Guest Caribou Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 So I'm having a newbie dilemma.I'm doing a body on restoration of my car due to time and money constraints. I had a few delays there, but it looks like I'm back on the wagon now.Here's the question:The car could use some body work. It's got cracked bondo and rust. Eventually I'd like to get the body done, and if I can't do it myself I might need to pay someone. (patches and paint I'd imagine.)Meantime, all of the upholstery, the top, the weather stripping, and basically anything made out of rubber needs to be replaced. If I do all of that now, will I end up having to tear it all out again later when I do the body? How much time and money is delaying the body work going to actually end up costing me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 That is a dilemna. If you don't repair the seals then you run the risk of additional leakage and more body damage. But installation of new seals before body work will require removal of at least some of them to do a real restoration. I guess it will come down to what's your definition of Restoration. Complete rebuild of everything and every part to like new condition? Or refurbishment of what you have so as to make the vehicle drivable and reliable?If it's the second, you can do the latter part first. If it's the first, then body before interior is the usual pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Caribou Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 That is a dilemna. If you don't repair the seals then you run the risk of additional leakage and more body damage. But installation of new seals before body work will require removal of at least some of them to do a real restoration. I guess it will come down to what's your definition of Restoration. Complete rebuild of everything and every part to like new condition? Or refurbishment of what you have so as to make the vehicle drivable and reliable?If it's the second, you can do the latter part first. If it's the first, then body before interior is the usual pattern.My plan had been to begin with "drivable" and work on "perfect" later. I suppose I'll need to decide how much later that second part is to be then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 You are the verge of committing to a marriage or making friends with the old gal to see if you really like her.Do the basic safety and reliability things first. The are a lot of points of ownership that you need to experience. First off would be "feeding". That car probably gets 12 to 15 MPG. I like to top my cars off every Sunday in the summer. That can be 50, 60, maybe 70 bucks.That car is not a nimble handler. If you are used to newer cars it could be a tedious handful, not that it isn't a nice driver, just different.Here's a bad one. Can you really afford to maintain two cars? Two wives would be OK if they had good jobs. Two cars will constantly demand a flow of time and money.Always try to keep the car in its most salable condition. You never know when you may have to make a "fire sale".On the patching, a re-patch with some fiber glass and touch up will last 2 to 3 years used sparingly as a hobby car. Do that and live with the car until it needs the restoration style repair. Then ask yourself if you like the car enough to pull the trigger.Remember most of the people who see your car will be 50 feet away and you will be moving.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Caribou Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Well, she's a convertible and we get 9 months of winter here, so luckily I won't need to worry too much about gas prices. Doh. Definitely going to be a hobby car and not the every day driver, that's for sure.The real question is, will I be looking for a new wife before I'm done? "When are you going to paint the kitchen!"Great advice, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 The husband and wife marriage will be strained if you do not get her to "buy in" on what she likely sees as a eye sore and takes your time away from her as you indicated.Patch and paint the exterior and put a cheap paint job on it - all to be replaced at some time - the wife will like that!Put door seals all around to stop more damage - wife will not know what that is.Do the interior in something affordable and get wife very involved - she does not want to be seen in a shiny car that on closer inspection is ragged out - then you save for the real interior.You will both be happier in the long run.It gets the car more sale-able in case she decides one of you must go.Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Also - take lots of pictures!Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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