Last 10% takes 50% of the time

Arthur’s Duster

This car was taken all apart. Not by me. My friend Arthur who was capable enough had started on the restoration, disassembled completely, had the engine and trans rebuilt, had the car painted, and found out he had stage 4 cancer.
He wanted me to buy it and I first turned it down. I had a 73 Duster when I met my wife and when I told her that Arthur wanted me to buy the car she told me to call him up and buy it. I put all my other projects on hold and got the car as a roller with the engine and trans in place. There were many boxes and most of it was parts that just needed to be replaced. It was 90% there but 50% of what was in the boxes was cracked bent or broken. I have spent a long time finding better versions of those parts and finding Day 2 upgrades like a Sun tach, Direct Connection air cleaner and valve covers from the 70's.
THe biggest bummer was the fact that he stripped the doors down to shells and when I went to reassemble them I found out that he had two inoperable regulators. and the tracks were MIA. I had to find some one year only parts that was time consuming.
If I were getting into the hobby or if I was looking for another car I think I would just save more money and buy the very best car, already done, that I could. You are light years ahead doing it the way. I would buy a car that had just had the bodywork done and, at least, driver quality interior. The engine and the suspension I would build or modify to my liking.