Hey guys,

Hope this is right forum for this? For those that have several restorations under their belt... In what order do you do everything? How to plan out purchases?

I'm just curious. I've been spinning wrenches on old cars for about 15 years... and sometimes feel like I just running in circles. I'll chalk a good bit up more youth, less patience.

But now as the big 3-0 is nearing I've got my head on little straighter and am ready to concentrate on one car and tackle a real restoration.

I have a nice garage, and I can actually afford to build a car. And I have a new project, my 71' Plymouth.

I've set a budget of 35k and I hope to finish the car in 6 years. I can afford to invest about $5-600 a month in the car.

I'd like some advice on how to keep things moving forward. For lack of better words, in what order do you like to restore a car? Paint and body first? Sub-assemblies first? Taking stock of what is on the car... I have a fairly solid shell and nice trim... everything else needs to be restored, replaced or located. Definitely not the drive while restoring kind of car.

I've resisted the urge to tear the car apart (except for removing the some of the trim for safe keeping) and checking for hidden rust.

In what steps to do like to paint the body? Seems to be a never ending battle between paint coverage and overspay...


Second question, in what order do you buy parts? I'm going through catalogs and starting to make lists... but I'll have to stick to my monthly budget. What reproduction parts should I buy now, what can wait. Same for original parts.

Here is an outline of what I typically do after purchasing the car:

IMO THE most important thing is to do an inventory of your car and make a very detailed list of parts you need to gather and get them as fast as humanly possible, if it's a really rare part and easily damaged I'll often times buy two of them if the opportunity presents itself "just in case" something happens to the first one. I'd spend the money on original/NOS parts first because they will always be the most difficult to get, then I'd buy all of the reproduction parts you need. DO NOT wait until the last minute assuming they will always be available just because someone reproduced them, many of the reproduction parts you now see available for sale are one run parts, once the first run sells out you may never see them again!

Next decide on who is going to do what work in terms of restoration work on every componant of the car (myself or some outside shop) this will help you put together some budgetary baseline labor costs.

If you plan on doing work yourself make as large a space as possible, invest in the proper tools, storage containers, shelving, good digital camera, bags, tags, etc. before you tear into the car. Remember, most basket case cars end up being sold (at a HUGE discount) because some well meaning new owner tore it apart in his one car garage and scattered parts all over the place never to be seen again only to feel overwhelmed at the task of reassembling the car and bailing out.

Next make a detailed step by step plan of disassembling the car in order to get it to the painter. The paint and body is normally the biggest, most expensive, and longest process. I'd reccomend taking 10x as many close up and detailed photos of every square inch of the car as you think makes sense (and that's no exageration!) to ease reassembly, you will forget far more than you realize, good clear photos can be a lifesaver in recreating factory details.

As you dissasemble the car photograph as many individual assemblies and attaching hardware as possible, save the images to a disc or other and put copies of the pics (digital files or prints, whatever works for you) in the storage bags or containers with the components. Proper storage of a dissasembled car in an organized manor takes up A LOT of space, be ready for that!

Once the car is torn down and the body is at the restoration shop you can start in on getting the componants your removed restored one by one or send them off to the appropriate chosen vendors for restoration.

That is an extremely condensed version of what I'd do but it should get you started on the right path.

Golden rule #1 NEVER throw away ANY used parts of any kind until you are done with the car and SURE you won't need them! Also, NEVER toss ANY original production line parts (damaged. worn, or not) regardless of if you need them because they are always valuable as a historical reference tool.

