What would you do different on your project?

[Black_69_FB 49]

Now that my car's been 'done' (and I use the term loosely) for a while, there are things I wish I would've done differently.

 

For instance:

 

* No black paint. Looks great for a minute after detailing, then it's back to calling the car Old Dusty. Need something that doesn't show dirt/fingerprints, maybe a Calypso Coral next time?

 

* Wish I would have done a mild stroker with a hydraulic roller instead of a stock-stroke cleveland with a solid flat-tappet. DO NOT LIKE adjusting valves, lol.

[moodster 55]

Plenty of lessons learned for me since I recently rebuilt my engine.  I wouldn't attempt to make my own stainless steel fuel lines, would have installed a heater core cutoff valve from the start, would have bought those sleeves for my plugs before my headers turned my new wires into crispy critters, would have found an overflow bottle for my radiator before it threw it all over my engine, etc, etc

 

david

[barnett468 418]

I would have paid someone else to do it!

[RPM 1,190]

I would have paid someone else to do it!

Now now Mike, that ain't right. But the older I get, the better it sounds. Hey, didn't you just turn 60?

 

And I seem to be changing the things I dislike before I get it on the road. Gotta stop that and get it rolling.

[ray1970 88]

1970 Mach1 408C 4-speed.

Body----Start with a car with a lot less rust.

Motor---Gone with a custom cam instead of wasting 300.00 on a over the counter cam.(HYD roller)

Trans---Tossed the top loader and put in a 5 speed.

Carb----EFI before buying 3 carbs I didn't care for.

Money---Add more to the budget that did not exist...

[MikeStang 247]

Hummm.

Well after helping my buddy on his rolling restoration for the past 10 years I avoided some of the mistakes you guys mentioned already... Like going with a stroked 351 and buying a Custom Hyd Roller cam LOL.

 

Things I would do different?

1. Not have gone so low.

2. chosen a different painter

3. spent more time fabbing my exhaust.

4. Bought wheels 1 time instead of trying used junk

5. That's about all really

[cobra3073 24]

Love the 428 (.030 over), but wish I had stroked it...and I haven' even got it on the road (officially) yet! LOL

 

I let my Restorer talk me out of it because he thought it would delay the project (waiting for the kit). As faith would have it, we ran into additional delays as the result of having to wait for other parts.

 

BT

[MN69Grande 203]

1.) Joined this site sooner and spent more time researching how to do things

2.) Done more of it myself and/or with family (opposite of barnett468 I guess)

3.) Done it less piece meal and had a plan.  I should have taken the whole thing apart myself in the being and gone step by step.  I wasted a lot of money doing things out of order and sometimes thrice

4.) Might have changed out the steering (still might)

5.) Not have messed the car up when I was a teenager to begin with!  That would have been a great start.

[rwcstang 201]

body first

Front/rear brake/Suspension (coyote swap)

11-14 Coyote/trans swap

ford 9 with TCP rear coil overs

[JD08 42]

I would've spent 20% more and bought one that was 100% after making sure the wiring was in perfect order.

[ray1970 88]

MN69 your not the only one..

Got my pile of rust when i was 16.... I am now 57

I look at it and go... WHAT WAS I THINKING??

 

As most 16yr olds I know what I was thinking...