I can't save people from themselves....

In the last few posts I've talked about people taking on projects that are not feasible because of the time and money it would take to do them, or that the things their attempting are beyond their mechanical ability. I'm not trying to piss on anybody's dreams, but over the years I've seen it a million times. A guy gets a "deal" on some car that needs major work. Then he realizes he's bitten off more than he can chew, both mechanically and financially. The car sits,rotting in his driveway or garage for a year or two, until he finally admits he's never going to restore it the way he wants to and usually sells it to someone else at a loss. Here's some good advice on how to avoid this problem, and I'll also tell you about a couple guys who insisted on taking on projects that would be hard for a professional shop, much less some poor slob in his garage with hand tools. Luckily I was able to talk them out of it, but they almost made a HUGE mistake. Anyhow-here goes. # 1. If at all possible, just start with the car you want, with the equipment you want. I've said it before, but a car with major body or rust damage is not a deal at any price, nor is something missing the engine and transmission. 99.9% of the time in these cases, your way ahead of the game by just spending more money and starting with a much better car. I mentioned it before, but I knew a guy who was going to buy an engineless, transmissionles, radiatorless, gas tanklesss, interiorless, 1970 Firebird because it was "only" $500. I convinced him to buy a slightly rough but running and all-there 1973 Firebird for $2,500. As I explained-by the time he chased down a used engine and tranny,and all the inerior trim and all the parts the "basket case" needed-he'd have way more than $2,500 invested, and the car would still need a ton of work to get in the drivable and registerable condition of the other one. As it's plain to see-the $2,500 one was the much better deal-even though it was 5 times the price of the other one!  # 2. Search harder, and spend a little more money and get the engine and or drivetrain you want. If you want an SS396 Chevelle, then wait until you find one in your price range, or realize your going have to up how much your willing to spend. Don't buy a small-block Malibu with the intention of "dropping" a 454 in it at some later time. And that's one of the feasible ones-think your going to buy a 302 powered '69 Mustang and "drop" a 428 in it? Think again. EVERYTHING is different on Windsor and "FE" Ford engines. I mean everything-all the accessories, bellhousing bolt pattern,motor mounts, etc. Ditto for transmissions. If you want something with a 4-speed then don't buy an automatic and think you'll "swap it out" later. Or Vice-versa. It's too much trouble, and you'll never do it. You think you will, but you won't. I know a guy who got a great deal on a 1964 Olds 442. It was all there, except for the fact that it was powered by a later model 350 Olds engine. He was excited, and couldn't decide if he wanted to try to find a 330 V8 and go the Concours route, or drop in a 455 and make it really badass. Five years and one paint job later, he still drives it on weekends and during Hot August Nights with the "unoriginal" 350, "Because it runs so damn good and is so much fun to drive, that I can't bring myself to tear it apart." He may be happy with it, but he did not do what he said he was going to do with it, in five years!!  Anyhow the other guys who almost jumped into the fires of hell.....# 1. I mentioned this guy before. He asked about putting a GMPP 620 hp 572 inch crate engine into an '85 IROC-Z Camaro. I told him it could be done,as Hooker sells motor mounts and headers to put a Rat Motor into '82-92 F-bodies, but he'd need a custom radiator, and depending on whether it was a stick or an automatic he'd need a new bellhousing and a Muncie M21 or M22 4-speed, or he'd need a new crossmember and a TH400, and a custom driveshaft and a Currie 9 inch rear with GM mounting points, since a T5 five speeds bellhousing won't bolt up, and they only have a 280 lb torque rating, and they wouldn;t hold up to a 600 hp Rat. Ditto for a 200R4 or 700R4 automatic and the 7.5 inch rear end that breaks with 215 hp LB9 305s!! Then he asks-"What if I didn't lean on it too hard?"  Huh?  Your going to spend $15,000 on a 600 hp engine and then not put yout foot in it??  # 2. Had a nice 318 powered '69 Satellite. He wanted to build a Hemi Road Runner clone. 1st off-a Mopar Performance 426 Crate Hemi is $15,000. Then he'd need a big-block crossmember, big-block Torsion bars, a bigger radiator, a 727 transmission, and an 8 3/4 or Dana 60 rear end and big block leaf springs to replace the 8.25 stocker that won't hold up. I told him, by the time he was done he'd have 40 grand in it, over and above the purchase price of the car, and that's if he could do all the labor himself, which he couldn't. I suggested a 360 crate engine if he wanted to go real fast, but he nixed that. I told him-sure the math works. Once it's done, a "clone" Hemi powered '69 Road Runner could easily sell for 50 grand or more. But are you looking to just get your money back-after 1000's of hours of work?  And how, in your driveway with no lifts and hand tools, are you going to change the whole front suspension, engine, transmission and rear axle? You'll buy the parts and have a shop do it? Most competent shops charge $100 per hour or more, so it's pretty easy to run up a $10-$20,000 labor bill on a big project like that. You have 50-70 grand laying around? If you don't are you going to mortgage your house to play with a car? And if you do, how are you going to get the money back? Again, if it's nice enough a Hemi clone could go for 80K, but I thought you wanted to drive it and race it, not sell it just to get your money back!!  I told him if he had 50-70k and Just "Had to Have" a Hemi clone-to spend 40 on a pristine 383 or 440 car-which would already have the big-block suspension, radiator,x-member,tranny and rear end-and dump the Hemi crate motor in that!!  The cost would be the same, but the "Grief Factor" would be way less than trying to build one from a 318 Satellite!!!  Anyhow-do some research before you buy something that needs major work!!!  Mastermind