Starting a project is a big deal and should be well thought out if you want it to succeed. I am going to try to give you as much information as possible so you can make the proper choices and make your dream car come to life. Some of what I will tell you, you may already know, but many of the aspects of custom or restoration projects aren't known by the customer and need to be understood. There is a lot that goes into creating a car that meets a customers requirements, but a lot of the pitfalls can be avoided with proper planning, budgeting, and help. I am not writing this article to sell you on choosing Time Machines, but to share our experience in the aspects that you may not realize before jumping into a project.

Choosing a car to build is totally a personal decision. No one can tell you what is right or wrong if the car you choose doesn't conform to the "norm". You must first decide what you are going to do with your vehicle after the project is done. There are many schools of thought that should be looked at prior to buying a car to build. You must ask yourself several important questions that will ultimately affect the outcome and final price of your car. The first question you need to answer is, "Will this car be driven and how much?" The second is, "How much time and money do I want to invest in this car?" The third question would have to be, "Is this car worth the time and money I am going to invest in it?" This question is very objective and must be decided with your heart and wallet.

Once you have the answers to these questions it's time to look at how these answers affect you. In looking at whether you will build a "driver" or a "trailered" car, the devil is in the details. Driven cars are generally not as detailed or "perfect" as a totally for show only car. If you plan on driving your car regularly, you don't have to spend the money to paint to perfection the underside, but you may want to invest in upgrades to make your driving experience better. Older cars don't drive as well as you have become accustomed too in the cars built today. Adding newer technology to older cars can make them a true pleasure to drive rather then a chore. If your car is a true restoration car that must retain the older parts for originality, there are many manufacturers that produce parts to make them work better. A true show car is detailed in ways that don't make them very practical to drive with any regularity. Weather we are talking about a custom or a concourse restoration, driving them sometimes negates the money spent to make them perfect, thus deducting value down the road.

The second question can only be answered by making out a budget for the project. If you choose a shop like Time Machines, that can handle every aspect of the build, your budgeting is easier to figure out. These types of companies have the experience to give you some type of projected costs. If you choose to use various shops for each phase you must consider transportation costs and lost time due to scheduling conflicts into the total.

The third question is totally up to you to decide and no one can tell you what or what not to build. Some cars carry a special place in a person's heart that money can't replace. If the car you want to build has sentimental value then build it without considering resale. If you are building a project that will be sold later, think about what the market will bring for that car before wasting money. Consult with experts who can give you some insight as to how much the car you want to build is worth in various forms of restoration or customizing. Some cars, if purchased right, can turn out to be true investments that have proven to yield better profits then many other investments.

Now that you have your car, decided what it's going to be to you, and how much you are willing to spend, it's time to find a reputable shop to start the project. If your budget is small then you may want to plan on doing your car in phases to allow you to spread out the cash outlay and , if you are capable, doing some of the work yourself. Using separate shops to do a car like this allows you to get the best of what each has to offer, while giving you some "downtime" between phases. If you feel more comfortable with the "one stop shopping" aspect of a shop like Time Machines, then set an appointment to have them look at your car and sit down to discuss the details of how they will get your car done. Ask around at car shows, cruise-ins or other shops, about who can do the best job for the type of vehicle you want to build. Check out the reputations of builders outside your area also, it may pay to go out of town to have the work done. If the builder you choose has been published in magazines look at those publications carefully to see if they have the skills you are looking for to achieve your goal. You may ask a shop for references from previous customers, and they should gladly provide them to you if they don't have anything to hide.

In future updates to this article I will be covering the phases of the build process itself . Please check back once in a while to see them. I hope this has helped you understand the beginning phases of building your dream car.