Restoration strategies

[gsalt57tr3]

OK, now that I got it, how do you approach the restoration process?

I'm looking at a long term project, Initially I figured to get it cleaned up and do any corrosion control that might be needed. There will be some storage time, the plate is a little full until winter of '09, but I would like to see if it will run.

Needs a new interior and a new paint job, frame is straight and body is true.

Would love to have it ready for Triumphest, Oct '09.

Anyone have any suggestions for prioritizing the job?

 

[prb51]

Are you going to do a frame off?
I'm sure you know this but it bears repeating.
Notes, pictures before disassembly of wire/cable/line routing and baggies marked as to what piece it belongs too what/where
If you have the room....
Body one area, frame in another and interior in the corner.
When you get tired/frustrated working on one assembly you can move to another major element.
Bodywork is the most time consuming if done right so start there for a feel of how long it will take.
Take a lot of time during dissassembly keeping track of what needs replacement/fixing and how it goes apart/together.
Every job parted out is expensive as the hourly rate is the same for a VW or a RR so do as much as you can yourself.
Don't set timelines too firmly as that can lead to frustration and walk away when you get po'd, you'll get ther fervor back.
Good luck and share the experience with us.

 

[prb51]

Bill,
Forgot this but it helped me quite a bit.
As you dissasemble make a list of all of the new parts you need, prioritze the list in the way you've decided to rebuild and check on parts availability. If they are available you can order so that you'll not be held up waiting for parts.
If anything is scarce/non available you can be on the look out up front to source the part(s). Nothing worse than an assembly waiting for a widget.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Are you going to do a frame off?...
If you have the room....
Body one area, frame in another and interior in the corner...

Well, since the 10 is a unit-body car, it won't be quite that bad. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif But close, though. No matter WHAT kind of car you take apart, it seems to take about 278% more space when disassembled!

If it will help, "PM" me and I'll send along contact info for someone who is wrapping up (or possibly has by now) restoration of a '59 10 Estate Wagon. By the pictures I've seen to date, it will be drop-dead GORGEOUS!

 

[prb51]

Bill,
Well, you can see I really know my TR sedans. Unibody huh, I did a 190sl unibody and that's more work than a frame if there are any issues with rust. Every unibody still has a 'frame' of sorts built into it so go over those areas well, they are nice and rattle free when done properly.
Luck when in the 'discovery' process.

 

[martx-5]

Alot of the restoration process can take place where the car isn't. If the car's in a garage, and you have a basement, most of the interior and lots of other items can be redone there. I redid my trans in the basement, along with the whole interior, including the gauges etc. Carbs can also be done in the basement. I'm mentioning the basement, because during the winter, unless your garage is heated, it's not great fun to go out there and do stuff. Save the warm weather for the body and frame work.

Anyway, perhaps the most important advice I ever got regarding the restoration work was to continually do something every week. Even if it's just ordering parts, checking what you need, or cleaning up a gauge or some other part. Take little bites. Lots of little bites. It's much less intimidating then looking at big chunks of work.

I've been working on mine for about two years, and now I'm at the point where the car is just about ready to go together. The last item is the engine machine work. It may not sound like that's so great, but every part that will go in the car has been checked and re-done. All I have to do now is put it together.

 

[Banjo]

Immediatly tear everything apart, throwing all parts in piles wherever you won't kick them around, and all fasteners in little piles that you'll forget what they're for.Then try to make "need to buy" lists from memory weeks after you gutted the car.
Promptly get busy with several other projects, and neglect the ever spreading piles of parts that you now don't remember where they went. It's also good to pilfer some of the fasteners to repair that old lawnmower your uncle gave you.
Next year, try and organize your piles into boxes so thay can be found later, when you have time.
Use the gutted body for extra storage for several years, and systematically lose track of at least 3 boxes of major parts.
One day, come home from a vintage car event all fired up to restart your resto project, try and locate all your parts so you can "make some progress" only to find things in a hopless state.
Get depressed.
List your "excellent restoration project" on ebay and take a huge loss over the complete car you started with.
Then, stare at the now cavernous space in your garage where the old project was, get on ebay, and start all over.

