Restoration Preparation/order/organization

[mopar_4life]

Hello,

I am thinking that since I am pretty far away from my car I would do some planning for my future restoration that I will do for my 65. My dad recommended that I should make a list of everything that needs to be done on the car. My problem is, where to start. Should I take the motor out and work through that, take it all apart and do the body work? What have people done to make the best use of their time? I thought about making a list front to back and list everything that needs to be done but then where to start. There is just so much.

Any feed back is welcome.

Thanks

Eric

 

[commando1]

Noble task, Eric.
What would help us help you is to tell us about yourself first.
After that, pics of it's current condition. And finally, what do you want it to be.

Oh... And total budget.

 

[mopar_4life]

Alright, I can do that.

Little about me, currently I am in the army stationed at Fort Drum, New York. My car is located in Michigan at my folks house because the base has limited space in the family housing. I can make trips to my folks house but only a few times a year.

My type of restoration is for a good driver that I can take to shows and just enjoy.

As for a budget, I don't know yet. That would be up to my wife but for now I am just in the planning stages and saving money. I know that I could easily get out of control on this but for now I am just trying to plan my limited time and money.


Pictures I can post.

 

[mopar_4life]

Oh, I have new fenders and several dashes, new deck lid. Several carbs and lots lots more of parts.

 

[mopar_4life]

[video]https://www.facebook.com/eric.oleksiak/videos/vb.38508339/10100942933186516/?type=3&theater[/video]

It runs also.

 

[cantflip]

Noble task, Eric.
What would help us help you is to tell us about yourself first.
After that, pics of it's current condition. And finally, what do you want it to be.

Oh... And total budget.

Eric, hi I'm Jeff. Listen to these guys... you couldn't have a better resource to help with all the details of what and how. I wanted to chime in a word of caution. Too many projects get overwhelming when they're taken apart and not put back together for a long time. Don't disable the car from moving under its own power.

Very nice car and good luck to you.

 

[tbm3fan]

In your list break things down to categories. Like body, interior, electrical, suspension, brakes, steering, engine, transmission and so forth. From there prioritize as some are top priority and others much less so immediately. In the past I have always made sure the first things I worked on are the brakes and a reliable ignition. Then onto tires and are they usable or not. Now I can drive the car. Body work and paint tend to be the last thing I do short of rebuilding and engine which I may not if in good shape already.

 

[mopar_4life]

In your list break things down to categories. Like body, interior, electrical, suspension, brakes, steering, engine, transmission and so forth. From there prioritize as some are top priority and others much less so immediately. In the past I have always made sure the first things I worked on are the brakes and a reliable ignition. Then onto tires and are they usable or not. Now I can drive the car. Body work and paint tend to be the last thing I do short of rebuilding and engine which I may not if in good shape already.

So maybe work on the car in order to get it movable?

 

[cantflip]

So maybe work on the car in order to get it movable?

Absolutely! If you are going to go extended times when you can't work on it, keep it moving under its own power. You said it runs, Don't spend big dollars on brakes just so they can sit and rust, but change the brake fluid every 2 years and use only ethanol free gas to keep it storing better and see if your father doesn't mind keeping it starting so you don't have to worry about the engine or carb float sticking. Every week or two is good.

If you are unable to do much to the car. Spend the time you get with it doing thorough inspections and taking detailed pictures, then you spend your time away from it finding parts and devising a plan(s). That time planning and learning about your car will help a lot when the time comes to do stuff to it. Try to keep it stored dry and lots of rodent poison... you don't want it to get in worse shape while your gone.

 

[tbm3fan]

Absolutely! If you are going to go extended times when you can't work on it, keep it moving under its own power. You said it runs, Don't spend big dollars on brakes just so they can sit and rust, but change the brake fluid every 2 years and use only ethanol free gas to keep it storing better and see if your father doesn't mind keeping it starting so you don't have to worry about the engine or carb float sticking. Every week or two is good.

The last two vehicles I drove home had brake problems right away. The F100 ran right through a stop sign in the first week as I was coming home with everything to rebuild the drum brakes. No hardware in the right rear to start with and black fluid in the master. How I got it 40 miles home I don't know. That is why I pull the wheels and drums the first chance I get. Then there is the master...

...the Polara needed the pedal pumped each time it needed to be stopped and that was a 60 mile trip as it needed a new master. Luckily my brother was driving that car so I couldn't get into trouble...:busted:

 

[mopar_4life]

Ok so I decided to start a To-Do List on Google Docs. I set it up with the basic subgroups and then included what I think I need done. I am sure that there are more but I can always add to it if I need to. I also included a price section so I could try to guesstimate on the cost of doing certain projects. This will help my budget I think. I am including a link to a PDF of the File, feel free to take a look and let me know if there is anything that is glaring as missing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8v2pAiOwKQlTmxBX280ZTNqU1E/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for all of your suggestions and Merry Christmas!

