How to start off on a project 1969 Camaro?

[monmon030791]

Anyone with IDEAS? Should I media blast the chassis and the body and paint it and do engine work and brakes power steering and the whole shabam or should I do motor work first than chassis and body? Someone with some good IDEAS please post it here so I can get an IDEA of what to do!

[69Camaro]

I'm in the same boat with mine.... While my car is not currently a driver, I am debating the strip it by hand as I go method, or the full media blast and rotissery route. Or do I sell my currently rough but complete non driving car and by a driver that I can enjoy during the summer and wrench on inthe winter. The rotissery route will no doubt cost me more since I will build my dream car and likely only use the "best" parts (subject to personal opinion). While a driver I would be doing only the upgrades I could afford and finish during a 6 month period....

Personally I'm leaning to the full rotissery build even though it may take longer and cost more, simply because the car would be of a higher caliber when finished...

I guess if it were me, I would be doing the body and chassis first, then building the drivetrain and doing all the fitment and assembly, then once I was satisfied with the build-up and fitment, I would then tear it back apart for paint.

[monmon030791]

Thats a good idea thanks anymore ideas anyone?

[awr68]

It depends on how far you want to go with the car. Doing a full tare down and rebuild takes a lot of time and money! You have to stay focused for sometimes years!

If you are up to it I would tare it all down, strip the old paint so you know what rust/damage there is to fix and do so before making any mods, ie, mini-tubs, sub-frame connectors, ect. Then mock up as much of the car as possible including drive train. Tare it down again. Body and paint is next. Final assembly and working out the bugs of a totally rebuilt custom car.

Or, you can take a driver and make changes as you enjoy the car.

Either way works, you just have to understand what works best for you and go from there!

[Moose]

Originally Posted by awr68

Or, you can take a driver and make changes as you enjoy the car.

This is the way I went.. car really doesnt have any rust at all, but the paint is old and needs to be stripped and redone when I get the money.

For now, I'm doing the parts that are in bad shape and upgrading them to What I want. I will say, if you think it may a little to much, think about the future and if you will have to redo it again or not. I spent the extra money on things so they are done right the first time.

There are a lot of people here that are helpful. I've always been pointed in the right direction when I ask my dumb questions.

[Musclerodz]

Start with a budget and see if what you want will fit inside your budget. More often than not, build costs on these cars can go way over if a budget is not in place.

[Efi69Cam]

a budget and a plan. I wish I had started with one myself. I've made changes and sold parts before I used them. Don't compromise your plan for budget either, you can always save up for exactly what you want, and it will be cheaper that way.

[ProdigyCustoms]

That is a great question and as the others have said, budget is important, schedule is important also. What to do first will depend on weather you want to blow it all apart and do everything or if you want to pick at it a little at a time and keep it running and driving.

Feel free to call, we do quite a bit of project planning for forum members.

[Stuart Adams]

Get the body done first before you just start buying parts. Solid, straight camaro bodies are hard to find if you needed to sell. It's the foundation for all that comes next. You will never know what is truly under the paint until it's stripped.