Tips for first time restorers!

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72ScampTramp

72ScampTramp

Scamp Tramp
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
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Location
Fort Dodge Iowa
Im sure some of these are no brainers. Winding down 4 year long build. My first attempt at a build. Im running into problems I should have for seen. These are just a few things I ran into. I sure some of you all have more to add.


Bag and tag everything. Every screw, bolt everything!
Have assortment of screws, bolts, nuts and washers. Odds are you lost some and some just aren't good enough to go back in.
Have you changed panels? Be ready for trimming and fitting issues.
Organize your tools!
Photos of parts before you take them apart. This would have saved me a ton of time. Most of you have cell phones now days. Document it all.
Not all research is good research. Specially online. Some people are plain full of **** and some are really good to bounce ideas off.
Work on portions of the car. Dont skip around you will feel like you have got nothing done. Stay in one area till its done!
Find a good place to store the parts you need to keep. Box parts up in sections!
Dont forget to enjoy life! Really easy to get wrapped into work and garage life. Dont forget about those around you!
Shop for parts ahead of time. This allows you to be able to search around a bit for quality and price. When need something you will find yourself overpaying because you need it like yesterday!

The biggest one! Enjoy the small wins! Celebrate however you celebrate. This will make you feel good about what you have done instead of what still needs done!
 
Great advice. I have a list of things I will be doing to my 1970 Dart over the winter. I have a shop that I'm sharing with a friend. (He has a Vette, so I will be praying for him. :) ) This works out well so we can help each other and cheer on the victories on either car. We have times set up that we will both be there to either work on the cars or have a favororite beverage. It's going to be a good winter!
 
Great advice for sure. And in addition, some of us (I am finding out it might be me) should just buy a car done and fiddle with it as time goes on. I don't know if I will ever find the time and space to get mine painted and enough time and patience to put it all back together. LOL tmm
 
I wont lie it was a process to keep interested. There were times weeks went by and I wouldn't touch it. I found making to do lists I could cross stuff off even small things they all need done. Some days i wanted to pack it up and quit.
 
never mind your favorite...
start with the most complete rust/damage free car you can find!
 
Well said, especially bagging and identifying the small parts, and the photos. Can't have too many photos! I am constantly pulling my photos up from my computer for reference.
Sometimes if I'm not in the mood to work on it, I find a reason to go in the garage just to do something....paint a small part, tape up a loom, put tools away,...it keeps me involved. And one more to add -- save old parts! If you replace something and it doesn't fit or perform, you always have the old part to refer back to.
 
Thanks, it was good to hear you put it out there like that. I didn't get NEAR as much done as I wanted to this summer, but two things. It's not over yet and I like your idea of a cross off list. My latest celebrated small victory was getting a piece of metal that was wedged into a seam in the core support area removed. Small piece of metal, small victory. Thanks again for the advice!!
 
Funny how the time ticks by. I thought 2 years should cover it, that's a long time. We'll come November I'll be rolling into year 3 lol.

Great advice! I would add find what ever you need to keep yourself motivated.
 
Planning, figure costs to be 15-20% more than you figured and research the parts your buying. I cannot tell you how many reproduction parts I bought and did not use because the quality sucked, or how many used parts I bought and re-bought when I found one in better shape, Patience is a must.
 
Baileyboy said:
Great advice. I have a list of things I will be doing to my 1970 Dart over the winter. I have a shop that I'm sharing with a friend. (He has a Vette, so I will be praying for him. :) ) This works out well so we can help each other and cheer on the victories on either car. We have times set up that we will both be there to either work on the cars or have a favororite beverage. It's going to be a good winter!
Click to expand...

Don't knock the old vette to hard I like driving mine better than my new challenger.

The best advice I can give is do not spread your parts out when you tear it down.
I am in assembly mode on the duster and I have parts in 4 garages in 2 different locations.
I know I have the parts but finding them can be fun at times.

Label and bag everything.
 
Don't paint before the block sanding is really done...and when you think it's done, you're about 1/4 of the way done. :-/
 
When you get everything apart and in bags/boxes, then clean up the fasteners and parts. That way you know what needs replacement and can get new ones before assembly starts.
 
I like to use clear tubs to box everything in and label the tubs. They're better for long term parts storage, won't get damaged as easy as boxes, stackable, reusable from project to project, and, being clear, can allow you to see the parts through them, letting you know which tub you need in the stack if you don't stack them in order.

And pics, pics, pics.
 
it takes a lot of time also. LOTS of time. my car is about 80% complete on body/paint and it's been 2.5 years. if i could weld myself and had a place for body it would have been done.

i got a cheesy dash cluster insert so i could use aftermarket gauges:
View attachment cluster insert.jpg

it was a very poor design. but i was determined to "win" the battle lol. after i spent about 40 hours modifying the plastics and metal frame of my cluster so this insert and the gauges fit. after 40 HOURS then i went to put the switches on... both the headlight switch and wiper switch are too close to the corners so back i go with the dremel tool modifying the frame to accept the switches.


anyways the shop caught a fire while welding in floor pans. toasted a bunch of stuff in my original dash; i got one on here, i had them paint it for me.

i wanted 3m aluminum automotive vinyl wrap for the center and right sections to match the gauge cluster. nobody would sell the materials to me only would install for a HIGH fee. so i said screw it and fabbed my own out of aluminum. i also had to fab the dual speaker plate out of 20 gauge steel to replace the oem speaker, stereo mounting bracket, probably other stuff i forgot lol.

i now have it all wired assembled etc. over 200 HOURS just in the dash.
View attachment dash.jpg
View attachment dash2.jpg
View attachment dash3.jpg
View attachment dash4.jpg
so you better be ready for a time investment
 
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