Starting a project car but where do I start?

[Shaz77]

I've bought a VN 89 5spd Wagon to use as a project car, but now that I have it I'm stuck as to where to start.

I'm writing down things I want to do to it and making a list as I go & I'm reading as much as I possibly can find. However they all contradict each other. The plan was to work on the body & get that in primer, then do the interior & work on the engine after that but I've read that it's best to do the engine first.

My problem with doing the engine first is that I'm not mechanically minded, and as I don't understand engines was going to do that last giving myself more time to do more research on it. It has a V6 (Not sure if it's buick or ecotec) in it at the moment which initially I planned to rebuild, but then I thought if I'm going to rebuild a motor I might as well put a V8 into it. But then hubby said supercharging or putting turbo on a v6 would work out better so now I'm just confused as to what to do with the engine, probably more confused due to lack of knowledge on the subject.

My budget will be my biggest issue as I have 4 kids I don't really have a lot of spare cash to throw at the wagon so it will be done over a very long build period picking up bits and pieces here & there. But would really like to know what is the best way to go about it & where is the best place to start.

[Hangman]

I don't see an issue with doing the body first unless engine/transmission fitment will be an issue, ie: needing to remove /replace the engine multiple times to make sure everything fits/bolts up etc. That shouldn't be an issue if the standard motor is going back in, but may be if you go turbo/blown.
If you choose blown, I'd get an L67 (factory supercharged) ecotec and box as the easiest option. All the info is on here for that conversion.

Same with the interior, if it's all stuff that will bolt in do the body first, but if trial fitting is needed make sure everything will bolt straight in before paint.
Basically, you don't want to have to cut/weld/modify anything after the new paint is on.
Once you know everything will bolt in, then do the body, paint it and put it together.

And the VN is the buick engine.

[Shaz77]

When it's finished I'm after a car for looks. Sure if I put my foot down I want a bit of grunt & power to it & I'm wanting a nice sound to it, But I'm not after super high performance out of it or quick times down the quarter mile or anything fancy like that. My husband Shaun wants me to supercharge or turbo the 6 but I think he's thinking from a performance aspect as for "blown" I have no idea what that even is but will look into that so when it comes time to make a decision about the engine I have all the info and can make an informed decision on it.

The plan for the paint was to fix panels up, shave tailgate etc. and when I'd finished a panel put it in primer and either put the engine in after the paint or pull it out for the paint to be done and get the engine bay done as well. Shaun re-sprayed our VB sedan years ago and didn't do the engine bay and to this day it annoys me greatly lol

[Hangman]

Blown is just another term for supercharged. I'd do all the paint in one hit, saves pulling the engine out again plus it's easier to do all the door jambs etc with no interior in it, but that's up to you.

[Shaz77]

Thanks for the advice it's already starting to give me a sense of direction. After reading so many contradicting stories I was really at a loss as to where to start. I'm sure you could start anywhere and patch up trouble you run in down the track but I was hoping to avoid re-doing things and starting to feel very overwhelmed in it all.
I've wanted to do up a car all my life and never done it. Shaun said to just get a car I want to do and jump in which is what I've done and it's something I've always wanted to do, but I'm thinking jumping in wasn't the best thing. But then again I've been putting it off for close on 30 years now because I didn't know how to go about it so in the long run it's probably the best thing. Just for now it's very daunting.

The interior I'd probably do but store it ready to be put back in. That way when the big jobs are waiting to be done I still have something to be working on but it's not in the car getting greasy and dirty before the car is finished.

[Hangman]

As long as you go into it with a plan and stick to it (allowing for things that may come up) you should be right.

When stripping the car, make notes/take pics etc of where/how stuff goes. Labelled ziploc bags are handy for nuts and bolts etc. It's easy to forget how stuff should go if it's off the car for a length of time. Trust me, I've learnt this

[delcowizzid]

is it going to be stored inside while it is being built if not theres no point getting it in primer without putting paint on straight away as it sucks up water like nothing else.

[Shaz77]

I'm going to "try" to follow a plan as best I can. I've never been any good at plans in the past but I'm in the process of making a list & trying to make a plan that I'm hoping to stick to. Budget I can't really estimate a budget simply because it's going to be I'll be spending money on it when we have it, as the kids grow up I'll be able to get stuck into my car more over the years.

Labelled ziploc bags is a good idea I hadn't thought of that so thank you As for pics I'm shocking with taking pics so I know I'd have plenty of pics but will get some notebooks and put in the shed too.

The car is going to be stored in the shed. We have our old VN manual wagon for a donor car & I wanted to put it in the shed first & strip it down first & get rid of the shell to save space & keep room in the shed to work on this one but Shaun said I'd be better off leaving it as it is & taking the parts I need off it as we go. That way I know where the parts are, how to get them off, how to get them back on. Plus he said I might not strip a part I might need down the track so I think that's what we're going to do.

