Duster Rebuild: Where to Start What Order?

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ADHD426

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I am rebuilding a 71 Duster. The engine compartment is empty. The interior is empty. I want to get started but don't want to start somewhere and find out it would have been easier to do that part last.

I am converting a v6 to a 340 (1967 Cast Date). I need to replace the passenger floor pan. Then put everything back together. I have all the parts.... I think.

So those of you that have done it before, what order should I go in? I figured I would start with the interior while the engine is getting rebuilt.

Input is greatly appreciated!
 
a V6 ? is the body and paint work finished ? i think the proper order to get started would be to get the body blasted and all the metal work finished first. if you are not doing any custom fab work. i have always done my body first
 
73AbodEE said:
a V6 ? is the body and paint work finished ? i think the proper order to get started would be to get the body blasted and all the metal work finished first. if you are not doing any custom fab work. i have always done my body first
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Sorry slant 6..... The body work is done, apart from replacing the passenger floor pan.
 
Body -> Mechanical -> Interior

I debated doing the mechanical work first and getting all the bugs out before body/paint. Less chance of scratching the paint, but more work to disassemble/reassemble twice.

If someone else is doing the paint, you can work on the mechanical while you're waiting. I plan to be blasting and painting all my suspension parts too.
 
i did suspension and brakes first, then rear end, engine and trans. still gotta do body and paint, and interior.
 
If you look at some of these shows on TV, they sometimes build cars in a specific order.
I've done it a few different ways. One advantage of getting the car running and mobile is that it is much easier to move around while doing body and paint work. It sucks though if you intend to change the color and need to repaint the engine bay.
The next car I'm doing already has the motor out of it, so I'm going to paint the car, then get it running, followed by the interior. I'm fortunate to have the space to let a car sit until I'm ready to work on it.
 
I like mopardudes order, I did paint first what a mistake! you are always worried about scratching the new paint makes everything seem twice as hard and difficult never again
 
the reason i always do my body and paint first is because if you are basically restoring this car, you are going to have to paint everything first before you assemble it. some people will paint the door jams, assemble the interior, paint the engine bay, and install the suspension and engine, and then work on the body. but i prefer to get all the welding ,sanding and painting out of the way so im not backmasking until the cows come home and risk screwing up all the fresh new parts with dust and overspray, but thats just me. its really a matter of preference and/or whether or not you have the space and time to work on this car. some people have to drive these cars as they work on them or the cars have to be able to be moved around.
 
mechanical so you can drive it while you work the rest :)
then work on any body work... then interior... thats what I did and seemed to be just fine.

-RPM
 
I've done the mechanicals while the paint was out being done. Once you get the body back its a matter of bolting everything back on. See my 71 Duster Resto thread. Its also a matter of $, if you don't have the budget to redo everything work with what you've got. Because if you pull it all apart and run out of money then it makes it a lot harder, and takes a lot longer, to finish it. Work within your budget and make sure to account for unexpected expenses.

Also FWIW, the headliner HAS to be done with the windows out so be sure thats first on your list of interior items.

My resto thread:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=155567
 
I have done a few ways, but the one that seemed to work the best is what we did on my buddies challenger. Disassemble, do all body work, paint engine, door sills, trunk undercarriage if you are doing that. Assemble all drivetrain and suspension, then doors , trunk hood etc. Paint, then interior.,..seemed to work good and no body scratches as the paint was last.
 
dusterbd451 said:
I have done a few ways, but the one that seemed to work the best is what we did on my buddies challenger. Disassemble, do all body work, paint engine, door sills, trunk undercarriage if you are doing that. Assemble all drivetrain and suspension, then doors , trunk hood etc. Paint, then interior.,..seemed to work good and no body scratches as the paint was last.
Click to expand...

I like this, minimal back masking, and it feels like more is done!
 
these are great ideas but to me its actually more important to start by stepping back. I like to spend a good but of time honestly just looking at the car and sitting in the garage for a little bit in piece and quiet. Think about what you want at the end of the day.

Then I go to the computer and start making lists as to what needs done, which at some point turns into sections for suspension, engine,interior, body, and what ever else i can think of. After that I add parts that I already have and parts i need to buy and ball park for prices.

Then its time to start, this gives me things to work on when i can't get to the garage to work and also helps for planning what parts I need so i'm not running around like crazy buyings I wont even use. After you have done all that look at what makes sense, factory restoration with factory parts. Well then you don't need as much mockup, if your doing suspension mods and a non factory engine then you will need some mock up. To me it doesn't make sense to say paint the underside of the car then start looking at frame connectors and mini tubbing.

Everyone has a different way of putting a project together but to me it just saves time and money to take a lot of time and get a good game plan. In the end you get something nicer.

In my case my car was a driver, so it helped me realize that if I waited and gathered certain parts and had some small projects first then I could drive longer before I really ripped it apart.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies! It has given me a plan of attack.
 
Put pan in, get body work finished, then paint bay, interior, and trunk. Then paint underside. Install front and rear suspension. (tip- Sherwin Williams can make a perfect match in rattle can paint, even 2 stage). Do the re-wiring, , then engine (more rattle can touch up). Front seat, fire it, find problems, fix, then test drive; back for more adjustments.

Pull seat, then headliner and carpet. Then interior. Now exterior paint. (no more scratching the paint. Until more tuning needed, lol. Oh, and don't forget that all the window gaskets are shot- those after shooting jambs and all around windows- just use same paint as the painter will use.

Time consuming.
 
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