From an outsider’s perspective, going on junkyard crawls looks like a lot of fun. But taking a rusty gem back to the shop is a lot of hard work. Thomas and Adrian of the YouTube channel Heart of Texas Barn Finds and Classics show just how much elbow grease it takes to rescue great old classic cars like a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass and a 1974 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu.

The video shows what it takes to save these cars and others so that they can ultimately become someone’s project cars.

Mud, No Jack, And Shredded Tires Are All Part Of A Day’s Pull

After selling a mid-70s rotary-engine Mazda B-series minitruck, Thomas and Adrian head to the junkyard to retrieve a 1974 Chevelle Malibu. It’s missing its hood and the gutted 350 cu. in. V8 engine now sits in the engine bay. But it has the chrome bumper and the small opera windows that characterize Chevy’s upscale trim level, the Classic. Thomas already has potential buyers for it.

The men back the trailer up and hook a tow chain to move the car from its muddy resting place. The real work begins when Thomas realizes that he doesn’t have a jack and that they’ll need to improvise to get the Malibu with its shredded tires onto the trailer. An old tire provides leverage for the tow cable as Adrian muscles the car onto the track rails. After several tries, the Chevy makes it onto the trailer. Later, Thomas’ ears perk up when he finds Cragar wheels on the front and Rockets on the back.

Many Excellent Classic Cars But Takes Home Only One

The sale of the Chevy Malibu falls apart, but Thomas is philosophical. He then focuses his camera on several interesting 1970s cars. There’s an almost complete hatchback Ford Pinto that just needs some cleaning up. A late-70s Datsun 280Z with rear-window vents sits and waits in need of a rescue. A forklift helps to assist a huge yellow 1975 Chevy Monte Carlo onto the trailer of a lucky buyer.

But another special pull is one that Thomas ultimately wants for himself: a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass coupe. It needs a new door and quarter panel but is otherwise solid. This time, it requires three men to move the car. The YouTuber then ends the video by showing his progress in working on the car that he plans to make his daily driver in a few months