Car Restoration
Is A Great Retirement Hobby
Car Restoration can be a very rewarding hobby and it’s one of those pastimes that you can choose to be just a spectator or a full-fledged participant. A number of my friends spend countless weekends at car shows where the owners display their handiwork with some classic vintages. My friends don’t work on cars and don’t own any antique automobiles, they just like seeing the old cars and the stories behind each of the restorations.
Quite honestly, I was never bitten by the “car bug” but I have an appreciation for anyone who develops an interest in something as complex as this hobby. Car restoration takes time and skill and, sometimes, quite a bit of money if you’re working on a vintage model. I’ve been to a few museums and enjoy seeing the old cars but there’s another level to this hobby that I have never gotten involved although, as I said, I have an appreciation for anyone who enjoys learning the details of a particular hobby.
Whether it’s a Model T or a ’55 Chevy, listening to an owner describe the effort it took to restore the particular car that they’ve been working on will let you know that you’ve encountered a passionate hobbyist. Our next-door neighbor was one of those people. He worked on his 1957 Chevy day and night. You would see him doing his yardwork in the morning and working on his car in the afternoon. He absolutely loved the time he spent in his garage.
Car Restoration Can Be Profitable
Our neighbor had a mechanical ability and used it to fund his hobby by selling his finished product at the end and then starting on the next. Just like someone would fix up a house that needed work, he would take a take a car and refurbish it. He had a regular job as a boat mechanic but, in his spare time, he was a car flipper. He not only loved what he did, he made some nice money doing it and it certainly filled up his days when he retired. Apparently, car restoration is a big business.
Antique cars, of course, are in a class by themselves and the old cars of the thirties like the Duesenberg or the Packard are what first comes to mind when I think of car restoration, but it can certainly apply to the newer “classics” like the ’65 Mustang or the ’57 Chevy. And it can even apply to going down to a junk yard and getting a car for next to nothing and building it back to its glory days.
There is actually some money to be made here if you're looking to add to your income. You can be the "broker" who connects the buyer and seller and take a commission, or, on a more practical level, you can create a website about this intriguing hobby. Our friend gave up working in the garage as he got older, but he never lost his interest in old cars. I haven't talked to him lately but, if I did, I would see if he had any interest in sharing his knowledge, staying in touch with his fellow hobbyists and, possibly, starting a website that could offer advice about how to get started in this field. You could even work in a marketplace of sorts that could list "pre" and "post" finished cars for sale. You could charge for the listing have links to parts suppliers that could generate some income as well. Retirees are finding out that websites are perfect for turning a hobby into an income and there are more seniors who are starting little businesses on the internet than ever before. And don't think for a minute that you have to be a technical wizard to start a website. I know you need a lot of skill to go into car restoration, but, if you can write an e-mail, you have every skill you need to create a website if you work with the same company that I did. It has been one of the most enjoyable things that I've ever done. I hated my job but I love this. It's fun, challenging and gives me the opportunity to do something that I really enjoy doing which is writing and photography. It's amazing what happens when you're able to add a little fun and adventure to your day.
Car restoration is something to consider if you like old cars or have a mechanical ability. There's something about seeing an old car that looks almost new. It's like going back in time. I have absolutely no mechanical ability and I'm the last person who would open up the hood of a car to look at the engine but I really like old cars. If you're ever in the area of Stuart, Florida, the Elliot Museum is a great place to go to see dozens of classic cars. You gain a great deal of respect for the automobiles of our past. If it’s something that you think you might have an interest in, go to an old car show and talk to the owners. Their passion and love for their hobby may convince you that car restoration is right up your alley and may be one more way to Enjoy Retired Life.
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