So you’ve considered buying a Porsche for a while now. You’ve looked at new Porsche for sale, but you’ve decided that buying a classic Porsche and taking on a Porsche restoration project is for you. After all, it’s a much more fun and rewarding way of creating your dream car right?!
But where do you get started? What things do you need to consider? And why should you seriously consider using a Porsche restoration specialist?
1. Financing your Porsche restoration
Restoring any car (never mind a Porsche or another classic car) is not a cheap hobby, and so it’s important to consider how you’ll fund the restoration of your Porsche. Speak to a Porsche restoration specialist if you’re unsure about what you’re getting yourself in for financially. Think about whether you really have the tools and skills to do the work yourself, and consider doing the job in stages to make paying for the price of components, parts and labour much more manageable for yourself. Plus, don’t forget to set a little extra budget aside for any surprises along the way. Every cars’ needs are different, so trust us, if you don’t speak to specialist beforehand, there could well be some!
2. Pick the right car
Do your research before deciding on the make and model of Classic Porsche you want to restore. You don’t want to invest your time, energy and money into starting a Porsche restoration project to finding out a certain component has been out of production since the 1960’s! It can cause huge delays and really stretch the budget of your restoration. If it’s your first time, perhaps pick a model that has great aftercare support and you can buy practically anything you’re going to need, brand new and off the shelf. If you are unsure which Porsche model could be right for you, then get in touch with us here.
3. Don’t cut corners
Before starting your Porsche restoration, think about your own personal strengths and weaknesses. Restoring a classic Porsche involves many processes including welding, painting, electrics and bodyworking. Yes you be skilled in a couple of these areas, but others you may not be. It’s extremely rare to be able to complete every job required to fully restore a car, and so think about your own limitations, what you feel confident doing yourself and where you might need some help from a specialist. We strongly recommend you consider outsourcing to a Porsche restoration specialists who can help you with the bits you feel less comfortable with. And if you want to be involved in the process? Then feel free to come along to watch us complete any part of your restoration project, we’re always happy to welcome our customers on site.
4. Source legitimate Porsche parts
At last! You’ve found that component you’ve been searching hours for, (days even!) in the depths of the online retail world. But are you 100% certain it’s a legitimate, branded Porsche part? Will it work exactly as it should, or will it let you down in the near future? For a piece of mind and safety, we recommend sourcing only the best parts for your Porsche restoration. After all you wouldn’t buy a prime rib steak and put ketchup on it would you? At Canford Classics we have an extensive range of Porsche parts available in our Porsche restoration shop, and if you can't see what you're looking for, rest assured, we even manufacture rear parts when needed.
5. Invest in the best tools
With all the best will (and investment) in the world, yes there are a ton of YouTube videos guiding you through the classic car restoration process, but do you really have the right tools for the job? If you don’t already own a comprehensive tool kit, then you’ll soon be picking up lots of handy gadgets and tools along the way; from spanners, socket sets, hammers, screwdrivers, the list goes on! When bringing your Porsche to life, it deserves only the best care and so it’s worth investing in the very best tools you can afford. They’re going to go through a lot of wear and tear and so buying cheap is a false economy and will only slow your restoration down. Once you’ve started building up your basic hand tools, it won’t be long before you’ll want to add some essential power tools to your tool kit too!
That’s it, you’re ready to start your Porsche restoration journey. We hope you’ve found our Porsche restoration tips helpful.
Please remember it can be an extremely challenging but rewarding journey restoring your own classic Porsche, but provided you have the money required, know your limitations, and have the best tools at hand, then you’ll soon be cruising around in one of the most iconic cars on the road! And don’t forget if you run into any problems or unexpected surprises along the way, you can always rely on the expert skills and experience of a Porsche restoration specialist; just give us a call with any questions you might have.