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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: 70plymA34]
#1361068
01/02/13 02:51 PM
01/02/13 02:51 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 18,582
Rust Belt, SW PA
Silver70
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 18,582
Rust Belt, SW PA
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I'm one who enjoys building even more than driving them. And despite the fact I do almost everything in my shop, there are parts I absolutely hate dealing with. But to see a car you built from start to finish, not much beats it... at least for me. I always tell myself, this will be the last one, then I decided I want to build something different, so I sell and start again 
68 Road Runner, 69 Belvedere, 71 Challenger Vert
340 barracuda, 01 Ram CTD, 95 Ram, 04 Ram, 85 Daytona turbo Z
66 GTO, 06 Magnum RT AWD. 07 Ram CTD, 07 Ram
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: a12rag]
#1361069
01/02/13 03:50 PM
01/02/13 03:50 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Took apart 20 years ago ?!?!?!? Wow, nothing like rushing a project !! heh heh heh . . .kidding of course.
Guess I was just getting frustrated with not really seeing much progress and then running into an issue with the ac/heat fan control. But you know, taking time away and reflecting on what an issue could be, is good ! Now that I have that solved and few other little things done, I am on cloud nine again !!! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting much brighter !!!
Good luck to everyone with your project !
Cheers
Mark
Mark,
I actually got the car out of Calgary 23 years ago. Started the restoration and then life got in the way. Job, wife, other hobbies, playing with other cars all got in the way.
Now it's back on track and should be done before summer.
Cheers
Chris 
Wow Chris . . . my car came from LA way back in the 70's. Was able to talk to original owner and he said he ordered it as his "Baby GTX" . . . 318, factory a/c, cruise control, console auto, 6way drivers seat, deluxe steering wheel, and FC7 In Violet with black vinyl top !! Hopefully will be able to drive it to Spring Fling 2013 !!! . . .
I dropped my car off (empty shell, totally bare with everything removed, only a rolling chasiss) on May 21, 2011 and got back from body shop on Dec. 28, 2011 ! 7 months of body work and paint.
Mark
I know many guys in the paint and body business, like 4 of them that I know real well. So I have hung around body shops and know some, plus I have been painting work trucks for 25 years. Just didn't know bodywork.
So when it came time for the body work on my 71 challenger, MARZ528 came and helped me. I meet him through moparts!!
I also called a guy who has painted race cars for me, so I know him and he knows me. He came to my shop and looked at the car while I was doing the body work myself. We talked about chemicals and paint. So I and Marz528 put 205 hours into bodywork. I think it's ready for paint.
Load it up and take out to my buddys shop. He calls me the next day wanting trim to fit before paint. Humm, never thought of that. I take other stuff out too for him to fit first. 
I go out there everyday after work and look at time cards to see that at least 2 guys a day is working on my car. I go there everyday for 10 days, that's all it took and it was painted, cut and buffed.
They put another 200+ hours into it after I thought it was ready. He let me have free run of his shop and ask any questions of his guys each day, priceless.
I painted the bottem and inside the car before going to painted.
I did all the work including completely blasting the car, every inch of it.
They worked there butts off on it.
That's the owner of the shop buffing my panels the very next day after paint. One of his guys is cutting the panels and then he buffs them.
A couple weeks after getting the car back from the bodyshop I start to see color varations in the panels because they were painted off the car. I call him and tell him what is happening, I warned him that this is meltalic paint was senitive to that because it's very translucent. I knew this ahead of time and he said no worries.
I put the car back togeather totally in like 3 months, the whole project took me 10 months. I bust my butt on this stuff the guys working for you know that and you get a lot more respect and action.
So a year later I am bummed that the panels are getting worse. He comes to my shop again and looks and says I'll repaint it for you.
I'm like this sucks it's all togeather now and really nice except for the color varation.
The painter keeps calling me to ask that I bring the car back to him. 2.5 years later I take it back and in another 10 day stretch they take the car all apart and repaint the whole outside at no cost to me.
He does this 2 weeks before a big car show here in town and put's my car in the show after the repaint. Now that's guy who stands behuind his work, I'm here to tell you.
On the show floor with no stripe yet, you can still smell the fresh paint. He painted the body and I painted the wheels.
Done and it was a ton of work, but worth it. Next car coming up here soon I'm gonna paint the whole thing myself. I paid attention when I was at his shop each day, I can do it!!
Last edited by Challenger 1; 01/03/13 12:27 AM.
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: 70plymA34]
#1361072
01/02/13 07:36 PM
01/02/13 07:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 242
midwest
intragration
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 242
midwest
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Looks like I'm not the only one. I bought mine in 1988, the motor and trans were missing and it had led a rough life, although it was mostly rust-free. It sat for two years, I put a motor in it and drove it for two years, then it sat for fifteen more years while I collected parts and cash. Dropped it if at a body shop, which was more like jail, they were supposed to have it for six weeks, turned into 18 months. I finally told them I was coming with a tow truck to pick it up, and they freaked out. Six weeks later it came home. Three crazy months of work, and it was mostly done. I also said "never again", but now I'm ready for another. 
