Is the toughest part over?

[HeavyFuel]

Yeah, baby.

I get my '68 unibody back from the paint guy on Saturday.. ..after six years.

It looks great...MM1 Bronze. (I'll post pics later)

I have almost all of the parts restored/replaced, ready to go in.....drive train, chrome, grill, interior, misc parts big and small....most everything is ready, or just have to be purchased.

So...do I have the hard part behind me or in front?  Is the assembly going to drive me crazy, or does it go pretty quick and is enjoyable for the most part?

I'm kinda dreading some of it....I don't know if my feeble brain will able to remember how things came apart.  Thank goodness for you guys, the factory SM, and lots of photos.

[Ghoste]

I've kind of found that the toughest part is always the next hurdle.  It seems to be not so bad once you defeat it.

[Back N Black]

That's cool, one piece at a time and before you know it you will be crusin! 

[tan top]

 

[Dino]

Get lots of blue or green painters tape to protect the fresh paint while installing things.  Medium tack, the kind you can leave on for a while without risking pulling the paint of with the tape.  Also get the thickest duct tape you can find to cover parts of fenders and quarters just in case you slip with the bumper.  A few layers of the stuff may save you a lot of swearing.

[HeavyFuel]

Thanks for the bumper tip.  I thought about the tape in other areas, but not there.

[Scaregrabber]

You've got it made. Getting the body done and cleaning all the parts is the ugly part. Assembly is nothing but fun.

Sheldon

[myk]

So...do I have the hard part behind me or in front?  Is the assembly going to drive me crazy, or does it go pretty quick and is enjoyable for the most part?

I'm kinda dreading some of it....I don't know if my feeble brain will able to remember how things came apart.  Thank goodness for you guys, the factory SM, and lots of photos.

You've definitely overcome some difficult patches but IMO the worst part is coming up, which is the "shakedown" part of the assembly process.  Getting separate pieces nice and perfect is one thing, getting them to come and work together is another.  But hey, it's a journey and in the end it will all be worth it.  Can't wait to see some pictures man!

[Charger-Bodie]

I do body and paint and I still think thats the biggest hurdle. Sheetmetal= easy. assembly= easy . The fun part for me is definately the assembly. Work on it for 10 minutes or all day whatever ya feel like. cant do that with paint ect.

[Dino]

I had to come back here and finish up, I ran out of time so had to keep my previous post short.

Having your car all painted is of course a major hurdle you have passed, there is no doubt in that.  However it won't be all rosy from here on, actually it can become quite frustrating if you expect it to be smooth sailing.  There will be a lot of issues that come up, from parts not fitting, parts that still need more resto to stuff once installed no longer working.

Here's a few tips.  First of all you want to make sure that you have all (or most) of the parts you need and they are in the shape you want them to.  It is very frustrating to look forward to bolting a part on, only to realize that it looks like crap.  Now you're tempted to do a half assed job and get it done, don't go there!  Make sure all that stainless trim is straight and gleeming, there is nothing worse then having a perfectly prepped and painted body but you have old worn parts on it.  It looks bad from any angle.

Have a plan ready, ie know what you're installing first and what you're installing last.  Guidelines will do fine but have at least that, don't go in blind.
Start every job with the idea that something will go wrong and do this for two reasons: a. it probably will go wrong ( ) and b. if it doesn't it'll make your day!  When it does go wrong you had anticipated it and you can solve the issue in a calm manner.

When something is not working out, walk away.  Always.  You'll be happy you did.

You will have times where you say: I will do this one last thing before calling it a night.  That is your que to call it a night right then and there.  The most mistakes and accidents happen in that time frame.

Dry fit what you can.  If you still need to powdercoat suspension parts and make that disc brake kit fit, do it before you make it all purdy.  Nobody has ever smiled while grinding off that fresh paint.

Do not EVER have a timeline.  It'll be done when it's done, period.  Rush it and it'll haunt you.

