How to Restore a Woody

Restoring any classic car is a big decision--restoring a Woody is no exception. You can easily log hundreds of hours and possibly thousands of dollars into this hobby. Choose wisely when you purchase the Woody you are hoping to restore and remember to enjoy yourself. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Find a restorable Woody if you don't already have one. What will make the Woody restorable depends largely on your skills, the amount of money you want to invest and the amount of time you are willing to put into restoring the Woody.
2. Begin searching for dealers, suppliers, networks and auctions after giving the Woody a thorough once over and deciding on a restoration game plan. Finding parts won't be as difficult as it once was, because parts dealers, service guides and online auctions are widely available on the Internet.
3. Catalog everything. Every piece you remove from the Woody needs be tagged and stored in a safe place. It is quite conceivable that you will need as much room for storage as you will for the car. Consider a two car garage a good rough estimate.
4. Network with other Woody owners and restorers. These folks will know just what's ahead of you and can save you time and energy with tips and advice. Always listen. You might learn something you never would have thought of on your own.
5. Consider investing in a Hollandar Interchange Manual for details on interchangeable parts. Inevitably there are going to be parts you just are not going to be able to locate or afford. Most salvage yards will have these manuals and if you can get in good with a local yard, you might be able to get quick tips on what works with what.
6. Decide if updating tires, wiring and/or motor and transmissions is something you are interested in doing. Most interiors and bodies are kept as close to the originals as possible. Find old pictures of your make and model to try to get an authentic look.
7. Understand that restoring a Woody should be done for enjoyment and not profit. Odds are against you making any type of solid profit, and chances are you will spend far more in restoration than will be returned through sale.