Is it because i'm new to the hobby...

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Saverio

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Is it because I'm new to the hobby, or am I Mopar Hypochondriac?

Every time I log onto FABO, I think "damn it, there is another thing I HAVE to do to my car".
Then of course, this snowballs into a million things that are "wrong" with my car that I must fix immediately or we'll all die!!!!! haha.

Someone suggested in another thread to make a large picture plan for my car and see that through first. I thought that was really great advice & just wanted to share.


(FYI - My goal is just to have a safe, reliable, fun cruiser. I'm not looking for tons of speed)
 
Also having a clear plan/vision you want the car to be/do. Deciding that first then plan accordingly helps greatly which saves time and most importantly money!
 
Keep in mind there is a little bit of stuff on here that is complete bs. I do my own thing with my car and I'll post some questions on here asking how to do certian things but for the most part I do things to my car that I plan for.

Now I do as people to criticize my build and ask for advice on certian parts but I do a lot more research in other places before making a big move on my car.
 
You MUST be sure of what you want.
Make a plan and stick to it. Changing the plan will cost you money and often, it's a lot of money.
Once you reach your goal of the basic plan of a safe, reliable and fun car to drive around in, then, you can start looking at modifications. Get the car going first! IMO, do the body and paint on the car as the first major step. Then the interior. Then your drive train. Then your mods.
 
rumblefish360 said:
You MUST be sure of what you want. Make a plan and stick to it. Changing the plan will cost you money and often, it's a lot of money. Once you reach your goal of the basic plan of a safe, reliable and fun car to drive around in, then, you can start looking at modifications. Get the car going first! IMO, do the body and paint on the car as the first major step. Then the interior. Then your drive train. Then your mods.
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I second this... My initial plan for my dart was a stock red,stock black interior.. With maybe a tach... A mild 400hp 360 727 auto... MAYBE front disc.. 8 3/4 with 3:23s

That turned into what I'm mid build in now witch is 550hp 408 - nitrous ,. Viper red with added metallic ... Full custom leather interior ... 4 wheel strange disc brakes... Fully custom tubular front suspension... Strange Dana 60 rear 4:10s and caltracs.. And i already have most everything to build this car and I'm already more then half way in...

Really figure out what you want.. Make a plan so it doesn't change so much like mine... But eventually it will get done
 
rumblefish360 said:
IMO, do the body and paint on the car as the first major step. Then the interior. Then your drive train. Then your mods.
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I agree 100% with rumble on this. Too many people build a high dollar drivetrain with big plans of "go fast", just to have it sit in the corner while they scrounge up the money (usually lots of money) to get the body done. By the time they get the body finished, that engine may not even be what they now want! By doing the body first it gives you plenty of time to decide fully what the plans for the drivetrain are. JMO though! :D
 
gdrill said:
I agree 100% with rumble on this. Too many people build a high dollar drivetrain with big plans of "go fast", just to have it sit in the corner while they scrounge up the money (usually lots of money) to get the body done. By the time they get the body finished, that engine may not even be what they now want! By doing the body first it gives you plenty of time to decide fully what the plans for the drivetrain are. JMO though! :D
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X2 don't have very big plans if there is no money to do this.. Don't have the car dis abled for years if you can be driving it now.. I have years to build a car because I have years until I any and can drive it.. If you are in the same boat as me then go for it.. If you are able to drive now.. Then get a in reach plan together and if you have extra money then go from there
 
I've run into that same situation a few times on the cars I've done. But if you have a driver try and do one little step at a time to keep it driving and looking good. that makes a lot of the work you do enjoyable. If you have a "ahem... total restoration " like me then it a longer process without the fun of being able to drive it.
But I have learned to think and remember how I want it to look and list the steps to get it there. Then I break down the steps to even smaller steps to make a 1 little piece project after another. For me it helps keep the drive alive. On doing the teardown I try to make the list as short as possible,since that looks like I'm not going forward but backwards. After that I like to see myself going forward (slowly due to money or time but forward). Even if it's jsut tracing a door panel for replacement or a rubber piece getting molded or put on the car.
that process for me worked on every car I have done.
that how I went from a total piece of crap shell to a decent roller so far on this project.
now for engine and finish work.

