Some building guidelines for first-time restorers.....

Some of the cable networks have TV shows called "House Hunters" or "Property Virgins", etc-that chronicle experienced Real Estate agents helping first-time home buyers get a good deal on a house. I think we need one for novice classic car restorers.  Most of the time when you talk to someone who bought a car, didn't finish it, and usually sold it at a loss, it's because they "Bit off more than they can chew." In other words the car needed more work than they were mechanically and financially able to do. Here's how to avoid this pitfall. # 1.  Avoid "Basket Cases" like the plague. Any car that is just a body and frame or is missing major components is a money pit. 99% of the time your way better off just spending more money and getting a better car to start with. Also-do some research-a missing component may not be available at any price. For example no one makes a replacement grille for a 1972 Ford Gran Torino, or a rear glass for a 1971-73 "Boat Tail" Buick Riviera. This brings up...  # 2. No matter how cool or unique you think the finished product might be, some projects should not be attempted by anyone, much less someone who is not a mechanic or bodyman by profession. Everyone loves '55-57 Chevys. So much so that you can now buy or build a complete, brand-new one. That's awesome, if you want one. Let's say you think a '55 Buick Roadmaster would be cool, with a 455 / TH400 powertain, modern disc brakes,  killer suspension etc. Good Idea, in theory. In reality-unlike '55 Chevys that have a modern, open driveline and rear axle-'55 Buicks have the old "Torque Tube" driveline with a huge Pumpkin rear end and a "Dynaflow" automatic that slipped, and couldn't handle the power of the 322 inch nailhead V8 that was stock. Trying to install a modern powertrain would be an absolute nightmare. Motor mounts, crossmembers, trans mounts would have to be custom fabricated, holes driiled in the frame to mount this stuff, the rear suspension would have to be custom fabricated. You'd have to find which GM or 9 inch Ford rear end is the proper width, you'd have to decide if you were using leaf or coil springs, and fabricate the mounts, and you'd have to have a driveshaft and yokes custom-built. The front suspension is the old "Kingpin" style. As far as I know no one makes aftermarket control arms and ball joints, or spindles that mount disc brakes for '55 Buicks. It's almost impossible, no matter how much money you have. Now some of you will say-"Nothing is impossible". Manned space flight is possible-but it isn't cheap or easy!!  By contrast-if you want a killer '55 Chevy-the engine bay will accept any engine from a 283 to a 454. A TH350 is the exact same length and uses the same driveshaft yoke and rear trans mount as a 1955 Powerglide!!  The stock rear axle will hold up to anything short of a 600 hp monster, and if you want that-Currie makes 9" Ford rears with GM mounting points and spring locations pre-installed!!  The front end has control arm suspension stock, and CPP and other companies offer aftermarket ones,and front and 4-wheel disc brake conversions. You can see-building a killer "Pro Touring" '55 Chevy with a modern drivetrain and suspension would be a piece of cake. Doing the same with a '55 Buick would be practically impossible and mega-expensive. See the point I'm making?  # 3. Avoid oddball cars that have body damage. Again-where are you going to get the parts, regardless of cost?  You can get anything you want for a '57 Chevy. Where are you going to find a front fender or rear 1/4 panel for a '56 Oldsmobile 88?  You can get anything you need if you have a late '60's or '70's Camaro / Firebird, Chevelle / GTO / 442, Road Runner, Charger, 'Cuda or Challenger. But what if you have something else. Where are you going to find a hood for a 1974 Ventura GTO?  Sure dozens' of T/A resto shops sell the "Shaker" scoop. I'm talking about the actual hood panel, with the hole for the scoop cut out of it, for a Ventura, not a Firebird!!  Guess what? No one makes it. Now you can get a flat hood off a '71-74 Ventura-but even that's going to be a moonrock in a junkyard-and have the hole custom-cut by a body or metalworking shop, but how much hassle is that going to be? You can get anything you want for a Mustang or a T-Bird. What if you've got a Cougar? Or a Mercury Montego like David Pearson raced for the Wood Brothers?  Sure some suspension parts from a Mustang or Torino will interchange, but what if you need body parts or interior trim?  Where are you going to find headlight doors for a '70 Sport Fury GT?  I'm not saying you have to build a "Cookie Cutter" car-I'm just saying the reality is it's a lot easier and cheaper to restore a '69 Camaro than it is a '69 AMC Rebel Machine. It's a lot easier and cheaper to restore a '65 GTO than it is a '65 Barracuda. ( Where would you find that huge rear glass? )  Even between car lines-You can get anything you want for a '68 Mustang. What about a '68 Fairlane? Or Ranchero?  # 4. Get the engine / transmission / suspension combo you want. If you want say-a '68 SS396 Chevelle and you really don't care if it's a stick or an automatic, or if it has disc brakes or not, then that opens up a lot more possibilities of finding a good deal on the base car. If you "Gotta Have" a 4-speed, and front disc brakes that's going to narrow it down quite a bit. If it's got to be a solid-lifter L78 car instead of the hydraulic-lifter L34 / L35 models-your choices get way fewer and the price goes way up. Don't buy an automatic car and think you'll convert it to a stick, or vice-versa. Yes, it can be done, but it's a pain in the ass and expensive. Same with engines. If you want a big-block Challenger or 'Cuda then step up to the pay line and get one that has a 383 or 440 from the factory. Don't buy a 318 model and think you'll convert it. Besides the new engine and accessories- You'll need a new front k-member,big-block torsion bars, a new radiator, a 727 Torqueflite to replace the 904, and an 8 3/4 rear end to replace the 8.25 stocker and big-block leaf springs. That would be a MoFo of a job in a state of the art shop; Your going to attempt it in your driveway with hand tools?  Here's where you may have to compromise a little-If you want a big-block Camaro-the 396 / 402 was only available in the Camaro from 1967 until 1972 and those are pretty rare. By contrast-400 Firebirds are everywhere-and you could get a 400 in a Trans-Am or Formula Firebird until 1979 and the 455 was available until 1976. The Gran Prix is to the Monte Carlo what the Firebird is to the Camaro-the better buy of the two. Rat-Powered Monte Carlos from 1970-74 are rare and pricey. The Pontiac Gran Prix? 400 power standard all years from 1969-76, and a fair number of '70-76 "SJ" models had 455s!!  My sister had a '72 GP in high school. It had power everything, and it felt like a GTO. She showed her taillights to many a shocked Camaro and Mustang driver. Take the path of least resistance the first time, and don't be a dumb ass. I know a guy who wanted a '68-70 Charger. He passed up a one-owner little-old-lady pristine "time capsule" '68 model because it had bench seats, stock hupcaps and skinny tires and a 2-barrel carb on the 383!!  And then paid nearly as much for a '69 that had Cragar Mags and fat tires, a non-numbers matching 440 and bucket seats. And needed a new trunk floor and 1/4 panels and, had a leaky radiator and and a leaky power steering pump!!  Moron!!  # 5. Remember the KISS principle. ( Keep it simple, stupid ). Don't go crazy on your first project. If your doing say a '55 Chevy let's go with a 350 and a 4-speed or TH350.  Don't attempt an LS motor and a 4L80E, or a 454 and a Tremec 6-speed.  If your doing a '65 Mustang-the 289 / C4 combo will work just fine. Don't try to swap in fuel-injected 4.6 Mod motor and a 5-speed. Like I used to tell people back in the '90's when "Pro Street" was all the rage-if a Super Stock Firebird can run 11.30s with a Quadrajet on an iron manifold, why do you need a tunnel-ram and dual 660 Holleys?   Mastermind