The quality of the restoration work directly affects the further safety in operation of the restored car. Modern passenger cars are overwhelmingly made by the technology of the load-bearing body. But frame construction is widespread among old timers, which is due to the features of design developments of that time. All components and assemblies, such as the engine, transmission, axles and suspension, are mounted on the frame. Thus, the car chassis is formed, which is a complete structure with its own, often unique for the model, characteristics.

Frame defects deserve special attention. Usually, after sandblasting, all defects are detected, including those not noticed during the initial inspection of the car, such as cracks and microcracks, as well as deformational defects: twisting geometry distortions, longitudinal and transverse bends, etc. The geometric dimensions of the frame are checked by us with the original factory drawings, according to which this particular car was created at the time.

Painting works

To achieve the best result when restoring a car, we paint cars using modern technologies. Depending on the client’s wishes, we use authentic or modern paint materials. Well-restored Oldtimer is noticeable and attractive to the eye, it causes admiration, its external forms can be admired for hours. It is superfluous to say what a significant role in the perception of correctly and qualitatively carried out painting work. Therefore, painting the car body is an extremely serious job, which requires special equipment and a high level of skill of craftsmen. Body paint is produced in modern paint-drying chambers with filtration of the supplied air and its supply at high pressure, which ensures a quality close to the factory, and a properly selected spray gun and paint application angle ensures uniform application of pigment and varnish, which prevents the appearance of streaks and shagreins.

Careful quality control not only during painting works, but also at the stages preceding them, such as sandblasting, removing irregularities by tinning the body, applying soil, allow us to achieve excellent results.

Painting of interior elements of a retro car body. First, these are visible parts of the case that are not subject to decoration with various materials (for example, leather or wood). In this case, the paintwork has high aesthetic requirements. Secondly, a significant part of the body elements is hidden from the viewer’s eyes. Paint coating of these areas prevents the development of corrosion. Thanks to the use of modern anti-corrosion compounds, we can provide anti-corrosion protection for retro cars from 10 to 20 years (depending on the operating and storage conditions).

Technical repair of retro car components

Works with the brake system, steering, cooling system, shock absorbers, suspension, gas tank.This stage starts immediately, from the moment the car is accepted. Often this work seems inconspicuous. But it is the little things that make up the overall picture. Of the 8,000 thousand hours of work required to restore the machine, at least a third is spent on these nodes and units.In the first place are the work with the brake system of the car. Before you restore the engine and make a run-in, you need to be sure that the brakes work smoothly.

Efficiently carried out repair and restoration work of steering and suspension parts, cars will enable you to fully experience the pleasure of a well-coordinated and efficient work of the antique car and good drivability and safe driving will be provided if the task of everyday use on public roads.

An important component of the restoration of the car is the adjustment of the carburetor. In many respects, the indicators, resource and precise operation of the engine depend on how accurately this work is carried out. It was the four-chamber carburetor paired with an 8-cylinder engine that made the iconic American cars really fast.

Engine and transmission overhaul

If necessary, manufacture new bearings, pistons, rings, valves, seats, and more. Conversion of the engine to modern unleaded fuel. Each engine that has undergone major repairs in the company’s workshops is pre-run – in and parameters are checked at a special stand. We only use original or manufacturer-recommended spare parts.

Restoration of the interior of a retro car

Restoration of the car interior includes repair and complete renovation of the interior details of the retro car: springs or foam seats, side panels, doors, floor coverings, leather products. Works in full compliance with the original or the customer’s wishes. Our company uses the services of trusted suppliers of Italian leather and American velour, the designer first prepares sketches for the restoration of the car interior, then coordinates them with the client and only then the Department performs the approved work. We will talk about the methods of working with collectible and classic cars separately in a special section of the site.

Work on wooden coverings.

Repair or renovation of wooden floors, beams, bodywork, veneering of the instrument panel, as well as other parts in the passenger compartment. If there is a wooden frame in the car, we restore it from the appropriate wood species: beech, ash, oak are used to recreate the wooden frame of the body of retro cars, and acacia wood is used for the restoration of wooden wheels.

making and restoring a soft roof. Repair of convertible mechanics.

When restoring convertibles, an important element is the kinematics of the awning. Before sewing the tent, you must make sure that the cabriolet mechanics work correctly and consistently. If there are misalignments, gaps, gaps, or other deviations, you must first make adjustments to the technical elements. In order to make measurements of control points, employees of the company “Antique Cars” use original drawings and compare the data with the factory literature. After restoring the convertible guides, compasses and arcs, you can start working on tailoring.

Testing and delivery

Running a car means testing it on special roads (500-1500 km) and eliminating all problems and problems that arise. The process ends with cleaning and polishing. A report is prepared with photos of the repair and restoration work carried out and documentation is provided for insurance and registration. Further maintenance is being carried out.

Remember:

• Car restoration always costs more than you think.
• The work to restore the car is taking longer than you expect.
• Unskilled restoration of a retro car can negate all costs!
• Recreating a car is justified only when you are sure that it is your life’s dream.