Didn't you know, I only buy them when they aren't worth buying! And I've
got the parts to prove it <G>.
>
> So where do I start? Collect lots of boxes and margarine tubs and
> take the car apart? Or sell the car to Brad Kahler :-)
>
> Cliff Hansen
> chansen@anr.net
> 1966 TR-4A CTC 64615L
>
> Hi Cliff,
>
> I went through the same thoughts when looking at my 1970 TR6. Fortunately
> (maybe), what I needed to do was made obvious by the basket-case condition
> of the car. I had to replace the floorboards, trunk pan and the battery
> tray, so the body came off the frame.
>
> When starting my first project, I too was clueless on doing body work but
> like you, had enough sense to enroll in the evening body work class at the
> local high school. There too we couldn't leave the car but I ended up
> taking the fenders in one at a time to repair. I practiced my welding on
> their scrap metal such that when it came time for me to do it at home, I
> was fairly accomplished and could do a decent job!
>
> I did all my work in my two-car garage, including the final paint! You
> just need a 50 amp 220 outlet for the welder and compressor. Normal 110
> can handle most everything else!
>
> The one cost that rarely gets mentioned in restoring a car is the tools
> one has to get! I spent (gladly mind you) hundreds of bucks on welders
> (strongly recommend MIG, plus an acetylene unit for cutting and heating),
> compressor, air tools, spray guns, drill press, band saw, tens of hand
> tools, shop lights, wiring, etc. Being sort of a handyman, I love having
> all these new toys - I mean tools - around. JUSTIFICATION ARGUMENT FOR
> WIFE: I use them in doing all the "honey do's" around the house! She
> couldn't understand why I needed all those tools until I built a super
> duper cat shelter in just one day! That settled that!
>
> When you do tear the car down, document everything almost to the point of
> being overly excessive. Take lots of CLOSE-UP photos. Label each body
> part with those wire tags. Put each set of nuts and bolts in little
> baggies and enclose a diagram or note on where they came from. I used
> several nut/bolt organizer trays, plus coffee cans for the bigger items.
> And take your time when disassembling the car to do the above. It's
> really saves you lots of time when you finally get around to putting it
> all back together.
>
> Sounds like fun!
>
> Dave
> San Diego, Ca
> 1970 TR6 PI CP51649
>
>
Brad (Lincoln Nebraska 402-464-1502)
1964 Spitfire4 BFC25720L
1961 TR4 CT288L (To Maine or bust)
1959 TR3A TS41311L (someday)
1959 TR3A TS53523L (parts only)
1966 TR4A (Parts Car)
1951 Dodge Truck 82217766 B-3-B-108
|