By Lucy Wyndham
It’s no secret that vintage cars are beautiful and costly. Some of the most prized classics can go for as much as $30 million dollars. Because of this, it’s imperative that owners of classic or vintage cars know how to maintain and perform upkeep on their prized possessions. But when upkeep fails and you’re left with the task of restoring your vintage vehicle to its original glamour, it becomes apparent that it’s no easy task. As you tour through Cuba in one, you’ll notice how spotless and pristine their old cars are. How do they do it? Luckily, there are a few tips and car hacks that can make your life easier.
Appearance Starts With Paint
Whether your ultimate aim is to restore a faded car to its original glory to show it off on the streets or appreciate it yourself, it undoubtedly starts with its paint job. Does your paint look new? If not, many assume that you have to take it to a professional mechanic, but let’s put the brakes on that idea. There are many pieces of info mechanics would rather keep from you. The truth is, you can manage to restore your paint like new and even buff out scratches, for a cheaper price and less hassle than visiting a mechanic. And you can do it from your own garage.
When you see the pristine classic cars roaming the streets of Cuba, you’ll want to emulate it. Of course, the best route would be to have a new paint job, but that’s not always feasible due to the price. All you need is a polisher, buffing wheels, and some polishing products like ultimate compound restorer and ultimate polish. These can be obtained in a variety of stores. A handy first step is using a clay bar to soak up all the contaminants in the paint, but this is optional. Next, apply a polishing compound on your buffer and watch the progress. Follow up with a coat of liquid wax to really have a finished glean in the paint. These can be accomplished without a buffer by hand, but it takes far more effort and doesn’t leave quite the same sheen.
Bring The Shine Back To The Wheels
The next step is restoring your wheels to their original shine. Because these are typically aluminum, the same compounds for the paint won’t cut it. You’ll need to pick up wheel cleaner, also easily available in stores, like Detailer’s Pro Series or Sonax. Start by hosing down the wheels as much as possible and follow up with buffering. If your buffer wheel has a smaller attachment, use that. If not, this can be done with some more elbow grease by hand. Apply your wheel cleaner and scrub them down, then follow up with polish from the first step. You’ll be amazed at how new they look.
Cuba is a haven for beautiful classic cars and they’re renowned for maintaining the looks. If you want to restore your own vintage mobile, don’t be in a rush to pay an exorbitant amount of money for it. You can restore the look of your car without it leaving your garage. So on your next tour through Havana, you’ll know how they manage their spotless cars.
