Project Charger. Larry Lyles
sure the vehicles I am scavenging are not marked for crushing. If they are, I pick the carcasses clean of anything I might need before the crusher shows up.
Master Checklist
The next item in the file folder should be the master checklist. Compiling this list is a little more involved. I purchase a couple of loose-leaf notebooks, a package of ruled paper, and about one hundred pages of photo keepers. The photo keepers allow me to photographically record the entire restoration in chronological order, which helps when I’m ready to assemble the car again and serves to wow my friends once I’m done with the project. The packages of ruled paper let me write down every step of the restoration as I perform it, again to help during assembly of the car; and the notebooks give me a place to temporarily list broken, missing, or damaged parts before I forget about them. Of course, you may also choose to enter your master checklist information in a Word or Excel document. I find, however, that my low-tech method comes in handy when I am working in the shop because I don’t have to stop everything to clean up, go in the house, and turn on my computer. The choice is entirely up to you.
Photographs
After I identify and research my major rebuild issues, I document the original condition of the Charger with photographs. You will want photographs of everything about the car. For example, what decals or labels are on the car? Where are they located? How about those engine labels located under the hood; what do they say? Good close-up photography preserves this information. It is to your benefit to invest in a quality camera and film. Be sure the camera you are using takes clear close-ups, and have all of your photographs developed before you remove or alter the actual parts.
As I am photographing each and every part of the vehicle, I am also making entries in the master checklist. Later, when I look at my master checklist, I see that although the vehicle has rear bumper guards, it never had front bumper guards. Having this note reminds me I won’t need to add front bumper guards to my new parts list once I compile it.
Photographs also give me a visual reference to use when I’m rebuilding the car. For example, what was the original color of the brake booster on this car? A year from now when I start opening box after box looking for a brake booster and can’t find it, a quick look at photo 3 will tell me the car never had a brake booster in the first place.
Salvage Parts List
Armed with a plethora of photographs and page after page of notes and entries on my master checklist, it is time to put everything into some kind of order. First, I assemble a list of damaged or missing parts I may be able to locate at salvage yards. I make a copy of that list and take it with me every time I darken the gate to my favorite vintage car salvage yard. Having such a list means I don’t have to remember all those individual parts I need to locate for the car. Would you remember you need new defroster vents for the dash if you didn’t make a note of it? I wouldn’t.
New Parts List
Here, I list the new parts I need to purchase, a source for those parts, and the price of each part. One thing I learned a long time ago is when ordering new (aftermarket) parts from reputable companies, not all prices are created equal. That is why I keep so many source catalogs. Compiling a list of parts and sources allows me to build an order sheet for each source so I can make one large order instead of several small orders. The more money you spend in one place at one time, the more likely that source will offer you a discount. If not a discount, believe me, they will remember you the next time you place an order and treat you accordingly.
Overhaul List
I list everything in need of rebuilding in the overhaul list. You, or someone with the right equipment, can rebuild many old parts. The trick is to find the right parts to use when doing a rebuild. For example, door hinges are notorious for requiring overhaul. Alternators, starters, steering boxes, rear axles, and brake assemblies also come to mind. All of these parts can be overhauled but will require new parts and a little professional help in the doing.
Parts Needing Repair List
This is probably the easiest list to compile. If it is bent and you can repair it, add it to this list. If nothing else, it will give you a schedule to follow. Many of the parts will contain components that require overhaul, replacement, and/or refinishing. This list helps you keep track of the progress of the work on the other lists.
Refinishing List
Every part on your project vehicle is one color or another, whether that color is cast iron gray, Plum Crazy purple, or semigloss black enamel. I list each part that needs refinishing. Later, after it’s been painted, I will check it off. Does the part require priming? Is it best clear coated or will a single stage (enamel or lacquer) finish do? Is the part an interior piece or an exterior part? Having a refinishing list ensures every part gets painted before it is scheduled for installation back on the vehicle.
PHOTO 2: Begin compiling your restoration checklist from the ground up starting with the tires and suspension components. While these tires are badly worn, several new suspension components were found after looking under the vehicle.
PHOTO 3: This photograph was intended for referencing the color of the hood hinge, but it also helps me remember that the car doesn’t have a brake booster.
PHOTO 4: The interior of the vehicle is shot. Notice the missing driver’s door trim panel and the extremely worn driver’s seat cushion. Also notice the aftermarket steering wheel. This will go on the Salvage List because new, replacement steering wheels are almost impossible to find.
PHOTO 5: Having a photograph of the rear of the vehicle tells many stories about what the previous owner added to the car—in this case, rear bumper guards.
PHOTO 6: Yikes! Rust! At least this is repairable. I add a note to my overhaul list for future reference.
PHOTO 7: More rust! Where you find one spot of rust you will always find two spots of rust. This floor pan can be replaced with new metal. Again, I make a note on the overhaul list.
Initial Inspection
Armed with my checklist notebook and a good camera, the next step is the vehicle itself. Perhaps it is just ritualistic with me, but after purchasing a restoration project I walk around the vehicle and look it over. I may do this for a week or more before actually committing anything to paper or film. When I’m ready, I start taking notes. I write down everything about the vehicle. For example, I check for tire wear. Tires with odd wear patterns such as cupped areas or excessive wear on an inside tread can indicate a badly worn suspension. Next I look for damage on the vehicle. That includes everything from the wheels to the roof. I look for missing parts and parts I can see that I’ll need to replace.
Then I look at the interior. Primarily, I want to sit in the seat and observe what is in the interior. I want to know what works and what does not work. For example, I crank the engine and check the gauges. If they work, fine; if not, I make a note of the ones that do not. Do the interior lamps, switches, and clock work? Do the seat tracks work? You’d be surprised how many times I’ve tried to adjust a seat of a fresh restoration job only to find it wouldn’t move. This is something that you should take care of early in the restoration process, but something people often overlook in the haste of getting shiny new seat covers on the old ride.
As I check the car’s condition, I see the hood does not sit level with the fender. This is a telltale sign of a worn hinge. Should I place this hinge on the new parts list, the overhaul list, or is it a candidate for the salvage parts