the start of tear down. whew everything was bad! except the rocker panels,frame and torque boxes :banghead:
View attachment -0001.jpg



now. it's not so bad (looking pretty good to me:D)and all of it's been welded and patched. now I'm working on the fiddly stuff like wiring,putting the top and carpet in making parts from scratch that no one makes or I can't afford and lastly the final engine rebuild design. But that's just another bunch of my "1 step at a time list" to get it done.
View attachment DSCF3804.jpg
 
Wow 66DVert, we are thinking along the same lines! I too tend to break issues down to smaller, manageable, pieces.

Luckily for me and my inferior knowledge of cars, the PO already did the body/paint/interior, I think I lucked out there. I like it the way it is and don't see a need to change it.

The things that are wrong with my car (suspension, drive train, "wear parts", etc) are not really that bad, they just seem like a lot because I've never done anything like this before.

I've already bought all Moog replacements parts and QA1 UCAs to get the suspension up to par (just waiting for the snow to melt so i can start the rebuild!).

Next thing I'm looking at is the rear end. The 7.25 in there now doesn't seem to be in bad shape (I don't beat on the car at all...) but, I do like the idea of beefing up the rear to avoid a possible failure in the future.

Aside from that, there are little minor things I will do. Since my car is already a driver, my goal is to be able to keep driving it while doing some enhancements and learning, in small chunks at a time....not months at a time.

Thank you all for your comments!
 
Make a list and check it twice!!! When I bought my 69 Fastback Barracuda is was pretty much dead stock survivor with no rust anywhere but I had a picture in my head of what I wanted. My vision is kinka like yours, dependable, a little power, safe, etc, etc. I've been modifying it for the last three years but always kept it on the road because I hate not being able to drive it. I put disc brakes on the front with all new bushing/bearing/etc., new stockier torsion bars, 340 driver with 360 magnum passenger exhaust manifolds, electronic dizzy, killer stereo with amps, high output alternator, head light relays, custom interior, custom arm rest, HD rear end, adj UCAs, sealed all the water leaks, shoulder seat belts front and rear, humungous tires in the rear, 2004R overdrive trans, 3:90 gears, 150 speedo, trans temp gauge and on and on. It's getting very close to the picture in my head...kind of a gasser style/look. Some like them low but I like them high!! I have a spare 318 block and I've collected many of the parts I need for a 390 stroker.
PS - Make a list and slowing cross things off the list. Don't get discouraged, as long as you keep marking things off the list you'll get there.
treblig


Saverio said:
Wow 66DVert, we are thinking along the same lines! I too tend to break issues down to smaller, manageable, pieces.

Luckily for me and my inferior knowledge of cars, the PO already did the body/paint/interior, I think I lucked out there. I like it the way it is and don't see a need to change it.

The things that are wrong with my car (suspension, drive train, "wear parts", etc) are not really that bad, they just seem like a lot because I've never done anything like this before.

I've already bought all Moog replacements parts and QA1 UCAs to get the suspension up to par (just waiting for the snow to melt so i can start the rebuild!).

Next thing I'm looking at is the rear end. The 7.25 in there now doesn't seem to be in bad shape (I don't beat on the car at all...) but, I do like the idea of beefing up the rear to avoid a possible failure in the future.

Aside from that, there are little minor things I will do. Since my car is already a driver, my goal is to be able to keep driving it while doing some enhancements and learning, in small chunks at a time....not months at a time.

Thank you all for your comments!
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I'm doing it backwards from a lot of suggestions here. I'm building the drivetrain first. The car is a running vehicle as it sits, but I'm looking to tear into it this summer and begin getting it stripped down for body work. I don't mind if the engine sits looking pretty for a while either, engines on stands look cool too. ;)
 
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