Restoration "Strategies": balancing budget, time and resources - what did u do?

[joflaig]

I'm curious amongst the members what approach you all took to restoring your cars. Depending on many factors we're all forced to take different strategies. I myself can't afford to strip the car, have it media blasted and re-painted on a rotisserie. At this point my "problems" are more body related than drive train or interior. So I've been doing things in a piecemeal fashion -- which also coincedently lets me drive the car once in a while! What I mean by this, for example, is when the engine is going out to be rebuilt that will be when the engine bay gets redone. Or I may take it in sometime just to have the full floor pans replaced and that's it for that occasion.

How many of you out there have gone through the time and expense of a one-shot full blown restore vs. a partial drawn out restoration?

[Mike DC]

How about a one-shot, total, AND drawn-out resto? 


I won't compromise on the end results, and I won't throw money at it unnessecarily, so the area that had to give in was the timeframe.  Been a bunch of years since I was last cruising the car and it's still not done yet.

This seems like a common situation in the old car hobby. 
 

[Old Moparz]

To be honest, I have no plan, no budget, no time, & need to think of something fast.      I have had so many snags over the years in whatever plan I formed, that I just gave up planning to avoid disappointment. One car with one plan after another, had always managed to get screwed up by either an incompetent towing outfit, an incompetent body shop, or totally bad timing with funds. (House purchase, job changes, needed new daily transportation, kid, etc.)

Right now, my only plan is to fake my death, paint over the windows in the garage so nobody knows I'm there, & finish something with the insurance money.

[Charger_Fan]

So far, I've mastered the 'storage plan', I'm great at that...the other aspects of my resto, lets just say I'm still working on.

[PocketThunder]

When i restored my 68 i did everything i could myself and sub'ed out the rest.  I did all metal work myself and had the body shop do the mud and paint.  That was (and always is) the main cost in a restoration.  Once i got past that point it was reassembly and    If you dont have a lot of time and/or money like the rest of us, i'd say drive it as is while you save up.  Thats what i'm doing with my next car. 

[six-tee-nine]

I choose a no compromise 5 year resto above a 6 months speed job.

No i'm not rich, right now my project is stored because i'm busy with rebuilding our house and i have no money aside for it. as i get along restoring her i will put my project on hold any time i run out of money cuz i will not cut corners.....

[Chatt69chgr]

I decided to not get in a hurry and realized from the start that my project was going to multi-year.  So my car is sitting in the garage but has not been stripped.  I have taking some item off the engine and pulled the rotted radiator.  But my idea was to spend a lot of time researching the technical aspects of the restoration and identify all the parts I will need.  Then categorize the parts into hard to find.  I go after those first.  One interesting thing I have seen is the proliferation of "new" parts.  Places like BEA have stuff I never in my wildest dreams thought I woulds see reproduced.  My project is complicated by the fact that I am not just restoring a car but cloning a RT so I have to source a whole new drivetrain.  I'am also converting to power assisted disc brakes so that has been a challenge.  But I didn't start this project to get in a hurry.  I want to have fun and learn.  I have other hobbies so when I get tired of the car project I can jump off into one of those and come back when my enthusiasm has returned.  But I see nothing wrong in your approach.  At least you have a car to drive around---I don't.

[suntech]

like most others, i have no rigid timeframe or budget, but i want to do it right. Have spendt a lot of time seaching for the parts i want/need , and i want all the MAJOR parts in house, before i start. The car is a driver as it is, but will be a pro touring in the end, and there will be app 60K in the drivetrain and suspention/brakes  alone, so i need to do the rest right too.
Good part is that we dont loose value on the project, by beeing slow . I will use the car as it is, coming summer, and start in the fall, tearing everything apart. HOPE to be back on the road again after 1 1/2- 2 years.

[JimShine]

Don't rush. It will only result in having to do it over again down the road. You can rush the body only if you get it blasted and immediately sealed. You cannot rush a body that has rust issues. You will find yourself in 5 years needing more body work.

[Rolling_Thunder]

it will take years...    I have to keep reminding customers of this fact...     a full resto in our shop spans about a year...    unless you have to wait 10 months for Year One to get you your wiring harnesses....     A year is assuming the car is at a bodyshop for 4-5 months. We do not work on the car for a constant time every day as some things merely take priorities and sometimes customers request we slow down (billing reasons). 

