How do I start Restoration?

[cwesterfield]

I need to start formulating a plan to get my 1973 Charger road worthy. Thirteen years ago I rebuilt the engine and drove it daily until rust in the fuel tank shut it all down. Since then its been sitting in this or that place.

What steps should I take in this journey?
Should I focus on getting it running first?

The engine and transmission only had about 5k miles on them after rebuild, but have been sitting for sometime. The electrical system was less than great. Tips are appreciated. Pictures can be found @ http://www.seventy3charger.com/

 

[earlyrides]

Restoration 101

First - Get at least a six pack of your favorite adult beverage. Go out to the garage where the car is. Start drinking. Now start to imagine what you want the car to be and look like when you are finished. Write it down. This is where you might want to decide to go back to stock or to make it the car you really wanted when you bought the low budget 318 car you could afford back then.
Next - think about how many dollars you are realistically willing to spend to get it there.
Three - double or triple that amount because you are building a Mopar and not a Camaro.
Four - get you wife's permission. This step is crucial!
Five - Decide if you are going to do it or if you are going to send it out.
Six - get another six pack.
Seven - if your wife said no, quickly start taking the car apart. Don't stop until there is nothing left to take apart. Be sure to bag and tag everything.
Or if your budget permits, get on the internet and try to find a reputable shop. The cheapest shop is not your goal!
Eight get the body repaired, smoothed out and your favorite color sprayed on.
nine: put it all back together using cleaned, restored, or new parts. This may take awhile.
Ten: get a keg-er-ator filled with Newcastle Brown and put it into the garage. You are going to be there awhile and this is a good way to get your buddies over for some help.
Good luck!

 

[WileERobby]

First - Get at least a six pack of your favorite adult beverage. Go out to the garage where the car is. Start drinking. Now start to imagine what you want the car to be and look like when you are finished. Write it down. This is where you might want to decide to go back to stock or to make it the car you really wanted when you bought the low budget 318 car you could afford back then.
Next - think about how many dollars you are realistically willing to spend to get it there.
Three - double or triple that amount because you are building a Mopar and not a Camaro.
Four - get you wife's permission. This step is crucial!
Five - Decide if you are going to do it or if you are going to send it out.
Six - get another six pack.
Seven - if your wife said no, quickly start taking the car apart. Don't stop until there is nothing left to take apart. Be sure to bag and tag everything.
Or if your budget permits, get on the internet and try to find a reputable shop. The cheapest shop is not your goal!
Eight get the body repaired, smoothed out and your favorite color sprayed on.
nine: put it all back together using cleaned, restored, or new parts. This may take awhile.
Ten: get a keg-er-ator filled with Newcastle Brown and put it into the garage. You are going to be there awhile and this is a good way to get your buddies over for some help.
Good luck!

Ignore all the above EXCEPT #1, #6, & #10.

 

[old tired rebel]

Follow all the above and make sure you get a storage building to store your parts in so you have room to work.

 

[tallhair]

First - Get at least a six pack of your favorite adult beverage. Go out to the garage where the car is. Start drinking. Now start to imagine what you want the car to be and look like when you are finished. Write it down. This is where you might want to decide to go back to stock or to make it the car you really wanted when you bought the low budget 318 car you could afford back then.
Next - think about how many dollars you are realistically willing to spend to get it there.
Three - double or triple that amount because you are building a Mopar and not a Camaro.
Four - get you wife's permission. This step is crucial!
Five - Decide if you are going to do it or if you are going to send it out.
Six - get another six pack.
Seven - if your wife said no, quickly start taking the car apart. Don't stop until there is nothing left to take apart. Be sure to bag and tag everything.
Or if your budget permits, get on the internet and try to find a reputable shop. The cheapest shop is not your goal!
Eight get the body repaired, smoothed out and your favorite color sprayed on.
nine: put it all back together using cleaned, restored, or new parts. This may take awhile.
Ten: get a keg-er-ator filled with Newcastle Brown and put it into the garage. You are going to be there awhile and this is a good way to get your buddies over for some help.
Good luck!

loved your response! Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

LOL! wileE

 

[satman72]

Important part.

Take step #3 and then double that.

That will give you a ball park figure to work with. It may or may not be the final figure, but you will be prepared for unexpected costs.

 

[tallhair]

I'm relatively new and planning a build also so here's what i'm doing:

A: research, research, research - there are sooooooo many great examples of restorations and tech ideas on this site which often lead to other sites which helps catalyze in your mind what you want to do and how to do it or may not have thought of yet

B: find a way to keep track of that with book marks and save pictures, download manuals, cool ideas and save them in folders that suits your organizational frame of mind.

