54 "restore" - body or interior first?
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54 "restore" - body or interior first?
First off I'm not trying to make a museum piece. It'll be a driver, pure and simple. All the mechanical stuff is done and she runs great. (Changed to EFI, electronic ignition, etc - that's how concerned I am with "original" LOL)
I figured I'd do the interior next, then paint/body - but now I'm rethinking that. This is the first time I've done anything like this at all, so I'm looking for advice.
Which would you tackle next, and why?
I figured I'd do the interior next, then paint/body - but now I'm rethinking that. This is the first time I've done anything like this at all, so I'm looking for advice.
Which would you tackle next, and why?
Frank Ignachuck
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,302
From: Maynard, Massachusetts
I vote for the interior first. I did the seats, carpet, windlace and headliner last winter on my 56 Super 88 and just took my time. Ripping the entire interior out and putting it back together over several weeks of trials and errors gave me an appreciation of how and why my car was put together the way it was.
I like my car more now.
Frank
I like my car more now.
Frank
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My thinking was, when I'm driving it, seeing the interior done would be nice... But someone pointed out today that if you do interior first, it can get dirty/messed up during body and paint work.
Also got to figure out what to do about the dash - paint when doing interior or exterior? Use identical color to exterior or contrast? (Possibly rattle can job on dash?) I know interior window trim probably needs to be sprayed when the body is done.
Also got to figure out what to do about the dash - paint when doing interior or exterior? Use identical color to exterior or contrast? (Possibly rattle can job on dash?) I know interior window trim probably needs to be sprayed when the body is done.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,190
From: Charleston, West Virginia
Paint and body first, interior last, especially if you intend to do inside the doors and door jambs
and if rust work or leakage requires removal of front and/or rear windshields.
and if rust work or leakage requires removal of front and/or rear windshields.
Last edited by 67442nut; Dec 2, 2014 at 05:29 PM.
Proud Viet Nam Veteran
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,796
From: Rowlett, TX
Do the paint and body first. You don't want to mess up the interior when you are doing door jams and the dash. Besides, people won't see the inside when you are driving like they will the exterior so you will get more thumbs up after it is painted. I never get tired of the thumbs up I get.
Phantom Phixer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,497
From: Apopka, FL
Are you doing the work yourself , or farming it out ?
If you are farming it out to a shop , then I would do both at the same time . Pull the seats and door panels and send them to the upholstery shop . And then send the rest of the car to the body shop. Body shops can be agonizingly slow , because your car will sit in the corner while they do regular collision work. Then when things are slow they will work on YOUR car.
Despite what they say when they take the job in.
Put the interior back in when you get it back from the body shop.
If you are farming it out to a shop , then I would do both at the same time . Pull the seats and door panels and send them to the upholstery shop . And then send the rest of the car to the body shop. Body shops can be agonizingly slow , because your car will sit in the corner while they do regular collision work. Then when things are slow they will work on YOUR car.
Despite what they say when they take the job in.
Put the interior back in when you get it back from the body shop.
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From: Poteau, Ok
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Thanks everyone - the more I've thought about it, the more this makes sense.
I would say that now the question is - do I really plan to have it painted? The exterior isn't THAT bad (it's been garaged it's entire life, including the 40+ years it was in storage) --- but who am I kidding? I know I'm going to want it painted, and if I get the interior all prettied up, that's just going to make me want to do the exterior that much more.
I'd also guess that I can save some $$ by removing all of the trim, bumpers, etc before taking it to a body shop. I haven't looked at how it's all attached - nuts on inside of body panels, perhaps? How the heck do you even get to them if that's the case? Time to hit a few body shops for some estimates...
I would say that now the question is - do I really plan to have it painted? The exterior isn't THAT bad (it's been garaged it's entire life, including the 40+ years it was in storage) --- but who am I kidding? I know I'm going to want it painted, and if I get the interior all prettied up, that's just going to make me want to do the exterior that much more.
I'd also guess that I can save some $$ by removing all of the trim, bumpers, etc before taking it to a body shop. I haven't looked at how it's all attached - nuts on inside of body panels, perhaps? How the heck do you even get to them if that's the case? Time to hit a few body shops for some estimates...
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