Where to start car modding?

[Mammoth]

Yeah, I'm only 13, but I'm interested in modding my dad's Volvo 245 station wagon, and I don't know exactly where to start. I'm planning to do a huge revamp of the interior and a few things to the exterior, including chopping off the back roof to make a truck bed type thing. any pointers?
EDIT: It's a 240GL and I realized chopping off the back would eliminate the back seats.. not something I want to do.

 

[Steve1496]

If you're interested, mp3car is a good site for learning on installing a computer in your car. Very fun hobby.

http://mp3car.com

Stev

 

[katie ta achoo]

Are spinners from Walmart an option?

 

[Mammoth]

Thanks, I was thinking about dumping a Mac Mini in it..

 

[Mammoth]

Are spinners from Walmart an option?

Ugh.. I don't like spinners..

 

[gwuMACaddict]

Yeah, I'm only 13, but I'm interested in modding my dad's Volvo 245 station wagon, and I don't know exactly where to start. I'm planning to do a huge revamp of the interior and a few things to the exterior, including chopping off the back roof to make a truck bed type thing. any pointers?

don't screw with the roof, it's structural and slightly load bearing in accidents and crashes. besides, the 245 wagon is classic.

what you can do, drop a larger engine in to it, fabricate some stronger a-arms, and go to town racing the rice-burners. good times.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Start at the bank, you will dispose of large amounts of cash very quickly.
Any mods you make are more likely to reduce, rather than increase, the value of the car.

 

[Sun Baked]

Take shop in high school, and if they have an industrial vocational class -- take that and learn some welding and metal shaping skills.

Removing a roof on a Volvo is a bad idea, since it is a huge part of the rigidity of that specific vehicle.

So you will need to know how to cut off the roof, fashion a bed, structural bracing and shape the remaining body along with welding up all the holes. This isn't something bondo will fix.

You can also look at going to Hot Rod U.

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Otherwise, you'll be playing with bolt-ons, painting, and minor major interior auto body mods.

 

[devilot]

Start at the bank, you will dispose of large amounts of cash very quickly.
Any mods you make are more likely to reduce, rather than increase, the value of the car.

What he said.

Also start simpler, start w/ more basic "projects." I know it seems unrelated to your ideal projects, but have you even changed the oil yourself yet? Try that. You'd be surprised how much longer an inexperienced tinkerer will take to do anything.