What steps to take when building a car????

[CRCRFT78]

Ok, I'm sort of in a dilemma so I will try and keep this as uncomplicated as possible. I just want to know what are some of the steps you guys take when building a car? What general guidelines do some of you follow to keep your projects on track and from getting out of control. For example, fabrication, mock up, paint/bodywork, suspension, drivetrain, electrical, interior & so on. I want to take my car down to the frame but want to put it back RIGHT without having to do things twice.

I got the car with the front and rear suspension done. B-body brake upgrade in front. LT1/4L60E combo installed and running, Magnaflow exhaust & Autometer Guages to keep tabs on the vitals. I want to take the car down to the frame to detail everything and finish what upgrades haven't been done (rearend/diskbrakes), upgrade the electrical, colormatch motor & tranny, etc. etc. then put it back together with whats already installed on it now. Bodywork and paint will most likely be the last to get done.

What steps/guidelines should I follow and in what order do I follow them in to make this happen. THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!

[MrQuick]

thats really up to the builder, and how bad the car is. most build styles will differ. it sounds like your car is faily into it already...sticking to the game plan is my advice. can we see pictures of your car?

[JoshStratton]

My biggest piece of advise, and something I learned AFTER spending 4 grand for a paint job (VW BUG with a VERY straight body) is to put the whole car together and make sure everything is where you want it BEFORE painting it. Then take it apart, shoot the color then put it all back together again. Otherwise, you will frustrate the crap out of yourself trying to work in those changes while NOT scraping up your nice paint job.

[CRCRFT78]

I understand everyone approaches a build differently, but there has to be some sort of general way to start one and finish one. I wouldn't tell someone to go out and paint their car for a couple grand then bring it home and tear it down to the frame to finish everything else. In my case for example, I want to tear down the car to the frame, paint the frame. Install new brake/fuel lines, finish the rearend/disk brake setup, reinstall the suspension, the motor/tranny and so on up until the point that all that is left is to reinstall the body. Then move on from there. What I'm trying to understand/find out is, with the list of items needed to be done to a car. What would be the best way to start without screwing yourself up by having to do things twice? I know thats almost impossible because even the best have had to do things over during a build but I would hate to have to paint the car twice because I painted it too soon in the build. What would you do in what order in your build;

1.Fabrication/mock up
2.Teardown
3.Motor/tranny install
4.Suspension/brakes
5.Paint
6.Interior
7.Electrical etc. etc.

Are there any good books that will help set some guidelines for a novice builder? Something to follow for a first timer? I think I'm just driving myself CRAZY and possibly those reading this by THINKING about this too much. Sorry everyone.

[MrQuick]

theres a book called " How to restore your Camaro". It was one of the best books for guide lines and building tips out there.Classic industries Camaro catalog page 305. Has two guys hanging over the fenders of a 69 Z28.

Your order looks good. mine goes like so:
for Camaro/Nova's
1. Teardown and evaluate
2. Fabrication and fitment
3. Complete car mock up wheels/tires/suspension/engine/trans/harness/body mods/assemble sheetmetal
4. Strip down minimal front sheet metal lined up, now a rolling chassis, drop out rebuilt sub install an old subframe
5. Install engine/trans in new redone frame, wire etc. Not in body
6. Paint and assemble body trim
7. Drop out subframe and drop body on to newly assembled frame /engine/trans assembly
8. Final details complete interior/wiring/glass etc.

it really depends on the condition of the car.

[CRCRFT78]

Thanks Vince, thats what I was curious to know. What steps you builders take when building and in what order. Anyone do a frame car? Maybe some of you guys could name your car and in what order your build went. THANKS, Joe.

[JoshStratton]

Hey Vince. This might sound retarded, but how do you support your subframe with the engine/tranny on it? That is an awful lot of weight. You would need to make sure your subframe is an easy place to put your body on it wouldnt you? Sounds like a good idea. I like that much better than trying to put the engine/tranny in a car with the sub already installed.

