To start with

To provide my advice (whatever it worths...), I 've decided to publish the following for whoever is going to start such a project.

1. The first thing you have to do is to find the car you love to restore. Do not spend you time and money for some car that you are not really in love with; you 'll loose more than you expect to get.

2. Before starting, you must decide what type of restoration you want. There are several options, from the pure originality to the most modified car; it's up to your decision and needs. Anyway, I 'll be back on this topic later.

3. Find the place for the restoration. This is of great importance since you have to do a lot of jobs by your own.

4. After finding the place, you have to allocate the necessary time. This is very very difficult, especially for fathers. Note that car restoration is a very time-demanding and long-duration task, thus you have to scedule your time for the next one two years, at least.

5. A very important point is to find the manuals. All the manuals. Note: the RTFM is the most helpful advice you have ever heard.

6. Make a list of parts providers and spend some time to take a tour in order to have your own opinion about their services and prices. Do not pay much attention to gossips you may have heard about.

7. Spend some extra time to find some experts. Usually, they are other enthousiasts and amateurs who have spent a significant part of their life in restoring cars. Local clubs and assosiations are very useful to this direction.

8. Make your savings, as far as restoration is a rather expensive hobby.

9. You must be equipped with all the special tools being necessary for your car. To indentify them, you must read very carefully the manuals and spend some time to buy them, as well.

10. Buy a high quality camera and take pictures of everything. They will help you in re-assebling the staff, while they are the proof of the work done, something very important whenever you decide to sell the vechicle.

11. Last but not least: read, read, read. Manuals, relative articles, webpages, magazines, whatever sounds relative to the work you are going to undertake.

Good luck.