Buying a Hobby Car

The First Commandment of becoming a car restorer is deciding what car to restore. You must first love the vehicle or the project will be an exercise in frustration. Most people have a favorite make and model, possibly the first car they ever owned or one they always wanted but couldn't afford at the time. Before you begin your vehicle search, do your homework. Check the availability of reproduction or original parts such as exterior trim, interior seat-cover kits and engine and suspension replacement parts. The Internet is an excellent source for this research. Buying a car you can't find parts for is a major cause of project burnout. Carefully consider the vehicle, whether car or truck, and make sure you really want to emotionally and financially tackle the restoration. If you don't choose wisely and simply buy on a whim, the consequences can be costly.

Starter Car
The second very important commandment is deciding how much you have to spend. You must establish a budget and timeline for your restoration. The budget should include the cost of the vehicle (your homework again), body and paint work (usually the second most expensive phase) and all the other items that might be needed—such as shop labor if you have two thumbs per hand. Obviously, if you want the resto done quickly, the cost will increase accordingly. If you aren't in a hurry, set a completion date of one or more years, tailored to fit your financial situation. Always budget high: Parts costs can increase, and there will always be hidden expenditures you didn't count on. Remember, more is always better than not enough!

Do It Yourself
Are you a wrench? Having some mechanical ability is an absolute requirement. Knowing the basics of how a vehicle works, what goes on inside an internal-combustion engine, or the components of a suspension are all important to success. The only way around this is to spend big bucks to have your automotive love massaged by some other guys. Decide what you can accomplish and what you need help to finish. Most DIY restorers don't tackle the bodywork and final paint because this is such an important part of the finished project. But, with a little self-education, even basic bodywork can be learned by a novice restorer. Commandment Three is to save as much money as possible by doing thy work thyself.

Show Or Drive
The quality (read "cost") of your restoration should be determined by how you plan on using the vehicle. Do you want a show car that is also an occasional Sunday driver, or do you want to regularly drive the vehicle for fun? If you want a fun driver, then you obviously don't need a show-quality paint job. Since this step is very costly, decide before you start the bodywork how you will use the car or truck. Will you be upset if one of the kids spills soda or ice cream on the seat? Will you cry if the body gets road rash or a few door dings? Will you leave the car in the movie-theater parking lot and not worry? If you answer no to these few questions, then you should build a driver, not a show car. The Fourth Commandment for a driver resto is to not sweat the small stuff and enjoy!

Investment
Commandment No. Five: Always plan on making money on your hard work if possible. There are always winners and losers in the restoration hobby. Selling a project due to burnout makes you a loser; you never get your investment back on a basket-case car. Rarity doesn't necessarily equate with desirability or value. Some rare cars are rare because nobody wanted them when they were new, hence only a few are around. Don't be fooled by the old "only 200 made" routine. It usually means that the car was ugly then and is still ugly now. If you have a favorite car, at least select a project that is popular with the masses. Cars like the GTO, Chevelle, Buick GS, Mustang or Corvette are always good investments. It doesn't make sense to go through an expensive restoration just to lose money after the fact. Choose your investment wisely.