RustyRatRod's Guide To Hot Rod Bliss

I would like to also add what costs money and gives the most bang for the buck

Overall thing I have learned from doing over 100 cars in my lifetime

1) Write down a plan with what you want to do to the car, what you want it to do with it when you are done, and try not to wander!

2) restore it as you take it off, don't tear it all down at once and restore it, if you can. Body work and rust repair is the hardest and costliest- start with it first. Get it looking good first is my motto, then each piece that comes off, gets restored, THEN stored. So when I go to say, put back on the brakes after the whole car is done, - don't have to go buy brake parts! I take off the alternator, if I plan on replacing it, I buy a new one then. If you can't afford to do it this way, you can't afford the build period.



2) Good suspension delivers the most bang for the buck for performance of any kind- modify the suspension with a plan in mind first, then go for other mods- sky is the limit with HP when you can get that HP to the ground!

3) Transmission is next, THEN engine. However, this can be tricky, as you have to have a basic idea of what your motor will be.