Tyler's 1971 Chevelle Restoration

[Nova Research Project]

Well ever wonder where things went wrong? I do not know if you have experienced this? Both my boys started college only to change tracks 180 degrees in their 2nd year. This time my son decided he did not want to continue with a computer information security career. Instead he wants to restore cars for a living!

To that end he is attending the local community college and taking automobile mechanics classes. But because he has heard me say many times that just any old body shop is not cut out to properly restore muscle cars, he decided he needs to restore a car to get first hand knowledge how to do it.

His instructor had this 1971 Chevelle that he would sell him. He at least asked me to go look at it with him. The way he talked the car would practically restore itself.

If it was me I would have passed on the car. If this was going to be his dream car, I would have advised him to pass.

Being the mean and cruel parent that I have always told him I was, I would let him decide. The car was a project car and I told him it would be his decision. (read, he needs to make his own mistakes in order to learn them.)

If he wants to learn how to do this, how else to learn. Besides the more he needed to fix the more he would learn, right?

To be honest, having the younger crowd getting into these cars it a good thing. So maybe things are really going right after all.

As Tyler is not into posting on forums, I though we would share his journey.

Greg

Just brought home

[Nova Research Project]

Some overview pictures:






Greg

[Nova Research Project]

Now the bad:

Supposedly some body shop tried to install three piece trunk pan. Tyler attempted to get in the trunk to clean out some parts and the floor oil can'd on him. No wonder, there were no braces underneath. His first priority is to cut this out to see what is salvageable.

[Nova Research Project]

More:

[elonblock]

From my perspective, experience is the best teacher, no mater what you are doing.

What does he want the end result to look like? Restore to original, modified, or something different??

Elon

[Nova Research Project]

He is targeting a cool ride. Something to sell at a reasonable price when done. His budget is tight, so no LS6 clone or other expensive restoration.

We have talked about this. To learn how to do the high dollar restorations the basics must be top notch. i.e Sheet metal has to be done right. Paint has to be good.

Bolt on parts do not need to be original for this one.

I told him do not even think past the sheet metal work, suspension and paint. But to keep an eye out for deals on the missing parts interior parts. maybe a 12 bolt if real cheap.

Once the body is in paint the it will be joy to put back together.

Greg

[SS427]

Have Tyler call me any time if this is what he wants to do. I would be happy to talk to him as this is what I have been doing all my life and I too went to Vocational School to learn how.

Restoring cars full time (no insurance work or late models) is purely a labor of love and you will not get rich by any means as long as you are an honest person and don't build junk. However, I love what I do and can work as little or as much as I want and the rewards are very hard to surpass. Every customer I have is now a close personal friend and that is hard to say in many other businesses.

We definitely need to have some younger people in this hobby so it would be nice to see Tyler do what he loves to do as long as he knows the whole story. My parents always told me I would not make a lot of money doing this and they were right. On the other hand, the only people that are happy with their jobs are those that love doing what they do. It is not always about the money.

[Nova Research Project]

Rick,

Thanks I will let him know. He has heard the same thing from me about not getting rich.

When we were talking about the shops and people out there, yours was one on the list. He did ask if I could find him a shop to apprentice in. I told him first get school done and we would talk.

He has a sweet spot for Gibb Nova's......

Greg

[kwhizz]

He has a sweet spot for Gibb Nova's......

Shows that he has his fathers "Good" Taste..........Keep the Pic's coming........

Ken

[69Tom]

One great thing is, he now knows firsthand how to NOT install a trunk pan. haha.

Great to see him getting started on this. Hope he sticks with it and enjoys what he does.