im right there with you "IM NEW I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO"- Joe dirt

 

I’ve done a couple of project vehicles, just finished my first frame of rotisserie project/restoration, and have worked on many aircraft restorations. I’m by no means an expert, and learn on every new project I do.

Great list in the first post. I’d like to add a couple of things.

1. When you’re done all the body work, panel replacements, rust repairs, etc etc.

Refit / assemble the entire body before you start on the chassis. Which ever order you do it in, as long as the sheetmetal all gets test fit and assembled as it would for final assembly. I’ve done that in aviation prior to paint, but I did not do that on this body off project. That was a mistake.

Much easier to make adjustments, shims, trim, what ever needs to be done to ensure it all fits together again. I got lucky, new box, new fenders, new door hinges, etc.. I had to make a few ‘adjustments’ that could have been avoided had it all been fit properly prior to paint, but much more ‘adjusting’ on a few items and I’d have been re painting. It’s a lot more difficult to do when painted. And if something, such as a replacement panel, or box, does not fit correctly….

2. If painting metallic - paint all at once, from the same batch, and intermix all your paint. Ie, if you have 3 gallons in separate cans, intermix all the cans. I’ve learned this the hard way. I tried painting this last one in batches, metallic, intermixed, same gun, same pressures, same temps, etc etc - and I have some paint mismatch. It’s livable for my own personal truck, but if it were for someone else, it wouldn’t pass and would have to be redone. I have also seen it in solid colors that were mixed/purchased in different batches, not intermixed, painted over the span of a few years (aircraft resto) that did not match, the paint had to be redone, it was a nightmare.

Great thread. Dive in!