The SkillShack experts offer advice and tips to help you deal with common classic car maintenance and restoration problems.
If your classic is reluctant to start, here are some top tips on how to get it going. Get an assistant to pull the choke out. Look underneath the carburettors and check that the main jet holders are being pulled down by the choke mechanism. Investigate if they aren’t. Disconnect the fuel hose to the… Read more »
A festering ventilation system is a real health risk, and if yours smells dank and musty when switched on, it’s something well worth combatting. It’s possible that at some point in the car’s history, dirty flood water, sewage or countryside effluent has found its way down the external vents and into the system. This means… Read more »
If the cooling passages of your classic are clogged with silt, it can lead to hot spots in the block and potential catastrophic failure. If you don’t want to remove the engine from the car and strip it completely, it’s often effective to fill the engine with quite a strong solution of kettle or dishwasher… Read more »
Question: Do you have any suggestions for loosening a distributor fitted to the cast iron engine of my Triumph GT6? I fitted an Aldon Ignitor electronic ignition to the car and all was well until I tried to retime the engine at the distributor. I don’t want to use brute force because the alloy body… Read more »
If your classic is having difficulty drawing fuel, it can manifest in symptoms from not starting to regular cutting out particularly under load as fuel runs out in the carburettor float. If you suspect this to be the case, there are a few things you can check. Flakes of rust or even a disintegrated gauze… Read more »
Sometimes, a braking system just requires a few miles’ use to regain its function after a winter lay-up. We strongly advise, though, that it’s visually inspected for fluid leaks and dodgy pipes and hoses before turning a wheel. If matters don’t rapidly improve or if a major fault becomes obvious, then the whole system should… Read more »
A brake servo in certain circumstances, can be a great upgrade for a classic car. However, many people use an aftermarket brake servo as a sticking plaster solution to mask an underlying problem. Before you even think about fitting a servo, you should fully inspect your brakes. Remove the wheels, with disc brakes, pry the… Read more »
Question: My 1973 1200 Beetle will start perfectly from cold but sometimes if the engine is warm it is as though the battery has gone flat and the engine simply refuses to turn over. If I leave the car for a few hours to go cold it will start again no problem. Is it just… Read more »
Never underestimate the importance of good wheels and rubber, especially when buying and selling. The wheels and tyres may not be in the eye-line but they constitute a significant percentage of the car’s façade, can cost lots to put right, and are therefore a selling point. We recommend the wheels are the correct ones for… Read more »
If your classic is losing water, the first thing to check is underneath to see if it’s escaping through a perished hose or water pump gasket. If it isn’t you could be forgiven for jumping to head gasket failure as a probable culprit, but don’t assume the worst too soon. First, top up the radiator… Read more »
If your classic is reluctant to start, here are some top tips on how to get it going. Get an assistant to pull the choke out. Look underneath the carburettors and check that the main jet holders are being pulled down by the choke mechanism. Investigate if they aren’t. Disconnect the fuel hose to the… Read more »
If your classic is losing water, the first thing to check is underneath to see if it’s escaping through a perished hose or water pump gasket. If it isn’t you could be forgiven for jumping to head gasket failure as a probable culprit, but don’t assume the worst too soon. First, top up the radiator… Read more »
