How Would I...Restore

$500: This would probably be the trickiest amount to work with, as most costs involved with a restoration project like this fall outside this price range. However, the best bang for this buck would probably be to put it towards a carburetor rebuild, as carbs can be a problem with very old cars.

$1000: This would buy a nice new set of tires: modern radials, old style wide whites. These are huge tires that are specially made for antique car enthusiasts, as they are designed to look old. Consequently, they’re not common; maybe a couple of companies in the world make them.

$2000: This would pay for a transmission rebuild, although in reality it would probably cost slightly more. The thing with transmissions is, they may work in old cars, but the seals may fail, which necessitates removing the transmission itself and replacing the damaged areas. Most transmissions simply need rebuilding as opposed to replacing.

$3000: This is the perfect amount to cover a new paint job.

$5000–$6000: If we’re continuing to go up, at this point I’ve got enough for an engine rebuild. The problems involved with engines are similar to those one has with transmissions. This is one problem I’d like to tackle myself – other rebuilds would normally be outsourced – but I presently don’t have enough shop space. If you keep throwing money at me, though, maybe at some point I’ll create one!