Vintage and Classic Truck Restorations
Finch Restorations has decades of experience in restoring vintage and classic trucks.
We have the workshop capacity and infrastructure to be able to handle larger and heavier vehicles up to 14 tonnes GVM. Heavier vehicles may also be accepted depending on the restoration scope desired.
At Finch, we utilise a system of nine major stages to describe and control the restoration process. From these stages, you may pick and choose how much of your truck you want to have restored, and when.
A tailored scope of restoration is therefore possible. This may be applied to your classic or vintage truck, bus, utility/ute, pick-up, commercial vehicle, or military vehicle restoration.
Gallery of before and after details for 1930 Thornycroft A1 Truck
Example 1: Full Ground-Up Truck Restorations
Full ground-up restorations are for those who want to preserve a vehicle for posterity. Your truck can be brought back as close as possible to the original manufacturer specifications. Or you might want to perform upgrades to, for example, improve reliability, comfort, or performance.
During disassembly, the cab of your vintage or classic truck is removed from the chassis. The cab and chassis are stripped of grime, paint, lead, and old fillers. They are then inspected for cracks, broken welds, broken rivets, and needed rust repairs.
All of these issues can have a detrimental effect on vehicle longevity, handling, and safety if not found and repaired.
The bare chassis is also the ideal opportunity to check for straightness and perform chassis repairs. It is also a good time to see if any bolts, nuts or clips are missing or need replacing.
The exposed chassis also provides the opportunity to easily install new or refurbished systems. You may wish to replace and/or upgrade brake, fuel and exhaust lines for increased safety and reliability.
The chassis and each panel of your truck is either repaired or replaced. The cab and chassis are then rotisserie painted. The new paint system will give your truck a new lease on life. Modern and durable primers and paints will ensure the chassis and cab will last for decades to come.
All mechanical aspects of your classic truck are inspected, replaced, or refurbished. Depending on the age of the vehicle, insulation on the wiring loom has likely degraded. For safety, a new wiring loom will be used to replace the old one.
Your truck's interior door panels and cab ceiling will be relined or retained for the old patina at client's request. Old worn-out door window and weather seals are replaced, seats upholstered, the dashboard and instruments refurbished and more.
Your timber tray and headboard will be rejuvenated or retimbered and coated with an eye-catching lacquer or paint scheme. Pinstriping and signwriting can be performed to replicate original livery, or to meet your specifications.
The result is a truck to be handed from generation to generation.
Full ground-up restorations are the most expensive. They take the most time, effort and space to achieve.
Like an episode of 'Grand Designs', the intrusive nature of these restorations will reveal the deepest secrets of your truck.
Optionally, a new or refurbished engine, or brake upgrades can be installed towards achieving more modern performance standards. You can also have the options of including air conditioning, heating, stereo, electric wipers, seat belts, and more.
Example 2: Body and Panel Painting
If you are a Do It Yourself (DIY) restorer, you might have already disassembled your truck. You therefore may want Finch to just take specialist care of the rust affected areas, and subsequent painting of the cabin.
Example 3: Driving Chassis
Again, for the (DIY) restorer, you may want specialist restoration support for the chassis, steering and suspension systems, and the driveline. For the mechanical systems including the engine and transmission, the components will be inspected, refurbished or replaced, and painted as required.
Example 4: Assembly and Completion
Do you have an incomplete restoration in your garage that you know will never be completed?
We often received incomplete projects from clients, and completed the vehicle on behalf of the DIY owner. This can also be the case due to problems the client was having with a previous third-party workshop being used.
Example 5: Single System
If you are a DIY restorer, you might like to commssion us to undertake one or more single system refurbishments. Examples of single systems could include:
- Truck upholstery including truck seat repairs.
- Brake system repairs or upgrade.
Example scopes of work for Truck Restorations
Ground Up Restoration
- Stage 1A - Transport
- Stage 1B - Receival
- Stage 2 - Modifications
- Stage 3 - Disassemble
- Stage 4 - Paint Strip
- Stage 5B - Body
- Stage 5C - Chassis
- Stage 5D - Drive Train
- Stage 5E - Elec. Systems
- Stage 5M - Mech. Fluid Sys
- Stage 5O - Body Outfit
- Stage 5X - Special Purpose
- Stage 5F - Other Finishes
- Stage 6 - Paint Body
- Stage 7 - Sub Assemble
- Stage 8 - Final Assembly
- Stage 9A - Completion
- Stage 9B - Delivery
Body - Panel & Paint
- Optional
- Stage 1B - Receival
- -
- -
- Stage 4 - Paint Strip
- Stage 5B - Body
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- Stage 6 - Paint Body
- -
- -
- -
- Optional
Driving Chassis
- Optional
- Stage 1B - Receival
- -
- -
- -
- -
- Stage 5C - Chassis
- Stage 5D - Drive Train
- Stage 5E - Elec. Systems
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- Optional
Assembly and Completion
- Optional
- Stage 1B - Receival
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- Stage 7 - Sub Assemble
- Stage 8 - Final Assembly
- Stage 9A - Completion
- Optional
Contact Finch Restorations
Everything you need to make your truck look new again is performed by qualified and professional people who care.
Anyone seeking a vintage or classic truck restoration is invited to call Finch Restorations for an obligation free consultation.
