What to Look for When Choosing a Car for Restoration

Automobile restoration has been a popular act among car enthusiast for decades now, just as classic muscle cars werefun to customize back when they were new, generations since have picked up the hobby of restoring these cars as well as upgrading them with modern equipment.

Classics such as the sixties era Mustangs or Galaxies, or the late sixties era Camaro’s and Nova’s (not to mention the GTO’s and the Firebirds), have been some of the more popular choices of vehicle to resurrect from junkyards and overgrown fields all across the country for many years now; but one reason that car enthusiasts are enthusiasts is because they can almost always find beauty in any typeof vehicle, and today there is no limit as to what type of vehicle you may see undergo a masterful restoration at the hands of it’s adoring owner.

While many of the more unique restorations of today may have a grille only a mother could love, they represent a substantial investment in labor, parts, and personal attachment. Restoring a classic car is like therapy to some people and their hard work shows, but at the base of all of that planning and hard work there is a crucial decision that must be made first and foremost, and that is what type of vehicle you want to restore. Whether it be a car or a classic truck, weigh your options carefully and be certain that in the end, the experience of working on the vehicle is worth your time and investment.

At some point during your search for your perfect project car you may come across some that seem like an absolute steal, such as a Ford Falcon in running condition for under five hundred dollars, or a running Mustang Fastback for under a thousand, be weary for it may not turn out to be the sound financial investment that it initially appears to be. This could be because of unknown mechanical issues, certain structural problems that we will soon discuss, or on a personal level it may even be that once you begin work on the car you find that it doesn’t really suit your idea of what you want your project car to be. Restoring a vehicle is fun all in itself if you enjoy such an activity, but then the real reason to restore the vehicle in the first place is to drive it and enjoy the fruits of your labor. With that having been said, it must be a vehicle that you are going to enjoy and that fulfils your dream project.

When buying your project car there are many places you can look in order to find the perfect project for you, local newspapers, automobile traders, on-line listings, and sometimes even by searching the side of the road. If you are looking for something from an older era of design you may find yourself looking in more rural areas since most of the restoration quality cars located near larger cities have already been plucked. Once you’ve found the vehicle it is important to know what the value of the vehicle is currently, and what it may potentially be worth after restoration. While restoring the car for resale may not be your prime objective, it is important to know its value since you do not want to overpay for a car that may be less desirable and that demands a lower purchase price.

Know what you are buying as well once you find the vehicle and are negotiating the price, perhaps the most important factor is the availability of parts, and consider the condition of the vehicle as well when factoring this into your decision making process. You do not want to buy a vehicle if it has no floorboards if you can help it because while they are fixable, it will be done at a considerably higher investment on your behalf. This applies to rusted out trunks, rear quarter panels, and the beds of classic trucks. Body work can be expensive in extreme cases, but with some amount of browsing, and patience as well, you may be ableto avoid this problem by holding out for the right vehicle.

Another factor to consider when choosing a car for restoration is how easily it lends itself to modern upgrades. Unless you are taking a purists approach to your restoration and only want to return it to a stock format, know what kind of upgrades that rely on todays technology can be applied to the vehicle. Such common upgrades include better braking systems, suspension components, electrical upgrades, and at the core of most restoration alteration is the power factor, or the engine. If you want to build something fast, regardless of what kind of car you are putting the upgraded power plant into, it has to fit.

In most truck restorations this isn’t a common problem for there is a great deal more space within the engine compartment, but it’s more than just a matter of space in some circumstances. For example, when mounting a larger engine in a car, the location of the suspension mounts/ towers may be only one issue you must contend with, so know beforehand what kind of engine you want to put in the car if you’re changing it out in order to make sure that it will in fact fit. The need for clearance also applies to changing out the transmission, and the entire drive train for that matter.

In a broader sense, some other issues to consider when choosing a project car include but are not limited to: the cost of replacement glass and windshields, the extent of sheet-metal panel replacement, replacement of trim, bumpers, and the availability of new reproduction parts. Restoring an automobile isn’t cheap but there are some ways to cut down on the cost of building yourself a hot-rod, or even just a nice classic for those relaxing nostalgic drives. Keep these guidelines in mind, and above and beyond all else, know what you want and how to realize that vision.