plans have changed - need opinions

[shortarms]

So I bought an 86 k10 suburban back in December, with the plan of it being a secondary/weekend/builder truck. Something I could drive around and throw a few hundred bucks at here and there. Ran decent, drove home 5+ hours. Interior was a bit rough, minor body work and paint. Mostly just neglect, not anything serious. Life is getting tough, so I'll be selling my daily driver and moving into the suburban full time. I had planned on stripping all of the rubber and glass and having it painted, but that's likely out the window now and I may have to sit as-is or in primer for a while. What's the best way to go about this? Should I leave the glass and rubber in, sand to 320, and epoxy primer the whole thing? Then pop the glass in a year or two when I can get it shot properly? One of the issues is that about 90% of the weatherstripping is shot and I don't want to end up doing it twice.
I'm not new to working on vehicles, but I've been out of the game (besides basic maintenance) for about 12 years. I haven't tackled anything like a restoration, most of what I've done has been rock crawlers, engines, transfer cases, etc. I'm having a hard time getting a game plan together.

 

[Originalthor]

I hear you on the whole process. Paint isn't cheap and sucks doing things twice. I bought a 89 suburban with a not so cool camo paint job and was my daily for a few years. I had to do something relatively quick so did the rattle can job. Now sanding it off not fun.

Anyways I was able to door glass weather stripping pretty easily and mine is pretty dry. I kept the vent glass and back passenger small glass in and masked those off. I pulled all the back glass with all the screw drivers I had on hand working couple of inches at a time. Took about a hour to take it all out and double that to put back in. Probably way quicker with a helper over 11 years old. Good learning experience for the boy.

 

[shortarms]

I hear you on the whole process. Paint isn't cheap and sucks doing things twice. I bought a 89 suburban with a not so cool camo paint job and was my daily for a few years. I had to do something relatively quick so did the rattle can job. Now sanding it off not fun.

Anyways I was able to door glass weather stripping pretty easily and mine is pretty dry. I kept the vent glass and back passenger small glass in and masked those off. I pulled all the back glass with all the screw drivers I had on hand working couple of inches at a time. Took about a hour to take it all out and double that to put back in. Probably way quicker with a helper over 11 years old. Good learning experience for the boy.

Did you do all of the door rubbers? My main concern with the doors I think will be the beltlines. You know how sometimes you see maaco jobs where the paint bubbles and peels by the weatherstrip?

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting overwhelmed and scatter brained because it's more of a money pit than I thought. Be glad you have good help, mine's only 5

 

[Grumpy]

Did you do all of the door rubbers? My main concern with the doors I think will be the beltlines. You know how sometimes you see maaco jobs where the paint bubbles and peels by the weatherstrip?

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting overwhelmed and scatter brained because it's more of a money pit than I thought. Be glad you have good help, mine's only 5

It is only a money pit if you let it become one.
Here is what I do, and I do not suggest this for everyone.

Calculate what you would spend (bi-weekly, bi-monthly or monthly) what you would normally spend on either a new vehicle for yourself, or say a decent used one. This also means you will have a total amount you will spend AND a deadline for completion. For example, use $300 bi-weekly and 36 months - $23 400 in five years, and that is actually a sizeable chunk of money for any project.

I strongly suggest absolutely ZERO of the money come out of your credit. If you have a short month, or some other emergency arises, the project can sit an extra month and not be a burden to your wallet.

The trick is to squander as little of it as possible.

Beer / refreshments while working should be included in that amount - don't turn the project into an alcoholic haze, as bad decisions WILL happen if you drink and fix. And don't make the project a reason to drink, the in-laws and the Government do that already.

Then I mapped out what my square needed first, then what was needed secondary, etc.. The depressing and exciting part was figuring out the pricing of everything and also what I could obtain through the wrecking yards, horse-trading, and simple groveling.
It means there will be a few months where you won't be buying anything, and you will need to schedule your time accordingly AND it also means there will be times when something comes up, you still have a schedule and plan to jump back in to. For example, you can set aside funds for tires and can wait for the annual sales that are like clockwork - or conversely, peruse the used ads for gently used items.
Remember, to stay on the plan. Sometimes, the plan is not to spend money that month, rather to perform the labour-intensive tasks (checking over the wiring and securing correctly is a hateful job, yet when completed, is very self-satisfactory.)

My two cents.

 

[idahovette]

That's a great way to plan for it. The problem will be sticking to THE plan. Seema like there is always a "good" deal when you least expect it and that will shoot you down fast....but I do agree, you gotta plan it out!!

