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Avoid The Traps and Pitfalls of Reviving a Classic Car and Winding Up in Car Project Hell

Here’s some sage advice on how to stay out of Car Project Hell that many of us are guilty of winding up in at least one time or another in life all because of common mistakes made by the hopeful DIY car project mechanic.
Most Common Mistakes Made with Any Car Restoration

Before You Begin Your Summer Car Project

One of the truths of car projects is that there are way more unfinished, abandoned, rotting-in-a-garage car projects than there ever were ones that were completed leaving the DIY mechanic (and maybe even his spouse) happy with the end result.

Forget about the popular car project show hype, specialty auto parts magazine ads, and the promise special interest automotive consumer magazines sell that it could be you in their magazine one day with a remarkable rebuilt old car given enough time and money to literally throw into a car restoration project.

That was the message in a recent Uncle Tony’s Garage YouTube channel episode where the host points out the most basic and common mistakes many DIY mechanics make when falling under the temptation to rebuild an old classic, only to find themselves in Car Project Hell. And that mistake is failure to define exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you are going to get there BEFORE you’ve even bought that rebuild gem in the rough.

An Even More Fundamental Pitfall
But there is an even more fundamental pitfall that the host I like to believe is really hinting at. And that is keeping it fun, enjoyable, and probably the innermost secret of why some of us do car projects---driving by the seat of your pants memories.

Think back if you can to a time when cars were powered by mechanical fuel pumps and carburetors without the Borg-like influence of a chip telling it (and you) what to do. Cars in my mind and memory were more fun back then. Sure, they got 12 miles to the gallon, climate control sometimes meant cracking the window down a bit, and comfort was a nice feature…but not a necessity. There's nothing like the throaty feel of vibration when you know everything is tuned just-so. And let's not forget the out-of-timing thrill of backfire and discovering it just cracked open your muffler.

The point I believe the host is getting to is that the beginning motivation for contemplating a rebuild project is a return to enjoying the ride and all of the quirks it encompassed. In other words, taking a break from the present and reliving what those rides felt like in the past. Which in turn means keeping your rebuild not necessarily in the purist sense of a rebuild with all-original parts, but keeping any mods modest to save money and ensure the ride experience has not changed from back in the day.

The Mopar Origin to the Video
The host points out that it was an enjoyable video from the Dead Dodge Garage YouTube channel that got him thinking about the truthiness of what he wanted to say about avoiding the traps and pitfalls of reviving a classic car.
To help carry the point of the message, included below the topic video is the one he refers to in which the host discusses why you really do not need to spend a lot of money on a rebuild project that makes sense and is an important reminder to those of us who sometimes get carried away on what our project needs.

That said, here are both videos that are well worth watching and should prove helpful in guiding you on not just whether or not you should do a rebuild project this summer, but how best to approach the project with planning and a well-defined doable goal.

Staying Out of Project Car Hell---Avoiding The Traps And Pitfalls Of Reviving A Classic

Budget Classic Mopars Are Great - Here's Why You Don't Need to Spend All Of The Money On Yours

And finally…

For additional articles related to car projects, here are a few for your consideration:

• Stop Buying New Hondas or Toyotas and Buy This $4,000 Project Car Instead

• Dodge Dart Lesson for Potential Project Builders

• From Wreck to Race Car on a Budget Bucket List

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

COMING UP NEXT: Beat Your Dealership by Negotiating a Great Used Car Deal This Summer

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