Dumb questions but...do you do mechanicals or body first?! which causes less burnout?

Do the mechanical stuff first, do all fit and finish on the body, drive it, work out the bugs, then blow the whole thing apart, and then do paint. Alot of work, but it will show.

 

Bodywork sucks. But I like that part. Get the mechanicals going first so you can at least move it around and stay into the project. If you do bodywork first, you'll give up and hate cars altogether.

 

Do the mechanicals, then you don't have to worry about the paint job. I am rebuilding my T-Bucket mechanicals for the third time and getting ready for a fouth to have everything powder coated, rechromed or polished before I do the paint the body

 

I am of the "it depends on the end product and the starting point" opinion. IF the body is basically good, and you are not embarassed to be seen in it then the mechanicals can come first. If however the body is on a frame (or unit type) and in need of major rebuilding just to hold itself up, then that should be the first order of business. The mechanicals can ALWAYS be rebuilt - the body not so much. so myt answer is it depends. But no matter where you start, do it right and do it well.

 

I pull out my wallet and have someone do it all for me before hand....

 

Mechanicals first man! So you can drive it! Hell YEAH!!!!!

 

I always do everyone else's car, mine never gets done. Lippy

 

With me, it always takes quite a few trial assemblies to get everything to fit, and the stance, and clearances exactly as wanted. Once you know where the wheels have to go, firewall and floor pan mods, where the steering and brake booster fit, and so on.... basic body and basic chassis get done together, a bit of work on each. But once all the unknowns are worked out, I build a rolling chassis and get that perfect, knowing the body will drop straight on and everything will hook right up. No good finding out right at the very end there is nowhere to run the exhaust, or the tires are going to rub somewhere. Everything kind of depends on everything else, so it takes time and a lot of trial fitting to figure everything out, so really it all gets done together.

 

I would start with the bits which require input from others,

so if you need a part custom made by a shop, or have stuff that has to go off for chrome get that stuff underway good and early, because that way you can get on with other stuff while you are waiting for them.
Then the stuff you can do by yourself,
And then last the stuff you can buy of the shelf.

 

On my 50 plymouth wagon, I got the new motor mounts and trans mounts in. Then took them out, and started on the body. Figured when you are making so much dust and dirt, it's easier to just blow everything out at the end of the day. Then pre-fit everything and take apart to paint then put it all back together.

 

I go back and forth between the two. I never bought the instruction manual.

I do love to detail the engine even if it sits on the engine stand for months and months. When I get down I walk over and uncover that pretty engine to restore my spirits. I have restored steering wheels and other "bling" parts long before they are needed for the same reasons.

For me body work is WORK. I have never acquired a taste for it so breaking it up by doing it in stages broken up with fun jobs seems to help with the boredom.

 

Mechanicals make burnouts

Paintwork, despite the appearance of speed, actually adds no horsepower.

Burnouts fix burnout. See how that works? Good luck

 

It really depends on what your goals are. If the project is going to be a frame up build, then it's obvious that it all sort of happens at once since you wouldn't drop a nasty rusty old body on your perfect new frame and drivetrain just to take it for a spin.

Otherwise, get the car sorted out mechanically first and then worry about cosmetics.

 

I kinda move around some..It keeps me interested, and motivated.
I do some mechanical stuff and get things i Know have to be such a way.
Than move on to doing smaler things or body work.
sometimes its due to money., or lack of..and sometimes its what i feel like working on that day.
I like to plan ahead in my mind and time..mock up certain things and than go back to them, when the money isnt rolling , i do the things that dont require much cash

 

Having a running operating body to work on is always best.
If you do the body 1st, you will always have the negative thought in mind that it does not run.
Plus you can move it around, maybe even go out a few times before you are completed.

 

Mechanicals first. How do you do serious fab and mechanical work around finished body work? It's a lot easier to cover a detailed engine than to cover painted fenders while installing everything under the hood. This is a no brainer

 

lI did my Edsel backwards, i got eh body done first, and i regret it everyday. everytime i need to work on it i worry about the paint.

 

The only burnout I know is when the back tires are smoking!

 

Here is how I do it:


1. Do the fabrication

2. Do the body work, but not the paint.

3. Do the mechanicals.

4. Repair the bodywork that was screwed up by the mechanical work,

5. Paint.

6. Try to get the paint overspray off the mechanical work.

7. Drive.

8. Find out what needs to be refabricated.

9. Scratch paint while doing refabricating.

10. Don't touch the damn thing for two years.

11. Buy some aftermarket upholstery and try to put it in and pull the wiring under the dash loose.

12. Take it to a "completion specialist" Stand around and act natural while he fails to give you any firm price.

13....Leave the car with him for 18 months.

14. Go get the car and try to remember what the $1,800 you gave him was for...

Remove the rust

Redo the paint

Do the mechanicals

And so on, and so on.

 

I bounce around , ALOT ! lol. i cant really say the first things i "DO" is ,, as is i do it all the time , This 55 im doing is the farthest gone ride ive ever started on so i prioritised right off the bat , what needed to be done to the car to keep it from getting anyworse. So we started on the floors for obvious reasons and i did the frame after that . Ive been going back and fourth between interior and drivetrain. Ive never built my own interior so im really having fun doing it and i just want to keep going on it . My drive train is going to cost a pretty penny and i just cannot afford it right now .

When i got the car the first thing i did was come up with a game plan . My shop gets to cold in the winter to work in so i make a plan for the spring and summer months and go for it . Last year i got alot more accomplished than what i sat out to do . And i gotta say im impressed with how far it is coming along in the few warm days ive had to work so far this year, So far ive got the steering all hooked up and lookin good , dash area is done , headliner installed , nose is getting hinged this weekend . my goal is to have the interior done and the body sitting in satin black by the end of summer.

My power plant is a punched 396 with a huffer m, th400 and a 12 bolt posi . I have the rear end and will pluck away with int and body this summer and hope for some deals to come along for motor parts , But next summer is my drive train summer and i expect to have it on the road then .

Im the type of guy if i got it runnin and driving first , thats probably as far as it would get lol.

 

Started on the body first because i couldn't afford the mechanical parts.

Ian

 

I would suggest doing mechanical first. I have never claimed to know more than the next guy, but I do know that nobody looks cool pushing their car around...even if the paint job is tits. Plus as mentioned, any time you feel the burnt-outs coming on, you can drive it for that "inspirational boost".