If you havent figured it out by now, the key to building a low-buck car or truck is to do as much of the work yourself as possible. In addition to saving some coin, doing all the work on your car is cool. Not only will you know every inch of the car when its finished, but if something goes wrong, you will probably know how to fix it. Youll also have something to brag about at car shows and cruises. But thats all true only if the do-it-yourself efforts result in professional-like results. An owner-built car that speaks for itself wont do you any favors nor will it save you any money if you have to do it a second time.
The reality is that, with a few awe-inspiring exceptions, very few of us can perform every step in a hot rod buildup ourselves. There is no sense hiding in the closet or making a mess of your car trying to prove otherwise. Just accept that your project will be much better if you leave the weak link in your personal automotive skills to a professional, and budget funds for that purpose. Or you could swap work with one of your friends who has the talent you lack but is inept at whatever you prove to be good at. That way you wont need to hawk your Jimmy Buffet eight-track collection to finish your car.
Often, the biggest obstacle in being able to do a job at home correctly is having the right tools. While many joke that you can do anything on an old Chevy with a 9/16-inch wrench and a pair of pliers, the reality is that usually even the simplest tasks require special tools. And when these tools cost a bundle, you should carefully consider how many times you may need them (be realistic) before you step up to buy. Also, consider other options such as borrowing the tools or doing all the work before and after the specific tools are actually required.
In most cases, you can do almost all the work yourself, although that may mean spending money on tools and taking the time to learn the right and wrong ways to complete something. The time and tools are up to you to provide, and we do our best to contribute the needed information with our how-to articles. There is no clear-cut list of things you can and cannot do, but this article should help you understand what is required to complete the different phases of a typical project-car buildup.