I bought my 68 camaro about one or two months ago and finally have enough money to start doing stuff. I really just need to know where to start.There is not a place on the car that probably will not need to be restored. I was thinking starting on the undercarriage and then work my way to suspension, brakes, wiring/electrical, rear end, body work, paint, glass, interior, then motor and tranny. This is the first car that I have restored and I am very excited, due to it being my dream car. Right now I have about $3,000 saved and need to know what to do. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Dustin

http://OklahomaSpeed.com/pics/68 camaro 003.jpg
http://OklahomaSpeed.com/pics/68 camaro 001.jpg
http://OklahomaSpeed.com/pics/68 camaro 004.jpg

keep saving :)

keep saving :)

awww... be nice...

Mostly depends on how much you really want to do to it... Will you tear it down to nothing and put it back together? do you want to be able to drive it anytime soon? How much of the work can / will you do yourself? How good do you want i to be? What are your plans for the car, stock resto? Mild to wild "restified"? Cruiser? Show car? Driver? garage queen? Pro Tour?

a: Take i completely apart, and rework every lil bit to new, starting with the naked body shell (2-10 years, 20-50,000 dollars...the faster you can spend the money, the sooner it will be done.)

b: Safety items first, suspension, brakes, electrical
Drivetrain
body and paint
interior

a= keep saving
b=could get you rumbling down the road in primer in a few months...

i meant it to be nice. see the :)


i took my car into my shop and tore it all the way down. it will take me 1-1.5 years to finish it. my goal is a mint PT car.

awww... be nice...

Mostly depends on how much you really want to do to it... Will you tear it down to nothing and put it back together? do you want to be able to drive it anytime soon? How much of the work can / will you do yourself? How good do you want i to be? What are your plans for the car, stock resto? Mild to wild "restified"? Cruiser? Show car? Driver? garage queen? Pro Tour?

a: Take i completely apart, and rework every lil bit to new, starting with the naked body shell (2-10 years, 20-50,000 dollars...the faster you can spend the money, the sooner it will be done.)

b: Safety items first, suspension, brakes, electrical
Drivetrain
body and paint
interior

a= keep saving
b=could get you rumbling down the road in primer in a few months...

I going to be patient, and go with your plan A and take my time and do it right and have no regrets. As for saving money I think that saving $3,000 in about 2 months with just getting married, buying the car, paying for my college tuition and my wifes, and saving the money w/o pulling out loans or charging credit cards is pretty good. The money issue will be a whole lot better in a year when I graduate.

So where do I start, the undercarraige?

Thanks Dustin

Looks for some recent posts by "buckmiz" He's recently stripped his car to dust, mounted it on a rotiserie, and had it media blasted to remove all traces of paint, rust, and old bodywork. He's currently priming the undercarraige and interior. From there, he'll work over all the sub-aasemblies, then re-assemble for test fit, take it apart again, paint and finish, then final assemble.

Lots of boxes and ziplock bags, label all the parts and fasteners, include "before" pics so you can remember how everything goes together down the road.

Fist thing to do would be to get an Assembly manual, Fisher Body manual, and chassis service manual.

Just got married? You didnt mention that in your first post! Does your wife know you have a new girlfriend that was born in '68?

The new marriage MAY delay the ability to raise proper funds in a timely fashion. For some reason (I dont know why), women think curtains are more important than a new tranny!

On a serious note, your pics didnt come through on the post on my end so I dont know what is your starting point. But I would think 3K is a good start. I have about 30K in mine and it wasnt rusted! I havent even painted it yet!

Dustin: I am about through with a frame off restoration of a 69. I had a small but very competent body shop do the paint and body work. I did most of the tear-down and reassembly. I spend half my time trying to run down parts that were taken off the car, especially fasteners. I did not do a good job of bagging and categorizing these parts. I also should have used a digital camera (which I have) to photograph the assemblies before I took them off. Next time I will do better.
The Factory Assembly Manual (available from most Camaro parts vendors) has been an absolute life saver for me. The Fisher Body Manual has also been helpful but not like the FAM. You will think you can remember how things go back together but after about a year you will not be able to remember clearly and these manuals will be most helpful (at least they are to me.)
Good luck. I have had a great time doing this.
Mike

Dustin : first wecome, second congrats on getting your 68, i laugh at Satistractions first post its true .i bought my 67 coupe in 1975 i was 19 in the army. it was my daily driver. marrage two daughter a house later my 67 became a weekend good weather car. i had a car budget at that time it was $300.00 a year.i never could keep it that low.so over the years i did just enough to keep it nice enough to take it to cruse nights in 1980 we painted it.cost $1800.00 that was just to paint over not strip.after that the budget went slowly up to $1000.00 by year 1996 that year i put a temp engine in my orig eng is still in the back of the garage .2003 i removed frame to rear.end redid everthing bushing bearing what i didnt have to replace i rebuilt since then i have been collecting parts last year i disassembled all sheet metal in the preperation to strip and paint and thru a friend i found i guy who loves to do camaros he gave me a price to strip do the body work and paint that i cant do for myself so hes had it since nov and i exspect to get it back in the next week or two. but the bottom line is i have every reciep in a folder a few weeks ago i added them up with this paint job included the total was just over $30,000.00 and that may sound like a lot and it is all at once but spread out over 30 years that still adverages a $1000.00 a year and in the past year with recrome , new parts and the paint its the bigest chunk at about $15000.00 so keep saving get a budget.and most important take your time if your going to do it do it right and do it right the first time tony

Ya, I'm very lucky my wife is very supportive about the rebuild issue as long as I give here a couple hundred here and there for occasional shopping. :thumbsup: She knew what she was getting into, we dated for about 4.5 yrs before getting married and I've always been buy and doing stuff to my cars. I do agree a budget is a big part of the build. Thanks for everyones comments and suggestions. It is good to know that alot of guys have been were I'm at know what I'm going through. I just would like to do everything myself, so it will be exactly how I picture it.

Thanks again everyone,
Dustin
and feel free to keep posting with opinions and suggestions.

You make it sound so easy...

lots of pictures - get a digital camera if you don't have one and you can just burn them to cd for safe keeping or post them to a free web hosting site.
baggies or old coffee cans. make sure when you label them, that you use something that will not rub off or fade. They may be in there awhile. :D
manuals like other have stated
read, read and then read some more.
oh, and always ignore Jim's post... :p
take your time and do it right...
if you get burned out... take a break for a few weeks/months/years :) ... but keep at it.
and the money thing... make alot of it... you'll need it... :o
Now if I'll only listen to my on advice. I also have meet and talked to a few local TC members. It is great to hear their ideas and input.

Are we having fun yet...

Looks for some recent posts by "buckmiz" He's recently stripped his car to dust, mounted it on a rotiserie, and had it media blasted to remove all traces of paint, rust, and old bodywork. He's currently priming the undercarraige and interior. From there, he'll work over all the sub-aasemblies, then re-assemble for test fit, take it apart again, paint and finish, then final assemble.

Lots of boxes and ziplock bags, label all the parts and fasteners, include "before" pics so you can remember how everything goes together down the road.

Fist thing to do would be to get an Assembly manual, Fisher Body manual, and chassis service manual.

oh, and always ignore Jim's post... :p

ROTFLMFA..... Can I have a ride in your Camaro swing, Buckmiester?

WHEEEE!!!