Frame Off Restoration - Step 1 - Dealing with Externals and Accessories
Before we dive too far into this, here's the reality check: Frame-Off restorations take a while. And while it seems silly to be
worrying about the last things you would normally think about in terms of a restoration, you'll find, in the long run, that this
method simplifies things as much as possible, and front loads the the restoration specifics so that once you've got your body finished
and painted the final reassembly will go as smoothly and as quickly as possible.
When it comes to accessories and externals on the vehicle, this can be either extremely simple, or a long term search period. More
often than not, you'll find you have exactly 1/3 to 1/2 of the original accessories and items that came with the vehicle. Finding that
last 2/3 or 1/2 may take months, even years after the major restoration is complete.
Now, every car was different, and depending on how much you know about your vehicle you may find that what arrived with your car
can vary wildly to what someone else with the same one originally recieved. At a minimum most cars arrived with a roadside kit and an
owners manual. In some cases, like a MG TD the roadside kit was not just a jack, but a set of wrenches and a hammer. In other cases,
like my Porsche 944 it came with a case to cover the removable top when stored. Getting in touch with other collectors of your vehicle
can help immensely in finding these items and identifying other possible items that might have gone with your car. What can really make
one restoration stand out from the next (especially concours type restorations) is the volume and quality of the accessories with the
car. Some vehicles even came with custom luggage that was designed to fit in the vehicle!
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So, aggregate what you have, clean it thoroughly, and assess the condition. At the same time create a list of the complete accessory
package, and determine what's missing. This will be your first items for your parts list. Now, I don't recommend immediately running out
and spending huge sums on rare accessories, but certainly have the list in mind when checking Ebay, local swap meets, flea markets and
antique stores. I've found things like owner's manuals in really odd places like thrift stores over the years. (Also, if you find other
items that are super cheap in wierd places, pick them up, they will be great for bartering later, even if they're not specific to your
vehicle).
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Now some of your items, like the jack, may be in rough shape. These are great items to start testing your sanding, sandblasting,
priming, and painting skills. Just remember, if you're going for a nut and bolt type restoration you need to prepare them exactly the
way they came from the factory (or if you modify them, don't allow the modifications to be obvious).
Once you've got all these items prepped and restored, you need to protect them until the restoration is complete. For paper products, put
them in sealable bags, or better yet, in a file in the filing cabinet within the house (the further the paper is from the ravages of the
garage the better). This also goes for fabrics, vinyls, etc.
Any other items I generally put into a 12 gallon tote. I also like to put the bits into shopping bags or wrap them with saran wrap to
protect them while in the box. Remember, and ounce of prevention and all that. The box then gets labeled and I like to add a clear sheet
protector to the outside. Then, I put a sheet of paper in the protector that cleanly and legibly lists the contents of the tote.
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