How to Rebuild a Muscle Car

Rebuilding a muscle car can be a very intimidating job, particularly when deciding where to start and what to do once the project is underway. Muscle cars were produced with very simple designs as compared to luxury or exotic vehicles, but an unorganized rebuilding process can make even the most simple design very complicated. Efficiency is important when rebuilding a muscle car. By planning the rebuild in a series of steps, the risk of repeating an already completed task can be minimized, as well as the risk of damaging the car and incurring unnecessary costs.

Instructions

1. Strip the car down so that only the suspension and fixed body panels remain. Removing the individual pieces of the car is necessary to detect any problems which need to be repaired, but also to ensure that the car will be painted properly. If pieces of the car are not removed, the new paint will not match the old paint. Also, removing the parts before the car is painted will avoid the risk of damaging the new paint, and the components will eventually have to be removed anyway. Therefore, all removable body panels, such as the trunk lid, hood, front fenders, doors and front and rear valance panels should be removed.

2. Rebuild the suspension. This includes both the front and rear suspension components. If the suspension is rebuilt before the car is painted, a substantial risk of damaging the paint can be avoided as the parts are removed and installed.

3. Perform any necessary body work. Unless the car has been stored since it was new, chances are good that some body work will have to be done. Some repairs are relatively straightforward, while others can be extremely complicated. When in doubt, consult a professional.

4. Paint the vehicle. Two schools of thought exist as to how to paint a vehicle. The first requires that all of the body panels be installed and properly fitted before the paint is applied. This method avoids the risk of chipping the paint from installing and aligning the body panels. However, it may be difficult or impossible to paint hard to reach areas if the panels are installed. The other school of thought holds that the body panels should be painted separately, and then installed onto the car. This method ensures that the paint will cover the entire area of each body panel, thereby producing a superior paint job. However, there is a risk that the paint can be chipped when the panels are installed. This method is also more time-consuming and expensive than painting the car with the panels installed. In deciding between the two methods, consider factors such as time and cost.

5. Install the electrical system. The electrical system is installed from the interior of the vehicle, and the wires for the taillights, headlights and engine compartment all lead from the interior. The wires from the interior are routed underneath the carpeting and through the body panels. Therefore, the electrical system should be installed before the carpeting, seats, door panels and other interior components.

6. Install the interior and the glass. Once the electrical system has been installed and properly routed throughout the interior, the headliner should be installed first, followed by the front and rear windshields. After the windshields, install the door panels, followed by the carpeting and finally, the seats.

7. Install the drivetrain. The engine and transmission can be installed either as a single unit, with the transmission already attached to the engine, or as separate components. It can be difficult to maneuver both the engine and transmission simultaneously, although connecting the two is much easier while both are outside of the car. Although it is easier to maneuver each component separately, the transmission will have to be installed from the bottom of the vehicle with this method.

References

• How to Restore Your Muscle Car, Greg Donahue, 2005
• Mustang Restoration Handbook, Don Taylor, 1987