Order of Operations

[biohazardbill]

In what order do you guys restore your rigs?

I went with suspension first after all a rolling chassis is easier to move around, but what next?

I want to get the body done so I can set it in place and mock everything up, wife wants to hear it run, all of it takes cash lol....

In what order do you guys do your thang? lol

[Surfdaddy]

The process I follow is like this: You first start on the rolling parts so you can move it around. Tires and wheel restoring, then the wheel bearings and brakes. Then I concentrate on the mechanical stuff like getting it running, shifting, stopping and suspension stuff. After that I’ll drive it a little (around the block) a few days to figure out what is in dire need. Once I get all the mechanical stuff worked out I’ll start on the bodywork, which I’m not too good at. It may seem like a lot of trouble but you know where you stand and what to budget for.

[jimmydean]

I start with "How much money do I have for stuff on this HUGE list..." and go from there. Sometimes the answer is easy, sometimes it's not.

[aerotruk63]

The process as I was told, you take a part off and fix/restore that. Move onto the next part and so on. Tag and take pictures of each step as you go along. Label whether your going to fix or replace the part. On the list of parts, what finish will be applied, what's to be chromed etc. Group the parts as per the finish so they can all be done together. Once you've got it down to the bare frame, you reverse the process and put it back together.
Like i said that's what I was told. Some parts to the rule I follow, seems you need a lot of space and time to do it that way.

[krazy_texan]

i start where the budget allows then once i get to that point i figure out what needs done most of all but to its all about how you do the restoration mine will never be off the road for more than a few weeks max just depends on what has to be done to it. I try to keep mine roadworthy or a driving restoration as they call it

[k1rodeoboater]

safety first (brakes/suspension, electrical, seatbelts, ect)
engine/trans/driveline
bodywork

Mine has sorta been all over the place, but I have more or less followed this

Necessity of certain things also dictate the order in which I have to do things.

[biohazardbill]

Well the truck is down to bare frame, maybe i should have stated that.

If you were down to bare frame and ready to reassemble, what order would you go in, keep in mind the motor we have we have yet to hear run, so it may be junk although there isnt a bit of sludge in it as far as I can tell from removing the valve covers etc.

[k1rodeoboater]

oh...well in that case....

1. do anything you're gonna do to the chassis (dropmember, ect) then paint (if you want the pieces as they came to you take them off, then paint, remount when dry)

2. suspension/brakes components

3. engine & exhaust, trans, driveshaft, rear-end (test engine at this point)

4. rust repair of cab while off frame (gonna need to brace it since it's off the frame) and any other bodywork needed

5. mount cab, and all the other sheet metal (especially replacement panels) to see how they fit

6. tear it all apart again and paint the sheet metal off the truck

7. put it all back together (CAREFULLY)

8. electrical re-wire

9. bed wood

10. windows down, arm out, rolling like a bad motha around town



that's what I'd do if I did a frame off

[biohazardbill]

Originally Posted by k1rodeoboater

oh...well in that case....

1. do anything you're gonna do to the chassis (dropmember, ect) then paint (if you want the pieces as they came to you take them off, then paint, remount when dry)



2. suspension/brakes components

Done see above

3. engine & exhaust, trans, driveshaft, rear-end (test engine at this point)

Yeah I suppose this should be they way to go, just couldnt decide on body work or motor work, trans is a fresh rebuilt 700r4

4. rust repair of cab while off frame (gonna need to brace it since it's off the frame) and any other bodywork needed

cab is off, started on the rockers, cab is braced, wife complains cuz she still dont hear it run lol I wanted to get the floor of the cab done and mount it. just to keep fitting things together since nothing is stock.

5. mount cab, and all the other sheet metal (especially replacement panels) to see how they fit

6. tear it all apart again and paint the sheet metal off the truck

7. put it all back together (CAREFULLY)

8. electrical re-wire

9. bed wood

10. windows down, arm out, rolling like a bad motha around town



that's what I'd do if I did a frame off

see above...

[k1rodeoboater]

Well in the effort to appease household-6, when you get to step 3 try starting it. Reason is, if it doesn't start you can easily pull it and rebuild it at that point or get a new engine. Also the other reason to mount it on the chassis before you put any sheet metal on is that it's a hell of a lot easier to mount.