As for your question - I would say just batton down and know you're in for the long haul. Do bodywork panel by panel if you want but ultimately the car should be stripped (of parts) and painted. if it takes you a couple years to save for that then so be it. IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO DO THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND ONLY ONCE! this is something i have learned the hard way. 

[hemihead]

I agree with taking your time. This is an expensive hobby but fixing mistakes or poor worksmanship because you were in a hurry costs more. Besides, this is supposed to be a hobby.I have owned mine 7 years now and it I am still gathering parts and doing some body work now and then.I have just as much fun working on it and my son's Charger as driving it.

[six-tee-nine]

I saw restored cars where paint started to bubble after 2 years. Some guys kept their car but were unhappy with it and others sold it because they couldn't bare it and didin't have the courage to strip the car a second time to get it repainted.

I admit, my previous car had some paint bubbles too, so thats why i'm gonna pay even more attention this time to get rid of all the mistakes i made before.
Ever turned a key of a car after a 5 year resto job (did alll the work yourself)
I did, so i know it's worth every penny and drop of sweat (sweat could better be measured in buckets than drops) 

[joflaig]

What is generally considered the best restoration "guide" book for those of us who are not greatly experienced?

[Khyron]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,20822.0.html

one shot, stay focused, don't take any other projects on and do a little every other day. and you'll have her done in less then a year 

Thats the only advice I have for you. I have A.D.D. and a family. and I was able to get her done using this method.

[dspaulding70]

I started working on mine about 5 years ago on weekends and evenings.  I found out quickly that I had limited knowledge, and more importantly, limited time.  I did not really have a plan and just started working on the inexpensive things first.  Replaced gas tank, suspension, tires, wheels, floorboards, etc.  The car would drive but the transmission leaked constantly no matter how many times I tried to replace the gasket.  The rear end whinned so loudly that it sounded like it would fall out any second. 

Then came the kids and my car just sat in the garage (leaking transmission fluid) and pissing off my wife!

Finally, I had to make the choice (keep it and pay to have it done, or sell it)

I have decided to make the investment and took the car to a local restoration shop that specializes in old Mopars and Chevy's.  I decided that spending $30-40k on a my 70 charger makes more sense than continuing to by newer vehicles that depreciate so damn quickly.  Here is plan I have determined to be the best for me for what it is worth:

1.  Get rid of the 7 coats of paint and finally address all of the rust, etc.  MEDIA BLAST IS COMPLETE
2.  All body work is underway.  Donor car was located for necessary parts.  Exterior paint color selected
3.  Located 440 engine and 727 transmission (Currently being rebuilt)  Will be ready in January
4.  Conversion to disk brakes, new leaf springs, torsion bars, firm feel steering will be installed next
5.

[dspaulding70]

Got a little finger happy when I got to # 5 which was to pay for it........

Anyway, I anticipate that I will be driving my vehicle by summer and very happy that it is done.

Good luck on yours.

[bull]

The problem with making plans is that reality often changes them. Quick! Someone make that into a bumper sticker.

Seriously, my project kind of goes in spurts or "pushes" as I like to call it. Basically, since I'm not a wealthy person I can only take on sections of the project as the money comes in and the only way "Charger money" comes in is when I work overtime, holidays, part-time, etc. Ergo, the only way I will farm out a $5,000 job is by saving $5,000 before that job starts. The biggest expenditure is the body and paint and I'll be very happy when that is finished because it costs a lot and you really don't see a lot of obvious progress. There is a lot of progress in body work, don't get me wrong, but quite often it's more clandestine than other portions of the project because it's like surgery. The guy may have had a triple bypass but he looks about the same as when the operation started as he does when the doctor closes him back up. I think once I can progress by spending $200-$300 per task rather than $3,000-$10,000 per task the project will speed up. At least my perspective of how it's progressing will improve... I think.

[Khyron]

The problem with making plans is that reality often changes them. Quick! Someone make that into a bumper sticker.

