This is a great topic and something I have really tried to put my total effort into for the past couple years. I feel this is the most important aspect of any business. But I'm not convinced you can have a solid pre planned program when so many variables can be out of the shop owners control.
Customers cash flow - This has no relation to the the depth of the customers pockets. This has to do with the urgency of the customer to pay for the agreed bill during and at completion of the project.
Project Creep - Customer wanting more and more from the initial project scope. And after the project was torn down or fit up work really begins, finding parts don't fit like they should. Or the car had more bondo then was expected.
Flaky vendors - Outside vendors with parts or services that that don't do what they say.
Lack of Communication on the Builder or Customers part. The builder needs to know before he does the work, you can't pay your bill this month and the customer needs to have some idea why a certain aspect may have taken longer. Now I realize the builder can work on their responsibility, but they cannot control the customer.
The lack of actual knowledge the customer may have in the process, even though they want and do act like they know just as much as you do. This is the reason car builders get some kind of undue rock star status, cuz its in style to be knowledgeable about how to build cool cars. When really car builders do anything redeeming for society. We are kinda like Paris Hilton, famous for being famous for nothing important.
The Hot Rod shop model relies all it's revenue on a few customers so the percentage of revenue is much higher per customer, not a bunch like an autobody shop or auto repair shop that has tons of invoices for much lower amounts.
The other thing about this industry is that this is a not a necessity in life or survival so peoples desire to spend money can change much quicker, with the down turn in the stock market or just the fact their wife found out how much it really costs. If your car breaks and the stock market crashes, you still have to fix your car.
I think it just takes some one to actually run their shop like a business, not a hobby and work to the executive or management side with great importance. So many builder hate paperwork and just don't do it or leave it to be handled by some one that does not deal with the customer directly. And this is where the break down begins.
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