Classic Car Restoration: 5 Essential Tools You Will Need

Rebuilding or working on classic cars is a fascinating hobby. Some become obsessed with it, working all they can on a vehicle they find that needs tender loving care. They might plan on driving the car again, or perhaps they just want to restore it mostly to look at it.

If you’re getting into this hobby, that can be a lot of fun, but you’ll undoubtedly need some tools. Let’s talk about some of the ones you are definitely going to need. 

A Blowtorch

Welding and fabrication are often parts of restoring classic cars, especially ones with damage to their frames. To do this, you are more than likely going to need a blowtorch.

You can get one at Home Depot, Lowes, or a similar store. You will need to exercise a great deal of caution when you use one, though.

You might watch some helpful, instructive videos on a platform like YouTube before you tackle your classic car reconstruction job. You can really hurt yourself with a blowtorch if you aren’t careful. 

A Floor Jack and Jack Stands

You are probably going to need a floor jack and jack stands as well. This is what you will use to hoist your old car up into the air so you can take a look at its underside and do whatever work down there is required.

A floor jack and jack stands are also readily available. You will need four jack stands in order to get your car safely into the air. You may need even more with some vehicle models if you want to play it safe. 

A Welding Helmet

If you are going to be doing any welding with your classic car, as is almost certainly the case, you are going to need a welding helmet as well. You can get one that will protect your entire head from burns, and it will protect your eyesight at the same time. 

Remember that looking directly at a blowtorch while you are using it is unsafe. Think of this piece of equipment as protecting your face from the flame, and also any sparks or pieces of metal that could become dislodged during your car’s repair and reconstruction process. 

An Angle Grinder

You should also get yourself an angle grinder if you are going to get serious about this hobby. An angle grinder can remove slag and polish metal so it shines.

It can also cut through metal if you need to fashion a piece that is going to become part of your classic car. There are all kinds of cutting and grinding you can do with one, and you will likely find this to be an enjoyable tool as well. 

A Chipping Hammer

Many projects involving classic car renovation or rebuilding involve chipping hammers. With a chipping hammer, you can get rid of the residue from molten metal that you leave behind when you are using your blowtorch.

With these tools, you will be all set to start your new hobby.