Restoration technician

Restoration technicians overhaul old and classic cars.

Restoration technicians typically do the following:

• carry out classic car restoration activities as required.
• diagnose and rectify classic vehicle faults.
• methodically disassemble, label, photograph and store vehicle parts and
• assemblies.
• strip components and assess their condition and either restore or replace
• them.
• produce concise parts and materials requirements lists to assist with the
• procurement process.
• reassemble the restored assemblies or vehicles and debug or finesse to achieve the right quality.

The following job titles also refer to restoration technician:

old car restorer
car restoration technician
car interior restorer
classic car restorer
vintage car restorer
car interior restoration technician
can interior specialist
car restorer
vehicle restorer
classic car restoration technician
vehicle interior restorer
classic vehicle restorer
automotive restoration technician
old car restoration technician
vintage vehicle restorer
old vehicle restorer

No formal educational credential is required to work as a restoration technician, but relevant apprenticeships or vocational education would be beneficial.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Restoration technician is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to restoration technician.

refurbishing technician
vehicle maintenance attendant
coachbuilder
roadside vehicle technician
vehicle electronics installer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of restoration technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of restoration technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

performance rental technician
garage manager
interior planner
aeronautical information service officer
motor vehicle shop manager

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of restoration technician.

• Car controls: The functioning of specific car equipment such as how to operate and handle the clutch, throttle, lighting, instrumentation, transmission and the brakes.
• Types of vehicles: Field of information which distinguishes rental agency classification systems, containing types and classes of vehicles and their functioning and components.
• Types of vehicle engines: Types of car engines in road and racing cars, including those with emerging technologies like Hybrids and electric motors, and how they work.

These skills are necessary for the role of restoration technician.

• Guarantee customer satisfaction: Handle customer expectations in a professional manner, anticipating and addressing their needs and desires. Provide flexible customer service to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Perform upholstery restoration of classic cars: Preserve and repair/restore the upholstery of vintage or classic cars; add a new look to the vehicles’ original aspect.
• Ensure customer focus: Attitude that puts customers at the centre of the business in all cases.
• Perform full leather conversions: Decorate the inside of a vehicle with customised leather upholstery.
• Provide customized upholstery: Install custom upholstery, according to the customer’s individual requests and preferences.
• Use color matching techniques: Apply specific techniques in order to match different colours.
• Carry out measurements of parts: Operate measurement instruments to measure parts of manufactured objects. Take into consideration specifications of manufacturers to perform the measuring.
• Repair door panels: Repair vehicle door panels using materials such as leather, vinyl or plastic.
• Perform technical tasks with great care: Avoiding possible risks and unwanted outcomes by watching carefully over all parts of a machine, device or vehicle and executing processes of production, maintenance or repair with great care.
• Assemble final product: Install and mechanically adjust all components and subsystems, according to factory regulations and legal standards.
• Carry out repairs of convertible roof covers: Repair/replace the vinyl or canvas roof covers of convertible cars.
• Estimate restoration costs: Estimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.
• Ensure quality assurance standards for vehicles: Implement and monitor the maintenance, repair and/or recondition of vehicles ensuring all quality assurance standards are met.
• Perform upholstery repair: Repair/restore damaged upholstery for a wide range of vehicles; use materials such as fabric, leather, plastic or vinyl.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of restoration technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Types of paint: Varieties of paint and chemicals used in their composition.
• Fabric types: Woven, non-woven, knitted fabrics and netting fabrics, technical fabrics such as Gore-Tex and Gannex.
• Electrical wiring plans: Pictorial representation of an electrical circuit. It shows the components of the circuit as simplified shapes, and the power and signal connections between the devices. It gives information about the relative position and arrangement of devices and terminals on the devices, to help in building or servicing the device. A wiring diagram is often used to troubleshoot problems and to make sure that all the connections have been made and that everything is present.
• Parts pricing: The prices of vehicle parts on the market from various suppliers and their trends.
• Leather products maintenance: The way to maintain the quality of leather products, the product types and their effects.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of restoration technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Carry out parts purchasing: Order specific parts required for maintenance and repair of a wide variety of vehicles.
• Maintain vehicle records: Maintain vehicle records by accurately recording service operations and repairs.
• Drive vehicles: Be able to drive vehicles; have the appropriate type of driving license according to the type of motor vehicle used.
• Maintain work area cleanliness: Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.
• Perform minor vehicle repairs: Repair/replace non-essential vehicle parts such as turn signals, lights, fluid hoses, etc.
• Gather information to substitute parts: Gather information from sources such as manuals and manufacturers; identify appropriate replacements for broken, rare or obsolete parts.
• Process payments: Accept payments such as cash, credit cards and debit cards. Handle reimbursement in case of returns or administer vouchers and marketing instruments such as bonus cards or membership cards. Pay attention to safety and the protection of personal data.
• Perform metal work: Work with metal and iron materials in order to assemble individual pieces or structures.
• Perform manual work autonomously: Show the ability to pursue basic manual tasks without the help or assistance of others, not needing supervision or guidance, and taking responsibility for one’s actions.
• Maintain parts inventory: Maintain stock levels in accordance with organisation procedures and policies; estimate upcoming supply needs.

7231 – Motor vehicle mechanics and repairers

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References

1. Restoration technician – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels