Painting and upgrading

[Killer Squirrel]

Doing more research and planning for my project, and I'm not sure how I should do the paint/restore part of it. On the one hand, I could strip the car down to just the shell and have it painted, inside and out (engine bay and all) since more than likely the car I find will not be black (which is the end result). Plus to this: I have to have it all out anyway when I change out interior and the engine/tranny/etc. So I could patch any spots that need it, shoot some base black on the inside and the engine bay while it's clear and touch up the undercoating. But then should I have it painted? Because then I'll have a nice painted car when I'm doing all the engine work and upgrades as I get them. More and more chances to damage/chip the new paint.
Or I could do everything up to the final step of painting it, and just throw a base coat over the whole thing and start putting everything back in. Get the car the way I want it mechanically, then later on down the road when it's done I strip it again and have the final paint done. What is the normal thing to do here?

[pdupler]

You've basically got to take it apart again later to paint it anyway, so I think I would just go ahead and get all the paint work done and take a chance. Bill (jugalo) is in the middle of this process right now. Recently had an empty shell painted inside and out at Cuco's and is slowly putting it all back together. You recently got a parts car to strip, correct?, and thats probably the best thing to prepare you for the process. As you take the parts car apart, don't just rip away at it like you know you're going to junk the bad parts, but take it apart carefully as if you intend to put it all back together. You'll learn a great deal about how the supra is put together and what pitfalls you are likely to encounter putting a creampuff back together. You'll learn what order things need to come apart to avoid scratches and reverse order to put back together. You'll learn what parts are unweildy and need a third hand. You'll learn what parts are typically stuck and come off with a bang when you yank on them and those are likely to go back on rather tight too so you can prepare. Just go ahead and paint it all at once. You'll be OK.

[wonderwhy]

I agree with pdupler. I'm planning on painting then putting it all back together when I get to that point. (not soon enough!) I suggest having a wingman to help during the whole dismantling and reassembling process. It can be a bigger help than you might think. It's my :twocents: that two people can do the work of three vs one can do one persons. They also might remember something you don't, plus, if you get hurt, help is a little closer...you never know.:twodrunkg:D

[Killer Squirrel]

Ya, the parts car has been great in that it has refreshed my memory of how the interior is put together. I was already swapping out burgundy interior for black interior back ~ '98 when I had my 85 (before it got smashed by an old lady in a towncar), and had practiced on junkyard cars for a while before that. With the parts car, since I have every intention of using most of it's black interior in whatever body I find, I'm being extra careful dealing with it and I'm cleaning and polishing it before I box it up for storage until I find my MkII project body.

On that note, I have a question about storing the interior. You guys think it would be ok to store it boxed in the attic until I'm ready to use it? Keep in mind I'm in Southern Texas and it's hot as hell (although it's finally starting to become bearable) and I'm worried that it will damage or warp it somehow.

On the painting thing, I think you guys are right, while I have it all apart it would be so much easier to just get it all done at once. I'll just have to be extra careful when I'm dropping in the engine and doing the other suspension/brake upgrades so I don't hurt the new paint.

And talking about a wingman, I can think of none better than Phil, if I can convince him to come down =) But that's not for a while, I still have to find a body.

[Junkie]

Agree with both of the above ..... but,I add the digi cam.The white 85 I have here right now,could go several ways.But,as I started prepping it for one possible route,I took pics before and after,of EVERY,part removed from the interior.
Les's red ToadI is now in the garage,soon to be parted after the 4th of July wreck.Even that car,as slautered as it is,will have a full documentary as it comes apart.