When it comes to restoring classic cars, organizational skills and preparation can go a long way in keeping your garage tidy and help you to complete work safely and in a timely manner. Before you start tearing down your car so you can rebuild it, here are several essential things to do.
Hire an electrician
Good lighting will help to reduce eye strain, especially when it comes to reading the fine print on the various parts you will be ordering for your classic car. Hang a long fluorescent light fixture over your workbench and another one over the car, if possible. Also, ask an electrician to install an electrical circuit specifically for your air compressor and large welding machines, as well as additional power outlets for other equipment so you won't need to use extension cords.
Install shelving
Sturdy shelving is a definite must-have item for storage. For sturdiness and stability, secure all shelving with bolts to the walls of the garage. If the garage has a high ceiling, take advantage of the additional space by installing tall shelving. You can reach the tall shelves by using a ladder. Of course, keep safety in mind and plan on using the tallest shelves for the lightest objects. Designate various parts of the shelving for different types of parts. That way, you'll be able to easily identify where to place parts in the shelving as you purchase them.
Shop for supplies
Purchase plastic bags in various sizes to store the smaller parts in, both old and new, and boxes to store the plastic bags into. You'll also need to buy labels for the bags and boxes so you can write down the classic car part numbers and other pertinent information so the parts will be easy to identify in the future. Also, buy some tags so you'll be able to tag larger parts as well as the wires when you disassemble the electrical wiring harness and the gears when you work on the transmission.
Organize your tools
When you are in the process of restoring your classic car, the last thing you'll want to do is to realize that you need to run out to the store to buy a specific tool. Even worse is when you need to run out to buy a tool that you already have, somewhere, but cannot find. Organize your tools so you can easily find them when you need them. More importantly, keep your tools organized by placing them back where they belong as soon as you are done using them.
