The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk In Restorations, how do you keep on track?

I've done some successful restorations, but they happened before I had kids. Now, it seems the trucks are always the last priority.

What do you do to ensure you keep moving forward on your project?

Can you post a link to a "blood for sale" forum? I'd find that very helpful.

one bolt at a time... or one dent... or one rust spot.. nickle and dime it to completion.

Likw Rusty said, one dent at a time. Go out to the garage, grab a brew or a cup of coffee, sit down and make a list of what you want to get done. And then tape it to the window of the truck. You'll get there, just don't let it overwhelm you. Consider it therapy.
Tramp

1. Do one panel at a time...Don't go to another panel until You
are satisfied completely with the first one...

2. If something is not going right, lock up shop and quit for that
day, before You fall further behind...

3. If You are not sure, ask someone that has been there,done that
and by that I mean another stovebolter... Bill B

Yup ............. have been working on a 1946 Chev. Fire truck for the past three years. Do it as time and money allows. I have been keeping a log on the dates & what money I spend I have spent so far. I just looked back today and found that there are weeks and even a month or two where very little activity took place. If you get sick of the project just walk away from it for a day/week or two and you'll find when you come back to it you will have renewed intrest and the work is less demanding that way. I am almost ready for paint and when that happens I'll be more than half way and then the end result will be worth working for.

Baby steps. The biggest lesson is take as much time as possible and like Bill above says if you get frustrated just put your tools away, nice and orderly, and go away. Suprisingly enough the next time you approach the issue it has a way of falling together. (Most of the time) I am keeping a journal of the chores to do and the progress on each. I document it with digital photos. All notes and lists and names and phone numbers and business card are all in the journal. It seems like lots of extra work but it really makes a difference. At any given time I can look in the journal (a 3 ring binder) and know what the next step is. Start with a small spiral note book and then graduate up to the binder.

For those of us that work full time, and have a family, it just takes a little longer.

If you are short on both money and time, I would wait on the big items and work on the small stuff first. If you try and take on something too big, you could get discouraged.

Just put one step ahead of the other, again, and again, and before you know it you have gone several miles.

John

Spend quality time with the kids. Trust me - they grow up quickly and you only get one chance with them. My kids are in college, so I have plenty of time. No money, but plenty of time!

I have done several restorations now, and I find they're easier if I don't strip the car/truck into any more parts than I have to for the job that I'm doing at the time.

I know that some people take a vehicle and strip it to the last nut and bolt before performing a perfect restoration, but there are probably a hundred vehicles that remain in pieces for every one that gets rebuilt from a pile of component parts.

It's difficult not to get daunted by the size of the task when there's little or no progress to see. Do it a piece at a time and delight in the nice truck that's taking shape in front of you. Good luck with your next project.

I would agree 100% with breaking it down to small bites. And there is just one thing I want to add to what's been said. Something I learned about myself a long time ago was that you need to do something every day, and I stress the every day part. No matter if it's just sitting with a cup O' coffee and planing what to do next, or changing a light bulb it keeps your interest up. If ya skip a day then a week and month the project will never get done.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I think all the answers above are correct. Your restoration should fit your schedule. For some it means one task at a time, others tear it completely apart, some never finish, some end up with a bunch of parts. Your family, your work, your retirement, your finances all dictate your progress. I want to have fun! I spent too many nights wrenching to the wee hours just to get to work the next day. I try to visit my garage everyday. If I don't want to get dirty, I putz with something small. Other days I get filthy. Sometimes I just have a cold one! Enjoy your truck! Most importantly do what you feel is right for you.
Dan

Chev4t6: Great advice. If it isn't fun, then don't do it that day...There is always another day to work on the truck.

There are always different ways to go about it. I took mine completety apart. Bagging and taggin the items as i went along. As well I made a list of items that needed to be repaired or replaced as the tear down was in process. I have about 3 maybe 4 weeks into my truck. I have the body work over 60% done now I have the frame painted. I do work on one item at a time, like the cab at this present time. Once it is done I will fix the hood. I keep a list if items that I need to get to keep the work moving forward. PLANNING AND MORE PLANNING is what works for me.

