Want to try building a car? Do you want to have a project car?
Every car enthusiast must be familiar with the name project car. If we call it building a car. We’ve seen him often. Whether it’s in articles on popular car websites like Speedhunters, Super Street, or on videos on Youtube.
We must be amazed and amazed by the car that was built, until the end result is a performance car with a captivating visual!
From there we are then motivated, or poisoned, to have a project car. To get a feel for what it’s like to build a car. At least imagine, want to build this car, the engine is swapped using this, tuning the modification towards street or drifting, the body kit is like this, want to use this wheel so wide, blah blah blah and so on.
Previously, let’s talk first, what is the project car? What are the criteria to say that we are building a car?
Actually, the concept of a project car can be quite broad.
We can buy a used car that is still good or even a new car, then we modify various aspects such as suspension, engine, interior, bodykit, aero etc. It can be called a project car. Still acceptable.
But the concept of the project car, aka building a car, actually has elements of restoration. There are parts or parts of the car that must be repaired so that the car can function again, aka the road again. Of course, often it’s not just roads anymore, but cars are much better in many ways.
That is why there is a term built not bought . Built a car, aka building a car, is not just changing wheels, flattering and installing accessories .
Building a car, or a project car, is actually a piece of shit dilapidated car, which for non-car guys is a trash car that, if built, would be a waste of money. The term is mening as well as buying what is already finished or already done, rather than spending time and money to repair it.
For us, this project car is often called a material car.
But yes, that’s the difference between car enthusiasts. Regardless of its dilapidated form, they see the potential of the car and see it as a potential to form a bond with the car. That is why it is not uncommon for car enthusiasts who are fond of or tempted to ‘adopt’ cars, aka buy more project cars even though the cars are not in order.
Then how does it feel to build a car or have a project car? Is it fun? Is it satisfying?
In this review we will discuss some of them. A little note, this review focuses more on the feeling of building a car with a budget that is not abundant. Quite a few people really build cars in this condition and of course the process is more pronounced. If the budget is good, the target car project for a year will be done in a year, or it can even be done in a few months.
Let’s just start, are you ready for the coffee?
Build Cars That Money Pit
The project car is a money pit, aka a money hole. Our money will be sucked in and sucked up and kept being sucked up. This has become an international understanding. We can see from various car project memes, most of which have the theme of building a car as a money sucker. In fact, it’s cheaper to be addicted to drugs than addiction to the project car.
Why did it happen like that?
Even though we have budgeted everything to build a car. In reality, there are often things that are outside the plan that require us to pay back our pockets. Either there are car parts that have not been listed or there are new obstacles encountered in the restoration process.
Project cars, which are generally dilapidated (and usually old school) material cars, of course, have a lot of old parts. This one was just fixed, but it didn’t take long for another part to crash. Clean again, it won’t take long for the other parts to act up, and so on.
Back on budget. Sometimes we are used to car parts but in practice we are often poisoned or want better parts. Coilover budget is for example 15 million, uh, when I want to buy, see there are series / types that are more on it, ‘only’ 3 million different. Yes, I can’t help but buy 18 million.
When I wanted to buy a gas station, I had budgeted for the flow rate of 255 lph. When I wanted to buy, I saw the 450 lph ‘slightly different’, duh bear … finally bought the 450 lph. And various other cases that result in our money being increasingly depleted.
Not only money to buy parts, the cost of the workshop will also suck up money. Unless we’re actually working on building a car with our own hands.
We Will Pray Before Starting and Running the Car
You know, some of us usually pray before running the car?
When we have a project car we pray not just to be safe on the road. But we pray that the car will start. Pray that the car does not stop running, please hopefully it will run smoothly and nothing is strange. Such is the difference in ‘praying’.
Carrying the road the project car is the same as carrying a mystery box, who knows where the box can suddenly open and time, suddenly the car stops running.
This can be even more pronounced if the car we build is not completely finished, aka half done.
People Will Comment
Are you building a car? Have a project car? Then this must be familiar. People will comment. Whether it’s friends, neighbors or even your girlfriend / wife or your own family.
Building a car for a non car guy is a difficult thing to understand. Why do you want to buy a dilapidated car and spend time and money fixing it? And no tidying up, something was fixed or changed.
This is indeed the most frequently highlighted material for people’s comments. “Already selling it”, “why do you really like to repair old cars”, “Better to buy a car that is not fussy”, “When is this car sorted out, how come it continues to break down?”, “It’s useless to modify, when it is sold, the return on investment will even lose “,” Unfortunately the money is dying to find another car “, and various other comments.
This non-car guy’s comments can sometimes be heartbreaking. But it can’t be helped that they don’t have the same vision and passion as car enthusiasts. So just be patient.
But, make no mistake, you know. Sometimes the opposite, we will also find comments that make us smile. Some of them are like “Wow, the xx car, uncle, what year?”, “Mas, is that an intercooler, do you use this turbo?”, “Oh, the car is really good, it’s scary,” etc.
You’ll Secretly Wish A Reliable Car
Having a project car feels like an adrenaline rush, not just because of its performance. But also because of the concern that the car could suddenly stop, crash, what else is the problem.
It has become an international understanding that the project car is not a reliable car. Want a performance and reliable car? It must be expensive. Want a performance car but cheap? Yes, it is definitely not reliable.
Building a car usually involves dilapidated cars or old school cars . Various parts of the auto are old and must be replaced for rejuvenation. This was damaged, repaired, not long after another damaged, repaired again, and so on. Just be prepared to sometimes be unable to use the car for weeks or months, sometimes even years! That’s why many people suggest separating the project car and the daily car.
If not separated, there are guaranteed moments when we secretly hope for a reliable car. No need for big power, the important thing is to use it smoothly. No need to brapp stututu, the important thing is that the AC is normally cold and not hot. It doesn’t use wide tires, it looks fierce but can be used if needed, not just a broken garage display waiting for spare parts / budget.
Reliable cars are boring, but not fussy and reliable. Project cars are exciting and thrilling, but not reliable. Sometimes we hope the former.
You Will Have Various Memories and Stories
People probably won’t know. The process of building this car will create a bond between us and our car.
The relationship between the project car and its owner is created from the restoration process, modification in which you will find various stories and experiences involving various kinds of emotions. Sometimes it can be happy stories, patient stories, giddy stories, silly stories, and various other memories.
We will have many memories and will be very enthusiastic about telling them. The moment when our project car was turned on for the first time, when we had trouble looking for xx spare parts , the first time we tried the dyno, when it broke down on the toll road it had to telp towing, when the car broke down at midnight and the workshop was closed, when the test car ran until it broke 240km / hour, when the car has to sit in the garage it breaks for 3 months because there is no budget, and others.
All these memories and adventures with the car that we built further strengthen the emotional bond between the car and its owner. That is why the project car is felt to have more character and soul than daily cars. That is also why we will think about and talk about the project car that often breaks down, compared to the daily car that we rely on every day.
Thus the review this time.
Owning a project car or building a car can be overwhelming, time and money consuming. But behind everything there is satisfaction as well as various stories and experiences that may never be felt by someone who has never owned a project car?