69 Bee Painted, now where do I start?

[BAFRAID]

Now that the main part of the car is painted I’m curious where I begin with reassembly. I would rather ask up front then get things in and have to pull them back out to get other things in. Any advice would help. I have a general idea of where to start but I’d like to get some input.

 

[threewood]

Congrats! Now the fun part begins.

I started in the engine compartment to get brake system complete and on the firewall (both sides), and running wiring. Then fuel tank, fuel lines.

Are you installing the engine/trans complete from underneath?

 

[dadsbee]

Headliner..

 

[91r/t]

Yup as @threewood said lines and brakes and anything on the firewall first. Insulation heater box and all that stuff. Its kinda like working from the firewall out towards both ends of the car. After the lines and all that then the basic rear and front systems to get the car rolling and then you can jump on all the panels being mounted back on the car with the hood being last usually to give ya some extra room to work around the engine bay and such. Dash, headliner, and that all back in the car and plugged into the main harness and then you can do the rest of the interior, glass and weather stripping and any other pieces. I'd save the trim front and rear and whatever other trim for last or close to it. oh and black out the front core support now before anything gets bolted onto the front so its much easier.

 

[BAFRAID]

Yup as @threewood said lines and brakes and anything on the firewall first. Insulation heater box and all that stuff. Its kinda like working from the firewall out towards both ends of the car. After the lines and all that then the basic rear and front systems to get the car rolling and then you can jump on all the panels being mounted back on the car with the hood being last usually to give ya some extra room to work around the engine bay and such. Dash, headliner, and that all back in the car and plugged into the main harness and then you can do the rest of the interior, glass and weather stripping and any other pieces. I'd save the trim front and rear and whatever other trim for last or close to it. oh and black out the front core support now before anything gets bolted onto the front so its much easier.

Thank you, that’s basically what I was thinking as far as lines and engine compartment. black out the core support? Were they blacked out? Do you have a picture?

 

[chtampa]

There is an assembly list that was followed by the factory that worked great for me. Maybe someone has a copy.

 

[91r/t]

@dadsbee has his resto thread on here but I yanked a couple pics from it. Included a few others too. Yes they were all blacked out from factory to hide the body color showing through the grille opening. Easiest to do it now before all trim and **** gets mounted. Once the front fenders are on that is the time.

 

[HawkRod]

My suggestions for order:

I THOUGHT I had my front end perfectly put together with all the body lines good until I went to mount the bumper. It was sticking out too far on one side. Long story short, it ended up being adjustments needed for the front end.

I suggest you get the front bumper on, at last temporarily, to ensure everything lines up. Once you are sure it does, then blackout paint. Then you can move to other assembly.

Also, doors and trunk will easily chip paint if you open and close them (or transport car) until you get weather strip on them, so BE CAREFUL with that fresh paint!!!

 

[4mulas]

Lots of blacking out on a yellow car as everything sticks out like a sore thumb if not. The factory wouldn’t have done this much but after I had the car together you could clearly see ALOT of yellow. This is not a correct or numbers restoration so I did what was pleasing to the eye

I would:
-Brakes and engine bay related
-accelerator cable
-Main wiring block
-fuel lines
-wiper motor
(Anything that may require you standing in the engine bay)
-black out the front anytime you want but maybe before the engine is in as it’s easier to tape off
-interior starting with the headliner
-mechanical, engine, trans, exhaust etc
Button it up, lights, wiring, bumpers etc...

Have fun!