[biohazardbill]

Looks like ill be driving to Summit racing this week lol

[Surfdaddy]

I did that on my Caprice. I looked at tit and started taking off the bent fender and after a very intense weekend, I had a lot on my mind and was just working on the car not paying attention on what I was doing. My wife looked at me on Sunday night and asked why I did that. I looked back and realized I had stripped the car down and had the body on one side of the garage and the frame on the other. I started the same process though. I stripped the frame, cleaned and painted, replace all the suspension bushings then did the wheel bearings, brakes and steering, and the wheels . Then I started on the drive train and then doing the body separately. It took me 3 years of constant work and the car turned out ok

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Surfdaddy

I did that on my Caprice. I looked at tit and started taking off the bent fender and after a very intense weekend, I had a lot on my mind and was just working on the car not paying attention on what I was doing. My wife looked at me on Sunday night and asked why I did that. I looked back and realized I had stripped the car down and had the body on one side of the garage and the frame on the other. I started the same process though. I stripped the frame, cleaned and painted, replace all the suspension bushings then did the wheel bearings, brakes and steering, and the wheels . Then I started on the drive train and then doing the body separately. It took me 3 years of constant work and the car turned out ok

I agree. I always like to look at tit before I start a project.

[Indian113]

That's a tough one to Follow!!!!!!!!!!

[kieth]

I found a rolling chasis that was bare for $100.00, this has become my mule, one can then remove the bed and put it on the mule chasis, then the front clip comes off, it goes on the ground for a while, then when the cab is off the cab goes on the mule and the front clip goes back on. now you have a bare chasis and you can still move the mule with all the body stuff on it around.

The chasis stuff is easy, it goes pretty quick, then the body work starts and it really takes time.......Kieth (body work is like chinese water torture)

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...38831944_KKWrH

[BR3W CITY]

step 1: find truck / pull from junkyard, barn, garage etc
step 2: Install unnecessarily big motor and trans combo
step 3: drive


step 7: get back around to everything else like brakes and seatbelts, and making sure its debatably legal to drive.

[Indian113]

I have a dry erase board in my shop, I keep a list on it all the time. It has two sections
1 side is has to be done!
1 side is wants to be done!
I check off the ones I get done and dream about the ones I want to do

[rbar]

My dry erase board received a deadline date from my wife. It came and went, but buying a 415 horse G8 for her to drive got me an unlimited extension! Dry erase boards are expensive.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Indian113]

Originally Posted by rbar

My dry erase board received a deadline date from my wife. It came and went, but buying a 415 horse G8 for her to drive got me an unlimited extension! Dry erase boards are expensive.
Posted via Mobile Device

one side is more expensive than the other

[chad64chevy]

biohazardbill, that frame looks sweet!! as far as starting the motor or doing the cab first! thats something that would be up to you, you can not put the frontend sheet metal on and the motor will still be easy to get to! i seen that you had your cab on a dolly and was starting working on it! so i would do the cab floor that way your not bouncing around! and you can see that your getting something done not just a bunch of lil things started an not finished!

[rustyrodknocker]

Originally Posted by kieth

I found a rolling chasis that was bare for $100.00, this has become my mule, one can then remove the bed and put it on the mule chasis, then the front clip comes off, it goes on the ground for a while, then when the cab is off the cab goes on the mule and the front clip goes back on. now you have a bare chasis and you can still move the mule with all the body stuff on it around.

The chasis stuff is easy, it goes pretty quick, then the body work starts and it really takes time.......Kieth (body work is like chinese water torture)

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...38831944_KKWrH

This is the best idea Ive heard in ages.

[rustyrodknocker]

I throw a used motor in it and start driving. when that motor does not go any more I get another. the drive it while you fix it up thing is a myth. enless your idea of driving is a sunday afternoon cruise. its really, drive while you wear it out somemore. like a new car I guess. Someday I would like to start over with a new to me rig and the motor would be absolutley last. you do not need a motor for a rig you are restoring. Intill its time to drive. I like everything to start so i dont have to push it. So the answer to that is find or make a place to work on it so it never has to move intill its done.