Having been in the restoration game for a number of years, and having spoken to hundreds of restorers during this time, I felt that I would like to impart some of the knowledge I have gained from my experiences. Most of what I say here is common sense, but sometimes in the restoration game, common sense is not always the easiest choice. My pearls of wisdom are:

* Assess what you desire for your finished product, and realistically look at what you are starting out with. How skilful are you in the workshop, and do you have access to good tools? How much can you achieve without outsourcing the work? Are you dedicated enough to end up with a safe, roadworthy or working project, rather than an inadequately finished, unsafe restoration?’

* Are you restoring with your head; ergo, are you prepared to spend some mo