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all

where to start resto

  • paint

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • interior

    Votes: 2 1.4%
  • suspension

    Votes: 9 6.2%
  • body work

    Votes: 20 13.7%
  • motor

    Votes: 16 11.0%
  • Teardown, Bag and Tag

    Votes: 98 67.1%

  • Total voters
    146

73 charger man

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Hey guys new to the forum. I got my oldmans 73 charger. With a 400 2 barrel. Yellow paint can any one tell me a good. Place to start the resto
 
on a full restoration , ....the first part is to tear it all down, .......do the engine while it's out.

I agree. Can't stress enough.... take LOTS of pictures, notes, bags, and boxes. Do research, lots of research. Go to shows, take pics of same year, similarly optioned cars. Talk to owners. And stay away from Paul Herd resto books.

Decide your budget and time, then double that.:grin:
 
on a full restoration , ....the first part is to tear it all down, .......do the engine while it's out.

"Tag and Bag" all parts. Take lots of pics before removing them for future reference. It will make it much easier for assembly later and you can evaluate each part for condition.

Good Luck! (Post Pics)

PS :welcome:
 
AbsoFREAKINlutely Bag and Tag. I'm in the process of trying to put the motor and trans etc back in a guy's 70 runner that he and a relative took apart maybe 7 years ago. I know these cars well, but you would not believe how much time (and how much of his money) I've spent going through multiple boxes of miscellaneous crap trying to find all the parts and pieces.

next on my list are the bolts and straps for the rear U joint. WHO tha :censored: would not have bolted those back down to the yoke?

Disassemble. BAG AND TAG. Take LOTS of pics. Do sub assemblies (motor, trans, dash, etc) while the body is being painted. Do the interior AFTER the paint. Put the interior in starting at the rear and make sure you only have to install it ONCE.
 
Absolutely, .....the Bag and Tag will save you so much time and grief, and the Photos and Videos are Golden during reassembly time, I restore, replace, repaint, or recondition each component before I store them, so than when I go back for it it's ready to use, Now, here's the big secret, I even Catalog all my parts, I assign each bag or box a sub number and a box number, I then record all the information in a Blank Ledger Book, so when I get to looking for my "rear U joint straps and bolts" or what ever I'm after, I got to the "U" section in the book, find the sub number and the box number, Yes, I number the main boxes and the individual packages too, that way if the book says the number for the parts is 26-13, I go the shelves find box 26 and look in it for parcel 13, and Whaaa Laaaa ! I got what I'm looking for and what I want and need in my hand in a matter of minutes vs. hours or days of looking searching and cussing.
I wasn't always this organized, but I have bought several "Basket Cases" and on my first Major restoration many, many years ago, I didn't do it like this and figured there has to be an easier way. It took me more time finding and digging around for the **** I needed, that I know I had, than it did to put it all back together.
My Hemi Vert is going to be a Breeze when re-assembly time rocks around, It going to be like a full size "model car", I am so much more organized on this project than any other before it.
 
depend on what you want to do with it , some like to restor it slowly bit by bit. Save money spend so on . Drive it while you restore it also ? Some have endless money and just go full bore ? Some dont wanna be seen out with it untill it perfect ? You have to decide what you want and can afford .
 
Sorry. Guys I dont wanna sound like a pest. But I have a lot of ? To ask like what parts are interchange. With a 73 I saw the hideaway lights and thought. They we're sick.
 
Absolutely, .....the Bag and Tag will save you so much time and grief, and the Photos and Videos are Golden during reassembly time, I restore, replace, repaint, or recondition each component before I store them, so than when I go back for it it's ready to use, Now, here's the big secret, I even Catalog all my parts, I assign each bag or box a sub number and a box number, I then record all the information in a Blank Ledger Book, so when I get to looking for my "rear U joint straps and bolts" or what ever I'm after, I got to the "U" section in the book, find the sub number and the box number, Yes, I number the main boxes and the individual packages too, that way if the book says the number for the parts is 26-13, I go the shelves find box 26 and look in it for parcel 13, and Whaaa Laaaa ! I got what I'm looking for and what I want and need in my hand in a matter of minutes vs. hours or days of looking searching and cussing.
I wasn't always this organized, but I have bought several "Basket Cases" and on my first Major restoration many, many years ago, I didn't do it like this and figured there has to be an easier way. It took me more time finding and digging around for the **** I needed, that I know I had, than it did to put it all back together.
My Hemi Vert is going to be a Breeze when re-assembly time rocks around, It going to be like a full size "model car", I am so much more organized on this project than any other before it.


Must be nice to be so organized. :edgy::grin: Someday......
 
