DIY Winter Car Projects For Enthusiasts Of All Skill Levels
Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced – Choosing What To Do During the Automotive Off-Season
The winter months don’t have to be a break from car projects. In fact, they can be the perfect time to make progress on everything from maintenance to modifications. Whether the car is used all year as a daily driver or stored in the garage during the off-season, there are a variety of jobs that can be done by weekend mechanics of all skill levels.
Don’t be intimidated to get in the garage – research and planning are the keys to success (and the Internet is an invaluable resource). And remember, no matter how much experience a person has, they can always learn something new.
The remaining factors apply to everyone equally. Time, tools, and budget will determine what anyone can accomplish. Being realistic upfront will save headaches in the end.
Where To Start
Beginner-level projects can be just as satisfying as anything the pros do. Although these jobs are suited for the person who may have little-to-no experience in the garage, some may require some real physical exertion and take several hours to finish.
Most DIY car projects are also going to require a basic set of hand tools. A good starter set will include: a set of sockets and ratchets, a screwdriver set with a few standard and Phillips-heads in different lengths, a set of Allen wrenches, combination wrenches, and for later-model cars Torx drivers may be required. On top of that, a set of lineman’s and long-nose pliers should be a good start to a toolbox.
Mo’ Powah
Performance modifications are always a favorite and some require roughly the same amount of skill as assembling a flatpack bookcase. The first on the list is a freer-flowing intake - either installing a washable air filter or even an entire cool air intake system.
Air Filter
Replacing the factory paper air filter with a high-performance cotton or foam filter should take no more than 15 minutes on most cars and can be done with basic hand tools.
A cool air intake will take a little longer, a couple of hours at most, even with cleaning the areas previously hiding under your factory airbox. Any kit worth buying will include decent instructions, but a YouTube search will likely turn up easy to follow step-by-step videos.
Another relatively easy modification and the best bang for the buck in terms of power will be an ECU flash. Some are as simple as plugging the programmer into your vehicle’s OBDII plug, found in the driver’s footwell, and hitting go. In anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, you’ve added horsepower and torque.
Oil Change
It may not be as satisfying as adding horsepower, but catching up on deferred maintenance could be a better long-term investment.
For generations, the gateway into car maintenance has been the oil change. Although slightly intimidating for a first-timer, it’s a straightforward process. On many cars, it can even be accomplished without even having to jack it up. With an oil extractor, the engine oil can be drained from under the hood, through the dipstick tube.
In several new cars, the oil filter is also accessible from the top of the engine. And in any vehicle with off-road intentions, the added ground clearance will allow sliding under the car to get to the filter without lifting the vehicle. For cars with less ground clearance, ramps are an affordable choice for getting underneath.
Oil Change
An oil extractor and an oil filter wrench can be purchased for less than the price of two oil changes at a dealership and even a novice can complete an oil change in under an hour. (Though, the satisfaction lasts considerably longer.)
Good Cleaning
Detailers are an entire subset of automotive enthusiasts. Some people find washing and waxing more satisfying than driving, while others find it a necessary evil.
If a project car is in the garage for the winter, it’s a good time for a deeper clean. Detail the wheel wells and under the hood. Give the interior a vacuum, clean and condition the leather, and this is a good time to clean and lube the door hinges, latches, and locks.
Next Steps - Intermediate
Intermediate-level enthusiasts are the largest group, as well as the hardest to define. Some have a wide set of generalized skills, while others may have a very narrow set of specialized skills. But, being able to accomplish more advanced projects also requires a greater variety of equipment, as well as a larger commitment of time.
As enthusiasts’ skills advance, so does their need for tools. By this point, most jobs will require a floor jack and jack stands. A torque wrench is also a must. Though, now comes the time to make a fundamental decision - air or electric.
Today’s battery-powered tools, from impact guns to angle grinders, are just as powerful as their pneumatic counterparts. Either choice is a big investment.
Air tools require a compressor and air tank, which will run anywhere from several hundred to several thousands of dollars to get started. On the upside, individual air tools are generally less expensive. With electric, you are better off committing to a single brand so they share batteries. The upfront expense is lower than air, but each additional tool will cost more.
Adjust Ride Height
With greater wrenching skills comes an ability to get greater performance gains out of modifications.
H&R Springs
Suspension upgrades require the ability to lift the vehicle off the ground, removing the tires and wheels is almost always required as well. This is where the floor jack, jack stands, and torque wrench come in.
