Swap meets and classic car restoration tend to go hand-in-hand. In fact, meets are often held in conjunction with localized, regional and national car shows. At these events, owners and dealers show up in droves to offer up their parts and wares to buyers and traders alike.

If you’ve never been to an automotive swap meet before, think giant flea market. Instead of generalized wares, however, these meets involve tons and tons of parts and accessories for classic and antique cars. Here you will find private owners who have extra parts after completing their own restoration jobs. You will also discover some dealers on hand at most shows.

In the spirit of the “swap” part of the meet, expect some owners to be looking strictly for trades on parts. Others, however, will accept cash. It doesn’t hurt to have some items for trade if you have come across extra parts during your own restoration job, too.

While you can never be guaranteed of finding the parts you are after at a swap meet, they do deliver some advantages. In many cases, these meets have unusual parts available at very good prices. In addition, even if a desired part is not found, these are great places to network. When you make friends and contacts at meets, these people might just keep their eyes open for what you need to finish your own job.

Swap meets are a different way to get the items you need for a restoration job. In many cases, they prove to be valuable experiences for classic car owners.

When time and experience are in short supply, hiring a professional classic car restoration garage can make a great deal of sense. These professionals often specialize in both under-the-hood and body work on a variety of older cars. As long as a reputable restorer is hired, owners are likely to discover these benefits of hiring a pro to get the job done right: 

    * More expediency – Classic car restorers worth their salt do know their way around under the hood of an older car. They can speed up the restoration process and put an old car back on the road faster.

    * Better access to parts – Pros who specialize in classic restoration know where to look to find factory original or proper aftermarket parts. They can make this leg of a job go much smoother than an amateur.

    * Better end results – For owners who have never worked under the hood of a car, the end result of going with a restorer can far outshine a self-performed project. The fact is trained mechanics are often better able to get older cars back into running condition more efficiently. Many even guarantee their work for a time on certain engine systems.

While there is no replacing the fun of restoring a classic personally, time and know-how don’t have to stand in the way of this dream. Restoration garages can speed up the process while ensuring professional results.

There are certain things you need when you own a classic car. First, in order to care for it properly, you need to make sure you have an area that is enclosed, like a garage, or have the ability to cover it when you are not working on it or using it.  You cannot allow your classic car to be exposed to the elements, it’s too risky.

Next, once it is in the garage, make sure you disconnect the battery when you are not using it, this will prevent corrosion or other internal damage.

If you are storing your car for the long term, you also need to drain your cooling system and replace it with anti-freeze.  Look into a brand that promotes the fact that it will not cause rust then take the cap off the radiator in order to promote air circulation.

Another helpful tip for long term storage is to remove your tires and prop the classic car on jack stands or cinderblocks.  Not only will this technique protect your suspension system and your tires, it will also discourage theft while you are away from your investment.

First, never enter into any restoration project without knowing just what you need in order to complete the project.  This means making a detailed list of all the pieces that you believe is important to making your restoration a success.  This will also allow you to start building a budget for your project. Make sure you consider items like seats, dashboard, carpet and other internal parts housed in the engine compartment.

Next, once you know what needs to be replaced and restored, start with the transmission and engine, as well as the electrical and suspension system of your car, before moving onto some of the cosmetic features of your project.  The former repairs typically take longer than interior or body work and can make or break your project if not done correctly.  Always remember to deal with the tires and wheels last.  While those parts can be expensive, they can also be worked on at any time.  It is much more important to make sure the internal workings of your classic car are finished before worrying about these pieces.

Restoring a classic – no matter its country of origin – can prove to be an exercise in frustration at times. Just step back, breathe and try to relax. There are a few tricks and tips that might just help you locate the parts you are after.

When you run into a proverbial brick wall trying to find a door handle, a motor part or even a bumper for your foreign classic, try doing these things:

Run want ads – Buy ads or even place free ones in classic car trader magazines, on web sites and in other locations that classic car owners frequent. The more people who know what you are looking for, the more likely it is your parts will turn up.

Enlist the junkyard network – Get very friendly with your local junkyard and let them know what you are looking for. While they might not have the parts you are after, they may know of another yard that does in a different part of the country.

Check with car clubs in the country of your car’s origin – Do a little research to see if there are classic car clubs in the country where your car was made. Chances are there are. If so, contact the clubs directly via the Internet or telephone and let them know what you are looking for. They just might be able to help.

Look for aftermarket parts – If worse comes to worse, settle for aftermarket parts if they are available. Better yet, check with the original manufacturer if they still exist. They might have some ideas to help.

Restoring a foreign classic can present its own challenges. Exercise some patience and persistence and you should be able to get the job done.

This doesn’t mean insisting on a car that is in mint condition. It simply means finding one that runs.

The three top reasons why beginners might want to leave complete restoration jobs to second, third or fourth purchases are:

The lack of know-how – Restoring a classic takes know-how that goes beyond the mechanical. Not only will you have to know how to put a vehicle back together again, but you will also need to know where to find the parts. While it is generally pretty easy for beginners to find a few stray parts, it does take time to develop connections. If you need parts to replace an entire engine, the time involved might be more than you are willing to put in.

