What little mistakes did you make?

[kx57]

I'm looking to start a discussion about all the little mistakes people make building these trucks. Hoping to help out new builders by giving them a heads up on things to watch out for.

A few I've run into already:

#1. Tried to use a wire style window remover to pull out the rear window...

Like this one :

http://www.harborfreight.com/profess...kit-96339.html

the metal lip took a beating doing it this way (kept cutting in). Turns out if you run a knife along the rubber lip you can just pull the seal off by hand and remove the glass that way. So much easier. Especially true if the seal is old and brittle.


#2. Almost forgot to put in the Clutch Pilot Bushing. If you have a manual trans pretty important....Also these vary wildly in price in my neck of the woods. $30 at the big box store, $4 at the little local parts shop


#3. Almost converted my 3/4 ton to a 1/2 ton. Then I found out that the 3/4 ton trucks in Ontario don't have the emissions equipment and the 1/2 ton trucks do. So by running 3/4 ton I don't have to put on all the crap to "be legal" that I would with a 1/2 ton...on the same topic I also found out about the different gas tanks for 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton (EEC vs NON-EEC)

#4. I replaced the plastic door panels with the metal ones..didn't know I have to swap out the door guts as well to make that work...

[72_swb]

Not having a plan in the start!!!!! Cost me a lot of money. Get a plan together before you start


Not powder coating the frame

[kx57]

Originally Posted by 72_swb

Not having a plan in the start!!!!! Cost me a lot of money. Get a plan together before you start


Not powder coating the frame

How did you finish your frame? What issues did you run into? Just curious.

[dfwright]

My biggest regret is not taking enough pictures during deconstruction. I have 100's, but if I had it to do over again, I'd take a picture of every part, piece, bolt and nut before and after removing. Even with all the pictures I took, I found areas where I wasn't sure how it was originally, and after 7 years, I had no memory.

[hamjet]

I bought the push on door weather strip seals and couldn't shut the doors with all the tips given here and still no good. I went to the glue on style and much happier.. I bought the cheapest bench seat cover and although it's 100% better than what was on it I'm still not too impressed with it. I will redo it in the future with a much better quality one..

[drewbert41]

Originally Posted by dfwright

My biggest regret is not taking enough pictures during deconstruction. I have 100's, but if I had it to do over again, I'd take a picture of every part, piece, bolt and nut before and after removing. Even with all the pictures I took, I found areas where I wasn't sure how it was originally, and after 7 years, I had no memory.

This. And use ziplocs to label screws, etc.

[72peace]

Sold the pristine bed off a truck I had because I wanted to switch to a wood bed, only to find out all I really needed was the header and footer. Now I have to find sides, then I have to paint to match, trim, wiring, etc. ARG!

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

When my engine was rebuilt, another $300 would have punched out the block to 454ish. But considering I lost my job the same day the engine threw a bearing, money was pretty tight.

Beyond that I can only think of parts "lost" through the years, such as the in-bed tire carrier. Now I save everything.

[suprachrgd82]

#1 - Buying the truck

#2 - Continuing to sink obscene amounts of money into the truck

#3 - Continuing to be shocked at how much I spend on the truck, then continuing to sink more money into the truck

[custom10nut]

I would have to say putting varnish on my otherwise near perfect bed wood. This was 24 years ago, when I bought my truck.
Now I have a mushroom farm underneath my bed and a few holes.
Bottom line here is that I'm replcing the wood this year.

[sKnNyPpY]

Did a flip kit with old springs then had to take it all apart and replace the springs, too low...could have just done drop springs for the price, but I can still haul stuff and it is reversible to stock. Then didn't re torque the u bolts and the springs fanned out and sliced my tire when my dad borrowed the truck. Luckily "road hazard" replaced that.

[James the III]

Buying it in 2002 and it sitting since 2003..
I'd agree with above, not having a plan/theme nailed down before you start.. was the biggest problem...
Or bigger dreams than my wallet..
I'd also add.. That it is easier to keep excited about the project/vehicle if you can use it and plug away at upgrades and keep using it... The Idea of going through the whole thing and then putting it back on the road, sounds nice, but It tis real easy to loose interest while it's blown apart.. and not being enjoyed/driven..
At least for me, I know some the build they enjoy more than using it.. and if that is your cup of tea, great.. It has proven not to be for me.. I enjoy driving the wheels of my junk.. And It took me almost going 6' in the dirt to say I've put it off long enough..

[my56chevytruck]

the mistakes are numerous in my case, the few i recall was watching OVERHAULIN and watching them slop on the bondo, only to find out a little at a time is the right thing. the other that pops up is buying OEM door weatherstripping only to find out I couldn't close the doors. Don't buy lowered spindles or cut the springs till you know what engine you're putting in. I'll leave it at that.

