Learning car stuff / doing a resto - Noob advice

wow so many questions so little time lol

1-thats up to you,probably better if you had some sort of mentor,dad,mate brother to guide you

2 not really,just make sure you choose wisely and buy the best you can,halfords own brand are ok and affordable

3+6 if your near redhill or bromley speak to those colleges as they run/ran courses

4 expect blood loss and bruising but with some sensible precautions you'll live

5 best not to as it will only rear its head later and bite ya bum and or the person you sell it to will

Some people learn different ways, I have done other subjects at college, although i thought i knew the basics a refresher helps and good to see others techniques, so thats upto you, most just get stuck in, motivation patience, determination and some thought go a long way. don't forget safety like. most accidents happen at home due to making up our own rules and cutting corners!!

Tools: I have only ever in the past had old curse word or cheap curse word and its a big false economy IMO, I wonder how i fixed old bikes and bodges on old cars. build up bit by bit a modest tool kit, Sockets, spanners, screwdrivers, HAMMERS!!! etc all quality stuff, i hear halfords pro tools are good from here, and don't forget the WD40/GT85.

And learn as you go taking reference from here, mags, books and attempting to visualise how stuff works.

Learning welding is an advantage, but i'm yet to do that.

Se my readers rides thread on my MR2 and others projects to see how people get on. Mr Bo11ox's gearbox change is good too!

mk2 fiesta is a good start nice and simple bits for them are plentyfull and theres enough of them just to scrap it if you mess up.........scrap it and buy a mk1 anyway

having to fix a car rather than tinkering for the sake of it is the way most people learn

do the college thing too

its all practice and experience - the more you do it the more you remember

Ah well everyone has posted what I was going to say so I won't bother

Just buy the rotter and GET IN THERE!!!

1] i take it taking a car apart and putting it back together again (or at least trying to) is a fairly good way to learn? (rusty mk2 fiesta in this case). not proper resto, just experimenting and seeing what happens, scrapping the lot if i screw up. i understand how most stuff works, just lacking practical experience.

Restore it. On a budget. Learn as you go along. Just "seeing how it goes together" won;t get you that far as you'll run out of motivation and it will seem too hard.

2] am i gonna need to get lots and lots of tools? got things like spanners sockets ramps axle stands screwdrivers drills etc gonna get an angle grinder and trolley jack anyway, i guess a torque wrench would be useful too.

I started with a 1/2 socket set, some cheap screwdrivers from the petrol station, some made in china ring spanners and what ever I could filch out of my dads tool box when I was still at home. Cars come with jacks, but you'll need axle stands. Don;t buy dodgy ones fromt he car boot, get decent ones. Build up what you need as you go along. Or get a big assed Mechanics Set from Sealey or somewhere, everything you'll never need all in one box for like £200.

3] are evening classes in car maintenance as low level as they sound? (changing a wheel etc)

Some are, some aren't. Ask. Most will let you work on your own car and will let you go at your own pace. I did one and when people were still on week three of how to change a wheel I was borrowing their crypton tuner to set my Viva up.

4] how dangerous is it to your average slack jawed yokel?

How dangerous is what? Going to college?

5] would it be sacrilege to do a less than perfect job on a classic? ie buying one in need of repair and attempting to do it up, maybe odd bit of filler here and there and DIY spraycan matt black paintjob?

Its far better to bodge one up and use it than it is to leave it rotting in a field or let it get banger raced.

6] how hard/dangerous/time consuming is it learning to weld?

Not hard, not that dangerous (remember to use goggles and remove anything combustible from the area you are welding, thats about it). Doesn't tka elong to learn to do it acceptably. Takes a long time to learn to do it well. Again, you can go to college for this. The thing you NEED NEED NEED to learn is how to ensure the weld has penetrated. So long as your welds are right through they are good. I've seen some horrors of metal plates held together by melted mig wire and little else...

Thanks for the replies, a lot of useful info there



not too good, sills are rusted through, rear arches pretty bad



most of it is not too bad really other than the rust and being standing for a while.

erm.. are you having a go ?

i find the best tools are the second hand ones found on car boots, the type that have stood the test of time for 5 decades and are going strong - usually real cheap too