The only other thing that worries me about the shed but Shaun thinks i'm worrying too much is that it has wooden beams, years ago we went out to one of our cars that had been cleaned the day before and put in the shed and by morning there was sticky sap like droplets over the car which I still think came from the wooden beams in the shed. I don't know if it was or not but that is worrying me, So will probably try & cover the shed roof somehow before I start body work.

[undersuspicion]

have a read up on 304cubic inch and 308cubic inch engines. They weren't a bad engine, could look at either of them over the v6. Turbo conversions can be quite costly. In my opinion it would be cheaper to buy an old 304/308 pull it down and rebuild it and put it in to the wagon. But thats just my opinion.

[Shaz77]

Thanks undersuspicion I come from old school V8's and love the sound they make I've never heard a turbo or supercharger in real life but I've been checking them out on youtube and it just doesn't do it for me.

I found this VN on youtube YouTube - ‪WORKED VN SS‬‏
and love the sound of it but have no idea what his set up is, but that's the kind of sound I want from my wagon. And if i'm going to be putting in the time, effort & money to do it I want it done right from the start, can't see the sense in rebuilding a V6 to turbo or SC if it's not what I want

[328FTW]

Personally I'd use the key to start it

[Munz]

The plan for the paint was to fix panels up, shave tailgate etc

Shaving the tailgate would look gr8 I think, mate it with either the vg ute rear bar or statesman rear bar and you'll have somewhere for your rear number plate,

maybe work out if your gonna change the engine first, at least then you can have time to prep and paint the engine bay while theres no engine in there

good work

[GEN3RATD]

if you want it rego'ed id lean away from the old school carby fed idea.

the 304 would be my choice for note, but im one of those people that dont see sence in modding a V6.

edit: id say that VN would be a cammed 304 with exhaust, intake etc. the usual mods

[92 VP SS]

If I were you I would discard the idea of a project VN Station Wagon and buy one that your happy with. You will spend more time and money than getting one thats already been done.

Just at least think twice, there was a really nice VN station wagon in nz with a v8 and a custom paint job it must of cost alot of money to make but he couldnt sell it for 4k . It probably cost the guy around 10k to get to that level.. Ive been restoring a 64 cortina and sometimes I think it was one of the worst decisions ive made especially when I see one already restored for around 12k. Restoration projects are very costly time-wise and financially. A VN station wagon is not a rare or hard to car to find in origonal condition or modified and running.

[Shaz77]

Personally I'd use the key to start it

That's always a good starting point :P

@Munz I'm giving that serious consideration at the moment, either way V6 or V8 it's getting pulled out to be rebuilt. Just going to give serious thought as to which way I end up going before I even look at starting to do any work on the car.

@DM 55 WA If I end up going with the V8 I'd go 304. Probably look around for an old VQ stato to pull to bits. I'm with you I personally can't see the sense in spending time & money on a V6 when I could be doing it on a V8. More expensive for parts etc. yes but I like the way they sound better.

@92 VP SS the idea behind doing the VN is that it's a car I've always wanted to do. Even if I bought another one it still wouldn't be the way I wanted it. Even if I bought a brand new car I wouldn't be happy with it, I want a car I can personalise and put my own mark on it. So I know myself too well to know if I want one I have to do it myself.
As for picking the VN, I was going to do it to the VR wagon that I had but wasn't happy with it I really wanted a VN, I understand that I'd never make the money back if I were to ever sell it and that's ok because it's not a car I'll be selling down the track so to me it's worth it.

I've wanted to do up a car all my life and I realise this will be my one and only chance to ever do it and I've thought long and hard before settling on the decision to do it to a VN wagon, I understand they're not rare or hard to find and that they're far from a classic car or muscle car but it is a car I'm passionate about & love to bits and that's why I chose to do a VN wagon, and once it's done I wont be getting rid of it for all the tea in china

[92 VP SS]

Ok Shaz77 it sounds like your on the right track as you will need to be passionate to complete the project.. You've obviously thought it through and I definitely dont want to be a killjoy.
The goals you have are achievable. Start with the body then the suspension. Get that all together and then by the time yourve finished that you will know what you want to do with the motor.

Break the project down to smaller steps. Body / Paint first then Suspension and steering. Then Engine and trans. Lastly fine tuning :-) When you do the body dont stop at the primer get it top coated at the same time would be my advice for you at the body stage.

Also try not to think about everything all at once or it will become mind boggling. Be aware of the entire project but concentrate on one phase at a time.

Keep your workplace clean / organised and wear safety goggles.

[Shaz77]

I have thought it through probably more then I care to, I sold a perfectly good VR to buy the VN, I paid more for the VN then my husband paid for his VT so already I've been kicking myself more then once and yet I still know long term it was the right decision for me.

