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Honda & Nissan End Merger TalksThe Best YouTube Car Restoration Channels
YouTube is a fabulous resource for amateur mechanics. Whether you need wrenching advice or just want some inspiration, these are the channels to watch.Recovering, Restoring, Reimagining
You know those hours-long YouTube videos of crackling fireplaces, placid techno-jazz beats set with an anime background, and slow-panning drone footage of tropical waterfalls? Car people have their own version, the car restoration video. Nothing soothes the souls of gear heads like watching a time lapse video of a haggard barn find go from crusted and rusted to shining and fully restored. Toss in all the technical challenges and sentimental (or financial) value of the project for maximum automotive bliss. These YouTube channels offer all the vicarious thrills of restoring a car without the scraped knuckles and wallet fatigue that keep you from finishing your own project car. Alternatively, you can take their examples as inspiration to get back in to garage yourself.
Rediscovering Classics
Hagerty – Barn Find Hunter
Hagerty’s YouTube channel has a lot of stellar content, including their show Barn Find Hunter. Hosted by Tom Cotter, Barn Find Hunter covers the first phase of many a restoration project, finding the car. Tom travels the country visiting the barns and outbuildings of wizened car collectors to uncover long hidden automotive gems.
POWERNATION
POWERNAION is a one-stop shop for restomods, recoveries, and total teardowns. The channels hosts over a dozen shows ranging from Detroit Muscle and Search & Restore to Xtreme 4×4 and Top Dead Center. This means countless hours of content covering all manner of classics and enthusiast cars getting worked on.
AMMO NYC
One of the most important parts of restoring a car is cleaning off years of dust and grime. While AMMO NYC owner Larry Kosilla does paint and detail work on cars new and old, many of the channel’s videos feature long neglected classic cars getting their first cleaning in decades. There is something particularly satisfying about watching the transformation of a dirty old car into a shining, like-new example.
Salvaging Sports Cars
Rich Rebuilds
Rich of Rich Rebuilds redeems the irredeemable, salvaging wrecks and neglected cars by rebuilding them. Check out his playlist page and fall down the rabbit hole with Rich as he works to resuscitate a wrecked BMW i8, builds his own Tesla Quad Cycle, or V8 swaps a Tesla.
Adam LZ
Adam LZ is a former BMX pro and current YouTube sensation with over three million subscribers. The majority of his content revolves around sick car builds, but there is also plenty of Gen-Z-friendly shenanigans, and then often a mix of the two, as seen above in his video getting pulled over while testing a new transmission in his Mustang GT350.
B is for Build
Chris and company at B is for Build take on ambitious rebuilds and turn them into YouTube gold. They visit auctions and salvage yards to give cars left for dead a second life. Check out his videos resurrecting a smashed-up Nissan GT-R, flooded Bentley, or shredded F-150 Raptor.
Pro Advice for the DIY Mechanic
1A Auto
As an adjunct to their online parts business, 1A Auto has a fantastic YouTube channel for DIY/shadetree mechanics with loads of expert advice and walkthroughs from professional mechanics. Looking to replace your heater core? Throttle body needs cleaning? Changing the timing belt on your truck? Whether it is diagnosing a problem or step-by-step instructions, 1A Auto has you covered.
Chris Fix
Chris of Chris Fix offers high-quality DIY solutions to common car problems. He will teach you how to repair dents and de-fog those old headlights. Or more complex work like installing a Hydro Ebrake or replacing your clutch. If you have work you are doing on your car, make sure to consult Chris Fix, he is sure to have a video covering it.
Eric the Car Guy
Eric the Car Guy might have retired from YouTube, but his channel offers nine years’ worth of in-depth repair and maintenance videos sharing a vast wealth of automotive knowledge. From replacing tie-rod ends to replacing brake hoses, Eric the Car Guy’s made a video on it.
