Lately here, at ChevyHardCore, we’ve been giving a lot of thought to new project cars. Not that we need another project car (that’s for sure), but simply considering the effort that goes into getting into a new car. Why? Because, plainly, buying a new project car can be a dicey mission. We’ve got a really cool feature article mulling over all the “hot spots” to look out for on common Chevrolet muscle cars (sorry Corvair, you didn’t make the cut!), so I really didn’t want to rehash all the stuff that will be mentioned in the article. Rather, I’ve been thinking what attributes make for a good project car.

What is always my fist priority – and should be yours too – is coolness. Yup, plain and simple. If a car just isn’t cool, it really doesn’t make itself a good candidate for a project car. But, like all things, coolness is also subjective. Lord knows we’ve got some seriously oddball project cars here at powerTV including a ’82 Chevrolet Caprice wagon titled “Grandpa,” a ’78 Malibu full-on drag car named “Grandma” and a pair of late-70’s Camaro dirt track cars. From the outside, powerTV might look like a bunch of kooks with cars like these. Yeah, we know. But, these – in addition to our ’71 Nova, ’66 Chevy II, and a ’69 Z/28 clone – are just part of our Chevrolet love affair. They’re all good, baby.

So when I think of initial coolness in a potential project car candidate I have to consider, “What can I do with it?” “What hasn’t been done before?” “What would be something really cool or unique to do?” These questions are big motivators for me and, quite frankly, for a lot of folks. For example, we’ve all seen Corvette station wagons, off-road 4×4 Camaros, and jet-powered Impalas. The folks crazy enough to pour the time and money into cars like these obviously had to ask these very same questions.

Next, I have to consider some logistics. Is there enough cheap aftermarket parts? Can I find replacement pieces at local junkyards or online auctions? How expensive is it to put one back together? These thoughts can be a huge deterrent for many the would-be project car. Years ago, I met a couple guys who were really into AMCs. These guys didn’t care that there was nearly nothing as far as an aftermarket for these cars. And the more odd or rare the car the better. It was like they the challenge of putting together a clapped-out ’69 Rebel Machine outweighed the thought of actually building a ’69 Rebel Machine. If that’s your cup of tea, more power to you.

Sure this absurdly rare Cadillac Brougham Eldorado might sound like a good idea, but have fun trying to find replacement parts.

Undoubtedly, the availability of cheap, replacement performance parts and restorative pieces is a big factor in choosing a ’69 Chevelle over say, a ’75 Laguna Type S-3. Thankfully, we’re seeing an aftermarket that’s expanding and growing leaps and bounds thanks to more and more enthusiasts entering into the fray while a sagging economy encourages companies to expand their mass appeal. In a twisted sort of way, the rough economy has been a boon to the future muscle car enthusiast industry.

Finally, before I load up yet another car on the hauler, I have to consider the condition the machine is in itself. While I’ve always wanted a ’67 SS396, the reality is that all those original big block cars have had long, hard lives and are likely all beaten, battered, and in pretty rough shape. That, or are fully restored trailer queens, and neither of those two options make for a good project car. I learned quickly that the little old lady’s beige straight-six Malibu is a far better option. Why? Think about the following:

No hot rodder has gutted that little old lady’s powertrain. She’s probably had that car serviced every 3,000 miles at the local dealership or Sear’s Tire Center since the day she bought it new. All the wiring, plumbing and hardware are more likely to be unmolested than any other car. How many grandparents yank out their factory radios and splice in a goofy sound system and a set of cheap AutoZone gauges beneath the dash? Plus, the chances of these cars being garaged their whole life are just as high. Plainly put, if you can find a single-owner anything, it’s worth strongly considering.

Oh wait, there’s one more thing: don’t get too greedy. We car guys and gals have a mindless tendency to bite off way more than we can chew. This can be in all sorts of different avenues of our lives, but in the car enthusiast world, it boils down to getting in too deep on a single project car, or taking on additional cars while already being embroiled in one. Sure, its really easy to get excited about all the promise of a new project, but don’t do so a the cost of diverting your attention from the job (or project car) at hand. We’ve spread ourselves out too thin too often, and all its left us with is a bunch of cars in various stages of non-operation.

-Kevin