“Meanwhile, I couldn’t seem to get the interior to cooperate…” For anyone attempting to bring an older car back from a dilapidated state, the interior might seem to be its least intimidating aspect, at least initially. The mechanical happenings under the hood ought to be the part that’s daunting — moving parts, combustion, heat, precision tolerances, and so on. A much higher level of technical knowledge is required for engines and transmissions than dealing with fabrics, carpets, and such, right?
Yet somehow, sorting out the cabin of my first car was a much more confounding prospect than getting it to run and drive properly. I dove under the hood with little fear, taking on projects I’d never done with confidence. I pulled the engine out without really knowing what I…
