Features
PLANNING YOUR PROJECT FROM THE DESK
Every great restoration begins long before the first wrench turns. It starts with a plan, a budget, a parts list, and a timeline. AUTODYSSEY gives you the tools to build all of that from your office desk.
The philosophy
The best restorations are not the ones with the biggest budgets or the rarest parts. They are the ones that were thought through before a single bolt was touched.
At your desk, with a cup of coffee and the AUTODYSSEY platform open in front of you, you have everything you need to build that plan. Budget scenarios, parts lists, timelines, and a permanent record that travels with the car.
The planner lives in the cloud, so when you are standing at the parts counter with your phone, you can check the budget before you say yes. When you are in the workshop with a tablet, the build sheet is right there. When the car is finished, the record is complete.
The plan holds
A restoration without a plan is just a collection of expensive surprises wearing a coat of primer.
Step 01
Build a Budget That Survives Reality
Every restoration has three budgets: the one you hope for, the one you plan for, and the one you end up spending. AUTODYSSEY's budget planner lets you build all three side by side: optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic scenarios.
Set a target for the whole project or break it down by category: bodywork, engine, interior, electrics, paint. Track actual spending against each line item as the work progresses. When a part costs more than expected, the variance shows up immediately.
The planner lives in the cloud, so when you are standing at the parts counter with your phone, you can check the budget before you say yes.
Acetylene side lamp, c. 1908
Polished nickel and bevelled glass — light made by burning calcium carbide in water, one drip at a time.
A car permitted to move only on the days a statute allows is a car you are renting back from the state.
The Restoration Mindset
Step 02
Build the Record Before You Build the Car
The Vault is your permanent, append-only vehicle record. Every document, every receipt, every photograph, every decision lives in one place, keyed to the VIN, timestamped, and owned by you.
From your desk, you upload the purchase invoice, the initial condition photos, the shop manuals, and the build sheet. As the project progresses, you add parts receipts, paint codes, torque settings, and service notes. Nothing gets lost in a drawer.
When the car is finished, the record is complete. When it is time to sell, the provenance is documented. When the next owner asks questions, you have answers.
Door pull, hand-turned
A brass hook and a smooth wooden grip — the entire latch mechanism for a coachbuilt town car.
Step 03
Resources, Tools, and Tutorials at Hand
A restoration is a thousand small problems solved in order. You do not need to solve them alone. AUTODYSSEY's library of guides, tutorials, and community knowledge is built to answer the questions that come up at every stage.
Need to set ignition timing for the first time? There is a guide for that. Trying to identify a part number from a blurry casting mark? The community has seen it before. Wondering whether to powder-coat or paint your suspension components? The pros have written up the trade-offs.
Budget Planner
Multi-scenario budgeting with real-time variance tracking.
The Vault
Permanent vehicle records keyed to VIN.
Restoration Guides
Step-by-step articles on bodywork, electrics, engines, and trim.
Tool Recommendations
Community-tested tools for every job.
Start Planning
Your next restoration starts here
Sign in to AUTODYSSEY, open your dashboard, and build the plan that will carry your project from the first sketch to the final drive.
