So what did you learn?
Now that the Honda is done and sold, I've been asked to share any tips/tricks/thoughts on how a person can pull off a build of their own.. It's a good question, because if you don't know how to weld/paint/fab/whatever, how do you learn? How did I learn? How did you learn? for my part, I'm just a middle school teacher that does this car thing for fun- I'm no expert.. just a normal guy, a hobbyist, who ignores his wife and kids and runs out to the garage every weekend to meet some arbitrary deadline and cross off yet another list..
The last thing I want here is to come off as preachy, or some kind of know-it-all.. I hope that doesn't happen as I share what this (and other builds in the past) have taught me.. So here it is- in no particular order, stuff I learned from a 45 year old Honda:
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-It has to be fun.. not every aspect of a build is fun (like laying on you back chipping off undercoating), but in general, you've got to want to go out and work on the project... it has to bring you joy and a sense of accomplishment.. for many builders, it's not the finished car, it's the journey to build it.. some call it 'garage therapy.'
-Ignore those that say you can't. Very, very few people have gone down this road successfully, and I've learned that when you tell people about your radical idea/project, their first inclination is to tell you it can't be done.. If they themselves are not a fabricator, ignore them- if they are, ask them to help you solve the issue; there's always a solution, and a passionate person will find it..
-Join a network.. this one (locostusa) is excellent.. find a forum you like, and stop lurking and start posting.. over time not only will you get your questions answered, but you will find yourself answering other's questions as well- imagine that!
-You don't need fancy tools.. 95% of my stuff gets done with a 4-1/2" angle grinder and a small MIG welder.. sure you need other stuff too, but not as much as you think..
-Experiment and embrace failure.. Most parts I fab have to be done twice, sometimes 3 times- that's just part of the game.. None of us knew how to weld in the beginning, and it's taken a bit of time and practice to learn.. (truth is, my welds are still pretty ugly!)
-Pay to have done what you hate or can't do.. I can't weld aluminum (yet!), so I have to farm it out.. no biggie.. Last summer I learned how to do body and paint work on this Honda- I also learned that I hate it! Tedious and unrewarding to me, I'll be happy to pay a pro next time (there's a reason paint work costs to much!)
-Research.. you might spend a fair bit of time on the internet looking up part interchangeability, or just some small aspect of your build.. no matter how obscure, someone else has done it, posted it, and it's waiting for you to find it.. such a time saver in the end.
-Set deadlines and break tasks down- for me, I must have lists and deadlines, or nothing ever gets done.. Stuff like "have the rear suspension in by the 12th of next month" keeps me on track.. Not the end of the world if you miss a deadline or have to shuffle things along the way, so long as it's forward progress
-Burnout will happen.. some days you can't wait to get on the project, and other days you just don't feel it.. it happens.. The longest I've stepped away was a few months, and then magically, the mojo came back, and out to the garage I went.. can't explain it, but I've learned that there's an ebb and flow to this long-term stuff..
-Long-term.. How long will your build take? This Honda took me over 5 years, which is longer than I'm happy with.. I'm trying to do my next project in less than 3 years.. (If you're more of a builder than a driver, this is probably less of an issue)
-You can't know every answer before you start.. How will you route the exhaust around your IRS? There's no room! It can't be done! That's ok.. you'll hit many snags along the way.. there's always a solution- always a compromise that can be made.. the project will work out.. I think the quote is "paralysis by analysis" or something like that.. Sometimes more doing and less thinking is the answer
-Start with the best car you can afford.. I'm now done buying basket cases.. I've promised myself to pony up and buy enough car at the start so that I can make better, faster progress (If possible, try not to get a rusty car- I've learned rust repair is a huge time suck, and I hate it.. clean, dry SW cars from here out!)
-If you're new to this, get a model/make/year that has a strong following and good parts supply.. once you've been at it awhile, you can restore an orphan marquee.. difficult, but rewarding.
-Please, please make it yours! It does not matter what color it came from the factory, paint it the color you like! If you find yourself wishing it didn't have those ugly marker lights, you're right- they are ugly, shave them off! Anyone can have an all-stock restored car- it's the changes you and your personality bring to it that make it yours.. some will not like it, so what? Ask them what they've done lately that sets their ride apart.. I have no time for the purist who's upset that my side view mirrors aren't correct- you do your thing and I'll do mine...
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So that's a start.. Locost brothers, if you have anything to add, please post up.. Maybe some thoughts on 3d printers or computer design programs (I have no experience with those things).. maybe something I forgot on my list that a person new to the hobby would do well to know?
--ccrunner