[Already Gone]

In all honesty I can't say I've made any major or costly mistakes with my trucks. My first one I bought cause I liked it and used it during the summer months and did some minor upgrades over the years and learned about the trucks from this site. If I knew in 2001 when I bought the first truck what I know about them now, I probably wouldn't have bought it as it had been somewhat cobbled together. I sold that truck in 2014 and bought my present Highlander and so far no major blunders with it even thought I've done some upgrades... Biggest regret not mistake is maybe I should have hung onto one ot two of the ones I have bought and resold over the years.

[dfwright]

I'd like to add one more -- If your truck has upper and lower trim molding, put it on before you reassemble the truck!, or at least before you put the front fenders on.

[n33k0]

I was too lazy to make a steel fuel line to feed the new carb I had installed. I had a rubber line connecting the pump to the carb and it broke one morning while I was driving and sprayed fuel all over the engine bay. It's a miracle the truck didn't go up in flames.

[67ChevyRedneck]

On the glass, our trucks use a push in style seal with no sealant, as you figured out, these are sacrificial seals and you just cut it with a blade and pop the glass out. The cutter you bought is used for cars that use a butyl seal (glues window to frame). They were used on most cars, specifically I know the first gen Camaros and Mustangs.

I screw up all the time.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by dfwright

My biggest regret is not taking enough pictures during deconstruction. I have 100's, but if I had it to do over again, I'd take a picture of every part, piece, bolt and nut before and after removing. Even with all the pictures I took, I found areas where I wasn't sure how it was originally, and after 7 years, I had no memory.

This. I took 300+ photos but when it's years later (3-4 in my case) the stuff that was obvious is now mental dust, and you need more photos of anything not -actually- self-evident about reassembly.

[towbar]

buying parts, changing my mind, buying more parts, forgetting I bought those parts, and buying the same parts again.....moral of the story, as 72_swb said above, have a plan, stick to it.........and write down your purchases, or have a better memory than I do

[Island Medic]

I restored a 73 Nova Hatchback and I made lots of mistakes and wasted a lot of money. So I am learning from that on my truck build.

1. spend a lot of time going over the truck before you start and really think about what you want the final product to look like.

2. how do you want to use the truck when it is done? Daily rain or shine, sundays only on sunny days, or trailered everywhere.

3. use a spread sheet or accounting book and work on a budget for the truck. make the phone calls and search the internet and get the closest pricing you can on your part and services. This will help you choose where to spend your money.

4. decide upfront what you will farm out and what you will do yourself.

5. KEEP and label all your parts. DO NOT throw out anything until you are all done.

6. Purchase the factory assembly manual before you start ripping it all apart.

Know what you want as the final result. Make a plan and budget before you start the project. Don't forget to include in your budget the purchase of some tools, you will need them.

[Myoldtruck]

Im with the mind set that you fix and drive as you go along. Mine is a daily driver also, so that makes a difference on how im doing my project. I collect parts for a phase im want done, and then do that project, currently doing the power steering upgrade in spring.

Dont have champagne taste and a beer budget.

Mistakes: Body shop, yeah we can get that in and out in three months. 18 months later?

This is a bolt in part, never never never believe it.
This is a 3 hour job, 3 days later you have it done.
What ever the price you think a project is going to cost, multiply that by 2.3.

[el_fantasma]

Originally Posted by Myoldtruck

Mistakes: Body shop, yeah we can get that in and out in three months. 18 months later?

I was quoted 4 weeks and it turned out to be 7. No money up front and no apparent urgency to complete. So your vehicle is taking up space in their shop and you owe them for 30 hours a labor? Poor scheduling, waiting for parts or they jump around between other vehicles?

[demian5]

Trying to pull the heater box without pulling the inner fender all the way off...

[bs46488]

I just got all my body work done and mixed up 2+ quarts of paint. Poured in the paint/reducer ratio and stirred. Then when I went to pour the paint into the filter I somehow bumped the stir stick and dropped the paint. That killed the paint budget!

[weim55]

Always purchase the absolute best-solid rust free and complete truck you can afford. If you can't afford it, take some time save more $$ and be patient for the right one. Travel states away for the right truck if you have to. Rust is evil. Huge time and $$ in repairs. Missing parts add up to major $$ and time chasing 'em.

Don't compromise on getting what you really want (year, style etc.), most of these trucks were made in large numbers, they are out there. Just keep looking......

I've broken the above rules many times..... ouch!! Learn from my mistakes...

Steve weim55 Colorado