This thread was popular over on the old GG, but I was too late to save all of it.
The thread originally came about from a long dinner conversation with a good friend of mine. We discussed the absolute "must have" equipment that make car and motorcycle restoration possible for the home shop mechanic
As the title says, "five pieces of equipment that are essential for restoration work"!! We also assumed that DIY'ers have the basic hand tools and also metal fabrication tools to attempt a restoration. So items such as a MIG welder, air compressor, grinder, etc. are now within most budgets and thus available in most serious DIY garages. Hence, they were not included in the list
So here goes the list in order of importance:
1) The most important piece of equipment -- Oxy/Acetylene torch. It will weld, cut, heat, braze, and solder. Without a good torch, taking an old vehicle apart is
almost considered torture.
2) Bench Grinder -- with wire wheels. To be exact, with a coarse wheel on one side and a brass (soft) wheel on the other. This combination will save hours in
stripping and prepping parts for paint and/or polishing bare metal.
3) Parts Washer -- getting parts clean and grease free is easily accomplished with this little gem. Once considered a luxury, a 20 gal washer is well within most
DIY budgets these days. This one was new when the pic was taken. It replaced my old one that had rotted out due to using caustic water-based cleaner in it for several years.
4) Blast Cabinet -- When doing serious restoration work, this equipment can literally save "days" in prep time over hand sanding, wire brushing and/or wire
wheeling. Again, what used to be an expensive luxury is now affordable thanks to HF and other importers.
5) Hydraulic Press -- The money saved on machine shop or garage fees during a serious restoration project is quite substantial. When doing engine, transmission,
driveline and/or suspension work, a hydraulic press will pay for itself in just a very few months. The asian imports are quite capable and a 20 Ton unit can be
purchased for less than $180.
The final thought was that most all this equipment can be purchased used (or on sale) for less than $500 -- (not including the rental/purchase fees for gas cylinders). Bottom line, this equipment is truely within the budget of most serious DIY'ers.