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: a12rag]
#1361074
01/03/13 11:49 AM
01/03/13 11:49 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,828
Houston, Tx
hemi68charger
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,828
Houston, Tx
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Yeap, been doing this for so long now.. It's my therapy, but also leads to many frustrating moments during the process. Nothing though like the sense of accomplishment when you see the finished product. My next thing I'd like to learn is sheetmetal work, do my own welding and panel replacement.
TroyHouston Mopar Connection Club'69 Charger Daytona 440 - auto - 4.10 Dana (now with 426 hemi) '69 Charger 500 440 - 4speed - 3.54 Dana '70 Road Runner 383 - 4speed - a/c (now with 440)
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: a12rag]
#1361076
01/10/13 11:43 AM
01/10/13 11:43 AM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 390
ALBERTA CANADA
furydave
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 390
ALBERTA CANADA
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Mark found a pic of your car! Hard to believe I took it almost 10 years ago.... Can t wait to see it when it's done Keep thrashin!!
Last edited by furydave; 01/10/13 11:44 AM.
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: furydave]
#1361079
01/23/13 07:19 PM
01/23/13 07:19 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,918
Calgary, Alberta Canada
a12rag
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,918
Calgary, Alberta Canada
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Quote:
Mark found a pic of your car! Hard to believe I took it almost 10 years ago.... Can t wait to see it when it's done Keep thrashin!!
Dave . . . great to have that pic . . .here is pic of car in my garage once I started tearing it down . . .
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Re: Restoration Hell ????
[Re: a12rag]
#1361083
01/26/13 07:00 PM
01/26/13 07:00 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,538
Albany, NY
67SATisfaction
The member whose name is actually Art
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The member whose name is actually Art
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,538
Albany, NY
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Holy Moly, Mark!! Thanks for posting this "vent" for me!! You speak the truth and are not alone. It's been two years back for me (and a buddy with a '70 Cutlass is on his 4th year back from the body shop). Only by coming here do I get cheerful and encouraging feedback - so pull up a chair my friend, and let's share our stories: - I took my faded but running and driving 57,000 mile '65 Satellite hardtop off the road for disassembly and a 'light restoration'  starting in 2006. - I had engine and drivetrain out by 2007. Got the tranny and engine rebuilt w/cam & compression in early 2008. [ - Insert arrival of 3rd child here] - Got the car stripped down to a shell and to the paint shop by Summer of 2010. I got it back w/fresh paint, new glass, new vinyl top in Fall 2010. - Dash, lights and wiring restoration took most of 2011. - Fired the engine for the first time last April, and took it out around the neighborhood on my birthday Summer 2012!! - Started all the trim and details that summer, and continued this winter. - Although I spent winters working on all the subassemblies I could get my head around, I'm still putting it back together.. - SOME things are becoming a little easier and fun as the remaining work gets smaller and smaller. Interior trim will go quick, once I get that far.. Like you, I've discovered the following: 1.) Just because something is put back together again, DOESN'T mean it's going to work. 2.) When you run into a problem, DON'T set it aside for later. All that does is pile up all the problems for the END, when you'll want to be having an EASY time reassembling the car. 3.) I am not cut out for restorations. This is my first, and my last. At least I can take 'Restore a big block Mopar' off my bucket list (when its done) BUT... when I step back in the warm summer sun and have a look at her, she does take my breath away, and THAT makes it worth it in the end... Here she is on my birthday last summer.  Quote:
So, it is now ONE year since I have gotten my 70 Sport Satellite back home from the body shop . . . no, it is not all together yet !!
And then you get things together as meticulously as you can, and then it doesn't work as intended, and you have to start trouble shooting and figuring out how you screwed it up and how you have to fix it !!!
I wouldn't change it for anything. . . . just needed to vent and take a moment to relax and get away from the garage . . .
Anyone else find the same feelings during their build/restoration ???
Cheers
Mark
65 Satellite hardtop 361/4bbl console 727 2.76
67 Satellite convert 383/2bbl column 727 3.23
67 Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3 Zagato. Alloy body, 1.3L V4 DOHC 4-spd
67 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1.3. Alloy panel, 1.3L V4 DOHC 4-spd
71 Alfa Romeo GT Junior 1300 Zagato, 1.3L 4cyl DOHC hemi 5-spd
82 Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5L SOHC hemi V6 5-spd transaxle
75 Maserati Bora US spec 4.9L DOHC hemi V8 5-spd ZF
77 Maserati Khamsin Euro spec 4.9L DOHC hemi V8 5-spd ZF
07 Aston Martin DB9 6.0L DOHC V12 6spd transaxle
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It's frustrating as hell knowing how much time is passing by that I'm NOT driving my car!