[MrQuick]

I used 4 large jack stands in the past but as you know,when evey you take something apart it then gets in someones way so I built a few frame stands with wheels. Just cart it under a rack then lower the body down. see picture. (http://hometown.aol.com/o1mrquick/images/dscn0214.jpg)
John and I were checking the AC engine clearence while we had the body apart.

Full frame cars get body mods, tire clearanced body work then paint and then drop the frame out with engine and drivetrain still in it and modify it. My GTO went that way and it was very easy. Again it helps to have a rack and at least room for 3 cars.

Its just easier for me but might differ from what others do.

[JoshStratton]

That is a really cool idea! I like how you put the arms on just the one side so you can raise, lower it! I just finished building a body cart for my car. Maybe I will create a second cart for the sub that I can use to just wheel it up to the car. Thanks for sharing the cool idea!

[J2speedandcustom]

Like said before many ways to skin a cat, but you need a good "Plan and Foundation" to start with. Take the time, research and write down everything you want to do. Put a gameplan together and a guesstimate on time it will take to complete each task. You might end up changing the build up if something won't fit the timeline or you get in a crunch.

[Maxoctane]

Personally I think you have paint too far down on your list. Installing a freshly detailed motor and suspension only to have the car come out of the paint shop with overspary all over everything is no fun. (I speak from experience) Pull the motor, then take it into paint. See if the paint shop will spray your wheelwells and engine bay for a few extra $$. Mine does.




I understand everyone approaches a build differently, but there has to be some sort of general way to start one and finish one. I wouldn't tell someone to go out and paint their car for a couple grand then bring it home and tear it down to the frame to finish everything else. In my case for example, I want to tear down the car to the frame, paint the frame. Install new brake/fuel lines, finish the rearend/disk brake setup, reinstall the suspension, the motor/tranny and so on up until the point that all that is left is to reinstall the body. Then move on from there. What I'm trying to understand/find out is, with the list of items needed to be done to a car. What would be the best way to start without screwing yourself up by having to do things twice? I know thats almost impossible because even the best have had to do things over during a build but I would hate to have to paint the car twice because I painted it too soon in the build. What would you do in what order in your build;

1.Fabrication/mock up
2.Teardown
3.Motor/tranny install
4.Suspension/brakes
5.Paint
6.Interior
7.Electrical etc. etc.

Are there any good books that will help set some guidelines for a novice builder? Something to follow for a first timer? I think I'm just driving myself CRAZY and possibly those reading this by THINKING about this too much. Sorry everyone.

[Beastus_Maximus]

Well I am unsure if you are working with a full frame car or a subframe car, so I will detail what I would do for both.

The first thing I have found a guy should definately do is have a good solid plan for your engine, I dont know what you plan on doing to it while it is out of the car, but this would be an excelent time to give it a checkup before you get deeper into the project. Check the bearings for wear and so on, fresh gaskets, new oil pump things that will make this motor last if you intend to run it as is. The same goes for the tranny, pop it open and inspect it throughly. Since you are going to have it out and seperated this would be an excelet time to replace that front main seal in the tranny. Those can be a real bitch later on in a finished car.

The reason I always do drive train first is this, say you pop that engine open and inspect it to find out there are major issues and that you are going to have to start from square one IE a cracked block or somthing of that nature. That sets the pace for your buildup, and generally speaking, it makes sense to take care of the big ticket item right away.

Myself on my project I will have my new engine and transmission done and detailed ready to go into the car before I ever even begin taking the car apart. I have a spare block that I will be using for mockup later on. It also signifigantly lowers the chances of you winding up with a pile of parts that will never go back togeather.