Absolutely, .....the Bag and Tag will save you so much time and grief, and the Photos and Videos are Golden during reassembly time, I restore, replace, repaint, or recondition each component before I store them, so than when I go back for it it's ready to use, Now, here's the big secret, I even Catalog all my parts, I assign each bag or box a sub number and a box number, I then record all the information in a Blank Ledger Book, so when I get to looking for my "rear U joint straps and bolts" or what ever I'm after, I got to the "U" section in the book, find the sub number and the box number, Yes, I number the main boxes and the individual packages too, that way if the book says the number for the parts is 26-13, I go the shelves find box 26 and look in it for parcel 13, and Whaaa Laaaa ! I got what I'm looking for and what I want and need in my hand in a matter of minutes vs. hours or days of looking searching and cussing.
I wasn't always this organized, but I have bought several "Basket Cases" and on my first Major restoration many, many years ago, I didn't do it like this and figured there has to be an easier way. It took me more time finding and digging around for the **** I needed, that I know I had, than it did to put it all back together.
My Hemi Vert is going to be a Breeze when re-assembly time rocks around, It going to be like a full size "model car", I am so much more organized on this project than any other before it.

Very Nice...Very Nice! :yes: I don't think some people quite realize how big of a deal that proper organization plays in the time/money/labor spent restoring a car. Sounds like a very good system 69'
 
Very Nice...Very Nice! :yes: I don't think some people quite realize how big of a deal that proper organization plays in the time/money/labor spent restoring a car. Sounds like a very good system 69'

Yeah Prop, it has worked out pretty good so far, but it took some discipline on my part to make my self get, and stay organized like that, but when you tear one down and you have no idea when it's going back together it pays off in the long run. I fully agree it's a real big deal when a car could be torn a part for any length of time, and you start to forget how every little thing came apart and where it went.
 
I've come to the conclusion that the best way to start a resto is with about 6 lbs of money on hand.:grin: It gets depressing going into the garage all the time knowing that you are about two paychecks away from doing anything. I feel like a Pollack at a flashing red light! Stop,go,stop,go,stop,go! At least enough cash for one phase of the project would be cool. Body, motor, interior, anything!!!
 
I've come to the conclusion that the best way to start a resto is with about 6 lbs of money on hand.:grin: It gets depressing going into the garage all the time knowing that you are about two paychecks away from doing anything. I feel like a Pollack at a flashing red light! Stop,go,stop,go,stop,go! At least enough cash for one phase of the project would be cool. Body, motor, interior, anything!!!

The Best solution that I found to this is to start Hoarding part before hand, I started stock piling and getting parts that I knew I would need eventually three years before I started tearing the car down, I wanted to have at least 95 percent of my parts in hand before I got started. It helps to keep you from waiting on cash and parts !
 
If this is your first resto, you'll learn bunches , and lots of pics, and/or video if possible. It's all to your advantage,, Bag and tag !! Parts that have to be taken apart in sections, - re-assemble after taking off the car. When I started my last resto on my '62 I figured a year , but with the help of my 5 friends, it's been 10 months and counting. So remember, it usually takes a lot longer than you think..Bag and tag...It all depends on a lot of factors, how much you know about the car your doing, your health (unexpected illness's), job lay offs, family, and availability of parts for this car, and most of all - - - M_O_N_E_Y !!!You can have all the talent in the world, and all the organization , all the help you need, but it all comes down to the all mighty dollar, - MONEY.. HOARD YOUR MONEY PRIOR TO STARTING....nothings more depressing than to run out of money when things are going your way in the resto, and then,,,,no funds, or you need something that you didnt expect, or thought you had...SAVE YOUR MONEY PRIOR!!! Good luck with your restoration, and just remember, almost everyone on this site will help you if you get stuck, or lead you in the right direction .........and remember most ..............BE PATIENT......!!
 
The Best solution that I found to this is to start Hoarding part before hand, I started stock piling and getting parts that I knew I would need eventually three years before I started tearing the car down, I wanted to have at least 95 percent of my parts in hand before I got started. It helps to keep you from waiting on cash and parts !

This is critical to save money. Get parts before you need them.

For the poll: bag and tag. I prefer the huge ziplocs. The really really big ones, like 5 gallon (guessing). they hold everything and the best part is if you clean up a part (subassembly) and its not ready to go in yet, the bag keeps it clean and nice in my dusty garage. oh yeah, and 3x5 cards with sharpie marker with the car it came out of and what it is in the bag facing out. Then I stack and rack them by car major area; front susp, interior, external electric, engine, etc.

Oh and +1 on the "do the engine when its out". Sounds simple, but makes life so much easier.

Randy
 
Cant say enough about the ability to take hundreds of pictures digitally and store them, for FREE!
 
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