Classic car restoration is a serious hobby for some, and a full-time business for others. One thing these auto enthusiasts have in mind is a love for their baby, their antique cars. It is no surprise then that every aspect of the process is like a new phase in the life of the car.

The paint job could be considered the independent stage in the classic car restoration process. It’s the last part to be completed before the baby flies the coop, so to speak. But, like any child leaving home, it has to be prepped for the journey.

Following are three steps you should take when preparing classic cars for a paint job.

Classic Car Restoration: 4 Steps to the Perfect Paint Job

Following are four steps to ensuring that your classic car or muscle car restoration isn’t ruined by a shoddy paint job.

1. Prep & Body Work: Just like painting your house, you have to prepare the surface to receive the paint. In classic car restoration, this means first going over the entire vehicle, making sure that you’ve done everything you want to it before you start the paint process.

This means taking out all dents and dings in the body, for example. The paint job should be the last thing you have done to the car in the restoration process.

2. Sanding: The sanding process can take a while, but is absolutely necessary to get a smooth finish when painting. Professional auto body work shops use a power sander. Many who restore classic cars are tempted to take on the paint job themselves. However, a professional should be used, and this step is a good example of why.

Power sanders require just the right amount of pressure to get the smooth finish that is desired in a professional paint job. If you apply too much pressure with a sander, you can damage the body and/or cause circles to show up in the paint job.

Many don’t realize it but, if the existing paint on the car is in decent condition, you don’t have to sand it all the way down to the metal. However, if it is in very bad condition, you do need to go this far. And, this is where a steady hand is required.

3. Wash/Dry: Once the car has been sanded, it should be washed and dried thorough. Again, this is an exacting process that requires special equipment to ensure that it’s done right. In this case, an air compressor would be used.

An air compressor removes water from hard to reach places like windows seams, door jambs and more – places that are impossible to reach by hand.

4. Primer: After the car is washed and dried, you can apply primer, then paint to complete the painting process.

As you can see, while classic car restoration is a hobby for some, there’s a reason it’s big business for others. Completing the process from restoring the motor to painting the body is a time-consuming, exacting process. Once complete however, like the pride of its owner, it’s priceless.