Hello all. I'm a new member living in Alabama (originally from the Motor City...although that was many moves ago). I need some advice about where to begin on a restoration. A few years ago I got the bug to get a car and restore it (I grew up in a body shop with an entire family of mechanics, including my dad). It was probably a mid-life crisis thing but also an opportunity to have a family project I could work on with the kids. I fell in love with the 60 Ford Starliner and after a few attempts located an all original relatively rust free car that had been sitting for about 30 years in the desert southwest. The car has a 390 V8 with power steering and is an automatic. It was originally Aquamarine with matching interior (although as you can see in the image that color is long gone). I bought the car with the plan to do a total "slow" restoration as I can tackle most of the work myself but have a full time job and a busy family. Since getting the car I have gutted the interior (with the help of my oldest daughter) and removed a few items and have amassed lots of NOS and used parts (including bucket seats out of a 63 Marauder). When I got the car it was driveable (it was about 5 miles from the semi to my house) but since it's developed a number of leaks (oil, coolant, trans) probably due to 50+ year old gaskets. So at this point I'm not really sure where to begin. Since gutting the interior I have hit a standstill. I thought about getting the engine done but the folks who can do that sort of work seem few are far between here in the deep south. Also, I would have to have someone come and pull the engine and take it somewhere to be done. I could also finish dismantling it, but worry about parts getting damaged (especially trim). So for now it sits. Any suggestions for things to do next? The biggest issue right now is that we are hoping to move in the next year or so (probably out of state), and I need to keep that in mind. There is no way I could drive it anywhere even if the motor was restored. I really want to work on it but seem stuck on what to do next.
I have always found it handy to just sit and write out a list of what needs to be done, then put a REAL WORLD timeline next to each thing on the list... if any one thing is going to take more than a day to get done, i turn around and break that thing down into one day tasks whenever possible and put a parts cost next to it. All projects come down to two things, time and money. If you have the money, you can find someone to take the time and if you don't have the money then you have to make the time... otherwise.. it just sits and looks at you for the rest of your life. I just did such a list on my '67 fairlane and now I think September is a realistic timeline for the work and money required. ~ It may depress you, or it may cheer you up but the sooner you get a real list made up, the sooner you can make a plan.
Where are you in Alabama? I have a brother there, also from Mi., who could help with that if you're nearby.
I've got a budget in my head but want to work on as much as I reasonably can. The time part is no big deal (I figure 3-5 years given how little I can actually work on it). The issue is finding something productive to do in a couple hours a week (about all I have to spare). I think disassembling is probably the best route but would like to feel more productive.
If we were in the north (of AL) I wouldn't worry about finding guys to take the work to. I've had no luck with any engine places down here.
Hi Don, good intro. Brace yourself. On this forum expect a lot of different answers. Having done several "ground up" restorations, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. Briefly, this is the way I do it. I start by removing the engine/trans and basically everything under the hood. Bag and label ALL nuts/bolts/brackets. Store all your parts in a secure dry storage. Next I do all required work underneath the car, clean as needed and repair any rust, replace body mounts, repair/upgrade suspension, brakes, brake lines, etc. When you're finished with that.......remove all your trim, front and rear glass and bumpers. NEXT....strip every last vestige of old paint from all areas that will be refinished. Then a really good cleaning and a coat of etching primer, followed by two coats of epoxy sealer. Then.......cut out and replace any rusted out areas with new metal, prime and seal as necessary. Repair any dents/dings. Prime with a good high build primer, block sand, clean, clean, clean............seal again and THEN paint. Wet sand and buff, buff, buff...... Polish all trim, rechrome as needed and then re-install glass, trim and bumpers, etc. Now you're ready for wiring and interior work....... Unless you plan to do the work yourself, about 3 months before you think you'll be ready to re-install engine and trans take them to a reputable mech. for a once over. Overhaul as necessary. DON'T CUT ANY CORNERS! If you complete the above list (I'm sure I didn't include everything) you'll have a fine car that you can enjoy for many years.
Removing the engine worries me the most at this point, as if we move them I have to move the engine separate from the car. I thought about working on the interior floor (I've gutted it down to the metal and thought about sanding, priming, and soundproofing).
You gotta start sometime,,engine hoist can be purchased for around 200 bucks and some rental company's rent them out by the day,week or month. Pulling the engine is no big deal,,your daughter can help. Basically you need to get it running and address the brakes,hoses and odds and ends,,the longer it sits the more likely you will never do anything with the car. HRP
Probably makes the most sense at this point. If we were settled for the long haul I'd probably take it out but having to account for it in a move and having it underfoot in the garage probably is not best right now.
