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I read the tech items here on the Bolt years ago. I decided then what I was looking for in the finished product. I have lost my way a couple times but gotten back on the path before too much damage was done. I am trying to get everything on the truck mechanically sound. When this is done, I plan a complete tear down, finish, and rebuild. The present finishes are really just for temporary rust abatement, future color choices, and some personal amusement. Lubrication is minimal and again, really just for rust abatement. Gaskets and fluids are used occasionally. When working on a project, I will purchase replacement rubber, gaskets, etc. but just bag, file, and label them for the final assembly. Maybe I am just getting anxious, as I am ready to see progress that may have been delayed with a “life” ongoing. I am happy with the process and enjoy seeing what I consider positive results toward a goal… but would love to drive her around the block.
I was wondering if you could share your thoughts and ideas on your rebuild(s) and what is, and has, worked for you.
Cavebull

I tore down a 1954 GMC pickup in 2004 for a frame up resto-mod. Within the first year I had the chassis done with a rebuilt engine, transmission, rear end, power front discs, new king pins, re-arched springs, etc. Then came the body work. It is still in my shop awaiting completion.

In the mean time I bought a running '56 Chevy pickup. I improved it a little at a time with it never being down more than a month at a time and usually not that long. I have installed a complete wiring harness, rebuilt the brakes, changed rear axle, installed a new Goodwrench engine, a new seat and more while enjoying driving it between jobs.

I now have the '54 Suburban and am approaching it the same way. Improve it while driving it.

I know there are many people who have torn them completely apart and put them back on the road but it didn't work for me. I breezed through the mechanical work but when I got to the body work, something I had no experience with, I got bored.

Tackling a complete tear down and rebuild is an enormous undertaking. I'd bet that for every 100 vehicles that get torn apart less than 25 get put back together. I'd recommend to anyone who does not have the experience in all phases of the build, buy one running and improve it as you drive.

I'd bet with you.

I'd also bet that out of 100 old trucks that get torn apart and chopped up for a front-end "improvement" less than 10 get put back together.

cavebull, over the years I've learned a few things that work for "ME".
Anyone can tear one apart in a day or two and pile it in the corner. Then it becomes an eyesore and depressing everytime you think about it.
So, now when I tear one apart I fix it as I take it off. I'll admit not EVERY piece but for the most part when I take something off I clean it or blast and prime it and sometimes even paint it. This way I stay motivated and you can always see something "finished" or close to it. If it was weather stripping, radiator or glass ect I follwed this same rule. It still takes as long but you can SEE some progress.
Just this past summer I put parts on my panel that had been purchased as far back as 2006 or 2007. Example, I had purchased the radiator years ago for about $250 and when I put it back in they are almost $400 so some savings also comes in doing it as you tear a vehicle down.

...and last but not least. I try to spend at least 15 minutes EVERDAY (except sunday). If I sit in my lazyboy and look through the vendors catalog and make a list of parts I need then that can count for my 15 minutes that day!!... and I was always ordering the little cheap stuff when the budget would only let me spend "X" number of dollars that week/month.

Cletis, I am definitely not a body man but I had the metal ready for the body man. I had blasted and sanded it all. I would take a magic marker and draw out 12 inch squares on the side of it. It looked like a checker board. Then, 15 minutes a day will sand down or strip a 12 inch section depending on what you use. You'd be surprised what you can do in 30 days. (30 one ft. squares) That is a lot of body work and savings.

Well, I didn't mean to bore you fellows and each of us must figure out what works for your own way but this way keeps you, or me, interested and involved and motivated.
I've heard it said most restorations have an average of 2200 hours. You just decide how you want to do them.

Hope this helps cavebull.

That idea of drawing 12" squares and doing one per day is inspired. I look at things and think they are too massive to start unless I have a whole weekend clear - then I do nothing. Gread idea to get things going.

Excellent advice, Alvin.

Thanks,

Kind of in line with what Mr. Chipmunk said, you gotta break it down to 1,000 small jobs instead of one big one. As a whole, its overwhelming...One at a time, you can do it.

I also take a lot of pictures as I go, when I start to feel discouraged I look back over how much I have got done, the difference from Day Zero, and it usually gives me the little push I need to get back at it with enthusiasm.

Also, I have found that I am wildly optimistic as far as estimating how long any given job will take....It always takes longer, usually MUCH longer, than I anticipate. Don't really have an answer for this, but just being aware of it helps.

Don't be afraid to try stuff you have never done before, almost everything form welding to painting to rebuilding a motor is not as difficult as it seems at first. Its very satidfying to have done it yourself, even if teh results are maybe not quite as good as you would have got farming it out to professionals...

That said, after this truck gets done, it will be a while till I take on a project this ambitious again! My next project will be running and driveable when I bring it home, like Cletis described...

Well anyone that's been around here for more that a handful of years knows how ratty looking my old '50 3/4 ton truck is. I approached it, correctly I might add, the same way as some of the others for the first four years. I didn't do anything that kept it down more than a week or so. All the work was on the mechanicals. Then I made the mistake a year and a half ago to pull everything that had a screw, bolt or rivet in it off from the cowl forward. I’m just now getting it back on the road and that's still without the front fenders.
Planning on the box and doors this winter when I can't drive it anymore but it's gonna be road ready on the first sunny day next spring. Then all that's left is the cab it self which need no metal work, just a good dip in the caustic stuff and some paint. I orta be able to get that done next winter, that is if I live that long.....

