OK, its not exactly a factory resto but I am performing a general repair and replace and pretty much setting things up the way I want them on my 71 clone, I have done the following already:

Complete 4 wheel power disk brake system
Edelbrock suspension;springs, trailing arms, sway bars, shocks, springs
Completely rebuilt Front end with poly bushings and balljoints,
Steering componants replaced;Steering box,center link, tierods, idler arm
Installed new trans and rear end
Installed 3" exhaust

I wanted to completely do the underside before moving on, the way I see it I have the remaining projects;

Interior
Engine
Paint and Body

So what next? I have $5k in the bank right now, I can do either the interior for $2-2.5k OR, I think I could do the engine (going 496) OR most of the paint and body (fix rust spots and repaint gold with black stripes and black vinyl top, replace body mount bushings)for $5k Right now that is kind of the order I am thinking of going in, Interior, engine then PnB. I would like to know what some of you guys with completed projects did, Or those of you in process like myself. Go in a particular order? Spend the most first? Nothing on the car is really 'BAD' just needs to be cleaned up and made the way I want it.

Thanks,
Don

Personnally I did Paint/Body, Interior, Drive Train in that order (not saying its correct just the greater need). Depending on the costs in your area I'm not sure if $5K would be enough for paint/body, last thing you would want to do is cut corners/costs on the paint and body work and have to respend that money later.

$5K for the engine is about right considering you have already done the tranny and rear to match ... do you have plans to recondition/freshen up the engine compartment before dropping that in? My Motor build was about $4,500 but had ALOT more costs finishing the engine compartment, new wires, hoses, etc ... those parts add up.

I would recommend thinking through everything you need to complete each project and make sure you can follow it through with the funds ... nothing more disappointing then getting stuck or comprimising what you wanted from the start.

The interior would be last, you will see why when you start the body work.

Sheetmetal, mock up, & bodywork first.
Frame/chassis
engine/trans
Block work/Paint
Interior/electrical

Thanks for the advice guys, My only issue with doing the paint and body first is that I have children that ride bikes and scratch the car, and a wife that doesnt understand that every time she dings my car with her freakin' door she is decreasing the value. Although I really WANT to do the PnB first I think I will do the interior then the motor. My goal is to have it completed, Int, eng and PnB in 5 years, that way there is no serious strain on the bank account, since I put in $120 per month plus half of all my bonus money each year, but there is motivation to continue to work on it. Funding sits at about 3k per year to the Chevelle account. Of course if I become unemployed this schedule will change and I will try to get it done by the time I am 50, (43 now).

Thanks for the advice guys, My only issue with doing the paint and body first is that I have children that ride bikes and scratch the car, and a wife that doesnt understand that every time she dings my car with her freakin' door she is decreasing the value.

There are ways to correct that. Kids shouldn't be riding bikes near ANY cars parked or in motion. As for the wife hitting it with her car, tell her to be careful and pay attention and not hit the car..both are getting damaged doing it.

Or you could do what I did. My garage is for the Chevelle and Chevelle related parts ONLY. No bikes, no wifes car, no boxes of junk from the 80's. I gave her the extra bedroom I get the garage. win win :)

There are ways to correct that. Kids shouldn't be riding bikes near ANY cars parked or in motion. As for the wife hitting it with her car, tell her to be careful and pay attention and not hit the car..both are getting damaged doing it.

Three bullets, and a backhoe.

no. 1...Rob bank.

no. 2....restore car

If you already have a plan, why ask what order to do it in? Some of these guys have already tried it your way and found out that it don't work.

If you already have a plan, why ask what order to do it in? Some of these guys have already tried it your way and found out that it don't work.

Because he's a MeatBall. JMO

If you already have a plan, why ask what order to do it in? Some of these guys have already tried it your way and found out that it don't work.

Looking for pros and cons of different paths, didnt say I would necessarily follow anybody elses example.:noway:

Hey Don just havin' a little fun. Good luck with your build.

Interior then out.

Rust never sleeps, so if you have rusty areas that need attention; they should be addressed first to stop the progression.

But you gotta ask yourself Don; If you can't stop having the wife and kids ding and dent your ride, then why bother getting a nice paint job? :wacko:

Rust never sleeps, so if you have rusty areas that need attention; they should be addressed first to stop the progression.

But you gotta ask yourself Don; If you can't stop having the wife and kids ding and dent your ride, then why bother getting a nice paint job? :wacko:

Yeah, thats kind of the dilemma right there.

Yeah, thats kind of the dilemma right there.

Your wife should understand your request to not contact your ride....the kiddies are usually ths issue. Buy some of those 4' x 8' foam insulation boards and make a "corral" to go around the exposed sides of the car. You can even make some wooden feet to hold the panels vertical and then surround the car without anything touching it! :)

1) engine
2) paint
3) interior

I would do the "thrashing" stuff first. You don't want a fresh paint job on the car THEN start pulling and replacing the engine. When you have the engine out you could paint the engine bay, the firewall, fender wells etc. Get it ready for paint at the same time.
Sounds like you want to undercoat the bottom of the car and replace body mounts.More thrashing.
Interior gets in the way when you paint the jams and along the top of the doors etc.
I would hate to have to be that carefull doing all that work with fresh paint on the car!
My car is almost ready for paint. My painter INSIST'S we finish the other stuff first. He wants to drive it into the paint booth. I can't stand it though because it's so close to paint.
Best of luck,don't get in a hurry.

Dont do the paint work before everything else like I did.:sad:

I own an upholstery shop specializing in mid-50's to early 70's GM cars and get asked this very question a LOT. For the more experienced restores, it may seem like a no-brainer. But for the younger generation just getting started, it is a good question. We ALWAYS recommend interior last, even though it sometimes hurts our business. Why would anyone want to be welding, grinding, sanding, and painting on the body after a new $3500 interior has been installed? :noway: Doesn't make sense. Some people will argue that installing an interior after body/paint could result in scratching the new paint. The answer to that is: be careful! In 30+ years of upholstery work, only 1 car has ever left our shop with a scratch in the new paint. That was in the first year of business, before we covered everything up during upholstery. Lesson learned the hard way. :yes: Here is the order we recommend when doing a complete restoration or modification: 1 - ALL mechanical work. 2 - wheels and tires, if custom (you don't want to discover those new tires won't fit the fenderwells after it's painted). 3 - body/paint/rubber/glass. 4 - wiring/plumbing. 5 - upholstery.

As for the wife and kids, maybe the first thing would be a family meeting. If that doesn't work, an investment in a separate locked garage just for that expensive restored car. :thumbsup:

I would say if you still want to enjoy your ride throughout the restoration do the motor first, work out any bugs and get her running good. Next the interior even though you will want to remove all that you do to the inside when you start the outside. Then do the paint and body work, that way it will give you time to train the wife and kids to stay as far away from the car as possible. Good luck.