I have that bumper sticker, but it's worded a little different.

something like "$h*t happens"

[bull]

The problem with making plans is that reality often changes them. Quick! Someone make that into a bumper sticker.

I have that bumper sticker, but it's worded a little different.

something like "$h*t happens"

Yea, that's much more to the point I guess.

[Big Lebowski]

  Wow, good reading. I agree with all of it, mostly because I've been through it a few times myself. Back in 1991 when I bought a junkyard '70 Charger R/T 440-6, I had two other projects, a '68 Charger R/T 4-speed & a '69 Charger R/T 4-speed...So I sat in the new project V code '70 Charger and said to myself..."Self, this is gonna take 10 years to finish this car."
   My only advise to you is...Do as much of the resto that you can yourself, because @ $75 an hour times 1 year of labor...well, figure it out. But remember, a straight car with a perfect paint job is going to cost at least $10k. I've got a '70 Roadrunner project now that's a money pit, lots of cash in it, just toss it in.

[bull]

But remember, a straight car with a perfect paint job is going to cost at least $10k.

I wish. Definitely not if you farm it out.

[Khyron]

But remember, a straight car with a perfect paint job is going to cost at least $10k.

I wish. Definitely not if you farm it out.

heheh I was gonna say. Mine was a smidge more and thats with ME helping.

[bull]

But remember, a straight car with a perfect paint job is going to cost at least $10k.

I wish. Definitely not if you farm it out.

heheh I was gonna say. Mine was a smidge more and thats with ME helping.

A 'smidge' more than $10,000 like about... $10,000 more than $10,000?

[Lowprofile]

So far, I've mastered the 'storage plan', I'm great at that...the other aspects of my resto, lets just say I'm still working on.

Wow! You read my mind! I am realy good at storage!

[Khyron]

A 'smidge' more than $10,000 like about... $10,000 more than $10,000?

Half way there. When the guys sat down and figured the time and material that it took to complete my charger. Without adding MY time and stuff I bought, we came up to around $15,000.

And my car was pretty solid.

[joflaig]

Half way there. When the guys sat down and figured the time and material that it took to complete my charger. Without adding MY time and stuff I bought, we came up to around $15,000.

And my car was pretty solid.

Khyron, I went through the thread on your restore. Did you do any other body work at some time in past before all that, like floor pans? Your restore is interesting to me because I am not doing a full blown roterserie job.

[Khyron]

Khyron, I went through the thread on your restore. Did you do any other body work at some time in past before all that, like floor pans? Your restore is interesting to me because I am not doing a full blown roterserie job.

Not on the Charger, the only metal work I had to do was a few spots on the sail panels under the windows where it's common. Years ago a friend and I put some floor pans in my 66 Mustang, but that was it.

Ohh, we did have to put on trunk extention into the charger, but  that wasn't anything major. We patched a few small holes in the botton of the car, no bigger then the size of a silver dollar.. also come to think of it.

[sailpanel]

Strategy depends on to many factors for a one size fits all plan. I had to do things as money and time would allow and its taken me ten years on the car I had to start with. Someone with deeper pockets and or more free time could have done the same job in much less time. Or, I could have done the job in a shorter amount of time had I started with a better car. It's really all relative to many different factors. My strategy plan can be summed up as..."I made it up as I went along".

[joflaig]

Not on the Charger, the only metal work I had to do was a few spots on the sail panels under the windows where it's common. Years ago a friend and I put some floor pans in my 66 Mustang, but that was it.

Ohh, we did have to put on trunk extention into the charger, but  that wasn't anything major. We patched a few small holes in the botton of the car, no bigger then the size of a silver dollar.. also come to think of it.

Gosh, where did you find this car, AZ?

[HeavyFuel]

Rules of Restoration:  Good, Fast or Cheap. Pick two, you can't have it all.

1. Good work +  Fast completion = Expensive

2. Good work + Low cost = Slow completion

3. Fast work + Low cost = Inferior result


I have had my car for 16 years now this month, and my butt has been behind the wheel of it for a grand total of around 10 hours. 

That sucks. 

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

When I think of all the time wasted by not (1) keeping the car intact and running, so that I could enjoy it once in a while, and (2) not sticking to a firm schedule on getting work done on it. 

