In Collaboration with DTS Centre: Getting Real with a Car Restoration Project

Setting a Realistic Timeline to Get Your Special Car Done

While new vehicles are exciting and generally very efficient, they are also getting more expensive and complicated every year. Do you yearn for an efficient old-style sedan from your youth. How about a classic from before your time that had its own path to fuel efficiency like the 25 mpg Model T that would run on a variety of alternative fuels or the Chrysler Airflow that previewed the use of aerodynamics to increase efficiency. 

However, turning that vision into reality may require a substantial amount of time. Realistically speaking, restoring a classic car may take a substantially long time, depending on a few factors. What’s a realistic timeline for classic car restoration? Here’s a brief overview of the crucial factors that you need to take into account:

●      The vehicle’s condition

What was the state of the car when you bought it? The vehicle’s state of disrepair is your starting point and will dictate how far the restoration process will go and how long it will take.

According to many restoration experts, the best cars to work on are those that have minimal rusting and shells that are in fair condition.

You will also have to factor in the parts that need to be replaced. The sooner you can get your hands on these parts, the shorter the restoration timeline will be.

In between these critical factors, other issues may crop up, resulting in frustration. This is why it is highly advisable to choose a vehicle model that you are personally passionate about because this ensures that you will stay the course even if roadblocks unexpectedly crop up.

In theory, any car can be restored if you have enough time and money to invest. But the reality is that for most people, car restorers included, both resources are finite.

That does not necessarily mean that you should have a ton of money to get into vehicle restoration. What is truly important is to approach the project systematically and be in full control of every aspect involved.

●      Your experience level

Simply put, if you have a few years of experience in restoration tucked under your belt, you can finish the restoration project faster. More than that, you can leverage your experience to bounce back from mishaps which can occur more frequently than you expect.

If you have little to no experience in restoring a vehicle, you are more likely to spend a substantial time doing some research. Joining a car club can help you acquire new knowledge and skills and even help broaden your network, which may prove helpful in completing your project.

●      Your budget

Unless you have an unlimited budget at your disposal, keep in mind that the amount of money you can allocate toward your project can fast-track or impede your progress.

Early on, you should align your budget with the project timeline. This will ensure that you are working consistently on the vehicle instead of being stalled because you do not have enough money to shell out for a particular replacement car part.

You may also want to rent a few tools or even look for a garage specializing in car restoration to help allocate more money toward parts.

How much money should you allocate for your project?

With so many variables that can come into play, it isn’t very easy to come up with a concrete formula to use. Most likely, you have set aside money for your restoration project, and you’re more than willing to scrape together some extra cash.

The truth is that there are plenty of issues that could arise during the restoration process. And each of these issues has costs, often beyond what you initially expected and planned for.

If you are willing to work with an auto shop, they can help you set a realistic budget for the project. The main drawback is that you may have to lower your expectations down a few notches. Should you opt for this route, you can end up with a car that you’ll be contented with for a long time, instead of a ride that’s barely finished and a budget in tatters.

●      Your end goal

What’s your end goal like? Do you want a car that you can drive on weekends? Perhaps you want a facsimile of the model looking like the first day it rolled out of the dealership the year it was released?

From parts to the paint finish, the more faithful to the original you want your ride to be, the more time you will need to complete the restoration.

There are four types or levels of restoration, with each type requiring more work and time.

The most basic level is called driver restoration. Here, the end goal is to make the vehicle roadworthy, and to add on a few minor cosmetic improvements. This type of restoration is ideal for someone looking for a weekend driver.

Next is show restoration. Here, your goal is to address all the aesthetic problems of the car.

Show car restoration, on the other hand, entails a lot of professional help. Typically, show cars aren’t driven much after restoration.

Finally, people who wish to add a car to their private collection or sell to collectors opt for concourse restoration. Professionals typically perform this type of restoration. Like show cars, concourse cars are rarely driven.

A Realistic Timeline

What’s a realistic timeline for restoring a vehicle?

Taking into account all the factors involved, as well as the potential setbacks, the minimum amount of time you should expect to put in is two years.

Even if you think that you can allocate all of your weekends toward your restoration project, the reality is that there will be stumbling blocks that could set you back, from sourcing parts to your commitments at home and work.

Realistic expectations, coupled with patience, can spell the difference between a project car that’s barely finished and one that’s ready for a car show.

If you are planning on entering a competition, you should give ample allowance to your time budget, taking into account unexpected woes that suddenly crop up. Even professional restorers pace their work to allow for potential causes of delays.

At the end of the day, you don’t want a car that has been restored in a rushed manner. To put it succinctly, enjoy the process. The more you celebrate small wins, the happier and more satisfied you will be — and more importantly, the more likely you will stick to your project and see it to completion.