My first full restoration is done. The numbers tell part of the story: 2,800 hours over four years, approximately $47,000 spent including the purchase price, 23 vendors sourced, and one complete wiring harness replaced twice because the first time wasn't right.

The result is a 1968 Camaro SS that drives exactly as it should. The 396 makes the sounds and sensations that the factory intended. The suspension is correct and sorted. The interior is period-correct and complete.

What the numbers don't capture: the patience this hobby demands, the knowledge you absorb whether you intend to or not, and the satisfaction of driving something you built with your own hands.