CORNERSTONE GUIDES
Answer the question.
Then do the job.
Every guide gives the direct answer near the top, a practical checklist, its evidence limits and the next useful action.
01 · Before You BuyProject car inspection checklist before you buy
The seller photos, identity evidence and budget checks to collect before paying for an unfinished vehicle.
Read the guide →02 · Budget & Project PlanningHow much does it cost to restore a project car?
Build a low, likely and high project estimate instead of trusting one optimistic number.
Read the guide →03 · Fix ItShould you repair or replace a car part?
Compare safety, originality, cost, evidence, tools, time and expected life before choosing.
Read the guide →04 · Find Parts OverseasHow to find obsolete car parts without buying the wrong one
Build fitment evidence before comparing local, donor and overseas sources.
Read the guide →05 · Rescue a Stalled ProjectHow to restart a project car that has been sitting for years
Reduce the project to one safe, useful job that fits the time, money and parts available now.
Read the guide →06 · Diagnose ItDiagnose a no-crank without guessing parts
Record the exact symptom, check safety basics and gather evidence before replacing a starter or battery.
Read the guide →07 · Identify the VehicleHow to photograph a VIN, chassis or compliance plate
Capture identity evidence clearly without inventing unreadable characters.
Read the guide →08 · Paint, Wrap & BodyPaint vs wrap on an old car: what should you choose?
Compare substrate condition, finish line, repair work, lifespan and budget before booking either path.
Read the guide →09 · Budget & Project PlanningHow to choose the finish line for a classic-car restoration
Turn a vague dream into a practical project-car checklist, budget boundary and definition of done.
Read the guide →10 · Buy ItHow to identify and measure an unknown car part
Build a useful part-identity pack from markings, dimensions, mounting points, connectors and vehicle context.
Read the guide →11 · Find Parts OverseasHow to prove donor-part fitment before comparing delivered cost
Check donor compatibility, seller evidence, freight and return risk before buying local or overseas vehicle parts.
Read the guide →12 · Buy ItHow to inventory a shed full of car parts
Turn shelves, boxes, loose parts and donor vehicles into a usable evidence-labelled shed-parts inventory.
Read the guide →13 · Build StoriesHow to sell, swap or record old car parts without losing the lesson
Use evidence labels, safe public information and failed-repair records to make garage parts and fixes more useful.
Read the guide →14 · Modify ItHow to plan a restomod before cutting the car
Define the modification, certifier boundary, evidence plan and reversible decisions before irreversible work begins.
Read the guide →15 · Modify ItVehicle modification evidence checklist: photograph it before it is concealed
Prepare a restomod evidence register for parts, measurements, welds, routing, clearances and human certification.
Read the guide →16 · Build ItRestoration planning for motorcycles, utes, 4WDs and vans
Use one evidence-first planning method while respecting the different safety, load, body and parts risks of each vehicle type.
Read the guide →17 · Paint, Wrap & BodyHow to plan rust repair before cutting metal
Map visible corrosion, likely hidden spread, structure, access, donor panels and finish work before the first cut.
Read the guide →