OK, here we go: I recently purchased this 1968 Camaro RS (been looking forever). I am going through a restoration (as full as I can do) and aiming for a reliable, good-looking driver. I was told there was no way I could do the whole thing myself, so of course I have to. I am going to take it a small chunk at a time, and have put in SOOOO many hours of research time it ain't even funny. I am going to need a lot of help from you guys. I am also going to try to document the entire restoration in this thread (if I am allowed to keep reposting... is that advisable here?) so that other first timers who come across this thread can read through the whole process (and possibly witness my descent into insanity). That way everyone gets to see the progress and hopefully learn from the mistakes I am sure to make. (If there is a better spot for this than here lemme know)
So to start, the standard "Which way do I go" question. Lemme 'splain... No, takes too long, lemme sum up: Bought the car, got it home, rust was way worse than I had been lead to believe. No prob, was still a good price. Stripped the car (interior, headliner, almost all trim, wiring, vacuum, engine/tranny, hood, header, deck lid, cowl panel, dash, instrument cluster, glove box, inner heater component off). Now I am at that point... to blast or sand, to patch or replace.
rather than waste space here, I have posted a nice image viewer and some detailed pics here: http://www.3dnonsense.com/camaro/
Based on my skill set (I am a network engineer, but work on cars as a hobby. Good with mechanical things, mucked with plenty of chevy V8's, but that's about it), I am aiming at the following plan:
Get MIG135 welder (done)
Practice welding
practice more welding
replace rear quarters (and wells if needed)
prolly new fenders and door shells
blast / sand car to metal in sections, etching and epoxy priming as I go (if I can afford a rotisserie or find someone to blast body then it would be done all at once after rear quarter repair)
replace / patch parts as necessary
blast / sand and coat subframe and susp.(I have heard that a POR-somenumber coating is good for suspension / subframe)
re-assemble and align, body subframe, suspension, body panels
PRACTICE painting (I am almost certain I will be better off with new fenders and door shells, so I plan to use the old ones to practice welding and painting, making sure I can make it look good before working on the car itself)
sand/paint/sand/paint/sand/paint, etc, to clear coat
re-assemble trim and interior, restoring / replacing parts as necessary.
install engine and tranny.
Step 3: PROFIT!
K, now you guys yell at me and tell me what I have wrong. I know i am a noob, but I am a firm believer in not only that the only stupid question is the one not asked, but also that the only bad criticism (or advice) is that which you don't listen to.
So, advice, complaints, order-changes, encouragement, stuff I forgot, (*donations*, hehe), and thanks in advance for all the help and fun times we're sure to have (I promise I'll bring the car to a meet-up for you guys once it's done).
-Mike
So to start, the standard "Which way do I go" question. Lemme 'splain... No, takes too long, lemme sum up: Bought the car, got it home, rust was way worse than I had been lead to believe. No prob, was still a good price. Stripped the car (interior, headliner, almost all trim, wiring, vacuum, engine/tranny, hood, header, deck lid, cowl panel, dash, instrument cluster, glove box, inner heater component off). Now I am at that point... to blast or sand, to patch or replace.
rather than waste space here, I have posted a nice image viewer and some detailed pics here: http://www.3dnonsense.com/camaro/
Based on my skill set (I am a network engineer, but work on cars as a hobby. Good with mechanical things, mucked with plenty of chevy V8's, but that's about it), I am aiming at the following plan:
Get MIG135 welder (done)
Practice welding
practice more welding
replace rear quarters (and wells if needed)
prolly new fenders and door shells
blast / sand car to metal in sections, etching and epoxy priming as I go (if I can afford a rotisserie or find someone to blast body then it would be done all at once after rear quarter repair)
replace / patch parts as necessary
blast / sand and coat subframe and susp.(I have heard that a POR-somenumber coating is good for suspension / subframe)
re-assemble and align, body subframe, suspension, body panels
PRACTICE painting (I am almost certain I will be better off with new fenders and door shells, so I plan to use the old ones to practice welding and painting, making sure I can make it look good before working on the car itself)
sand/paint/sand/paint/sand/paint, etc, to clear coat
re-assemble trim and interior, restoring / replacing parts as necessary.
install engine and tranny.
Step 3: PROFIT!
K, now you guys yell at me and tell me what I have wrong. I know i am a noob, but I am a firm believer in not only that the only stupid question is the one not asked, but also that the only bad criticism (or advice) is that which you don't listen to.
So, advice, complaints, order-changes, encouragement, stuff I forgot, (*donations*, hehe), and thanks in advance for all the help and fun times we're sure to have (I promise I'll bring the car to a meet-up for you guys once it's done).
-Mike
