where to start

[marks73]

Right on. My old way of thinking was I would look at parts and say hmm..does it make the car faster..handle better..or stop quicker? If it was a no to all 3 it got thrown out haha.

+10 to THAT!!

 

[dealer4]

Matrixx, where did you start? I seem to have the problem of jumping around. Read somewhere else that it would be a good idea to start with the gas tank area. I need to leave the engine in so i can move her around. Also working outside.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

I decided to restore my car from the inside out.

Engine, drive train and chassis first. Then the

interior. Last the minor body work and paint job.

This is a daily driver so the paint can wait.

Like 73 said, concentrate on a system and finish it.

Good Advice!

mike

Same process I've followed Mike. Interior and mechanical is now good to go, last thing I have to tackle is the driver's paint job I currently have. Good thing I waited on the paint job because during all the mechanical work (rebuild engine, new brakes, new suspension, rearend work, etc) the car picked up a few new scratches and dings.

Jim

 

[hyena429]

So I woke my engine from its 4 year slumber only to find the Carb pouring fuel all over the intake manifold so I'm either going to rebuild the Holley or source a new Carb.

So until I get that sorted out what should I begin now? I'm thinking sanding the whole car and getting a good coat of primer on it. I'm going to bring this car back to life by doing all the work myself and I'm pretty good with mechanical and body work just takes me time as I pride myself a lot. My wife forbid me to dip into my savings account to supply parts so I'm trying to keep things fairly cheap for now.

Things on my top priority list.

Fixing the Carb.

Replacing brake components (friend is letting be get the front disc setup from a crashed Mach 1 for basically free so I'm debating on putting cash in the drums)

Body prep,repair,sanding,paint, etc. (Making her look pretty)

Going through all wiring.

Or the dreaded interior. (Really want to save this for last or at least bits at a time because I'm going for a restomod and not sure how custom I want the interior yet)

Thanks for reading.

Ya sounds like your holley gots a stuck float....Happens alot too them....Mite not be anything realy wrong with the carb....I would let it flood out or spray some carb cleaner in there..and lightly tap with a plastic hammer around it...Or a small regular hammer with some cloth wrapped around it.....Tap around the float bowls on the end of the carb....And they should break loose...I done it on holleys that have been sitting waaaay longer than 4 years..And they worked just like new....And then you can get the motor runing with out having to get a new carb right away atleast.

I would work on the heart of the car first if i was you too

 

[Brian Kulis]

I like breaking things into tasks too. I set goals for myself such as 1. redoing the fuel system by October 2012. 2 Rebuilding the engine by March 2013 3. New brake system and tires by May 2013. 4. All mechanical and electrical operational by June 2013 5. body work and ready to paint by September 2013 etc...

I just started my project 2 months ago. I was sick of my 1972 Convertible rotting away in the garage. I started out with the fuel system, cleaning and resealing the tank, new sender unit etc. That project turned out so well that it really motivated me. Next, I turned to the wiring and electrical system to the engine. It was so much fun to install new plugs and change the oil and pour over the catalogs to order new parts such as Voltage Regulators and Radiator Hoses etc.

I have now replaced the plugs and wires, installed a Petronix Ignition and Coil, replaced all of the hoses and vacuum lines. I had to do a lot of detective work with the help of this Forum. My car was missing all of the vacumm line and rats had chewed a lot of the engine wiring.

2 days ago, we cranked my car for the first time in 5 years! It was a beautiful sound even though it did not kick over. It almost started today, hopefully just a minor detail before it fires up. Good luck on your project!

 

[matrixx]

Wow this thread got bumped. Seems like I have come so far since June. I am working outside to the fella a few post up. I went with getting my engine running. New Carb took care of that, she purrs right up on first crank. After that I went went with getting decent tires put on so when I got her moving I wouldn't have to worry about 15 year old dry rotted tires ruining my day. Replaced my fuel tank and sending unit so she is all nice and clean to my new Carb. (Cleaning lines of coarse)

So I sit back and think hmmm. It runs fresh fuel system, good wheels/tires. Drove it around the yard and I hear a god awful (wheels about to come off feeling) turned out the ball joints were completely trash. I found some good deals locally and I got a fender for $75 and thought well I should replace that today and it will make getting to the ball joints really easy.

I found it easy to rate the things that needed to be done on a scale. The less important being bodywork or interior stuff and important stuff would be brakes, running engine, fuel system and safety items needed to be drivable. Once the high priority items get done the rest just seems easy if that makes sense.