Need Help

[Bennydog]

Ok I got granpas 65, got it running and driving good now. got it lowered and sitting how i want,got some rims and tires. And I want to keep going need bed kit, molding,s interior paint/ bodywork ect... Where do I start tear everything out paint first?? interior ? exterior? wood in bed before paint? I just need like a checklist of where to begin and what to do first second ect so It flows and is easiest to complete. I know some of you have doen this before and I would like to learn from others mistakes instead of making them on my own. Which I am usually so good at.. Can anyone help this is my first time restoring a truck!! Thanks!!!

[aerotruk63]

Depends on how far you want to take it. If your going to paint the frame, then there's your first step.If you intend to change anything do it before disassembly to make sure it fits and works. If you disassemble anything. Picture before you start on every part. This will help you put it back together. Ziplock bag the bolts/clips/fasteners you remove, write down what there for on a piece of paper,place the paper in the bag. Place the bag in a plastic tote that is labeled for the area that it was removed from along with the part. Decide what you want to do with the part, like paint it, replace it, repair it, have it re chromed or just to leave it alone. Try not to just disassemble everything. Take a section of the truck at a time. If you remove a door work on that till it's finished then start on the other door. You'll have one intact door to compare too by this method. Think of what would be the last thing you would want to install, this would be the first thing you would want to remove. Don't kid yourself, taking things apart is easy, putting it back together is the hard part. Ask all your friends and relatives for storage space for your parts totes and panels. Say goodbye to any decent relationship your in and 2nd. mortgage your house. Sleep only when necessary, eat unhealthy food and most important of all, stay motivated and have fun.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

good stuff there, aerotruk63
I disassembled, then sandblasted, then painted, then reassembled my 54 and I'll never do that again. IMHO, it was a mistake. It was a huge PITA to put it back together having to be so careful with all the painted body parts.
For the bed wood, I put the wood in after I painted my 64 and before I painted my 63. I think the "before" method worked best for me (again with the scratching thing.)