What is the real outcome or goal that you are looking for with your car restoration project? Do you want to restore the vehicle 100% or only partially? Is this going to be pretty much a lifetime project for you or are you looking at a specific time frame in which to complete the restoration? Are you intending on spending a big chunk of your life savings to complete this task or are you setting some practical limits on your budget? Your path towards a successful restoration is enhanced if you set your goals at the beginning and honestly answer these questions.
Creating Your General Restoration Strategy Document
If you want your restoration project to be a success, you need a strategy for reaching the end of the project. And, to increase the chances of it being successful even further, put your strategy in writing. A huge aspect of your strategy has to include an implementation plan. It will describe, in detail, the major tasks that have to be performed as part of the project. As precisely as possible, it will provide a ball park estimate of all expected costs. In addition, it provides a realistic approximation of the funds that are available to the project. The strategy document should also have a couple of paragraphs that justify the project. It is not necessary that the justification be monetary, it could solely be self satisfaction. But, it is always helpful in reaching your goals if you know why you are doing it.
Each major task should end with the deliverable which is expected at the end of the task. The deliverable should include the expected completion date along with who will perform the task - you personally or someone you outsource it to. The deliverables that you list here will also act as your progress report when you actually begin your implementation.
Creating Your Detailed Restoration Strategy Document
The sole purpose of this document is to divide the main projects listed in the general restoration strategy document into sub-projects. This has the benefit of breaking down your main goals into more easily attainable sub goals. As you complete each sub-goal you automatically are taking small steps towards completing the main goal as well.
One of the most effective means of detailing and tracking your progress is to use a computer spreadsheet. Create a grid including heading for all of the task details that you want to track. These will include details like task name, task description, expected start date, actual start date, completion date, person assigned to and anything else that you want to track. Don't make it too complicated. The easier it is to fill in, the more likely you are to use it.
Almost certainly, once you begin the implementation, you're going to miss some of the target dates and deadlines. Family emergencies, unexpected money problems, and so on happen to the best of us. You also may find that you need to add additional tasks to the documents that were unexpected when you begin. As long as you are making progress and not missing too many of your target dates, you are doing fine. Simply adjust the dates and tasks as necessary and continue your forward progress.
A viable restoration plan does not have to be one exactly as described here. If you have a plan that you're more comfortable with or have a successful one that you have used in the past, by all means use it. If you want to have a successful restoration project, the important thing is that you have a plan and use it.