When it comes to restoring old vehicles, we all have our preference for what types of vehicles we enjoy. For some, it may be an old corvette and for others, it might be an old, classic VW bus. If you’re in the latter category, here are five essentials you’ll want to have at your disposal for the restoration process.
A Bus You Love
The first essential you’re going to need for your restoration project is the bus itself. It can typically be in any condition as long as it’s still solid. The amount of your budget will highly affect the acceptable condition that your bus may be in. If this is your very first restoration project, it’s advisable to get a VW bus that is still in decent condition as it will require less know-how and money to restore. When buying, look for buses that have been kept in covered parking and have minimal rust damage, especially on the frame.
Accurate Blueprints
Restorers call them many things, however, all terms can be classified as vehicle blueprints. Be sure that you get the ones for the specific year of the VW bus that you plan on restoring. You’ll want to have these in physical or digital forms before you even start the project. Having to do an online search every time you need to understand where something is at can be a real pain. Just get all your blueprints prepared ahead of time to simplify the process and save yourself time in the future.
A Reliable Parts Dealer
Obviously you’re going to need some parts to restore your old VW bus. This means that you’ll need to have an adequate source for these parts. It’s best to do some research ahead of time on type 2 VW bus parts and who provides them. Read the reviews on dealers and order a part to see what quality level they provide. It’s best to source most of your parts from the same dealer as you can expect a consistent level of quality each time. It also helps to get to know your dealer so that they are familiar with your project as well and can alert you when they have a new part in stock that you might need.
The Right Tools
No restoration project can get underway without the tools to do the job. You should have a basic set of automobile tools so that you can disassemble your bus. Ratchet sets, wrenches, oil containers, lifts, and so forth are a necessity. By doing some research ahead of time, you may find that you’ll need some specific tools for your VW bus repair that are unique to the brand.
A Bay to Work In
Your bay for work can be an automotive garage bay or simply a home garage. Regardless of where you plan on working on your project, it just needs to have adequate space. You should be able to have safe storage of parts, the vehicle, and your tools to work on the bus. It will be ideal to store your bus and parts where you work to keep them safe and to make it easier for you to devote time to working on the project.
When restoring an old VW bus you’re going to need the above essentials. It’s best to get these sorted out ahead of time before you get your project underway. This way, you’ll have less stress with your restoration project.
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