The Complete Idiot's Guide to Restoring Collector Cars (Paperback)

by Tom Benford (Author) "There are many genres of collector cars..." (more)
Key Phrases: collector car hobby, collector vehicle, collector car restoration, Brake It Down, The Least You Need, New Jersey (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Do-it-yourself car restorer Tom Benford walks readers through everything they need to know about finding classic cars, assessing their value, finding parts, deciding on replacement parts versus originals, and estimating completion time. From setting up the workshop to putting the finishing touches on the final coat of wax, this guide offers tips and step-by-step instructions for repairing everything from brake pads to door dings.

About the Author
Tom Benford is a freelance writer and editor specializing in automotive publishing with more than 20 books to his writing or editing credit. He is a frequent contributor to many automotive periodicals and his byline has appeared in Amtrak Express, Oui, Harley-Davidson Enthusiast, Lens, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and many regional newspapers and magazines. He is also a double-nominee for the 2003 International Automotive Media Awards.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592572340
• ISBN-13: 978-1592572342
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #418,874 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Beginner's Guide, July 24, 2005

By	David Brown (Colorado USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you already know a lot about Pitman arms, rag joints, pinion gears, and harmonic balancers, then this book is probably not for you. After all, the word, "idiot," is in the title. As the new owner of a collector car who hasn't much of a clue where to start, I found it to be perfectly suited to my needs and knowledge level. The information is presented in such a way as to apply to a wide range of vehicle types, which I especially liked, since my specific vehicle interests don't correspond at all with the author's. Most importantly, the author is a good writer and the book is enjoyable to read, cover to cover. (There are a few typos, which always surprises me.) Overall, a good value and a great introduction to the topic for beginners.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Starter Books, August 15, 2005

By	Ryan P. Dooley "picarolio" (NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

By far a really, really good starter book for anyone looking to see what it would take to get into restoring a classic car. If you know the basics; budgeting, tools needed, what car to look for this is not the book for you.

But for those who haven't even scoped the project this is a great starting point to layout your plan of how you are going to proceed or whether your should proceed at all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yes, I'm an Idiot, August 23, 2007

By	renee bova-collis "Ree Beau" (VA) - See all my reviews

Not exactly what I was looking for, but there was certainly much I didn't already know. Great resource referrals! I wanted more specific, step by step instructions, but now I know where to get it from reading this. I did not waste my time or money.