Gotta Love Spring Time!

Ah spring. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping. The smells of exhaust and sounds of fine tuned horsepower fill the air. That’s right! Today we are going to discuss something every classic owner should experience at some point: the rebirth of the winter project. For those who have never heard the term (which I hope that all of you have), the winter project is a vehicle that you purchase towards the end of summer or in the fall in the hopes of working on it all throughout the winter. I say “in the hopes” because sometimes we get sidetracked or run out of funds during the process which unfortunately delays that spring time reveal. As we have just entered spring time officially, many car owners across the world will be bringing out their vehicles from the safety of the garage to enjoy in the sunshine. This gives them a chance to not only enjoy the fruits of their labor but also allows for them to show off their beautiful vehicles, regardless of stage of rebuild.

I know for my Jeep it was quite satisfying working during the winter and having it in the shop during that time so that I could enjoy it to its fullest during the spring and summer when I could put my top down. And boy was it worth it! That first time driving it after having the transmission and engine rebuilt was superb. As I have talked about before, I took her on a two week, 4,000 mile trip right after the rebuilds. This gave me the best opportunity to get to know her in a newer light and all with the wind blowing through my hair. While my girl is nowhere near being complete, that winter was worth the waiting and the work and money in order to have such a fantastic spring and summer.

Let’s talk about the future. I know for some of us (maybe even most) the money part is the hardest obstacle that we come across when considering purchasing a winter project. It not only takes the funds to purchase the vehicle, regardless of its condition, but to also then purchase parts or pay someone to do work on it throughout the next few months. This then creates a situation where the deadlines to meet before spring can be too far out of reach. Here’s a secret: enjoy the experience. I know that it can be infuriating when it comes close to spring or even summer time and our project isn’t even close to being complete. That’s okay! I promise you that the experiences you will have once it is done correctly and in the right time will make up for all of the patient weeks and months of waiting. Don’t go broke trying to complete your project either. It is not worth it to be unable to pay bills and ultimately have to sell the project anyways in order to make up for your loss.

While purchasing your dream classic vehicle near mint condition seems more appealing, sometimes buying a project for cheaper and getting to work on it will result in even better experiences. This creates an opportunity for that vehicle to truly be your own after putting your own blood, sweat and cash into it. Additionally, you get to see the process of going from old to new over time and that can be extremely rewarding! This process can be a solo job or even bring in family or friends to create those shared bonding experiences. I hope to have many more winter projects over the years and hope that I not only get to share those experiences with my family but also with other lovers of classic vehicles. After all, that’s why I’m here! Sharing stories and learning the history of these amazing metal machines and their biological counterparts. Let’s here it from you! What are some of your favorite winter projects? Whether they are past, present or future wishes, I hope to learn more about your special vehicle. Until next time, stay classic.