I am at the stage where I'm trying to think about everything that I need to do and you're right it is indeed very mind boggling and very overwhelming. The advice for breaking it down into stages is brilliant and something I will definitely be doing.

I know there's a few mods I'm wanting to do along the way that I might have to alter for roadworthy & rego purposes. I need to looking to airbag suspension etc. So may need to go off my plans a little in order to get it registered at some point but I'm going to look into those aspects while I'm making up my plan.

As for the workplace clean & organised that's something that for me will probably be more work then the car itself but I'm trying we're already starting to re-organise the shed ready to put the car in and start.

Thanks so much for your advice it's definitely put me on the right track

[92 VP SS]

Its the simple things like keeping your shed tidy that will make the difference. Keeping my garage in a workable condition is my hardest mental task that slows down the project..

I think air bags will come last, they are installed by specialists and i think its a drive in drive out affair. If your sticking with the same colour you could start with the engine and suspension get it up to spec then have it superficially resprayed.

You should write down here what your've got and what you want to acheive more specifically that way people will be able to help you more.

If you want a whole new colour on your car definiatly start with the body then re-assemble it are you going to be painting it in your shed ?

[Shaz77]

I was thinking air bags last, simply because of the money cost alone I'd leave them last as they're not a necessity. I'm going to be going a new colour and was originally thinking black but now I'm not too sure, I've seen some really nice deep purples as well as some really nice metallic dark grey almost charcoal/gunmetal so I'm leaning towards either of those. As much as I'd like to paint the car myself my husband & I just don't have the knowledge to be able to do it. I have seen wilson's how to on how to paint a car with rollers and to be honest I'll probably give that a go on some panels of the donor car because I'm desperate to give that a go just to see if I can, but will pay someone to spray the project car.

As for what I have in mind when I got the car I was only thinking really cosmetic as to what the car would look like not really looking at any engine upgrades just rebuilding the engine, simply because I don't understand upgrades and was hoping to rebuild the motor to be able to learn from it. I'm now really intrigued as to engine upgrades and will be going pretty hardcore trying to figure it all out. But cosmetically I'm thinking along the lines of:

*Suede or maybe velvet roof lining, doors and trims redone
*Interior colour coding
*Racing Seats
*My sports steering wheel
*Dynamat the entire car from top to bottom, front to back
*New black plush carpet
*Statesman sedan leather back seat modified to fit a wagon & still fold down (Looking forward to this mod thanks to falling in love with Nedwob's)
* Interior Lighting changed
* Upgrade to probably VT brake system
*VR/VS statesman Dash going in
*Flutes in front guards
*Shaved tailgate & remote opening door poppers with hydraulics
*HID headlight conversion
*Group A VN Bonnet Scoop
*VZ HSV Clubsport body kit
*18" or maybe 20" mags on low profiles
*Guards rolled to fit the 18's/20's
*Windows tinted to 5% or 10%
*Re-sprayed not sure on colour

I know at this stage that list is rather vague, but I'm reading everything & scouring the forums and getting ideas as I go along.

[GEN3RATD]

if you ever want to know anything about the nitty grittys of airbag suspension, i just bagged my SS and have done countless hours of research

edit: as for the colour some may argue its been done to death, but id love to see it in morpheous purple. such an awesome colour, maybe with some big black 20's

[Shaz77]

Thanks DM 55 WA Airbags will be the last thing I do so quite a fair way off, hubby and father in law can't see the sense in them but I'm desperate for them I've been sitting on Youtube for ages showing them cars lifting up & down and I get all excited & they just look at me weird. Same deal with the dynamat they think I'm weird and it's a waste of money & are trying to talk me out of it, but i'm going to go ahead with the dynamat and do it anyway.

Yeah the purple is throwing me, I'm not normally a girly girl and I don't go for the girly colours pinks & purples but for some reason I can see it in a nice dark rich purple. I was looking at Phantom Purple, and after jumping on google (my new best friend) I see morpheus Purple is very similar. And I know what you're saying about some big black mags. Don't ask me why as I have been at a loss to explain it myself but I've fallen in love with CSA Shaker's. I look at them and think "they're butt ugly" and yet for some reason I can vision them on my car.

[GEN3RATD]

I don't know how I ever got along without airbags, they are just so damn cool, nothing beats the look on peoples faces when you park and end up an inch off the ground haha

[Shaz77]

After jumping on google and searching Morpheus Purple Wagons this showed up in the search findings

kit suggestions for a VN wagon...

Here's a chart I was looking at and there are 3 colours on here I'm tossing up between at the moment they are:
017 Tungsten Netallic
001 Sparkle Silver Netallic
009 Plum Crazy Pearl

At this stage the Plum Crazy Pearl would be my favourite.

[Shaz77]

I don't know how I ever got along without airbags, they are just so damn cool, nothing beats the look on peoples faces when you park and end up an inch off the ground haha

ROFL I can only dream of the day I'll be doing that