When I first seen it, I was thinking my '76 Trans Am was a piece of junk. The transmission worked, however the motor had blown up a long time before. Not only was the paint faded and peeling off, but the rear quarter panels were also rusted. The entire body covered in dirt, grease, and mold. The drivers seat was torn on the bottom, the windshield was cracked in more than one place the interior had an unpleasant odor.
I knew that to repair the damage and fix all of these would require a lot of time and money. I felt overwhelmed by the job. As a result, I didn't want the car. I had no vision for its future, and there was no reason to put forth any effort. Then a miracle happened, my brother and I started to work.
Beyond repair, we took the motor apart to see if it had some usable parts. Meanwhile, my dad took the seat to the upholstery shop and searched for a working engine. The first time driving the car, the motor, it would not rev above 4,000 RPM. Back in the garage, we replaced some engine parts to fix that.
After we got it running again, replaced the windshield, and reinstalled the seat, I began, to think of a future for this car. I loved it and it was mine. Six months later, the body work was done and the car repainted. The whole process was teaching me that even when something looks hideous on the surface, it can be made beautiful with effort and dedication.