One of the hardest things to deal with when building a resto ride is forming an unwavering vision of where you want to go with it. Some people may prefer an exact showroom restoration. Others may desire to take something like an ordinary old Plymouth and turn it into an eye-catching faux Superbird. Many people like the idea of having something unique from the automotive glory years that also offers all of the modern conveniences such as air conditioning, power windows, and fuel injection. The attraction of being king of the streets or track also comes up. For this, the builder may want to go to extreme lengths with new drivetrains, new suspension, and new brakes to handle all of those hidden goodies lurking under the old sheet metal.
It is important to figure this all out before you get deep into your project. Every time you change your mind, it will cost you money and time. You end up ripping out parts you have already paid for and installed, and then you have to search for a new set of them to match your revised plan. So many hot rodders drift from one type of project to the next. This is often because they don’t recognize the difficulties of the path they choose. Once these challenges mount, they are forced to compromise their original plan and go with something else instead.
The critical factor to keep in mind is that you want to finish your project in time to actually enjoy it. If you go back and forth on what you want to do, the day may come when you can no longer pass the vision test at the DMV. Where will you be then? Take the time to work out exactly what your dream is and whether you can actually accomplish it with the resources you have.
The best way to do this is to consult with someone who has a solid grasp on what is really possible with any particular car. A professional can assess what you already have, sound you out on what you’d like it to look like when you’re done, and give you some idea of the costs and potential pitfalls involved. This is particularly true when it comes to honestly judging whether a car is even worth messing with. The last thing you want to do is put a lot of effort into car restoration and then discover that the frame, made out of old tin cans and bondo, will have to be replaced. This will involve taking everything off of it and starting from scratch. These are things you’d like to know about before you get tied to a project.