Before you begin......

[JB400]

A really good article for those thinking about restoring a car......

https://journal.classiccars.com/2020/09/11/dreaming-of-doing-a-restoration-read-this-to-avoid-a-nightmare/

[1_Car_Guy]

It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey.

[214Chevy]

Very good article and informative. But, some still won't get it until it's too late and they've jumped into the fire feet or head first. I had a buddy who saved $8k of his hard earned money, that took a while to save, and bought a Ford truck. His plans were an aftermarket chassis and a Coyote engine. Oh, by the way, the truck probably needed about $10k-$12k worth of sheet metal and rust repair from the start. He listened to another so-called car guy who didn't know anything about restoring cars. I basically told him to stop right there because he didn't know what he was getting into. He had never restored or owned a classic, didn't have a builder in mind and knew nothing of where to buy parts, etc. I said from possibly getting ripped off from not knowing good vs. bad shops, you also don't have the money and would likely never get that truck finished and would waste tons of money. Needless to say, he sold that truck and bought a somewhat better truck to start with, but he's been sitting on it for the past 5 years cuz he doesn't have the money to get started on it. Go figure...!!

[camcojb]

It's why many projects never get finished. There is a lot involved in building a car, and unfortunately many ways to fail.

[Che70velle]

It’s the little things that most folks miss in trying to budget for a build. Big things like drivetrain, sheet metal, paint, wheels/tires, interior, get figured in, and then you’ll spend another $10-$15k+ on all the smalls. It never ends. I always say that these things will “hundred dollar bill you to death” when you think your almost done.