Next comes the tear down of the body, I would literally take the fram out from under the car, move the body to my storage area and leave it be and attack the frame and suspention components first, I like the idea that you start at the foundation and work your way up. It is harder with a unibody car, but is still doable, for instance, before my car even comes apart I will have my brand spankin new wayne due sub frame and all the fixins for it allready there, and installed to the sub, with engine and tranny mocked up and hard mounted in it before the car comes apart. I will asemble a steel framed dolly that the whole works rests on, as well this dolly I am going to find the fulcrum point of the finished subframe with motor, tranny and suspention installed, and set it up with a pad that will hard mount to my floor jack when I go to install it into the car. This should make lifiting it in a breeze. I think it is well worth the jack im going to tear apart to do it because it will mean I will be able to easily put the sub to the car and take it off as many times as I want with ease, and that means my project will go smoother. (oh and btw, the sub will not be painted the first time I install it or have any of the detail work done because the body is not yet ready for that stage)

Full framed cars are for sure alot different, But the basics there are the same, I would still pull the front clip off, and pull the body and start with the frame, I have a 71 cutlass that is next after my TA project, when I do it I am going to bring the frame over to the house and go to town on it, have it all put togeather in primer before I even start on the body. Also I find that this approach will keep a guy focoused so you dont get too far into side projects and will have more of a stright path to a finished product. It is really easy to get side tracked on these damn things.

For the cutlass I am going to have a cart to roll the frame around on as well, the difference is, I will be lowering the body onto the frame, not lifting the frame into the body.

When it comes to working with the body, myself I have a set of plans for a rotisary that I am going to build that will break down for storage, and I am going to have a dolly to move the body around on, it makes clean up one hell of allot easier when you can move your work around. I like a clean work space.

When you tear the body down and strip the paint, this will be the time to asses what work will have to be done to it, and who will do that work, if there are any major structural repairs you might be best leaving that to a body shop, minor rust repairs and so on can easily be done on your own, you are going to want to keep the putty to a minimum though, and consontrate on getting the steel as straight as possible. It makes for a much nicer finished product, and I dont care what anyone says, there is no excuse for uber thick body putty. If the job is worth doing, it is worth doing right the first time, even if you have to get some one else to tackle it for you.

Other questions to think about are weather or not you are going to install a cage in the car, this is somthing you have to plan for early on, also if you are going to use a kit, you are going to want to tac weld it in all the way before finishing the welds, it would be a real bitch to get it 3/4 of the way done and have to tear it back out if somthing isnt going to fit right.

Once your body work is done though, then is the time to put the car all the way togeather and make sure it all fits right, mate frame and body back togeather, install the engine and tranny, have everything put on it, short of say the wiring, interior and windows. Allthough if you are doing things like installing different seats, you will want to have them finished and install them before paint so you arent doing it after the fact and scratching the car up.

Also when the car is in this completly assembeled stage it gives you a chance to give it a good solid look over and see if there is anything you are missing or want to add, this is the time to be creative with it, and do any little side projects you want to do. As well it is a good time to get a piece of sheet metal sprayed up in the color you are wanting to paint it, and set it next to the car and see how it will look. This way you are only spending a hundered or so dollars to get it painted, verses thousands for the whole car, expecially if you are using an expensive paint.

Somthing else that is important here is that you are going to be checking the fitment of your wheels and tires, throw some weight inside of the car and try and get it as close to as heavy as it will ever be and see if you are going to have any clearence problems. I had this with the first car I ever built, a 75 duster, I didnt have enough clearence on the rear wheels, and if you sat 4 people in the car the rear tires would rub. It is little things like that which will ruin you hard work for you.

Once you are happy with your work, then is the time to take it all back down and have it painted, then when it comes back from paint it all goes back togeather piece by agonising piece being extreemly careful not to scratch anything. But the fact that it has allready been fitted will mean nothing will be off, and the pices will fit. If they dont there should be a simple solution. As well by this time you will have taken this car apart twice, and this will be the second time putting it togeather, and thus you are going to be getting good at it, so it should go togeather really smoothly if you have done it all right, and create a really nice ride when you are done.

Wiring is pretty simple stuff, the biggest thing is knowing what you are going to add for circuts if you go for a new harness which I would recomend, as well if you are doing things such as relocating your battery box to the trunk, I would do that during the inital assembly so as that all your routing for wires can be done, and you arent drilling holes in a finished paint job to run wires or mount them.

Somthing else to think about is if you are going to install a big fancy custom speaker box with amps, you will want to do all of that work building the box and so on before you send the car to paint because always you will be needing to build mounting and so on for the box, and have routing for the assocated wiring.

Hope this helps you out, if you have any questions feel free to ask.