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have seriously looked at purchasing another old truck I see from time to time, but always think how far could I be along if I just applied that cash to the 46.
On the ones finished, did you all tear 'em down and complete as you put them back together (100%) or did you do as I, get a complete truck mocked up and then go back with all the finish and details. Hate the idea of having to work around a nice painted body, drill extra holes in it, etc. and even scratching the crap out of it on accident.
Also curious how and what you choose to finish certain ways. I am thinking I might have a "standing accounts" with local blaster, painter, powder coater, etc. Once the girl is mocked up and tore down, drag pieces in order of assembly from place to place and back home for assembly. Ideally drop off something when I pick another up.
I do have a truck bank account (kind of like a saving account) I regularly put money into and that is what I work out of. When it gets low I sell off removed and old parts, trade and such to rebuild a fund to feed the monkey.
Cavebull

For me, there is nothing as motivating as a running, driveable project...and nothing as discouraging or overwhelming as a pile of rusty parts. I try to fix the mechanicals and keep everything up and going with as little down time as possible. Having fun with my truck keeps me motivated, even if it doesn't have shiny paint yet.

When the time is right, I'll tear it back apart and do the paint but only if I have enough time and money to get it finished fairly quickly.

That's a close estimate Alvin. I'm pretty close to finishing and to this point I've got about 2,104 hours actual labor into mine.

I guess I'm one of the 25 that tore the truck apart in short order and then spent 4 and 1/2 years putting her all back together. I also took a lot of photos, putting all the fasteners in little envelopes, getting the manual... I had someone else do the body. In exchange, I did construction work for him. I have the truck on the road but all the interior work needs to be done still. That can wait til this winter when I have time off from work to do it in the shop.

I just finished a T Bucket complete redo.and It was my first auto. I've done a ton of bikes. I dont think it was done 3 weeks and i found my 52 AD. My family think that i have emotional issues,My girlfriend really doesnt like me now.What a pity...

Family??? Girlfriend?? Not to worry... Your emotional issues are well spent. What better than a Stove Bolt to attach yourself to.

I purchased my ’53 almost 2 decades ago as a father and son project. It was someone else’s project that was in rough shape – in my opinion the worst way to start a restoration project. A few weeks into it my son lost interest. A few months later so did I. Fortunately I never sold it; just put it away in the back of the warehouse.

Then I stumbled on the ’65. It was drivable, but in rough shape. My wife agreed to the project as long as it wasn’t another complete restoration. It was ten long months off the road. And then we were driving it before the bed was done.

Once it was almost finished and the bug had taken hold I announced I was going to finish the ’53. Almost a year later and while I can see the finish line, it’s still a long ways off. Once it’s done I have the next project sitting in the driveway (a ’66) that we are driving.

There are pro’s and con’s to buy parts way in advance. The Hurst shifter is now pushed to the back of a shelf and we purchased a new Lokar instead. I have several duplicate and triplicate parts because I can never remember having purchased them before. (Sometime I think they just multiply by themselves when the lights are off.)

My advice would be to restore while you drive, unless you have multiples….

I have a pretty big box full of extra parts I bought forgetting I had bought the same part or had bought the same part in a set. I plan to show up at a swap meet with all this.

Mine was running when I bought it then it belched out a bunch of smoke and has had its motor torn down for about four months since. Hopefully its getting put back together this weekend.

Body-wise, its rough. It needs a new bed, bed sides, cab corners, floor inner/outer cowls, etc. My plan is to keep it running and in good/safe mechanical condition and embrace the visual nastiness until I can afford to pull it apart for body work and maybe a full rebuild of the motor. I enjoy the rustrod/ratrod culture anyways. Maybe this one will stay rough and I'll just buy another nicer survivor later down the road.

Thank you for the ideas and personal insight on your own projects. This helps. I guess I could finish my steering column install, and then take a day or two to add fluids, grease, adjust the brakes a bit, and drive her around the block in all of her cab and frame glory. Other than the column, she is a complete mechanical chassis, just not painted and pretty.
After the steering column, and now possible drive around, I was going to 1) build bed, 2) add fenders and running boards, and then 4) get cab in order. This would be a somewhat drivable stage while I get all cab mechanicals good and in order.
Cavebull

Sounds like a plan...

Take it apart piece by piece, take pictures so you know how everything fits back together. I do all the prep work as I take it apart. This allows me to order the parts as I see things that need replacing. Keep a note book of ordered parts, compare the new to old to check that the new is correct.I tape the new and old together , ziplock bags , sacks and small boxes work well. Lable them for easy identification when reassembly. This makes many small jobs. Keep the log up to date and make notes for future activity. Do not throw anything away until the reassembly is complete.
Eat the elephant one bite at a time, they are hard to swallow whole!

Great advice here. I'm hoping to approach mine similar to what Cletis did...drive it during the summer and work on it one area at a time in the winter. I just recently fired up the '53 and it's moving under its own power, taking some short drives. It's running good but I now hear a screeching sound coming from the fan pulley/water pump region so it's not quite ready for prime time yet.

Wow, it is good to here how so many face the same hurdles as me. I've worried so much about something I have plenned at 5 o'clock in the evening that I never accomplish anything the whole day. did find it inspires me more to keep it in running order as much as possible. This way I can drive it around the block every so often, helps me get 'round to-it