Building your first car can be a discouraging experience. More likely than not it took twice as much time and money than you initially thought it would to get it right and you don’t feel like doing it again for a long, long time. Building a project car is a challenge and preparation work is key. We are going to give you some tips for building your first project car.

I am in no way, shape, or form a professional car builder, but I have taken part in my fair share of long-term car builds and a lot of medium-sized projects. I never had a ton of money to spend and I knew my way around cars, so I would do every conceivable part of the installation that I could myself. I built my first heavily involved project eleven years ago and it caused me some major headaches along the way. Because I’ve had so much experience doing it, I give a lot of advice to friends who are trying to do the same – build a car in their own garage while on a budget.

My background is rather interesting. To sum it up briefly, my parents learned through experience with my older brother not to allow their son to have a muscle car for his first (or even second) car. As a result, I was forced into owning imports. Still, growing up with both domestics and imports gave me a broad knowledge base. My most memorable car was my 1972 Datsun 510 that took me four years to build, and what a learning experience that was! I spent about ten grand and it took three years longer than I initially thought it would. If I had been better prepared, it surely would have gone more smoothly.

Tip One – Consider the Build

It doesn’t matter if you’re starting with a car that you already own or getting one you want to build – first you need to consider the cost of parts. For instance, it’s going to cost more to restore a 1939 Chevy Master Deluxe than a Fox-body Mustang due to the availability of NOS parts. You have to begin by finding a car that fits the condition you can afford to start with. Complete cars that need a little TLC can be easier to work with than a better condition frame that is missing a lot of parts. Most pieces of a car can be reconditioned in various ways, but if parts are missing, even the smallest part can cost a fortune. If the best vehicle you can find is missing a lot of needed parts, do some searching online to find out how much the parts you need will cost (if they are even available). Also, call around to your local polishing, rechroming, and upholstery shops to see what they charge to recondition the bigger pieces and factor that into your pricing.

Stripping a subframe is simple and can help prepare it for painting or even sanding and reundercoating.

Tip Two – Consider the Level of the Build

Some people are just happy to own a certain make and model that runs on a straight six and is a complete rust bucket. Some want a car that is functional and fast. For those who can afford it, a fully built show car that also packs a punch is their preference. Figure out a split between where you want to spend your money on looks versus performance and stick to it. Sometimes more economical parts may have to be substituted for top-shelf components to keep within a budget. Additionally, certain extras like powder coating are expensive so keep alternatives in mind (paint instead of powder coat). Prepping all parts before any work is done to them will further reduce costs.

Tip Three – Plan Out Your Build in Stages

There are a million different ways to plan out a project. I usually start with what I want to do first and then chart the build out through the end, though sometimes I may do it by parts classification. Every little part needs to be accounted for – even gaskets and bolts can get pricey. Survey your project car once you have it and work nose to tail, inspecting every part of the car, even if you know it is going to cost more than you can afford. After everything from the body to the suspension is accounted for, break the parts into “needs” and “wants.”

Some sandpaper, primer, and good rattle can paint can drastically reduce the cost of restoring suspension components.

Go online and research the cost of a new part versus having it refinished locally and settle on a budget per stage. Grouping pieces together that can be done at the same time will reduce costs and frustration. If you plan to paint all your suspension pieces black but also have trim pieces that will be done black as well, get them all done at once for a better discount. Parts that are easy to remove later that are non-critical can also be done after a project is finished and as money allows. Work out a plan that is feasible for an engine build from top to bottom, but be willing to substitute cheaper parts to keep the build within budget. Factor in every part you need to purchase – from air filter to oil pan.

Tip Four – Your Labor vs. Shop Labor

Shop labor ain’t cheap – the better the shop, the more costly it is. Minimizing the amount of outside resources needed helps put money back into other stages of the project. I personally like to do everything possible on a build inside my skill level and use an experienced shop to fill in the rest. Doing as much work as you can on a build will help save thousands of dollars. Even when it comes to prepping a part for painting or welding, most of the time you can ask the person doing the work for advice on prepping to help reduce those costs. Call up friends who owe a favor to assist in stages that you may have less experience with.

Welding up and grinding down holes for a clean appearance is time consuming. Figure out what you can do yourself.

The other factor is available time. If it takes ten years to build a car, you may lose interest. In some cases, your time might be more valuably spent on things other than working on your car. If you have the financial ability to hire a quality shop to build your car – go for it. If you don’t and have even less time to spare, it might be better to hold off until later.

Tip Five – Strive for More but Settle for Less

Being ambitious is good, but being realistic is even better. Under budgeting a build will give you a little breathing room for problems that arise – which they always do. At the end of the day, if there is money left over for better parts, spend it then and not at the beginning.

There are many ways to build a car and even more ways to prepare. The first time you do it can be irritating, but don’t be deterred. The key is to find a system that works for you and keeps you organized. Having a solid plan for building a car will not only help reduce headaches, but also costs.