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Restorations 101: Being An Informed Customer when restoring a Classic VW or Porsche; knowledge makes everything easier.

"Great things are accomplished with a plan, and just a bit less than enough time"
~Leonard Bernstein.

It doesn't matter what it is, everyone wants the best quality, the cheapest price, and done over night. The quote above illustrates this point perfectly; GREAT things are accomplished with a plan and a bit less than enough time. We strive for greatness, but usually GOOD things will have to suffice. An old friend told me, "You have three options, but can only choose two of the three", interested in this, I asked him to go on, "Cheap, Fast, and Good". He explained that "you can have a car done fast and cheap, but it won't be high quality". "You can have a high quality job, done cheaply, but it will take a while". Finally, "you can have a good quality job done fast, but it won't be cheap".

In all of my years restoring cars, no truer words have ever been spoken.

The Purpose of this Article
Having a car restored can be a lengthy and mysterious process, riddled with strange language, terms, and procedures which need full explanations for one to fully grasp the many concepts. This article is intended to try and inform clients, other shops, and anyone with an interest in the subject of the many complexities that surround a restoration project. This article will attempt to put things into plain English, and also hopefully will dispel any misgivings, rumors, or common myths surrounding automotive restoration. A better understanding of terms and conditions will net a better experience, help other shops form a language to reach their clients, and discussions on the subject of automotive restoration can flow much better between all parties involved.