Need some pre-restoration advice

[Fred K-OR]

All of the above are great ideas. George above has very good advise about taking pictures. I think the other use for these pictures is to be able to have them when you have finished to show what you did. Great "bragging" tool later and a good item to have if you take your car to shows.

Also this question was sort of mentioned above. But in order to make sure you get the car finished, you need to consider what it is going to cost you to do it and if you want to invest that much into your project. If cost is not a factor, then no problem. But if cost is a factor, it is rather expensive to restore a Model A. It does depend on how much of the work you are going to do yourself but if you have it "contracted out" it could cost a lot. Consider a person buys a two door for $5k or $6k. An engine and tranny rebuild may run $2-$3k, brakes $500 to $1k, paint $2k-$20k, rear end $500-$1k, misc parts-service $3k-$5k and a many of other things. Other people I am sure know much more about this than I do, will throw in a number of other items. So just the things I mentioned add it to about $13k to $49k. Then if you were to sell this two door now completly restored, I would guess it may bring $12k-$25k depending on how well you did the job. So like I mentioned the costs could be a factor.

But---it is a hobby, So what is a hobby worth? You could be out playing golf for a $100 a day or so every day and spend just as much. So go for it!

[dr.j]

From day one I started a log book on the computer. MSWord allowed me to insert pictures, copies of bills, emails with technical detail and my thoughts at the end of each "milestone". My diary is now 70 plus pages and it reads like a novel. Four years of notes, thoughts, people we have met, tours and trips. It serves as a reminder of the bloody knuckles, sweat and accomplishment. Oh and one more thing, talk to "her" (the car), your wife and neighbours may think you have lost your mind however, it is good for the soul. If you like, send me your email address and I'll forward page one.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

I kinda waited on commenting on this topic until I saw some other's answers. IMHO, great advice above (well maybe except for one) but the thing that I often feel is missing from a Restorer's tool box is a "written game plan". In my opinion, you need to take about twenty hours a list out a detailed game plan of where you are going to start, ...and where you plan to end up.

For some of those who have been to my shop have seen where I authored an 1100-plus item 'task list' on a Gantt chart spelling out everything we will need to do on that vehicle's restoration. Just like someone who would be driving their Model A from NE Georgia to the MARC Meet in San Diego, if that person is unfamiliar with the highway system, it might take months instead of days to drive there if they do not have a plan or a detailed route outlining what roads to take, ...where to spend the night, ...or even where to eat or fuel up. The same mindset applies to folks who are doing a Model A restoration. Unproductive time in the garage is often spent because the tasks seem overwhelming to the unintiated and when the Restorer walks into their garage, they have no apparent direction and so that person jumps from task to task, --or on different components and nothing ever seems to get finished. .

As a first time restorer I would have paid you for the whole task list. As a matter of fact I still would. My son and I have missed, goofed up, and wasted many many hours that this list could have saved. The fact is that we had no idea what was/is necessary until we started to do the work.

When someone asks my son how much more is there to do the answer he gives is "A lot".

[John/CT]

Les Andrews published a series of step by step "Disassembly" articles in the Summer and Fall, 2007 issues of MODEL A TIMES. The articles rely heavily on references to his books. For a novice like me the articles proved to be a good resource. They helped me disassemble my truck in the correct order and provided a basic outline for the plan that Brent suggested. Unfortunately, Les never completed the reassembly series due to personal problems.

John

[48Ratfink]

I also would pay for the whole task list as i'm sure it would save Me time and money along the way!
Gary stumbling thru a 31 coupe in Opelika!

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

As a first time restorer I would have paid you for the whole task list. As a matter of fact I still would. My son and I have missed, goofed up, and wasted many many hours that this list could have saved. The fact is that we had no idea what was/is necessary until we started to do the work.

When someone asks my son how much more is there to do the answer he gives is "A lot".

[mrtexas]

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Originally Posted by LukeDahlinger

+1

Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks the Les Andrews books are over rated.

An original Parts Price List for the period applicable to your car would be worth having, even if you're not going for fine point.

IMHO the Les Andrews books are the only ones out there with enough practical detail to actually do the work yourself. My copies are well used. They aren't perfect but there are no others I know of as good. I've found a few things left out. The Judging Standards are good but not for how to do mechanical work.