Eric

 

[MrMoparCHP]

After having done two projects on a limited budget and limited space I can say the priorities should be anything that keeps the project moving.


I broke them into different groups On my Barracuda it was Engine/Interior/Paint but that car didn't need a lot, transmission was fine, rear end never left the car and the front suspension had recently been done.

On the CHP I focused on the body first and prioritized different things for different reasons. Seats were being done 600 miles away so I timed them for when I ws going to be going through there to pick them up. Once the money was spent for the body and paint the next big expense was the engine, once that was done I had the transmission done while we assembled the engine. Before the engine went in I wanted to have the frame refinished and all rebuilt.

This is what worked for me and this car. If I would do another car it would totally be different as the car would need to be operational the entire time, dealing with rebuilding an engine or transmission could be detrimental as space would not be available to have a car out of commission.

Priorities and workflow are car, life, money, skill.... dependent.


I would say first try and figure out what needs to be done and what it'll cost, next who is doing the work and how will the car get there.

Typically body and paint is your number one expense, do what I did, learn to do it yourself and do the bulk of it. My Barracuda was the first car I ever painted and people find that hard to believe it, the car is that nice. On the CHP car I did much of the heavy lifting and brought somebody in to finish it up and paint the car.

Second will be the engine, I was fortunate enough to have somebody I trusted to help with the assembly and that saved me a bunch, probably a third of the cost.

The interior can be a big expense as many of these car do not have a kit available for.


In many way time is more an issue than money as more time gets you more money. For me space also impacted priorities, doing a full size Polara in a two car garage can be quite challenging.


I close by saying it should go without question to bag and tag everything, you can not take enough pictures. Even today I am still looking at my other Polara nd my friends fully restored CHP car for reference.


Don't get all worked up trying to figure it all out first as the second you start that plan goes out the window.



Alan

 

[300rag]

... as the second you start that plan goes out the window.



Alan

Amen to that.

 

[cantflip]

The last two vehicles I drove home had brake problems right away. The F100 ran right through a stop sign in the first week as I was coming home with everything to rebuild the drum brakes. No hardware in the right rear to start with and black fluid in the master. How I got it 40 miles home I don't know.

By all means, make it stop so you can move it safely. The dark fluid is why I stress changing out brake fluid on your sitting car, it is cheap prevention... but not a cure for ageing. Brand new cars that aren't moved enough get "lot rot" where the brake rotors actually rust more in the places that don't get protected by the pads.... can't count the number of new cars that needed brakes to finish the sale. Drum are susceptible too, not quite as bad... until your close to going on the road, hold off but plan for a complete brake redo. For a cruiser, stock rebuild will be fine but I would recommend upgrading to a dual master cylinder... which has been discussed in other threads.

Ok so I decided to start a To-Do List on Google Docs. I set it up with the basic subgroups and then included what I think I need done. I am sure that there are more but I can always add to it if I need to. I also included a price section so I could try to guesstimate on the cost of doing certain projects. This will help my budget I think. I am including a link to a PDF of the File, feel free to take a look and let me know if there is anything that is glaring as missing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8v2pAiOwKQlTmxBX280ZTNqU1E/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for all of your suggestions and Merry Christmas!

Eric

Eric, I am not that computer savvy and don't trust my info on "cloud drives"... but I like this idea and will attempt to work with it. Some of the smarter members here may have other input... I find this idea to be kind of brilliant.

After having done two projects on a limited budget and limited space I can say the priorities should be anything that keeps the project moving.

Priorities and workflow are car, life, money, skill.... dependent.

I would say first try and figure out what needs to be done and what it'll cost, next who is doing the work and how will the car get there.

Typically body and paint is your number one expense, do what I did, learn to do it yourself and do the bulk of it. My Barracuda was the first car I ever painted and people find that hard to believe it, the car is that nice. On the CHP car I did much of the heavy lifting and brought somebody in to finish it up and paint the car.

Second will be the engine, I was fortunate enough to have somebody I trusted to help with the assembly and that saved me a bunch, probably a third of the cost.

The interior can be a big expense as many of these car do not have a kit available for.

In many way time is more an issue than money as more time gets you more money. For me space also impacted priorities, doing a full size Polara in a two car garage can be quite challenging.

I close by saying it should go without question to bag and tag everything, you can not take enough pictures. Even today I am still looking at my other Polara nd my friends fully restored CHP car for reference.

Alan

Alan, I took a few liberties quoting highlights from your post. Eric... there is the voice of experience. I am keeping in mind your current situation. Most of what I am saying is preservation until the time is right.

