engine and drivetrain Project restoration procdure order

[Guest Anonymous]

I have bought a project 2002 has been barn stored for 15 years, brakes seized, clutch seized, no exhaust, engine smokes and the usual bodywork rust, front panel, sills, arches etc so which order should I start the resto??

Do I go bodywork or mechanical first ?

[752dbl02]

well, if the brakes are seized along with the clutch, and you have other mechanical issues, i would go with those first.

Who cares if it looks pretty if it doesnt move..

Or, you could do them simultaneously. Most people do this, because body work takes a long time, and you then have time to tinker with all the mechanics.

[Yukon2002]

Hi,

That is kinda a hard question to answer. In my case, I just picked up a 1968 1602 that needs paint, interior, tires, rims, yadda x3 ... last driven (and running) about 2 years ago. So I have changed the oil, new plugs, wires, filters, drained and cleaned the gas tank, etc. Got it running yesterday - next step is to do the brakes and then check out the tranny. Plan is to get it on the road and then decide. It needs a very small bit of rust repair.

Once the car is drivable, I will start to do upgrades abit at a time.

Read the FAQ to get ideas what folks have done - regardless of what it looks like, your first step is to get it running - the smile on your face will follow.

How about post some pics.

Yukon Mike

VIN 1560089

[BLUNT]

it depends on what "restoration" means to you. if youre pulling subframes and going the whole nine yards id take lots of pics and tear it all down so you can do the mechanicals while the body is being done. it might be helpful to spend a few hours on the projects blog page to see what others have done. you can get lots of ideas there. bill williams touring would be a good example if youre going all out. if youre just making a nice driver and arent pulling subframes id do all the mechanicals first so it runs and drives and then worry about cosmetics.

[BillWilliams]

Well - actually the touring was make it run and drive it for six months then go for it.

Build up blog is here: (tear down in a separate blog)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,277829/

P2 was a "find a better body, store it at a friends house without the wife knowing", then move the mechanicals from the rusty car to the newer car cleaning up the parts along the way.

That blog here:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,286338/

[ought2]

Maybe someone can put together a how to for the FAQ entitled: "The Marital Guide to Covert Buying, Selling and Restoration".

[BillWilliams]

(nt)

[JerryC]

I've recently acquired a '62 Comet that's at least running, but the drivetrain is a question. It got where I picked it up under it's own power, but the rear end was total trash.

My plan is 1) to get it drivable - rear end, front seat, brakes 2) fix whatever else needs fixing to make it reliable - cooling system, electrical, windshield seals 3) maybe paint it, depending on how much money I'm into it for 4) sell it for a little more than I've got into it.

Meanwhile, the banks and jobs (potential buyers, that is) have taken a dump so step 4 may be difficult to achieve.

[dubois]

make it a rocket first, the car has to deserve a paint job. No sense to do bodywork and paint on a dog. Work from the inside out. Drive the hell out of the car, before you embark on a rustoration, the car may not even be worthy...I put the emphasis on the mechanicals, when you drive you can't see the paint job anyway!

[c.d.iesel]

STOP !

Before you spend One Dollar on the car,

Take pen and steno-pad in hand and estimate

ALL repairs. Inspect every mm of the body,

top, bottom, under carpets, under back seats,

under trunk boards, up inside dashboard,

under removed fuse box, down inside nose

with grills removed. Try to have a "body" man

take a look at the car with you. Then add the

mechanical list to the body list. A car of this

'sort' will end up needing EVERTHING.

The P.O. sure didn't maintain everything because

the car would be running and drivable now.

Estimate everything ! then ask yourself - "do I feel lucky.

Do I have tons of time?, and about $6,000.oo for starters ? "

please give us some photos

[Mike Self]

her answer is always "Ten, that I know of." So in her eyes I'm already guilty of having more cars. Can't be punished for the same thing twice, can you? Yeah, right--no double jeopardy in marriage? Think again...

mike