C: build a spreadsheet either digitally or on pencil and paper or whatever to get an idea of what ideas / improvements / changes you want to do will cost so you can adjust what it want / must have / will have when cash permits

D: take every scrap of advice the sage folks on this site offer and internalize it as it suits you. you will decide who's voice you respect very quickly (I'm not one of those btw but I try to help where I can)

E: fantasize about YOUR build which will motivate you and help you to focus on the eventual "perfect" result car for you ... one thing i'm doing is I don't listen to the radio at all anymore on the ride to / from work so I can spend that time thinking about the logistics (sequence of what i have to do first, second, simultaneously, etc) of what I'm going to do including the preparatory stages (to clear space etc or buy that i need to do myself) and to think about what I've read that morning (ritual) and that evening when i got home from work (unwinding ritual).

F: Do you have parts that you can use or don't need (even other things from hobby's whatever to clear space) that can reduce costs or help fund by sales to defray costs?

i'll stop talking/typing here because you've probably already moved on since my response is/was too long winded

 

[5wndwcpe]

Pictures. Take many, many pictures. Many more than you think you'll ever need during the entire process.

You'll be amazed how a year from now you'll need to reference the most mundane item.

 

[Ron 73]

I can agree with all said and will add that you should get yourself a good Sharpie marker, a couple boxes of good Zip lock freezer bags, and a notebook and roll of masking tape, All small parts go in bays and marked as what they are, Tape on larger things, and going along with Rebel, A place to keep all parts, once you start if you put things here and there, constantly moving them you will miss place things, Try to keep everything in order and yes, Take all kinds of pictures, helps you put things back together in some cases before you start tearing anything apart, and of course for us to watch Other then that, learn patience because it will be tested, walk away if need be and you'll save yourself a lot of grief! Good luck..

 

[wahya]

Ditto on the last two posts. Especially if you get like me and get a case of CRS.

 

[fla 66 cuda]

Everything metioned above, we all have either done it or are doing it or beginning to do it! I personally have been rebuilding [i don't call what i'm doing restoring] a 73 [rust bucket/basket case] charger since april 2011 just got to the paint stage last month! We bought this as a project for my son and i to rebuild for him [it was taken apart by the p.o. and nothing was bagged/tagged] and most of the bolts were lost,no photos taken ect. i'm lucky this ain't my first rodieo plus we have a friend who has a 73 we can look at for an example. Check out my photobucket link if you care to see the beast. I have no written plan everything is off the cuff as the ideas pop into my head,ours is gonna be a hot rod flatz street bruser that my son will use for poker runs and sprited driving!!! These are cool cars and parts are not easy to find and there are differeances between the 71-72s and 73s and 74s,not many sheetmetal parts are available for 73/74s, doors and fenders are not available in repopped parts and used ones in good shape are expensive. DOING THE WORK YOURSELF [if your able] is the best way to save money i taught myself to weld,paint,fabricate,do bodywork in the process of this build [i have built cars for 20 plus years but always had the bodys done elsewhere] my specialty is electrical, brakes,suspension,engine,transmission,interior.Good luck with the build and have fun don't get discouraged if you do walk away and come back in a couple days with a fresh attude.I love cars and always will even after i can't turn wrenches anymore.

 

[kb67mopar]

My advice is to figure out what you want first. Do not apply a budget...set your budget to 0. Start pulling the required parts apart as mentioned before taking endless photos and bagging everything (even if its worthless). Then do EVERYTHING yourself. Don't be afraid to try...if you screw something up either do it over or pay a guy to do it right (which you would have done in the first place). But that way you gain valuable knowledge, skills, pay for the tools in the process and get your car done the way you want for way cheaper and in the end when somebody says "what shop did you take it to?" you can say " my garage...why who did yours?"

Oh and don't forget lots of beer as mentioned. If you decide its too expensive or too much work just drink way too much, sit in it and pretend to drive...since you are drunk you will feel like you are accomplishing something until you wake up...then rinse and repeat lol.

 

[flypaper]

first step
save all your pennies and start eating ramen every night
and have a zero balance on at least 2 visa cards..

 

[Northwest]

Go to the member restoration section of this site. Sort the threads by 'views' so you have the most viewed threads first. Now get that six pack and start looking through those threads. Take your time. There are some great documentation there. Should help you envision what can be done and figure out what you can do yourself.

 

[fourforty6pac]