I don't know very much about life in the military, I have talked to many who were stationed somewhere that they could do an occasional junkyard trip in a part of the country they wouldn't have seen otherwise. I also understand you may have access to some repair facilities. If opportunity is there, parts searching for an old car is a big step you could take, without the car being present... the internet really doesn't find a lot of what's out there. If you have opportunity to learn a little welding or painting or just working on cars in general...take advantage. If I am wrong in my understanding... sorry, failed the physical... don't really know anything first hand.

Amen to that.

I know it was Alan's quote... its true, no matter what you plan... reality will be different. It will all cost more and take more time than you think it will. You may never have a place you could try painting it yourself... and attached garages are a very bad idea as paints have become more and more toxic. Rotisserie restorations are nice, but you appear to have a solid floor and hopefully the frame and trunk as well... it will suck but you can do the underside cleanup and paint on jacks.

I think a big key to keeping motivated is to make the tasks small enough that you can accomplish them and check them off your list.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Moving/running
Make safe
Cosmetic
Details


Can be driven and enjoyed after make safe. Who cares what it looks like it a 50 year old car most people with no old car will think it cool just because they don't have one, most of the rest of the people with a old cars have been at this point also. Most of the people who buy a done car or have the means to pay for someone to restore can appreciate the money and the time it takes to earn it. For any haters F%+ them just smile and wave, ....just smile and wave.

 

[shooter65]

Hi Eric,

First, welcome and you have a nice car.

You have already gotten some very good advice but I'll throw my 2 cents in also. I work in IT and have ran several projects. I looked at your google doc and the one thing I noticed is that it seems too generic. The problem is that something as simple as replacing the fenders is more involved than it sounds. For example you should count the spacers where the fenders are bolted on. You need to document the clips and location of wiring etc. My point is that if you have topics that are too generic, it will be difficult to check things off your list. Being able to check things off your list is important because it keeps you motivated with a sense of accomplishment.

What I do is have milestone topics and several subtopics below them. It's even more important for a long distance, part time restoration that you're attempting. Organization and detailed record keeping will be key! No matter how good your memory is, it will be difficult to remember where you left off without good notes. If you only have a short time to do the actual work during leave, you don't want to spend it trying to figure out where you left off from your previous leave.

The following sites have service manuals and parts manuals. They don’t seem to have a service manual for the 65 but you can pick up a reprint relatively inexpensively.

Service Manuals: http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109
Parts Manual: http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=107

You may want to use a service manual to create the milestone/subtopics based on that. That would help you create your list.
The main things that I think are important is to not tear the car completely down because it’s too easy to loose parts and if you come to a point where your priorities change or for some other reason you realize you can’t finish the car, selling a rolling chassis and several boxes of parts will not be easy.

Hemmings sells a pretty good book that will reiterate most of the advice you’ve gotten so far.

http://www.hemmings.com/store/detail?product_id=1589

Hope this helps, Merry Christmas and thanks for your service!

 

[1970cat]

i'm not sure a project list is really practical. it's a snowball effect. take the example of the fender. when removing a fender do you restore the antenna while it's apart? what about the pentastar and the wheel well trim. if you have a fender off it's the best time to restore the inner fender. then you are looking at the battery tray, wiring and clips, what about the splash shields? also it's the best time to repair the heater, firewall, core support,etc. before you know it the car is completely blown apart. i would also suggest mechanical before cosmetics and keep a parts list of what you need and what you have acquired. some parts are harder to find than others and you don't want to duplicate.

 

[commando1]

#1. Make list of things to do to make it 100% street legal. No exceptions. No cheating.

 

[Car Nut]

Make sure if you start taking parts off, bag and tag everything and take plenty of pictures.

 

[rexus31]

While this is all great advice, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. You need to define "driver". That means different things to different people. I define my cars as "drivers", well, because I drive them. That didn't stop me from doing a full blown restoration on my '65 300. I know how I am and I know that if I left something untouched, I would be dissatisfied down the road when the car was "finished" (they're never really finished). As such, I took the complete opposite approach. I blew the car apart and did as most I could while the car was at the body shop.



This is the most time consuming part of the restoration. While the car was at the body shop, I addressed the mechanicals: rebuilt the engine, trans and accumulated all the brake components. I also took all the chrome and stainless to the plater for replating and polishing. I also tackled most of the interior pieces. Once the car was back from the body shop, some additional detail work was done and the first course of action was to get the suspension taken care, rear end rebuilt and the brakes installed.





Once it was back on 4 wheels, I installed the engine and trans.



The next line of business was to install the dash and all the electrical and get it running and drivable. Then it was just a matter of bolting stuff on and putting it back together. One of the last things I did was the top.

Like I said, everyone is different and only you know what the expectations are in your mind's eye. I started with this...:





...envisioned what I wanted and worked toward it. After 4 years I had this:









Detail of the restoration here:
http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar...212-1965-Chrysler-300-Convertible-Restoration

Good luck! It's a long and frustrating process but the end result is worth the time, money and patience.