Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Looking back at all of the restoration projects I have had hands-on, the most difficult tasks that I recall are:
1. Bending the exterior roof molding on my Victoria;
2. Installing a top on a Sport Coupe;
3. Making doors lineup with the body;
4. Fitting the noses of 1931 running board aprons to nestle into the front fenders;
5. Preparing for painting a body, fenders & aprons.
What were yours?

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Most anything about a cabriolet
They are cranky bodies; combine the factors of wood, flex, making the top keep pressure, Windows (especially in a B, door line up ........
I’ve done one of most body style.
The 180a would be my second in line

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

For me it’s a toss up between making all new wood for my ‘29 Tudor or doing the body work, but it was all fun and came out very well.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Now you're scaring me. I was thinking about replacing my top this winter. I've looked online for info/videos about a Sport Coupe Top install, but haven't found much. Can you elaborate on the issue(s), and/or point me to any specifics?

Thanks,

John

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Bob, now that you have done it, do you think they would be difficult the second (-or third) time you did that task?? Always remember;

, , , , 'Experience is something you don't get until after you needed it!!' :D

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Bob, I laughed when I saw the first item on your post. For me it was the moulding on my 1932 five window Coupe. I also have a 31 Cabriolet which this past summer I was assemb lying the body and striving to get the door gaps correct and making the wood for the top belt rail. It is a nightmare. Ed

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Door alignment for me as well. I spent a good month aligning the 4 doors on our 28 Phaeton. The right front eluded me. I had to settle for simply latching securely.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

For me it was anything that requires working for long periods of time under the car. My ‘65 Mustang sits waiting for me to refinish the last 10% of the underside after a lengthy project to strip, repair and repaint it. Dirty, tedious and awkward !


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Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Worst for me was the complete rebuild and adjusting the brakes. With no knowledge of a mechanical brake system it was scary from the point, if I mess something up it will never stop. Now. piece of chocolate cake with ice cream. Still alot of tedious work but pays dividends.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

For me it was fitting a new windshield header. I must have had that thing in and out of the car six or eight times. You can't really tell if it is right until you get a bunch of the roof wood installed...then you take it all apart again.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

getting the money to pay for all the parts & paint

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Sport Coupe top? Love it..not only that no one likes a soft top that doesn't go down,the first sentence of the installation instruction,written by a professional upholsterer says this is a difficult top to install :) ..volume 5 of the MAFCA restoration series covers it some and the instructions with the actual kit is thorough..bought a pneumatic stapler,studying the instructions religiously..all thats left is the courage to dive in..Ive done all the work on this car, and for the most part it shows,reckon top installation won't be any different.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Sometimes the hardest part is getting motivated. I have so many things to work on (besides the cars) that it is sometimes overwhelming. Once my hands are dirty I tend to be in a happy place, I just have to get out there.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Adjusting the main bearing shims, with the motor in the car.
It will never stop dripping, and usually right in your eye.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

I'll second that one, spent countless hours working on the right front door of mine also!

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Sometimes the hardest part is getting motivated x2


cant tell you how many times Ive gone out to the garage to work, get side tracked, and just admire the heap of rust and wood and go back inside .....


guess Im in denial.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Cutting-in the back corners of the top on a Sport Coupe is a scary task. If the cuts are not positioned so they are hidden by the valence, the top needs to be replaced. Scary!!!

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

Did you tack the whole job? ...you could say thats a thousand dollar cut.

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

The most difficult restoration tasks...............finishing lol
The most scary, removing the body, my dad and I handled the rear of the Tudor, two neighbors the front end........ And they almost dropped their end
The next was removing the rear spring with make shift tooling....... I didn't get hurt!

Re: Most Difficult Restoration Tasks
 

For me currently is assembling the very early 28 equalizer break system along with the first type rear engine mounts. Everything must be done in sequence otherwise it won't all fit together. I learned that the hard way.