What Scott says, and if I might add:
Take photos of all kinds of things, from how the package tray fits to where decals are, how wires & hoses are routed, blackouts, seals, bracket arrangements, etc.
Measure emblem-hole locations, and make templates for stuff like Roadrunner nameplates, if the car's getting bodywork.
I sketch & measure hood blackouts, assembly sequences, seat belt attachment sequences, linkages, markings, etc.
Lots of bags & boxes: I separate rt fender, lt fender, underhood, engine, trans, rt door, lt door, etc etc, breaking areas down to keep inventory & reassembly easier to deal with. Post-it notes inside the bags for details such as location when different fasteners attach a part.
I like to steam-clean the undercarriage & engine compartment before disassembly; makes it easier & cleaner to work on and saves time later.
Organization and methodical disassembly is King.
All those notes & photos come in real handy when you get 100 fasteners back from the plater and need to know exactly where they go. Replated items & such get new bags so they stay clean.
You have to completely dismantle the car to know what it needs if you're doing a complete restoration, as a lot can happen in the 40-some years some of these cars have been around.
I've always spent more than the original budget, and costs fluctuate; it's best to have some money saved up so a monthly budget shortfall doesn't interfere with progress.
ANY modification from OEM requires mocking up, so you don't have to modify/repaint/etc something later.
Credit card interest adds up unless you pay it off every month.

What those guys said, and a good body shop will ask for trim to fit before final sealer and paint.
There have been horror stories about lost parts, so show up with the stuff needed (like rear window trim), allow fitting, and get it back!

Straight and polished and ready to install is best.

Also, you can take stuff off and restore it as you go.

If you are using repo stuff for soft parts like rubber seals, carpet, tires, and you are SURE you will be able to get them later, it's probably a good idea to wait.

All good advice so far. My little pearl of wisdom is this: don't rip the car apart until you have saved up the money for the paint and body. I know that means doing nothing with it for quite some time but WAY too many cars are ripped apart and sold a few years later in boxes. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just a bit of a realist.

If I were in your shoes, I'd buy the parts and save some of the money before taking it apart.


Dave

All great info and advice - I actually did it a little different.
I tore the car apart and have spent the past 1.5yrs getting all of my sub-assemblies restored. All I have left is the engine to be rebuilt and some misc pully's and brackets to be powder coated. Once those are done, I'll have the car painted (of course need to save up a few more $$$).

But atleast once the car is painted, I will have everything ready to go for installation...

Thank you for the replies,

What parts would consider the most critical to acquire? I have a feeling things like seat covers and weatherstrip will continue to be available for years.

Perhaps I should start with unique parts? Like say repop trim and Air Grabber parts?

From my first post

Quote:

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I'd spend the money on original/NOS parts first because they will always be the most difficult to get, then I'd buy all of the reproduction parts you need/can afford.

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My suggestion is to not buy all kinds of stuff for it until your ready for it, expecially repo parts.

I wasted alot of $$ on repo parts I didn't use because of this or that.

I took like 400-500 pictures first and then thousands as I went along.

I did a complete rotisserie restoration in 10 months by myself. I could not see planning for 7 years, it's not a good idea IMO.

I have one that I took apart in 08 and is just sitting there, I hate it.

Here's my short list of things that I have learned on my partial resto over the last 2 years.

1) Replating is cheap
Any original fasteners/hardware you have should be replated rather than replaced with new. Buying new bolts for $1 a piece sounds cheap, but it adds up. Replating is the best of both worlds...better accuracy and lower cost. Go to a car show and see how much original fasteners sell for and this will prove to you that those old fasteners need to be replated and not replaced with close repo's.

highly recommended
http://www.dynamicrenovation.net/default.php

2) If you see a really good used/NOS part you need at a reasonable price buy it. If it is in great shape buy it fast. Worst case if you don't need it in a few years you likely recover your money by selling.

3) Your tastes/approach change over time. Example a part you think repo is fine for today may not be fine with your tastes a year or two from now. So try to keep repo part buying to a minimum until you are ready for the part. This will likely save you money in the long run. I have a pile of repo parts I bought that I decided I didn't need in the end for various reasons. When I can muster the strength to list them I likely will lose half my money... as in #2 above buying good original parts as opportunities present themselves is low risk.