[LukeDahlinger]

Mrtexas-

I never said they were complete crap, just that they are over rated. For the beginner they do offer a source of reference, but I've found better articles in the MARC & MAFCA magazines(or you can buy the "how to restore" series if your shelf space is limited)- which is where Andrews got 95% of the source material for his books.

Now that there are internet forums such as this one, you can get many opinions & methods and look at things from a wider frame of view instead of accepting a single author's writings as gospel.

[Pilotdave]

As a Model A newbie with some mechanical experience, I read Les Andrews, check the Service Bulletins, read on here and talk with my friend who has lots of experience. Yesterday I pulled a rear radius rod out of the car and found two discrepancies with Les's book - but he does offer a step-by-step approach that's been close enough so far! Like many things, I'm not sure there's one right answer here.

[Leathernek]

Thanks guys! I appreciate all the advice!

[Roadster62]

The first step in my opinion is desiding on the degree of restoration, "Fine Point" is one thing, but a good driver, or local show, or AACA National are different levels. Starting with one level and changing your mind half way along to an upgrade is costly in time and money. It used to drive me nuts years ago when someone would put rubber stem tubes in freshly painted wheels only to upgrade to metal stems a month later. Sure, the shop got paid twice, maybe more since you had to be extra careful not to mess up the wheels.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Roadster62

The first step in my opinion is desiding on the degree of restoration, "Fine Point" is one thing, but a good driver, or local show, or AACA National are different levels. Starting with one level and changing your mind half way along to an upgrade is costly in time and money. It used to drive me nuts years ago when someone would put rubber stem tubes in freshly painted wheels only to upgrade to metal stems a month later. Sure, the shop got paid twice, maybe more since you had to be extra careful not to mess up the wheels.

Along the same lines, it really drives me nuts when someone has to do the paint job FIRST, and then does all the mechanicals. It makes no sense at all, but it happens a lot.

[JunkOSC]

No intent to hijack... but, I would purchase a whole task list in a heart beat. What a time saver!! Brent, you ever think of publishing your list?

br,
Tim

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

As a first time restorer I would have paid you for the whole task list. As a matter of fact I still would. My son and I have missed, goofed up, and wasted many many hours that this list could have saved. The fact is that we had no idea what was/is necessary until we started to do the work.

When someone asks my son how much more is there to do the answer he gives is "A lot".

[Leathernek]

Never thought about a task list- sure would like to have one though!

[Bill O'Brien]

Make sure you allocate enough time, time, time! I am just finishing up a partial restoration on my 28 and I am amazed how long it has taken. Mind you we had a baby in the interim and my time has been at a premium.

Ideas.. Check out the Winfield or Snyders high performance heads, Aries muffler (needs to be installed correctly), Snyders Leakless waterpump, Jeg's T-Bolt hose clamps (I could not get the cheap aftermarket hose clamps to work).

Use sealent on your gas fittings!

Best of luck and please start a thread with details and pictures of you restoration!

[Leathernek]

Thanks, man! I sure will!

[Bill O'Brien]

Another idea is to do one step at a time put that away and work on the next step. I.E. Start buying parts.... set them aside. Remove the engine... rebuild it.. set it aside. Remove the Body, do the body work set it aside. (or whatever order you deem to be best) Rebuild the chassis..... then reassemble. Do make a time table of how long you estimate each step, and all of the work involved, will take.

Do not be conservative with your estimates of time.... as an examle I thought it would take a few weekends to remove and replace the head on my 28. Head would not budge... had to buy a head remover. Waited for delivery... One of the studs snapped in the removal process. Had to buy a stud removal kit. Had to learn about how to properly drill the stud out..... add at least 25% to your time estimates. If you come in under your alloted time... great!!!

Also, do an estimate of how much you will spend... how much parts and supplies will cost, how much any work that you cannot do yourself will cost. (add 25% for unseen expenses to be safe)

To learn from my mistakes.... years ago I took apart my 1974 Jeep CJ5 Renegade in my garage with the thought of restoring it myself. (mind you this was pre-web forums!!) Took everything apart! Everything all at once!!

I ended up having a restoration shop restore it and put it back together... got in a bit over my head on that one. It was very expensive but 20+ years later I own one amazing Jeep! Fortunately I had the disposible income to have it done.