Have you ever taken something apart and doubted your ability to reassemble it?

[MxRacer855]

Have you ever taken something apart and doubted your ability to reassemble it?
That's exactly the state of mind I'm in right now. I thought this was the perfect place to share my frustrations on my '68. Replacing leaf spring perches and a trunk floor turned into a full resto. I'm getting to the point where I'm just pulling stuff left and right to get to the body to get it painted (an immense amount of metal has already be cut out and replaced with AMD stuff, along with US Car Tool tourque boxes, subframe connectors, and a core support stiffener added. The bottom of the car has already been sand blasted and painted, and a brand new Strange Dana 60 is sitting on it with Strange shocks, wildwood rotors and calipers, and stock springs/hangers/etc. (all blasted and powdercoated/bolted together with Grade 8 stuff). After I pull the dash and the rest of the electrical, it's off to the body shop. This is my first car project (and I didn't grow up working on cars), so I'm getting extremely STRESSED out about what I'm going to do when it comes time to get it back together again. My main concern is just being able to find little seals, grommets, and other pieces that are bad. I'm NOT at all trying to build a numbers matching, date coded car. Just going for a resto-mod setup.

I'm going to need a little (LOT  ) of help when it comes time to get this back together over the next year guys! Anyway, feel free to post similar stories revolving around your anxieties during your first experience with a project of this caliber!

Jeff

[Dino]

I restored cars for a living so I did not go through it myself, but a lot of my future customers did.   

No need to stress.  Do you know how you get good at working on cars?  By working on cars.  There will be times when you need help and that's what we're here for, but most of the time it'll sort itself out and you'll be just fine.  Don't worry, take a deep breath and know all will work out.   

[68RT440]

Im in the same boat man. I tore my '68 down to the bare shell a couple years ago. This is my first ever restoration, so I was sure to take a lot of pics, but I know that Ill be on this forum constantly when it comes time to restore and reassemble all of the components . If taking the car down to the bare shell wasn't enough, I then took the quarters, rear valance and tail light panel, dutchman panel, trunk floor, and rear frame rails out of it. So the car basically ended at the rear wheel housings. There were a couple times that I thought..."what have I done!" but I jigged the car up before I took the cut off wheel to it, and took my time, and now Im doing final fitment and adjustment on all of the sheet metal on the rear of the car. Gotta just keep plugging away!  

[Baldwinvette77]

when i was 11 i took apart a corvette..... it still isnt together... for now  

i remember when i was 14? and all that remained in my garage was a bare frame, and a corvette body in 10 pieces

my dad came out and asked... "now what"
i said "i guess fix the rust" although back then i didnt know how to weld.. i had to wait till i was 16 before i learned  

obviously that was my first project, and i was again obviously was an idiot, breaking rare parts, throwing away stuff you cant buy etc.

so now that im older, dont give a damn about stock, and like to fabricate, im just turning them into stripped out, fast and furious style street legal stunt cars

i STILL need to find a few parts for that car, or just omit, or make something up, but you really just fix them as they come up.

But its easier than you think, typically things fall into place

i never took apart a b-body before, but im not having much trouble putting one together  

i remember on like january 12th 2013? i got a phone call at night from a the guy that was going to bring my charger too me, i was REALLY excited for like 5 seconds, them i remember... "ohyeah.. i didnt tell my parents i bought a car.... SHIT" i went up to their room where they were sleep, and i told my sleeping dad, "hey, you know how i said i wanted a charger, well, i bought one, and its coming tomorrow, ok"

He just mumbled and went back to sleep,

Then the next morning, about 30 minutes before i have to leave for school it showed up, my dad.... uhh.. i cant explain his reaction... and my mom..... well, i still feel bad for her...

And as for me.. i was like... "OK... Now the f**k do i do?

I found some doors 6 hours away, a dash and truck another 2 hours from home, etc. etc., and now i have a car.... almost  

[twodko]

What all the guys said AND this is the "go to" site for every obscure thing that will
come up as you reassemble your car.
A lot of these guys like Dino, Cooterman et al do this for a living.

You'll be fine. 

[fy469rtse]

Jeff ,take a deep breath pal, one area at a time , if you try and think about all that's needed to be done , can be overwhelming ,
Lots of threads with photos of the areas that our Woking on, help us help you , post photos , lets us see what your working on ,
Don't worry we've all been there at some point, me several times on this car, looked at it numerous times overwhelmed with how much to be done
Started a note pad of things to be done, you know details and such , parts to be trial fitted after and during body work , cross them of list as done,
You will be all right, remember to pace yourself, don't be in a hurry to get it done all at once

[tan top]

 what the other guys say !! dont worry !! anything your not sure of !  take pictures &  ask !!  we will all  help 

[Cooter]

If. This part of restoring Chargers gets you into. This shape, maybe They ain't for you.
with the amount of info out there today, you guys got it easy. No reason not to know where things go.

Try doing one back around 1990.

[b5blue]

  For me just doing a stop the rusting/patch holes repair and coat of protective paint (Not "real" paint job.") took a year longer and 900.00 more than ever planned. My car is still needing a redo but at some point you just say done (For now.) and move to the next job.
 Keep a notebook near the car and jot down anything as you think of it, don't wait you'll forget. Think about your notes later and do the 1-2-3/A-B-C next priority sorting. Save your notes even if it's in an old shoe box. Pics help but a 300 pic file can be a maintenance nightmare so delete/sort as you go. As always tag/bag sort as you go.
 You getting overwhelmed (I know the feeling!) take a break and think over the scope of what your into. Are you organized now? If not it's time well spent sorting out where you are at. Your most likely looking at a huge pile of storage problems that organizing, grouping and keeping are eating into work time but it will relieve stress if you come up with a system. Lastly do section work, pick one area or aspect to focus on and keep them small, like just today or for the next 3-4 hours. (You'll start getting mental "done reward" that helps the process.)
 The only "don't" I can recommend is to not buy a bunch of stuff you'll not need soon as it just adds problems later. (Where did I put it? Somethings wrong with it but I can't return it a year later. Damaged from sitting around. Buying extra because you forgot you have it already.)
 It's a long road.....but your young!        

[green69rt]

For me (first time restoration),

1.  I took a ton of pictures before I took the car apart, way more than I thought I need.  Turns out it was not enough.   But between my pics and what people post on here, all is good.
2.  Take one job at a time,  I did the rear frame rails, Trunk floor, bracing, valance, inner and outer wheel wells, etc, etc etc.   Each was a separate project.  If I thought about the total restoration to be done I would have quit years ago.
3.  Get a Field service manual.  It has lots of info, some you have to read between the lines but still a lot of info.
4.  Ask questions here and learn how to post pics here.  Amazing amount of info available from the folks here, you just have to ask.  Like my old shop teacher said "the only stupid question is one that is not asked."


This has worked for me (so far.)

[Ghoste]

You can't learn to swim by looking at the water.

[sanders7981]

You're in good hands on this forum!  If not just do what I do...  I ask my good buddy Dr. Google!   

[twodko]

 "the only stupid question is one that is not asked"

Word!