The years have slipped by and I don't have a thing to show for it, besides a garage full of parts in various stages of rebuild, and a thoroughly disillusioned and pissed off wife.

Set deadlines, like you would anything else important to you, and get the thing done.  Do I sound a little neagative about the whole thing?  I am definatley getting there.  If I thought that I could get the $$ out of my car right now that I have into it, she would be gone tomorrow.  Anyone want a numbers '68 R/t that is in about 5000 pieces right now?

[bull]

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

Two years at the body shop? That's BS. What's taking them so long?

[Khyron]

Gosh, where did you find this car, AZ?

actually, downstate NY


but I believe the old girl spend some years down south. I'm the third owner. I could call the original owner and ask I suppose 

Rules of Restoration:  Good, Fast or Cheap. Pick two, you can't have it all.

1. Good work +  Fast completion = Expensive

2. Good work + Low cost = Slow completion

3. Fast work + Low cost = Inferior result

You forgot Number 4

4. Work every other day on the car + don't be afraid to learn something new + Barter parts for computer services + have great friends that own a shop + sell rebuilt small block for 440HP + barter some more = Great results for not a lot of money

[Hemidoug]

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

Two years at the body shop? That's BS. What's taking them so long?

Not all that unusual...my 71 has been away in the shop waiting for paint for 2 years this November.  Quality work takes a while. 

[Charger-Bodie]

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

Two years at the body shop? That's BS. What's taking them so long?

Not all that unusual...my 71 has been away in the shop waiting for paint for 2 years this November.  Quality work takes a while. 

alot of factors can come into play on how long it takes to do a resto, as in my shop we do resto as fill in so if we dont have a ton of insurance work an old car gets done much quiker than if we are swamped.
I would also like to add that we make this VERY clear to our customers 

[bull]

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

Two years at the body shop? That's BS. What's taking them so long?

Not all that unusual...my 71 has been away in the shop waiting for paint for 2 years this November.  Quality work takes a while. 

It's not really quality work if they're not actually doing any work is it?

[greatwn73]

 

  With the Charger at the stage where its a dependable driver, I'm about to start the next project but with both I am following similar stratagies.

1. Read and save money
2. Plan and save money
3. Find a car that fits your plan, budget and your abilities----- and save money
4. Do what you need to do to get it running where you can enjoy it but not have to double your work later. I found that if I got to use it I didn't lose interest and made the next stage easier to tackle. Safety first , appearance next, more power last.

  It took 4 years with the Charger but I've driven it every summer.

[HeavyFuel]

It was stored away from my house for about 4 years, then was in my third stall taunting me for about ten, while I was raising babies.  Now it is completedly apart, and the body has been at the painter for the last two years.

Two years at the body shop? That's BS. What's taking them so long?

Not all that unusual...my 71 has been away in the shop waiting for paint for 2 years this November.  Quality work takes a while. 

It's not really quality work if they're not actually doing any work is it?

Bull, you hit the nail on the head. 

I get lots of promises from the body shop, with no delivery.  This is not a complete resto for them, either.  All they have is the body work and paint on a naked unibody.  With minimal rust.

[gordo1968charger]

being a body man i started putting the new boot floor in,then that ended up with a rear lower valance,before i knew what was happening all the body panels were in the shed and the rolling shell was bare metaled off and getting ready for paint,that took me 7 months including taking the engine out and painting the engine bay and refitting the engine and headers and new exhaust.
my credit card was maxxed out at this point.
so i applied for my taxi licence to give me extra cash to complete.
i bare metaled my front fenders,these were f**ked,not rotten just lots of previous repairs,farmed these out on my mate who has a great deal more skill than me(thanks jeff)
he ended up doing the hood and bootlid and doors while i put the new interior in,
this took another 8 months.
credit card still maxxed out!!!!!!!!
the rest i m doing as rolling resto.
i ve done the front and rear suspension,and a ssbc front disc conversion,
credit card is now considerably lower than it was.
on with fitting a dana and gear vendors over the winter.
the second job really helps with buying parts and i recommend it to anyone,most weekends driving a taxi pays better than my regular bodyshop job.
new  cope racing gearbox and stroker sooner or later.