Renovating old trucks can be a difficult hobby to get into. Besides the potential knowledge gap which exists in entering any new hobby, classic vehicles have some hurdles of their own to overcome. The community around renovating old trucks is friendly, but there is still plenty of general advice a newcomer to the hobby would benefit from knowing.
Watch your Budget
Getting a good old vehicle is not always a matter of cost. Don’t assume a truck you want to renovate is worth it because it is expensive. Equally, a truck is not necessarily a bad choice because it is cheap. Search around, and do your research. Getting the right renovation project requires time and effort. If you put those in, you’ll find renovating old trucks much cheaper.
Explore Space
Renovating old trucks takes a lot of space. You’ll need space to work in – which means room to move around and under the truck. You’ll also need a good place to store your truck overnight. This should be somewhere secure that you can easily get your truck in and out of. Equally, you should consider whether the roads near you are appropriate to get a truck around on. You don’t want to buy a truck before you realise that you can’t get it into your local petrol station.
Break it Down
The secret to most problems is to break them down into smaller issues. This is no less the case when renovating old trucks. Don’t try to take on the whole challenge at once, or you will be overwhelmed. Instead, create a list of small tasks that you can tick off one at a time. Try and plan ahead as much as possible, and decide what parts you need before you start taking things apart.
Have a Photoshoot
When you do start taking things apart, stop and think about what you’re doing first. Although you may know a great deal about mechanical engineering, renovating old trucks can still surprise you. It’s best to take pictures of anything you are disassembling before you do it, along with at every stage. This way, you have evidence of what state and position the parts were in before you started. If you make a mistake, it’s best to have an easy idea of how to fix it.
Trust the Professionals
There are some jobs that you can do, and some that it’s worth accepting you can’t. Try your best to do as many tasks you are able to. However, don’t insist on taking on impossible jobs. You only stand to do yourself and your truck a disservice. Instead, make sure that you get the right tradesman to do the job for you – with written proof.