I, like many many others on here are only too familiar with this process.
Here's my list.
1. Decide what you actually want as a finished car before you start.
2. Get someone who is very familiar with bodywork to do an unbiased appraisal of what you are starting with.
3. Decide on a powertrain and stick with it.
4. Make sure you have all the parts already in-hand before you even start.
5. Put together a preliminary budget. Be prepared for it to change as you go.
6. Check with local car guys and ask where they had their vehicles done. Once you have narrowed it down to a particular shop, ask if they can provide examples of restos they have completed, then visit those references . Most will be only too happy to help.
7. Reputation and street /club cred is everything!!
8. If you are doing a full restoration , be prepared for a 1-2 year completion time.
9. Before you drop the car off, do a complete inventory , including as many pics as you can take.
10. If you are disassembling the car yourself, take lots of pics and bag&tag everything or use masking tape and write description and location of part on it.
11. Make sure your car is properly insured before dropping it off!!! Hagerty's have a great policy for this.
12. Once you have committed to a shop, make it clear up front, that you will be by weekly for progress updates. Don't be a pain in the ***, drop off some coffee and donuts as a sign of goodwill but make sure you are a regular fixture around the shop.
13. If you see something you don't like, say something. Its your money.
14. Never, never, pay full price up front. Pay when you come by weekly after determining a labor rate and go over the progress with the shop owner. Shops may require a deposit up front to start. That is acceptable but make sure shop owner is good with the way you want to pay.