When it's all assembled and you're ready for the first startup consider it going into the next phase which is making all this stuff work.  You're not nearly finished, you are merely \going to the next and last step.

Know that you get what you pay for.  Skimp on insulation and you'l always be hot or cold.  Eventually you'll get sick of it, rip the interior out and it'll ruin your day.  Do the work now and never look back, unless for the good memories.  

Lastly, and this is crucial.  This is not about the destination, it is about the journey.  If this last phase doesn't go well, you'll remember it every time you look at the car, don't set yourself up for failure.

Good luck and have fun.  

[jaak]

My Charger was an on and off project I worked on for about 8 years or so, I did everything myself. After I finally finished the body/paint, it seemed like it was 'downhill' from there, seem to get the car back together quickly...and reassembly was the funnest part.

Jason

[Dans 68]

Yes, the toughest hurdle is next. Now that we know what you are doing you will need to post all the assembly photos as you progress. So start a new thread for your assembly, and grab a wrench!    MM1 is a great color, by the way.  

Dan

[Cooter]

Remember, anything you do to that thing is more than was done to it before you got it. Good or bad, at least something's getting done. Keep things in perspective and keep forging forward, and before you know it, you'll be done.

[Back N Black]

What i did was start at the bottom and work my way up. First was rear diff. shocks,springs,gas tank and front steering and suspension. Then run all brake lines and fuel lines,engine trans. Next on to the interior headliner,dash,glass etc....

Make sure you takes notes of you progress or a checklist. I had a buddy to a complete restro on a 68 road runner, took it out for a test drive and about 4 miles into his first ride the rear diff lock up, he forgot to put oil in the diff. 

[HeavyFuel]

Yes, the toughest hurdle is next. Now that we know what you are doing you will need to post all the assembly photos as you progress. So start a new thread for your assembly, and grab a wrench!    MM1 is a great color, by the way.  

Dan

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Yep....my plans include a thread with lots of details and pics.  It'll be nice to show off the work, plus I feel it's important to give back to this site, which has been a great help to me.

[twodko]

Take your time and enjoy every bit of reassembly.....cuts bruises and redos. You have unlimited support here. 

[bill440rt]

Congrats on getting your car back! Now the fun begins! Sort of...

I feel one of the hardest parts sometimes is just assessing the project as a whole in the beginning. Disassembly, documenting everything, coming up with a game plan, etc.
I enjoy doing body/paint, & while sometimes it is challenging it is not the hardest part for me.
Once the body is painted & ready for reassembly, the next phase of reassembling an entire car can be daunting. Do a little bit each day, take a step back to enjoy it. It is actually the most fun part! And as mentioned, don't rush for any deadline! Deadlines are for reality fairy tale shows.
The hardest part I find is once everything is together, chasing little gremlins & fine-tuning everything. I had that happen from aftermarket equipment simply having the instructions written incorrectly or being wired wrong from manufacturing. Gradually everything comes together.

Good luck, & post pics of the progress! Myself & others are here to help! 

[Brass]

Thought I would give this a little bump.  Do you have any pictures of it back from the shop?

[A383Wing]

Thought I would give this a little bump.  Do you have any pictures of it back from the shop?

it's been a little over a month...he should have it about done by now

Bryan

[Brass]

Thought I would give this a little bump.  Do you have any pictures of it back from the shop?

it's been a little over a month...he should have it about done by now

Bryan

I hear ya.  Not trying to pressure.  Just curious about what it looks like as-is, in this stage.   

[twodko]

Yeah. What's the deal.....have you been slacking off or has the day to day grind gotten in the way of reassembly?

[myk]

Thought I would give this a little bump.  Do you have any pictures of it back from the shop?

it's been a little over a month...he should have it about done by now

Bryan

Or maybe not.  If it's one thing I've had to learn over recent months it's that a whole lotta' patience is needed when dealing with these types of cars...

[Ghoste]

Any piece of old machinery really but yeah, you are right there Myk.