 

[gkent]

Reprinted without permission from the man whose name appears at the bottom
ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE:
(some variation with different body types)
(from bare painted body shell)
Spray radiator saddle blackout
Rocker panel pinchweld blackout (if applicable)
Front frame rail side blackout (if applicable)

1. trunk weatherstrip
2. body rubber bumpers
3. trunk latch mechanism
4. hood latches & release mechanisms
5. main body brake & fuel tubing
6. fuel tank & fuel hose connections
7. emissions tubes & hose connections (if applicable)
8. inner cowl insulation pad
9. firewall insulation pad
10. swing pedal(s)
11. brake booster (if applicable)
12. master cylinder
13. defroster duct
14. kick panel insulation pads
15. LH vent box (if applicable)
16. E-brake pedal assembly & front cable
17. wiper mechanism
18. wiper motor
19. heater box assembly
20. cowl vent screens (if applicable)
21. accelerator pedal & cable
22. dash assembly (completely assembled outside
of car including instrument cluster, dash pad, glove
box liner, radio, speaker, wiring, etc.)
23. Vent pull cables, defroster & vent cables
24. proportioning valve & metering block (if applicable)
25. firewall brake tubing
26. starter relay
27. forward lamp harness
28. engine harness
29. starter wiring
30. washer bottle & hoses
31. ballast resistor
32. voltage regulator
33. horn relay (Bbody cars)
34. horns
35. heater hoses
36. headlights
37. fender inner splash shields (front & rear of wheel)
38. rear suspension stop bumpers
39. rear seat belts (some bolt tips get undercoating)
40. rear shocks bolted in at top only & compressed
41. grille & headlight doors
42. front bumper
43. front valance (if applicable) with directionals
44. front & rear side marker lamps
45. rear bumper
46. radio antenna
47. fender emblems (if applicable)
48. rear of fender splash shields
49. undercoat wheelwells
50. exterior emblems
51. windshield & backlite stainless trim
52. windshield wiper arms & blades
53. other exterior trim
54. taillights
55. mid body/rear lamp wiring harness
56. dome lamp wiring harness
57. shoulder harness clips (if applicable)
58. rear headliner grip strips (Bbody)
59. Headliner - why doesn’t this go in earlier – before the dash ???
60. roofrail c-channels
61. roofrail weatherstrips
62. windshield & backlite moulding clips
63. windshield & backlite
64. upper control arms on body
65. fuel hose clamped on body side fuel tubing
with keystone crimp clamp
66. install rear leaf springs front only
67. position rear end housing on springs
68. loosely fasten u-bolts
69. lift rear axle into position and install shackles
70. connect e-brake cables
71. connect brake line tubing & hose
72. DRIVETRAIN SUBASSEMBLE
a. K-member
b. engine
c. carb(s)
d. starter
e. alternator
f. fan & fan clutch
g. power steering pump (if applicable)
h. belts
i. motor mounts
j. trans & related hardware
k. lower control arms
l. strut rods
m. center link, idler arm, tie rods
n. steering box & pitman arm
o. fuel pump and tubing
p. fan blade
q. radiator hoses

73. drop body onto drivetrain subassembly
74. connect heater hoses
75. install trans crossmember
76. install driveshaft
77. connect shift linkages
78. install z-bar (if applicable)
79. connect clutch linkage (if applicable)
80. plug in electrical connections to engine
81. position fan shroud over fan blade
82. install radiator & connect hoses
83. connect trans cooler (if applicable)
84. bolt up fan shroud
85. install torsion bars
86. install exhaust system
87. install rear valance (if applicable)
88. set car on the ground
89. install & align door and quarter glass
90. install steering column
91. install carpeting
92. install seat belts
93. install quarter interior trim panels
94. install rear seat
95. install console (if applicable)
96. install front seat(s)
97. install trunk mat
98. install spare tire
99. install bumper jack


There are many different sequences of assembly possible.
Sometimes I’ll jump from one area to another depending on parts available or other road blocks.
There are cases where the wrong order will give you headaches though!

Rick Kreuziger

 

[chtampa]

From the survivors I have seen, the lower area of the radiator support does not get painted black, it stays body color. The blackout is for the grill only.

 

[t.flatt]

I'm at the same point you are. It is intimidating. Now you have to make the rest of the 10,000 parts laying around the garage as pretty as the paint! The first thing I did was glue the vinyl top on. Now I have to paint the engine bay bolts because the new black ones installed by the body shop look absolutely hideous! Best of luck! One thing at a time...