Are you keeping the photos for documentation?
If not, you definitely should, make a folder for cars shows later etc...
If you weren't good with a welder before this project, you soon will be!
When I first got the car I figured on doing the pictures for a car show scrap book, but since I was taking pictures of everything related to the tear-down it will definitely help in getting the car back together.
I can definitely see an improvement from the welds I did last year to the ones I've been doing recently.
Wow!! That's an amazing amount of work and it looks great!
Thanks Rev!
Good God! How long did that take you to do? How long have you been doing that type of work and, in general, how much do the tools cost to be able to do it right?
Well... I bought the car in September of 98, and I only started the real work about 2 years ago, which is the same time I started learning how to weld. The rest of the car stuff I've been doing since I was 10 (helping Dad on his cars). Tools... ouch. Ya. It definitely helps to have a few cars to work on, and plan on purchasing at least a few more cars for restoration.
Air compressor - $600
Tools for air compressor: cut-off wheel, paint gun, random orbit sander, sandblaster (x2) - $400
240 volt MIG welder plus CO2/Argon cylinder rental and fill - $400 + $75/year cylinder rental
body working tools - $50
Understanding wife - PRICELESS!
I'm currently in the "research and daydreaming" period. Just wondering if it's a worthwhile investment to get cutting/welding tools if you only plan on having one car, or if giving it to a body man is a more economical approach. I guess if you plan on building a small stable of cars that all need body work, learning to do it yourself makes sense. Seems like it might be a waste to get all that equipment for one car and then have it collect dust until it needs to be restored again 20 years down the road.
If you're only going to have one car, it might cost a little more to have the work done for you, but you'll get it that much faster. This way costs less, but generally takes a bit more time.