Classic car Restoration

[Smoothice]

Any you guys into restoring old cars?

Got any advice? Great books to read?

I'm thinking of moving forward on a frame off restoration. And I don't have a clue of what is required.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x57/smoothice15/panel%20van/rightside1.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x57/smoothice15/panel%20van/leftside.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x57/smoothice15/panel%20van/front.jpg

[Dend78]

:eek: that is a beauty to fix up, i dont have any advice for ya but i wish you much luck that has a lot of potential

:cheers:

[MANN]

all I can do is tell you that you will have lots of $$ to shell out. fixing old cars are expensive.

[sandfreestyle]

all I can do is tell you that you will have lots of $$ to shell out. fixing old cars are expensive.
WORD!

[Smoothice]

all I can do is tell you that you will have lots of $$ to shell out. fixing old cars are expensive.

As i've heard.

I'm hoping to keep the costs down by doing a bit of the work myself. And what I can't do trying to find someone that is willing to help out without making me poor.

This baby is in fairly clean condition. Runs and all. So my fingers are crossed. Just going to keep her stock but bring her back to her glory days.

[Hilltop Customs]

lots of time and money....but its a great way to spend them both. :)


heres to hoping for no rust :cheers:

[sandfreestyle]

and no holes

[Hilltop Customs]

and no hard to find parts

[maniacmechanic]

As i've heard.

I'm hoping to keep the costs down by doing a bit of the work myself. And what I can't do trying to find someone that is willing to help out without making me poor.

This baby is in fairly clean condition. Runs and all. So my fingers are crossed. Just going to keep her stock but bring her back to her glory days.

if your "handy" , more time than money , don't fix anything that ain't broke , don't replace anything you don't have to , if she is going to be a driver , think about converting her over to a 12 volt system
Looks like it's setting in a good place ( arid , no salt ) , so body work , other than the dent's should be minumial
Is the bakery still in bussiness ? , If it were me i'd leave ( repaint ) the company logo & the phone #

[GreasyPigeon]

I would rat rod that puppy, but that me. But it does take lots of time and lots of money. And a lot of that time is spent into the body, getting dents out, lining panels up again. It took over a year to build my 347 stroker, and I put over $6k into the engine alone, and another 2k in the drive train. But I saved alot on it cause I the only thing I didn't do is the machining of the block, and paint. Also take your time, and if you get pissed at your project set aside let it sit for a day, then get right back into it. And another thing, is the little things, easy things. Are what makes or break a project. But good luck and enjoy. I enjoyed working on mine and it paid off every day I drive it. I drive it more then my toyota.
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/greasypigeon/IMG_0885.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/greasypigeon/newpics541.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/greasypigeon/P1000144.jpg

[cdacda13]

Have fun doing body work. Learn how to do that yourself, and you will save tons of money on it.

[Smoothice]

Have fun doing body work. Learn how to do that yourself, and you will save tons of money on it.

I imagine that is not an easy craft to learn.

[ManInBlack]

Looks like you're about to get a whole lot of practice. :rofl:

Enjoy it though. I really wish I had the room/budget for a project...

[Smoothice]

if your "handy" , more time than money , don't fix anything that ain't broke , don't replace anything you don't have to , if she is going to be a driver , think about converting her over to a 12 volt system
Looks like it's setting in a good place ( arid , no salt ) , so body work , other than the dent's should be minumial
Is the bakery still in bussiness ? , If it were me i'd leave ( repaint ) the company logo & the phone #

I'm fairly handy. Funny enough. I'm thinking if it ever happens and this thing ever gets finished I may turn it into a handy man wagon and start doing handy man work on the side.

Not sure about the bakery. I'm gussing it is no more.

Thinking of this for the paint scheme
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x57/smoothice15/panel%20van/IMAG0241.jpg

[snoopay700]

I personally would restore the paint it has, i think it's cool, but that's just me.

[kevdupuis]

Before anything make a plan, know what you want it to be when you're finished and what will need to be done and bought to make it so. Plan at what steps in the job you need to buy parts and materials so you don't need to buy stuff that isn't needed until later on.
When you start disassembling have ziploc bags, tape and pemanent marker/pen to store the nuts, bolts, screws and assorted small parts and record where they go.
Don't be in a hurry, take your time and take lots of pictures. The more detailed pictures you take of disassembly and placement of parts will help the reassembly process.
Also it's good to have a large enough garage, shop or shed where you can work and store everything over the entire time of the restoration ( I bought a new house and had to pack up my 7 LItre and move in the middle of it's restoration, it wasn't fun).


Here's my 7 Litre, it's been done for a few years now.

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/1351/sept06002re9.jpg (http://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sept06002re9.jpg)
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8318/sept06006qd4.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sept06006qd4.jpg)

[skife]

that is AMAZING!

keep it just the way it is, it doesn't need "restoring"

[punkrex]

patina like that is in demand -- don't do a thing to the paint job, leave it oxidized as possible. The bakery logo adds a nostalgic value.

Convert to 12 Volts, upgrade the brakes to hydraulic brakes, freshen up the suspension, get new tires, and drive it like it is.

[skife]

patina like that is in demand -- don't do a thing to the paint job, leave it oxidized as possible. The bakery logo adds a nostalgic value.

Convert to 12 Volts, upgrade the brakes to hydraulic brakes, freshen up the suspension, get new tires, and drive it like it is.


x2 on the radial tires.

[bentothejam1n]

whats the estimated mpg on that bad boy?

[behemoth]

whats the estimated mpg on that bad boy?
30 gallons to the mile.

[Will Wood]

Well I would hardly call it car restoration on my part.. I was just a helping hand, but I helped out on a 67 Camaro.
We worked on the body till there was nothing left to do but leave it to the pros

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/6730/car10qx3.jpg
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5461/car1be6.jpg
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3121/car2aa8.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9544/car3qo2.jpg (In grey shirt)
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3064/car4st1.jpg
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6311/car5mf2.jpg We're done
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3782/car6gh3.jpg in blue, sexy engine
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1375/car7pt6.jpg tail end finished
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6113/car8cd2.jpg front still needs work
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/347/car9gj7.jpg underneath

[Smoothice]

:wow:

way to go. See you guys definetly had the right tools for the job. A rotissery!!!

nice!!

[kopfjaeger]

Hey smooth. Central County ROP will have a class next semester on bodywork, refinishing and painting. Most likely the classes will be 2 nights a week in Garbage Grove. Just an FYI. I was thinking of taking it myself. Tuition is free.

[AGDlover]

Love the idea with the pannel truck! I may have just missed it scrolling through but what year is the old pannel? I'm still in the process of finding a local '64 El Camino to resto or if its in decent condition just fix it up. Deff into the newer restos that have been going on lately, lots of nice work being done out there. :headbang: Rock on man cant wait to hear more!
...and I'm off again!!!!