Hello, I am getting my 72 cuda back from paint next week. This will be my first complete restoration. It may be a dumb question but is there a order every one does this. The suspension and dash/ headliner is already installed. I was thinking wiper motor/ engine bay harness. Drop the engine and trans in together (hood has to be off?) Is it easier to drop the k frame and put the engine and trans on that then lower the car to k frame?

Is the grill the last thing to go on? I am mainly looking to see if there are any tips and tricks from the masters who have done this a million times lol. Thanks in advance

I've been following the one Resto Rick put together.

Resto Rick Assembly Sequence

That’s awesome thanks

You know, it really is up to you . . . on my 70 Sport Satellite, I got the body back from the body shop, and went to work getting all the brake lines, fuel lines, fuel tank on it, before getting the rear suspension on it, also, I assembled the engine and tranny on the K member, along with the steering box and lower control arms . . . also, before dropping the car over the engine/tranny/kmember, made sure to have the brake lines/metering block/prop valve, master cylinder all in place first . . . dropping the car onto the engine/tranny/k member was just too easy, and not required taking hood off, etc . . . pretty sure I got the ac/heater core installed prior to the engine also . . . oh, and the dash as well . . I had my car totally diassembled and rotiserie for body/paint work . . .

Really up to you . . . I wanted to get all items on the car, that are harder to do once you have engine/tranny/k member and rear end installed. Then once it was on wheels, you can do rest of it . . .

Good luck !!

Basically, I approach it from the standpoint of easy access and considering the possibility of damage/scratches. Stuff like doors are kind of outside to inside, carpet/belts/console/rear trim/seats are inside to outside. Underhood & undercarriage re-assembly priority is based on easy access.
Take your time, embrace the process, and enjoy it!

I am also using the Resto Rick guide. I am not following exactly...I do a bit of jumping around. I am happy to have the guide as reference though.

It's a pretty good list and I do the same thing with jumping around a bit.