Hi all,

I've never done a complete restoration before, so I have questions about the sequence. In which order should the restoration go - chassis, engine/trans, body and paint, then interior? Or should body work and paint be done first?

Car is a base 67 Camaro. I am going to be replacing the engine, trans, rear end, and brakes.

Thanks!

I think the general consensus is to wait to do the body work and paint last, that we you aren't scratching up your new paint when you're doing the engine or interior.

I think the general consensus is to wait to do the body work and paint last, that we you aren't scratching up your new paint when you're doing the engine or interior.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking too, but wanted to be sure. Wasn't sure if the body shop would screw up the interior, or the shiny new engine and chassis parts.

I searched these out for you, I don't know who has the best answer, but here it is, probably a toss up.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74332&highlight=order+restoration

Rob

If you do the mechanical work first, take the time to caccoon (sp) your engine bay, and everything else you don't want to re-detail after paint.....ask me how I know!!
When I got my car back, the paint was beautiful, but the clear overspray was everywhere inside the engine bay, and left a dull film on everything. It looked like oily residue, but could not be cleaned off. When I yanked my old 427 to install my CE motor, I taped of everything, and repainted the engine bay.

I have removed 2 engines after paint, and reinstalled one, and have yet to scratch the body. (did crack my b/b a/c box on the last pull, but that was just carelessness...not watching closely enough. The rear engine lift bracket that was just there for show, cracked it. Not bad enough search out another evaporator box, but I'll always notice it!!

I asked this question a little while back and was told to do my underbody and firewall work first, then get the car body in primer, then pull the frame and paint it. At that point I think I would get the car painted and put the engine in last. As long as you really go through the pain to tape everything up, you can go in whatever order you want...but you really have to watch out for overspray.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking too, but wanted to be sure. Wasn't sure if the body shop would screw up the interior, or the shiny new engine and chassis parts.
Always work from the ground up (hence the term ground up restoration) the last thing you want to do is get shiny new quarter panels all scratched and dinged from hanging them.

Going against the perceived consensus, for a total, "frame off", pro-type resto I like to do the exterior body work & paint first followed by engine compartment, frame, suspension, engine & lastly interior. Most pros (Foose, Boyd, Troy, etc) I've seen do their restos in this general order as well.

Reason is that there's nothing worse than having every nook & cranny of a totally detailed frame, suspension & engine/compartment totally coated with polishing compound, dust, overspray, etc. No matter how hard you try, you'll never get the dusted areas totally clean unless you disassemble the car.

One thing I can guarantee is that, with the exception of possibly the mega-buck shops, most body shops WILL "screw up" the detailed areas especially the engine compartment. Even if they try to protect it, it probably will be a feeble attempt because they know it's virtually impossible to contain dust in a body shop.

IMO ... if you take the time to protect the paint & panels you're working around and be very deliberate in assembling the car, the paint first method results in the highest quality resto.

Good luck!

bingo thats the correct way to to it. i paint all the cars we do in seperate pieces to avoid tape lines also.

I like to do the exterior body work & paint first followed by engine compartment, frame, suspension, engine & lastly interior. Most pros (Foose, Boyd, Troy, etc) I've seen do their restos in this general order as well.

Reason is that there's nothing worse than having every nook & cranny of a totally detailed frame, suspension & engine/compartment totally coated with polishing compound, dust, overspray, etc. No matter how hard you try, you'll never get the dusted areas totally clean unless you disassemble the car.


Good luck!

This the order that I went with too, and so far seems to working out ok. Just take your time and ask a lot of questions. Good Luck :beers:

Heres our process:

Strip and gut the car completely. Send the shell out to paint/body. While that is being done, all the chassis/driveline components are restored, as well as all the other parts for the car.

Once the paint is done, including the cut/buff, then the chassis goes back under the body. The wetsanding and buffing creates a huge mess, so nothing is attached back onto the body shell until that process is finished. By that time, everything else is finished and the car is ready for re-assembly. :thumbsup:

Agree with Dave that all the wet sanding and buffing should be done with the car in pieces if possible -- that's what I did (and am still doing!) with mine to prevent all the mess that you need to go back and clean up -- reassembly is much easier