How to reverse engineer classic car parts 

The timeless design, the meticulous craftsmanship, the connection to the past. There are many reasons why classic cars are enduringly popular. Reverse engineering has brought them within the reach of more people than ever before. 3D scanners and 3D modelling software have made it possible to remake parts at a fraction of what it used to cost. To help you understand how, this blog provides an overview of the technologies needed to reverse engineer classic car parts.

What is reverse engineering in automotive restoration?

A lot goes into keeping a vintage vehicle up and running. You can’t simply order a replacement from a manufacturer because original parts have gone out of production years, sometimes decades, ago.  

When parts break or wear out, most often you need to have a replacement manufactured from scratch. The older the vehicles, the more difficult it is to find a replacement, especially where the original manufacturer may not still exist. The simplest approach is reverse engineering.

This term refers to the process of using existing products to design and manufacture new ones. You measure the existing part, design a new model based on that information, tweak the broken areas and have the part manufactured. It’s fast and relatively inexpensive. 

Tools and technologies needed to reverse engineer classic cars

Measurement tools

If you want to reverse engineer classic car parts, a critical step is gathering measurements. A wide range of tools are available for this – from the more traditional manual options to digital alternatives. 

Basic hand tools include calipers, micrometres, gauges, rulers and tape measures. These can be helpful for measuring very simple, non-crucial parts. The challenge comes when a greater level of accuracy is required, as design engineers now work in terms of microns  

When you need to measure complex parts efficiently, you can use modern metrology devices. The best bet for this type of project is a portable 3D scanner. It gathers enough data points to serve as a basis for rebuilding parts, and is available at accessible price points.

Software

With all the measurements gathered, it’s time to build the 3D model. There are two types of software you can use for this. 

The more traditional option is CAD. Professional car engineers and enthusiasts have been using it to rebuild parts for years. However, it has its drawbacks. A common issue is that it’s too slow at handling big files such as scanning data. Even with optional reverse engineering modules, CAD programs can be inefficient in editing scans. 

The more efficient way is to get 3D reverse engineering software. It helps model accurately by automatically fitting sketch lines, arcs, and curves onto scanned parts. Thanks to tools that automate operations such as 2D and 3D sketch, revolve, extrude, fillet, shell/thicken, and pipe, modelling is faster. Most importantly, you can check the accuracy of CAD models during reverse engineering, without the need to export. 

After finishing the 3D CAD model, designers send the part to fabrication. This could be milling, machining or additive manufacturing.

Real-world example

Reverse engineering is widely used in classic car preservation, to replicate legacy parts or simply to create a digital record of the car for historical purposes. 

The most prominent example can be found in Florida, US. Revs Institute is a museum dedicated to preserving and restoring historic automobiles from the early 1900s. The institution houses rare and valuable vehicles that represent the pinnacle of automotive engineering and design.  

To digitize their vast collection of cars, they use reverse engineering. They scan each vehicle, gathering millions of data points in the process, and use that data to create CAD models in Geomagic Design X. The models are used for restoration, conservation, and preservation decisions.

The future of car restoration

Over the last two decades, reverse engineering has cemented its position as one of the most efficient methods for designing aftermarket automotive parts. Organisations working with classic cars are one of its main beneficiaries.  

As more accessible 3D scanners have emerged on the market and the software options diversified, the barrier to entry has become much lower. As a result, both car enthusiasts and major manufacturers of our time are leveraging it for car restoration. 

Discover some of the most exicting projects in this space in our white paper Redesign, Remanufacture and Restoration: 3D Scanning in Aftermarket Automotive.