I have always started where it was most convenient or possible. So, don't start with the engine if that's not your thing. How about the interior? Getting new Upholstry and carpet will make the inside look like a million bucks. That'll get you charged up to keep going. When I decide on an area to work on, then I make a plan to get there from here. For instance, I want to fix up the interior on my tbird. It needs door and window work, and carpet and front seats redone. It also needs the steering column worked on. Front seats need to be out to do the steering column work. And once the seats are out, the carpet is easier to get at. So I am starting with the front seats. That is the critical path item, as it will help with other jobs, or keep them from getting started. Breaking big projects down to little jobs is what keeps me from being overwhelming, and helps keep me focused. Best of luck to you.
There is lots of Ford talent around Pensacola. Jesse Holmes owns an engine balance shop, and he is an FE Guru. Don't know if he does total builds, but he could certainly send you to the right people. JC Johnson is also in the area and has a fine fleet of Fords (including a Starliner I believe) and will know where to go for anything you need. I have never met him but there is a gentleman Willie D. Smith who has and knows all things Ford. I think maybe some of his family runs the shop. I don't have phone #'s handy but you can look them up. Or let me know and I will dig them up. You will not go wrong with either of these guys.
I live by Willey D Smith In Milton his son Lyle is running the machine shop went by there a weak ago where might you be moving to
before you pull anything off, take lots and lots and lots of photos. even of silly things like how the hood hinges are placed,where the wiring is run etc. Better yet...take a video of it all and try to catch all the details. Many a good man has forgotten where and how things go...trust me on this one! and then take MORE photos as you disassemble things!!
Don't know quite yet (odd I know). We are trying to solve a terrible commuting problem and need two jobs in the same state. We're both very specialized in terms of jobs so there's not a lot of options.
Agreed! I've already done that with the interior and have bagged and labeled everything. I also have an original shop manual which has been invaluable for showing how to disassemble things. The two front fenders both have holes at the bottom along the wheel well. I've got solid replacements and am thinking one good task is to remove the old ones and put on the new ones although in the process several of the fender nuts have some free (and of course they are in hard to reach places). Any advice on how to get those off? Does it make sense to put the new ones on?
Perfect. Go do that first. Then when it's done, post pics and we'll pick the next thing. If you have to move this car around sometime in the near future, I would vote against any kind of disassembly. Just do one thing at a time, doesn't even really matter what it is. Once you get a bunch of necessary things done, you'll be able to narrow it down to a smaller list and prioritize. Blowing a car totally apart without a plan is what kills the most projects, in my opinion. Great looking car too, the '60 Starliner, a personal favorite. Now go pick one thing, ANYTHING, that you know how to do and that doesn't involve taking things further apart, and go do it.
Perfect second task to do after you do those floors. You'll have to get up underneath with a vice grips to keep the free'd cage nuts from turning. When you re-install the new fenders, you'll want to re-weld those nuts in place. That way, even if you end up having to pull the front fenders back off for some reason, they'll come off nice. There, you've got items one and two on your list already! Now go accomplish those things, post pics of the progress, and we'll help you pick out the next couple of things to do. Baby steps!
OK, I too think the interior is the way to go (it also keeps the work from spreading around the garage too much). Here are some of the Before shots when I got the car (the desert sun took it's toll, and the headliner dropped into the back seat). The last three are some shots of our progress and my oldest daughter (7 at the time) gutting it. Fortunately no rust in the floor pans!
One bit of advice. Take plenty of photos before and during dis-assembly. Bag and mark all parts (try to link them to the photos you have taken). Group bagged parts into larger boxes and mark them as well. I think I read recently, there are over 4000 pcs to a car. Take my word for it you may think you can identify pcs now. I a few months the removed auto parts may not look familiar to you. my .02 Good luck. BTW purchase a good factory chassis (assembly) manual.
Well after about 5 hours of actual work I finally got both fenders off! It would have went a tad faster but I think about 75% of the nuts broke and many were caged. Now that the fenders are off I can see I have some significant rot on the core support, so off to find a replacement. I have replacement rust free fenders but need to wait on the core support first. I'll try and post more photos as I go.
For the engine (I do my own ) but for you look up Jasper Engines. They will do an exchange and I'm sure they must have a distributor close enough to deliver it to you.
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