Customer Rides - Father/Son Project Car

Strengthening The Bond



“Priceless,” the famous TV ad says. But what exactly makes an experience that money can't buy so special? We thought you might enjoy reading the story of John Moskwa and his son, Jamie, who recently finished a multi-year project – the complete restoration of a ’66 Nova.


John said, “I’ve been interested in cars since I was 12 or 13.” He painted his first car when he was just 17, and he’s painted many since, for himself and for friends. He’s also done other repair work, but the ’66 Nova was his first “full” restoration.


Jamie, John’s son, said, “I first became interested in muscle cars around the summer of 2003. I told my parents I was thinking of buying one to fix up a little and use as my first car. My Dad said he was all for it, and that it would be a lot of fun.”

"Jamie decided on the year and type of car he wanted, and we talked over what it would take to restore a car,” John told us. “The Nova was Jamie’s decision. He wanted something unique that was not run-of-the-mill – something that no one else had.”


“I had been looking at different styles of classic cars,” Jamie told us, “and I came across the ’66-’67 Nova one day. The car really stuck out to me,” Jamie said. “I spent five months looking online for something, and I didn’t find much, until Dad saw this one in the paper.”

John said the car was in rough shape, but solid. “A hit on the passenger side had damaged the fender, bumper, door, and rear quarter. The lower rear window frame was rotted, too,” he said. The father-son team spent the next two years working side-by-side on the project.


Was it hard to do? “The most difficult part for me was staying focused on one thing!" Jamie said. "In the beginning, there was so much to do, and I wanted to do it all! Most of the time, I would leave things half done. That didn’t fly with my Dad, because he’s a bit of a perfectionist, but other than that, I had the most trouble with the engine.”

Fighting the temptation to give up was one of John’s biggest obstacles. He said that when tempted to throw in the towel, the pair would look back to what they had already accomplished. “That helped move us forward. And, we broke the project into manageable tasks,” John said.

Eastwood helped the project keep moving. John said he used Eastwood’s 3M™ Flexible Strip Caulk, Simichrome Polish, 3M™ Auto Glass Resealant, and Seam Sealer Ultra Flex Black. Other Eastwood items included: Self-Etch Primer, a 7-piece body and fender set, Tank Tone, and Factory Gray High-Temp Coating.


The Nova was such a wonderful father-son experience that, now that it’s on the street, the pair has begun work on another project, a ’66 Chevelle – a full, “frame off” project.
“It was great spending time together and having a common project to work on with my son,” John told us. “Working on and finishing the car gives us something to look at that we accomplished together.”

Jamie reflected on the project: “I knew that it meant a lot to my father that we were doing this together, but now that I look back, it was more than just spending time with him. Now that I'm driving it around, and I get to see people’s reactions to the car, it gives me a deeper sense of accomplishment. And my Dad loves to hear about the different people who come up to me and talk to me about the car. We both really enjoyed the time we spent restoring it.”

If you are looking for a “priceless” experience, why not consider a family project like the Moskwas did? Eastwood is here to help, with the right products, backed with a money-back guarantee, and the best tech support around. And turn to our online forum to get even more help, and to help others by sharing what you’ve learned!


Got a story to tell? We’d like to hear it! Contact: projects@eastwood.com