4) If you expect things to go smoothly you will be disappointed. things always take longer than planned and the unexpected always happens. I fired my car on July 4th of this year and since then I have had my steering box fail, have had suspension interference issues with brand new 'high quality' parts, transmission issues, wiring issues, and now dealing with some engine issues. so 3 months later still haven't done a WOT run yet or taken it in for an alignment despite spending most of my limited free time under the hood. So be flexible and roll with the good and the bad or you will burn out. This is why you see all the boxed up cars for sale. I feel that I plan to the extreme yet things keep happening.

Best advice I've ever heard, "Figure everything out, then take your figures/budget and double it."

Be prepared for when "Life" gets in the way of your restoration.What I mean by that is unexpected household bills,family medical emergencies,etc.I,m dealing with somethings I can,t control and is taking some of the enjoyment of the project from me.Also,there will be times when your ambition for the project will wane.Then it is time to take a break from it and go back to it when you are Fresh and Recharged.....

Good to give it a rest for a while as well...

Plan for the worst , hope for the best .

Buy a parts car . Learn to barter .

Buy a sanblaster and wire wheel .

Dont get sidetracked with other cars

I have 3 -71's -2's almost under my belt ..

My longest project has milked me for 5 years .

35 k is a big investment , sure you dont

Want to start out with a car with pedigree ?

I guess i cant talk , i cloned a 72 sunroof car to

71.

If you can afford that much a month for a project then have you considered maybe buying a finished car from a classic car dealer that finances? Just a thought. I certainly understand the want and desire to restore your own car. But 5 years is a long time and lot can happen in life, especially at your age. Working in a bodyshop is a huge plus though financially.

In the end write it all out on paper first. You can stick to a budget if you watch your spending, but its the little stuff that adds ups.

As others have stated, having access to paint/body facilities is a huge plus, however, just make sure that 'favors' or 'deals' don't cost you more than going somewhere else.

The little things really do add up, in terms of cost, but also on the visual impact/quality of the final build. Whether it is to look stock or not.

For example, you can have a flawless paint job. But if your original glass is scratched/chipped, the stainless isn't fully polished, door handles and emblems are worn & faded then it will really hurt the look.

Lastly, if the car is already running/driving/functional before you take it apart, this is a plus because you can determine what still works well and doesn't need to be rebuilt. e.g. heater core, blower motor, steering box etc.

If you're building a basket case or roller, then it only makes sense to put back new or rebuilt components. Personally, I have no interest in swapping out a steering box from a freshly detailed engine compartment and suspension..

I am coming to the end of my restoration/rebuild on my 70 Sport Satellite. I have owned the car for 12 years, and collected parts over 10 years, before deciding to start the whole project. Stripped to rolling chassis, then off to body shop . . .

I think Scott said it, take TONS of pictures, use LOTS of zip lock bags - tag EVERYTHING !!, and buy the parts you can, as soon as you can . . . even now I am seeing parts that I bought years ago, going wayyyy higher in price, or not even available anymore !

I had a budget in mind, and time frame . . . well, double the budget and double your time ! You are lucky to have access to body shop help - probably most expensive part of the job ! Am sure you will get away with just some $$$ for beer, pizza and supplies, compared to actually having to pay for shop fees/wages, etc !!!

Anyway, just my two cents worth with my experience . . .

Cheers

Mark

To what has been said I'll ad my Cliffs Notes edition.
Budget X2
Time X2
Agravation X4
Beer X6
Relief when done X10

Some good stuff here! It sounds like you have a resto strategy. Build your plan around it. Like most around here I'm a DIYer whenever possible, but you gotta recognize your limits.

Depending on the bodywork needed, just an experienced bodyman may not be the best ticket. Best to find a guy with some vintage mopar/unibody experience if possible.

Document, document, then document some more. Wear out your digi camera, before, during, and after. The fun for me is putting these guys back together, but you gotta have those references to do it right. I used notes/pix from my previous 70RR hardtop resto and my daughters 70 Sport Satellite as a reference to restore my 70RR vert. With all that and a FSM, there were still issues to deal with. Bet on it.

Use this forum as a reference, some great people around here both in terms of knowledge and willingness to help.

Enjoy it!