The SkillShack experts offer advice and tips to help you deal with common classic car maintenance and restoration problems.
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
On alternator-equipped cars, the ‘ignition light’ (more correctly described as the no-charge warning lamp) should extinguish as soon as the engine starts and shouldn’t be seen again. With a dynamo it’s quite normal for the light to glow at idle, though it should go out by about 1500rpm. If your warning light is on, indicating
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t run a classic through the winter if it’s first prepared by thorough inspection and rustproofing. First of all, make sure the tyres are in good condition and have at least 3mm of tread. If you cover a lot of winter miles, a set of winter tyres is a worthwhile
There are a number of ways to get your classic ready for restoration. Traditionally, shells were sanded or sandblasted back to bare metal. In recent years, chemical dipping and high-temperature baking have both become popular ways of removing paint, under seal and rust. Each method has advantages and pitfalls and it’s hard to say which,
You’ll probably have heard pub experts discussing ‘pinking’ in relation to ignition timing on a classic. This problem occurs when the mixture in the cylinders ignites too soon, hammering the piston and con-rod into the crankshaft as the crank web is still pushing the piston up the cylinder. This is heard as a light rattle
Before fitting a voltmeter or ammeter to your classic, there are a few things you need to know. Any car fitted with an alternator is best suited to a voltmeter. The alternator charges adequately under almost all conditions and the voltmeter can simply be used as a cursory check of the regulated charging voltage and,
There are many ‘sticking plaster’ solutions often applied to an overheating classic. However, in truth, auxiliary fans and special coolants should seldom, if ever, be necessary if a standard engine and standard cooling system are in good condition. Overheating is the result of an underlying problem. First, check that the engine’s correctly set-up. If it’s
Grease nipples were used in the days before sealed-for-life suspension ball-joints. Not only do they allow extra lubricant to be applied, but the unsealed joint allows old grease and crud to be pushed out as the new grease is forced in. Unfortunately, neglect causes problems as the old grease solidifies and becomes contaminated with water,
Paint reactions are usually caused by solvents in the new paint penetrating the old coating. To avoid them, it’s important to understand a little about the solvents used in common paint systems. High-order solvents such as toluene (an ingredient of cellulose thinners), have a sickly-sweet smell and evaporate quickly. Low-order solvents like white spirit have
If laying your car up for a period of more than a couple of weeks, it will be beneficial to over-inflate the tyres by about 10psi, providing this doesn’t exceed the maximum pressure marked on the sidewall. Keep them topped-up and periodically jack and rotate each wheel to ensure it doesn’t sit too long on
A basic, ‘one-man’ brake bleeder is essentially a length of hose with a one-way valve to allow fluid out and prevent air being sucked back in. The very cheapest tyres have a bung in the end of the tube and a lengthways razor-slit just above it. They work fine, but after a year or so,
It’s amazing the number of classics where an aftermarket temperature gauge or sender doesn’t read ‘normal’ when it’s fine in reality. Owners know these quirks and many simply choose to live with it, knowing that the needle just before the red is fine but any higher is less so. Sender units and gauges are matched