Heres what I do. Research, research, research. Look at other cars/trucks like your project to see what you want to do to yours. If it is an original car chances are you will want to keep it that way. If not the sky is the limit, you can do whatever you want its your car not anyone elses. Have a budget (Keep in mind that it wont matter at all because you will overspend) then throw that budget out the window on the freeway. Get a bunch of baggies (mostly empty hehe), tags , tape and markers. Take a million picture before, during and after. Start ripping it apart. carefully bag, box and label everything. Take pics. of everything before you take it apart and while you are taking it apart. Keep everything stored neatly so you can find it when you need it. Not many restorers can do everything, so you will have to sub some things out. Shop around before you start shelling out the duckies. Nothing is cheap especially with classic MOPARS. You will learn a lot and learn to do a lot. The more you can do on your own will help you will stay on your budget. Try not to cut corners, you will regret it in the end. Remember it will not happen over night. There will be set backs and delays around every corner. Dont get discouraged, if you do, take a break from that project for awhile. There are so many things that need to get done you can jump around a little (not too much). Neatness counts. The part I like the best is when I get the body work done and I have a shell of a car ready to get put back together. Ask a lot of questions here and at roadrunnernest.com or one of the MOPAR sites on the net. Sell the parts you will not use, sell some of your other toys, sell your first born because you are going to need all the cash you can get. This is not a low cost part walk in the park. Its a money pit, but it will pay off in the end when you take that sucker out and drive the hell out of it. It will put a **** eating grin on your face. You will always be one of those guys who always turns around and takes a look at your baby as you walk away from it. Share your experience with you kids (if you have any) it will last them a lifetime. When my son was about 3 he was at the shop with me while I was beating on some sheet metal. I wasnt paying attention as he started to beat on a new quarter that was just primed. He had a hammer in one hand and a dolly in the other. I was mad at first but then I was so proud that he was copying his dad. Now he is better then me at body work, that makes things eazier for me. LOL. For me this is therapy, I can get so lost in my work that there was many a night I slept in my garage, shop, under my car and on the couch (not by my choice, LOL). Do whatever you have to in order to stay inspired. The main thing to do is enjoy yourself. Take Care and Good Luck!!!

 

[Jasoncoronet]

Dont throw anything away evn you plan on replacing it. You will find out tgat some stuff is better to restore than what you find available. Also dont buy anything till you are going to need it. You will find that you have allot of extras in the end. Just document eveything really good so you can put it back together. Basically everything everbody else said.

Last have fun and relax enjoy it because it really does go by fast.

 

[satman72]

Ask a lot of questions

This is the most important bit of advice. There is so much knowledge available for free on this forum. Also, find a local speed shop, find local mopar enthusiasts. In the end do not be afraid to say "I don't know" but "I want to learn."

 

[RustyRatRod]

Actually, the first thing to do is to decide how YOU want the car to be. Without a goal, you're likely to never get it done because you'll not have direction.

 

[Bruzilla]

First, welcome to the site. Second, forget all the dire warnings about high costs, especially for your year of car. They say a fool and his money are soon parted, so just don't be foolish and you'll do fine. Here's my primer on how I restored my car and managed not to break the bank: http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...ect-Pittsbird-Almost-Done&highlight=pittsbird

 

[cwesterfield]

First - Get at least a six pack of your favorite adult beverage. Go out to the garage where the car is. Start drinking. Now start to imagine what you want the car to be and look like when you are finished. Write it down. This is where you might want to decide to go back to stock or to make it the car you really wanted when you bought the low budget 318 car you could afford back then.
Next - think about how many dollars you are realistically willing to spend to get it there.
Three - double or triple that amount because you are building a Mopar and not a Camaro.
Four - get you wife's permission. This step is crucial!
Five - Decide if you are going to do it or if you are going to send it out.
Six - get another six pack.
Seven - if your wife said no, quickly start taking the car apart. Don't stop until there is nothing left to take apart. Be sure to bag and tag everything.
Or if your budget permits, get on the internet and try to find a reputable shop. The cheapest shop is not your goal!
Eight get the body repaired, smoothed out and your favorite color sprayed on.
nine: put it all back together using cleaned, restored, or new parts. This may take awhile.
Ten: get a keg-er-ator filled with Newcastle Brown and put it into the garage. You are going to be there awhile and this is a good way to get your buddies over for some help.
Good luck!

Thanks!

1. I live in a Dry County (feel bad for me), but I did get a mini fridge for the garage.
2. I have no idea about the cost, I know it will be high but I don't know how high. It only affects how long this process takes. Estimates are welcome.
3. See above
4. Got it!
5. I feel like the body work will likely be sent out, I can do the engine (or at least really want to)
6. Gonna have to stock up (how much beer will fit in a mini fridge anyway?)
7. I have already started removing parts of the interior.
8. So Body first, then electrical, then drive train?
9. I have noticed how difficult some things are to find (great excuse to go to Mopar Nationals)
10. Can I try and find some Mopar loving UK brethren to bring me a cask of Old Crafty Hen? It Newky Brown is critical, I like it as well.

Again Thanks!

I think number eight was my biggest concern, what route to take.
The car is not original, so no limitations there.

My current build thought:
Stock Body but without the chrome wheel wheels trim and under the door.
Some sort of Rallye wheels (just saw the 17's)
Keep Top Banana Color and striping
Either keep the 318 and put 360 heads on so I can fuel inject, or buy a 340 or 360 for the car.
Possibly a overdrive or some such to help make this a daily driver.

Anyone in Central Kentucky bored, come on over!