For me my time is in short supply running my own shop during the day and then time for my son and wife, then the truck. I have seen where guys end up spening double the time as they did not want to take is completely apart, and have to do double the work. OR end up missing something that after paint cannot be easily fixed. With taking it completely apart you are limited on knowing what you really have. Hence the reason I blasted my truck to bare metal, and pulled it off the frame.

Or you can go the way that so do. Drop it off at a shop and only write the checks. In the end I will have more into mine knowing that it is done right vs having some one else make a choice for me.

It keeps me on the ground and sane as i build custom high performance harleys for a living. This is my down time to relax.

Speaking of children, restoration work can be a great way to spend time with the kids. Get them involved in both turning the wrenches and in decisions that need to be made. My son and I, when he is home from college and not in bed sleeping, work on our (his) truck;. On the other hand my wife would help out only if the truck was parked at the mall.

My kids are still too young (3 year old, 19 months, and 6 months.) All three are girls, but all three will be out wrenching in the shop as soon as they're old enough.

I did it a few ways mentioned and the written list on the window was best for body on restorations. I did it taking one part off at a time restoring that part and proceed to the next. That way when its all disassemble you ready to reassemble with restored or all the hard work done. I keep a book with dates, dollars spent, work performed and hours spent. Its nice when you are frustrated to look back and say, "I remember being there and never thought I would be here". I agree I always spent the time or at least some time(1 hour minium)in the garage, even if it was to clean up...nothing like working in a clean garage to motivate you. Sometimes being away too long will causes some to loose interest. When it comes to the kid's though,never loose a priceless moment, the truck ain't worth it and if you can get them to help , its even better. Just my opinion.

I've got most reciepts in a file. I've never added them up. I like the fishing analogy.

I have been restoring my truck for over 7 years! I think many that start a first time restoration like mine just end up with a pile of parts. When I started i committed to myself that that would not happen with mine.

I go in spurts but as many said above, money, time and my interest in working on it at the time dictates what I get done. There are weeks and months that go by in between what I have come to call "truck Days" I will typically just work on smaller things I can accomplish here and there then will let my wife and kids know that dad is going to have a "truck day" or two when I have to hit some big things. I also read this web page about 3-4x per week and look for parts on e-bay everyday. I have without a doubt spent more time reading about these trucks and searching e-bay than I have on the truck. While not coming even close to what I have spent, I have also found that buying and selling certain things on e-bay can help fund the restoration.

I also started a web page to document the restoration and help others doing the same down the road. I have purchased things that I know i will eventually need during sales (particularly the good end of the year sales we see from Jim Carter's). I have been doing this for 7+years and the parts are all stored and ready to go. This helps so that when i get back to putting things together, it will go quick and it wont "seem" like I spent a lot of money. Keep receipts and track it but NEVER add it up. I have and it is not pretty!!!

SHERIDAN,

I saw your photo restoration and it is looking GREAT!!! Buddy your almost home. I found I had a "second wind" once the frame was completly assembled and rolling, your already there.

My Mother always said "the job reflects the person who did it". Your time and patience are reflected in your work. NICE JOB!

Dave

I once, as a kid, knew an older gent who used a hanger with plently of room for auto restoration. He would start dissemble always with the hood,place it on the floor and mark it,#1. He would mark all the pices as removed. When he got to the last piece he would restore that part and work his way back to number one restoring each part as removed. He said that way he knew how far he was at a glance without thinking what was next. I remember I would ask him a question like," do you know anything about a carb off a 1932 Chrysler". He always answered, "a little bit". He never seemed to not have an answer and was always correct. Once I tried to trick him up a bit by asking him something other then auto related, so I asked him,"how come Easter is in March and sometimes in April"...He proceeded to tell me the entire EQUINOX process. Great guy , I miss him, sorry for rambling on here.

Thanks for the nice comments..... these keep you going too!