Different Twist on Restoration

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

I saw on another board that a fellow had restored a model T in his garage. The intresting thing is the way he went about it. Instead of taking the car apart, restoring the frame and running gear and working his way up, he started removing parts one at a time and restoring them as he went. He started with the headlights. Removed them. Restored them. Carefully wrapped them and stored them away with the restored fasteners that attach them to the car. He continued this process until he had a bare body on the frame. He used the frame as his saw horses to restore the body. When he was done with the body, he pulled the frame out and sent it out for sandblasting, storing the body in the same bay of his garage. When he got the frame back, he painted it immediately and was ready to start assembling the car. He said the assembly went fast as lightning. The amazing part was that his wife continued to park her car in the other bay of the garage throughout the restoration. When he worked on the car, he backed her's out, used the second bay for a work area. When he was done, he swept the bay and pulled her car back in. The small parts he stored in a closet off of the garage. The larger parts, like fenders, were stored in a spare bedroom. Since they were already restored, they would not have made a mess in the house.

This was an interesting way to do this. I might try that on my next project.

[1937hd45]

I think you'd have to start with a near perfect car for that system to work. The tough part of a restoration is not getting sidetracked on another car or project.

[Amphicar BUYER]

This is very similar to my method as well. It works great. Then by the time the body is getting painted, you already have the small assemblies ready. It is especially good if you have limited space as I do.

I am on my way to Denver to look at another Amphi to restore. It has been in his yard for 18 years and after seeing another car I did 4 months ago, he wants his done too.

That is how it seems to go. I got mine and now others are being discovered in the area. Soon there may be enough to have a local "swim-in" here. One Amphicar draws attention, but more is better! 5 years ago I knew of 2 in Colorado, now I can count 12!

[52deluxe]

i started putting my nos packard parts in the bedroom a while back but the wife put a stop to that when i put the grill on the bed and it was not gone when she came home.

[48LCCOUPE]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

That is how it seems to go. I got mine and now others are being discovered in the area. Soon there may be enough to have a local "swim-in" here. One Amphicar draws attention, but more is better! 5 years ago I knew of 2 in Colorado, now I can count 12! </div></div>

I was watching Animal Planet the other night and they mentioned this phenomenon.

The non domestic Amphicar has a breeding cycle of aproximately 16 months and can begin amphicar reproduction immediatly after birth. 2 +16 mo = 4 + 16 mo = 8 + 16 mo = 16 +16 mo = 32. yep and it seems a few moved in or out of Co during this time as well!

[ex98thdrill]

It's funny you mention that. In many cases we've looked and hunted for parts for the different cars that we done and have found absolutely nothing. It seems that once you find one, or get one done and people see it, then it seems as if the stuff that you couldn't find is all of the sudden coming out of the woodwork.

[poci1957]

This is exactly the way I have done my 1957 Pontiac, mostly because of limited space to spread out. It has been pretty good, but I think that doing subassemblies last and installing them on the completed shell immediately after restoration is generally better than doing them first. Doing the body while using the uncompleted frame as a dolly DID work well, though. Todd C

[Guest Skyking]

Hal, this is exactly how I did my Metropolitan. I found it to be the best system because after the body is finished you don't have to deal with all the small parts. They were neatly put away all wrapped and labeled. I've gone into some of my friends garages and seen their projects, parts laying around and asked how they can do this, stepping over part after part. Most of the time they simply get disgusted and don't finish anything. I just think the project as a whole is much more enjoyable........

[juddman]

I've heard of this! One of the books I have on auto restoration recommends this approach and I'll be adapting it to my own situation soon. My dad disassembled my project pretty completely several decades ago. He did so carefully and was kind enough to leave major assemblies together and fasteners with what they came off of. He also avoided losing anything major (he lost the fan, which I've replaced). Because I'll become a dad very soon myself and will be poor for a good while, I figure that the most economical way to make tangible progress on the car would be to restore the sizeable pile of bits already removed before touching anything still on the car. I figure I can start small and simple and work my way up as funds become available as this won't be an inexpensive proposition. As long as the car is ready before my daughter's wedding, I'll be happy!

Off to China for me! (We're adopting her from there!)