Course in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration
Online 300-hour course in advanced “barn find” restoration. 6 modules covering Real Decreto 892/2024 (Historic Vehicles Regulation), FIVA Technical Code (classification and authenticity) and advanced Excel (inventory and budgeting). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Assess the historical and technical value of a vehicle found after a long period of abandonment.
Make a reasoned decision between preserving, restoring or scrapping a find.
Plan the removal, cleaning and safe storage of the vehicle.
Diagnose structural corrosion and the condition of the chassis and bodywork.
Recover the mechanics after years of inactivity without causing damage from premature starts.
Preserve original finishes and interiors wherever possible.
Process the documentation and legal regularisation of the vehicle found.
Who it's for
- Classic vehicle restorer who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Collector vehicle appraiser who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Historic vehicle diagnostic technician who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Restoration project manager who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Classic vehicle purchase advisor who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Automotive heritage conservation technician who wants to specialise in Advanced “Barn Find” Restoration.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter classic vehicle restoration workshops.
What you'll work with
- Royal Decree 892/2024 (Regulation of Historic Vehicles)
- FIVA Technical Code (classification and authenticity)
- FIVA Turin Charter (Conservation of Historic Vehicles)
- Royal Decree 265/2021 (vehicles at the end of their useful life)
- ISO 8501-1 (steel oxidation degrees)
- Royal Decree 396/2006 (works at risk of exposure to asbestos)
- Royal Decree 2822/1998 (General Vehicle Regulations)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Vehicle abandoned for a long time: typical condition1.2Historical value versus market value1.3Preserve, restore or leave as it is1.4Patina and its meaning1.5Vehicle documentation and history1.6Identification: chassis, plates and numbers1.7Legal aspects of acquisition1.8Realistic cost and timescale expectations1.9Ethics of intervention1.10Workshop: find assessment report
2.1Safe extraction of the vehicle2.2Hazards: fauna, mould, asbestos and fuels2.3Personal protection for the restorer2.4Initial cleaning without damage2.5Drying and moisture control2.6Comprehensive photographic documentation2.7Documented and labelled disassembly2.8Inventory of parts and missing items2.9Assessment of real corrosion2.10Practice: reception and diagnostic protocol
3.1Chassis and bodywork diagnosis3.2Surface and perforating corrosion3.3Decision: repair or replace panel3.4Forming sheet metal parts3.5Welding while preserving the original3.6Rust treatment and converters3.7Cavity protection3.8Stripping: methods and risks3.9Dimensional control of the assembly3.10Practice: repair of a corroded area
4.1Freeing the engine without damage4.2Assessment of cylinders and bearings4.3Decision to dismantle or attempt to start4.4Fuel circuits and tanks4.5Brakes: full replacement or repair4.6Transmission and seized gearboxes4.7Cooling and cleaning of circuits4.8Gaskets, seals and sourcing them4.9First start-up: preparation and control4.10Practice: commissioning plan
5.1Original paintwork: assess and preserve5.2Partial repainting and its justification5.3Chrome and its recovery5.4Upholstery: preserve or remake5.5Instruments and clockwork5.6Glass, rubber and mouldings5.7Criteria for preserving patina5.8Compatible materials and techniques5.9Reversibility of interventions5.10Practice: reasoned finishing decision
6.1Complete restoration file6.2Photography before, during and after6.3Traceability of parts and suppliers6.4Registration and historical documentation6.5Classification as a historic vehicle6.6Valuation and insurance6.7Budgeting and cost control6.8Common mistakes with finds6.9Documented real cases6.10Final project: restoration project for a find
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is advanced Excel (inventory and budgeting), Agisoft Metashape (photogrammetry of the initial condition), PicoScope (electrical diagnosis), Notion (documentary record of the find), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real inspection procedures for vehicles after decades of abandonment, structural corrosion diagnosis with an endoscope, and controlled start-up after a long period of inactivity. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Assess the historical and technical value of a vehicle found after a long period of abandonment.
Make a reasoned decision between preserving, restoring or scrapping a find.
Plan the removal, cleaning and safe storage of the vehicle.
Diagnose structural corrosion and the condition of the chassis and bodywork.
Recover the mechanics after years of inactivity without causing damage from premature starts.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No previous qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with advanced Excel (inventory and budgeting), Agisoft Metashape (photogrammetry of the initial condition), PicoScope (electrical diagnosis) and Notion (documentary record of the find). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. This is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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