A set of aftermarket springs, to either lower or raise a vehicle’s ride height will be one of the most noticeable changes possible. While swapping springs, if the vehicle is more than five years old or has more than 50,000 miles, it’s good practice to also replace shocks and struts. For most vehicles, this will be a 3 to 5-hour job, depending on the vehicle.
Give ‘Er A Little Growl
In terms of return-on-investment, right after springs is a cat-back exhaust - so named because it replaces the factory exhaust from the catalytic convertor back. Modern cars won’t see a huge gain in power, as the sound will be the real reward.
Some cars will require cutting off the factory exhaust system while others will just unbolt. Although classified as a relatively straightforward bolt-on modification, many systems will require some bending or trimming to get them to fit just right. This is also a project where an extra set of hands is usually beneficial.
Shine Everything Up
For more experienced detailers, the better part of a day will give you enough time to do a machine polish of the vehicle’s paint along with a coat or two of wax. An orbital polisher will make the job more bearable along with several stages of car polish.
Wax can be applied by hand and removed with microfiber towels. While a professional detail might set you back anywhere from $300 to $600, the tools and supplies necessary to do the job multiple times can be had in the neighborhood of $250. Depending on location, some garage heaters might also be a requirement.
Orbital Polisher
Use Those Skills - Advanced
Home mechanics with advanced skills have likely built up an impressive collection of tools getting those years of experience. Honestly, the limiting factor in selecting a project is normally time.
Enthusiasts lucky enough to have a dedicated workspace and a car that isn’t required for daily transportation can break up bigger projects over several days or even weeks.
Intake Valves & Ports
Starting with maintenance, this is a reminder that 1998 model year cars are now 25 years old and considered classics. That means, not all project cars have manual transmissions, carburetors, and enough room under the hood to stand between the header and wheel well.
Modern cars, especially those with direct fuel injection, require valve cleanings every 50,000 to 70,000 miles. Removing the intake system with all the associated electronics and vacuum/boost hoses can take the better part of a day. Manually scraping and cleaning the valves and the ports is tedious at best, although media blasting kits, which are available for a few hundred dollars can make the job easier.
Use the opportunity to replace all the inexpensive parts that have to be removed to get the job done.
Intake Valve Ports
Suspension Bushings
For performance upgrades, the sky’s the limit - or more often, the bank account is the limit.
An affordable project that often goes overlooked is a car’s suspension bushings. Factory rubber bushings can wear out in as little as 40,000 miles and cause everything from excessive tire wear to a ponderous feel in handling response.
Replacing bushings is a more advanced project because it requires not only suspension disassembly, but often the factory rubber parts have to be burned out of the control arms and the replacement parts have to be pressed into place.
Enthusiasts may prefer to replace factory parts with stiffer polyurethane options from an aftermarket manufacturer. Polyurethane improves steering response and provides more consistent suspension geometry by eliminating most of the deflection inherent in softer rubber. Aftermarket bushing kits are available for most cars for just a few hundred dollars.
Installation is easiest with a lift, but can be done on jack stands.
Ceramic Coating
Advanced detailing projects start to blur with genuine bodywork, which is another skill set altogether. But, in recent years, next-level home detailers have started applying their own ceramic coatings.
Briefly, most car waxes and even sealants sit on top of a car’s clear coat. Ceramic coatings bond to it and provide a super hard finish, that is much more resistant to scratching and nearly 100% UV-light proof.
Ceramic coatings, at least professional-grade products, offer years of protection. This also means, mistakes in application either last years or take professional-level help to remedy. The detailing prep work on the car must be how you want the car to look for years to come, so if you aren’t comfortable with show-worthy detailing, stop there.
Mother's Ceramic Coating
The prep work may take a full weekend depending on the state of the car’s paint. Plan another full day for the application of the ceramic coating. This job also requires a workspace with great lighting, temperature control, and very low dust.
Lastly, Safety First
No matter what project you undertake, the first priority has to be safety.
Every garage needs a fire extinguisher and a basic first aid kit. When working with tools and any chemicals harsher than soap, eye protection is a must, and follow manufacturers’ guidelines when it comes to wearing gloves and a mask or respirator.
For those unsure how to operate a tool, find instructions. Spring compressors look simple enough, but there’s enough energy in a front strut assembly to do major damage.
Lastly, if working alone, tell someone where you’ll be and what time you’ll check-in.