The costs – Trying to restore a car that does not function will cost a great deal more in time and money than many beginners realize. This is especially so if authentic parts are desired. While a functional car may cost more on the front end, it can end up saving money down the road.

The instant gratification – It is a whole lot more fun to buy a classic that at least runs than to start out with one that doesn’t crank. At the very least, an operable buy can be driven around once in a while as the restoration is ongoing on the body.

Restoring a classic is a blast. Starting out from scratch, however, can prove daunting for beginners. It is often better to ease into this hobby. Buying an operable car will provide a head start on the project without taking away too much of the challenge or any of the rewards.

As you research getting into this hobby more closely, consider doing some soul searching and homework on these things:

The kind of car you wish to purchase – This is pretty subjective, but you probably will want to toss some ideas around and research them more closely. Like it or not, budget can play a big role. While you might have your heart set on owning a Bugatti, your budget may guide you more toward an American classic. Do some studying on availability, pricing and difficulty associated with restoring some of the makes, models and years you are interested in. Unless you luck into a buy, it can help to have a few favorite picks in mind as you start looking for a car to purchase and restore.

Budgeting and space – Restoring a classic does take money, time and even some space. If you plan on doing all the work yourself, without hiring a mechanic or body person, you will need to have a garage to work in. You will also want to have a good handle on how much you can spend. As you start looking at cars, make sure to have rough estimate of your budget not only for the purchase, but also the restoration.

Difficulty of the restoration – While you will not know exactly what you’re getting into until you actually make a purchase, it is a good idea to ponder this point in advance, as well. Some makes, models and years are fairly easy to restore because parts are available and affordable. For other cars, however, you may have to have more patience, time and money on your hands. The harder parts are to find, the bigger the challenge. Do some homework on the types of cars you are interested in to get a better handle on the difficulty you may face.

The more research you do in advance of making a classic purchase, the better positioned you will be to make your restoration dreams come true.

What exactly do you need to know before you dive in to the purchase?

If you have never restored a classic before and want a better handle of what to expect from the process, there are some things you will want to do prior to making the purchase. First, if you have not done so already, carefully inspect the car. You really want a good idea of what to expect under the hood. You will also want to take a visual inventory of the things that might need to be replaced to restore aesthetics.

It is also a good idea to consider doing these things before making the purchase outright:

Let a mechanic inspect it – Getting an opinion from someone who fully understands what it takes to restore a car is a very good idea. Try to find a mechanic that specializes in the make, model and year you are looking at. A good, all-around mechanic, at the very least, can tell you if the vehicle is in road ready operable condition. If it’s not, you may still want to buy it, but at least you will not go into the prospect blind.

Check out the pricing and availability on parts – Do a little research to see just how difficult a project you are getting yourself into. Consider listing out the obvious parts you will need to restore the vehicle and seeing if you can find them and check their prices against what you intended to spend on the restoration.

Unless you are an expert mechanic, it is a good idea to step back and do a little studying before jumping on a purchase. Restorations can take time, money and patience. The more you know about what you are getting into, the better. While the work is half the fun, you do not want to bite off more than you can realistically chew the first time out.

The salts used on roads to prevent skidding, sliding and accidents and wreak havoc on a car, classic or not. To stop rust in its tracks, make sure to:

• Fully clean the car before going out – This can be done before the first snows fall, but if it has not been performed, do so before dragging an antique car out into the snow. Make sure to completely clean the car and pay extra attention to the underside.
• Seal the undercarriage – This is something a garage can do for you to save you time and hassle. Just make sure the fuel and brake lines are properly sealed to avoid corrosion.
• Wax – Apply a nice and thick coat of wax with sealant to protect the paint from salt.
• Rinse it off – Once you get back home and have your baby in the garage, take the extra step to rinse off any road debris. Take care to get any deposits that might be on the undercarriage or in hidden places, too.

Winter and classic cars do not necessarily go hand in hand. To avoid damage to the paint and metal if a car must be taken out in the elements, plan ahead and take the right preventative measures.

Make a plan now to get the job tackled in the coming year or over the course of the next few. Just don’t leave it for tomorrow, because those tomorrows might keep piling up.

To keep your resolution and be realistic about the process, start out by detailing what needs to be done to get your dream car on the road and fully finished. Break the projects down by priorities, be they finances or the essentials required to get your baby road ready and running. . If you cannot afford to do everything at once or just do not have the time, it can also help to sit down with a calendar and start setting deadlines for little projects as you have prioritized them.

You can save money along the way by:

• Seeking out used parts instead of aftermarket parts – Whenever possible, use good quality junk yard parts to get your classic car back on the road. You can search junk yards all over the country courtesy of the Internet.
• Hiring help only when it is truly needed – Professional help can speed up a restoration project greatly, but it can put a big hit on a budget. If money is the issue standing in the way, only use help when it is 100 percent required.
• Attending swap meets – Sometimes you might have unnecessary parts or other items that you can swap for things you need. Classic car swamp meets are well worth attending, especially when there are parts you just cannot seem to find anywhere else.

With New Years coming, the time is right to resolve to get your classic car restoration project completed. Take it one step at a time and you will have your dream car on the road before you know it.