If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been there, done (or maybe not done) that.
We’re talking here about taking on a resto project, which started with the greatest of intentions, but then took a hard U-turn and now you’re wondering what you were thinking at the time.
Maybe that pile of rust you discovered in a back paddock being used as a housing project for rats, snakes and spiders is now a gleaming show car, and you and the family love nothing more than taking it out for a drive. Or not.
When it comes to car building and restoration, for every success story, there are a library full of ‘unsuccess’ stories of tribulation, tear-inducing frustration and defeat.
I have a mate, we’ll call him Mike, and he’s seen more than his fair share of both. Mike is a very high-end car restorer, fabricator and customiser who people rely on to bring their various projects to life. And as he will tell you, expectations almost always far exceed the budgets and aspirations of the people who come to him with their projects.
“A lot of the time I’ll tell them that the project car they are thinking of buying is just a rotting pile of crap that will cost them their bank account, their sanity and their marriage. But my advice can fall on deaf – and dumb – ears if they’ve already made their mind up about their new ‘dream car’,” says Mike.
“And believe me, I’ve seen plenty of ‘nightmare cars’ as a result.” He related a bunch of stories to me about cars and clients that didn’t quite fulfill expectations.
Like the guy who bought a ’60s American classic, already in bits, only to discover that half the parts were for another model altogether. Or the guy who wanted to restore an old Pom classic sports car with his son, but everything on the car had been tampered with by idiots in the past.
Threads had been stripped, engine parts had been mixed up or lost, rust was everywhere – “even the upholstery was rusty!” said Mike – and replacement parts were the equivalent value of NASA special tools. Astronomical, in other words.
“Seriously, unless I believe the potential customers have a very realistic idea of what’s involved in transforming an older car into roadworthy and even show-worthy condition, I tell them to go and see someone else,” he says. “Or even better, save yourself the pain and heartache and take up yoga or fishing instead.”
Another area that Mike reckons a lot of people get wrong is the profit/loss relationship when it comes to collectible or classic cars.
“Some people have completely unrealistic expectations when it comes to how much their car will be worth when the work is done – and how much it will cost to get there,” he says.
“I had one guy with a classic ’60s European sports car that had been crashed and trashed, plus, the engine was a basket case. But it was relatively rare and desirable. So when I give the guy an estimate to restore it to showroom, he’s fine with it coz he reckons it’s gonna be worth squillions when it’s done.
“I tried to show him comparative values and tell him how much he was likely to actually lose, but he just wouldn’t listen. A dreamer, not a schemer.”
As Mike says, prepare your brain and wallet before you leap in. And don’t be afraid to reach out to the experts. Our dedicated team of UC staff have seen and done it all, so you can always drop them a line if in doubt.
Then, hopefully at the end, you can stand back and enjoy all the benefits when you’re finally behind the wheel and you hit the starter button.
That first beer you have after you drive it out of the workshop will be the best you’ve ever had.
Or you could take the easy way out and simply immerse yourself in a 44-gal drum of used grease, oil and overspray, and burn piles of $100 notes until you’ve got none left.