 

[Guest]

Did you just sell me my TVR?

 

[Gordo]

The first restoration I tried did not turn out. Didn't do the needed research on procedures and the car. Eventually, after a lot of money spent, I parted it out. I do have large supply of parts that I use to maintain my other car.

I'm about 3 months into a TR3A frame off. I learned a lot from the first failed attempt.

* Catalog, bag, label and take pictures of everything. When I dismantled the car, I broke it down into systems. So when I took the brakes off, every single piece of the brake system was photographed and placed in a plastic tub marked brakes. Then I burned a cd with the pictures and put it in the box also. That's also where the parts required list went, along with a copy in the house.

*The required parts list in the house is used to find what's on sale at different vendors. Even if I find a part I'm not going to use for a year(s) and the price is right, I buy it and put it into the system box.

*MODERATION. I think I put all available time into the first attempt and burned myself out quickly. This time, I'm having FUN!! If I reach a frustation point, I quit for the day and do something else not car related.

*Plan. I had no idea or plan the first try. I made a plan for this attempt and have it up on the wall in the garage. And I think I'm following it pretty close. It's not a live or die plan, just a logical progression.

I feel pretty confident this time. No self imposed, unreal goals or deadlines. I would like to have it done by 2010 since it will be 50 then.

Gordo

 

[conan69]

Start sending your mechanic money NOW!

 

[Brosky]

1. Have some cash not needed for anything else at the moment.

2. Good digital camera and plastic bags for parts.

3. Plenty of gloves (and band aids) to protect your hands from dirt and grease. It helps not to be allergic to the cleaning solutions. Ask me how I know this....

4. Dig up some more of that cash.

5. Be realistic about what you want to accomplish and what your time and monetary constraints may be.

6. Allow yourself the room to work and store parts with interfering with either. Nothing worse that breaking an expensive new part or an irreplaceable one because you were all jammed up.

7. If you are married, be sure that your spouse is on board for the duration of the program.

8. Be patient. Just when you think that things are going well, they will turn on you.

9. Review #5 again.

10. Start at #1 again and continue on.

 

[Popeye]

Immediatly tear everything apart ... List your "excellent restoration project" on ebay .. get on ebay, and start all over.

Wonderful!! (and woefully accurate... listen to the other posts ... they are wise.)

 

[philman]

Get it running first. Drive it around a few days. It's an easy car to work on once you get its idiosyncracies. I think it is easier to restore something when you start with a running project; and yours doesn't seem that far from running.

PS I have shop manuals if you need diagrams.

 

[70herald]

If it is near drivable condition, get it into drivable condition first. that way you can find out what hidden problems exist.

If it needs engine work / transmission problems etc the it may be worth taking all the major components out. Painting is much easier with all that stuff out of the way. However, keep in mind that it becomes a much more overwhelming project. With my herald, I pulled the engine / gearbox, suspension / brakes ... at which point my wife ordered me to start putting stuff back together. Probably a good decision. None the less, when I get to repainting in the future, I may well want to pull the engine again. Painting and body work in general are much easier with fewer bits on the car.

What you need to do is make a list of know problems which MUST be solved (for example on my car, engine / worn syncros and loose suspension were all musts) Nice to haves, and really can be delayed until later (paint job..) Now take a look at the nice to haves and decide approximately how much extra work they will create now, and if there is any real time savings vs. doing them as a separate project in the future, for example, once I pulled the suspension apart, replacing the steering rack gaiters which were in decent condition was a non-brainier since there were only a few extra bolts needed to take the rack out, and I needed a full alignment anyway. Just be careful about how many nice to haves you add into the job because every additional bit you decide to work on makes the job that much more complicated. Also, having a written game plan can help avoid shipwrights disease.

 

[MDCanaday]

Gordo makes several good points that should be taken to heart. I will add one little thing,Discipline! Make time to work on the car every week for at least one hour!!! If you work on some little part of the project and get it done you keep your MOJO going. Never let it set and gather dust,the next time you look at it you wont remember where or what you doing and you will waste an hour getting back on track.
Remember that 2hours every week will equall 104 hours a year!!!!
MD(mad dog)