 

[Originalthor]

Did you do all of the door rubbers? My main concern with the doors I think will be the beltlines. You know how sometimes you see maaco jobs where the paint bubbles and peels by the weatherstrip?

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting overwhelmed and scatter brained because it's more of a money pit than I thought. Be glad you have good help, mine's only 5

Yes I took all the plastic off on the inside pretty quick with a cordless impact to get all the door weatherstripping off. Took a few weeks to get back on cause I pretty much stripped and masked on a Friday night and painted on Saturday and reassembled on Sunday night. Now thats my rattle van special which I don't recommend at all I just needed something quick.
I painted a quad cab duramax in a week with a one part paint and it took a week. A day of disassembly 4 days of prep with scotch bright pad. 1 day to paint. A day of dry time and one day to reassemble. Turned out way nicer then my rattle can job and probably cheaper. If you minus the beer cost lol. Prep is key. I didn't do very good prep on the suburban and now sanding it all off.

It is only a money pit if you let it become one.
Here is what I do, and I do not suggest this for everyone.

Calculate what you would spend (bi-weekly, bi-monthly or monthly) what you would normally spend on either a new vehicle for yourself, or say a decent used one. This also means you will have a total amount you will spend AND a deadline for completion. For example, use $300 bi-weekly and 36 months - $23 400 in five years, and that is actually a sizeable chunk of money for any project.

I strongly suggest absolutely ZERO of the money come out of your credit. If you have a short month, or some other emergency arises, the project can sit an extra month and not be a burden to your wallet.

The trick is to squander as little of it as possible.

Beer / refreshments while working should be included in that amount - don't turn the project into an alcoholic haze, as bad decisions WILL happen if you drink and fix. And don't make the project a reason to drink, the in-laws and the Government do that already.

Then I mapped out what my square needed first, then what was needed secondary, etc.. The depressing and exciting part was figuring out the pricing of everything and also what I could obtain through the wrecking yards, horse-trading, and simple groveling.
It means there will be a few months where you won't be buying anything, and you will need to schedule your time accordingly AND it also means there will be times when something comes up, you still have a schedule and plan to jump back in to. For example, you can set aside funds for tires and can wait for the annual sales that are like clockwork - or conversely, peruse the used ads for gently used items.
Remember, to stay on the plan. Sometimes, the plan is not to spend money that month, rather to perform the labour-intensive tasks (checking over the wiring and securing correctly is a hateful job, yet when completed, is very self-satisfactory.)

My two cents.

Very good points.
I tried the whole car payment thing with the wife and her response was take those car payments and buy a minivan for work that's good on gas. Lol well I now drive a minivan and hating every moment of it but I still got the suburban so ill live.

 

[Grit dog]

1. If they’re not leaking, don’t touch the window seals until you’re ready to replace them.
2. I suppose if you think a spray bomb primer job looks better than what it currently looks like, go for it. But a scuff n squirt primer job over 40 years of dents, scratches and rust looks trashy IMO.
3. If you think the primer is going to preserve or stave off rust, that is debate-able at best. Most rust through comes from the inside out. Sure I’d figure out how to touch up bare metal, like behind the fender wells or something, but otherwise, doesn’t seem productive to me.
4. Beware of hidden rust under the window gaskets. Back to #1, do some investigation, so you’re prepared for what you might encounter if or when you do remove fixed windows.

 

[Grit dog]

And not to provide financial advice, but it feels like a 35 year old full size 4x4 is not generally the most economical daily driver, and seems like a way to spend more money when you allude to money already being tight.

 

[shortarms]

It is only a money pit if you let it become one.
Here is what I do, and I do not suggest this for everyone.

Calculate what you would spend (bi-weekly, bi-monthly or monthly) what you would normally spend on either a new vehicle for yourself, or say a decent used one. This also means you will have a total amount you will spend AND a deadline for completion. For example, use $300 bi-weekly and 36 months - $23 400 in five years, and that is actually a sizeable chunk of money for any project.

I strongly suggest absolutely ZERO of the money come out of your credit. If you have a short month, or some other emergency arises, the project can sit an extra month and not be a burden to your wallet.

The trick is to squander as little of it as possible.

Beer / refreshments while working should be included in that amount - don't turn the project into an alcoholic haze, as bad decisions WILL happen if you drink and fix. And don't make the project a reason to drink, the in-laws and the Government do that already.

Then I mapped out what my square needed first, then what was needed secondary, etc.. The depressing and exciting part was figuring out the pricing of everything and also what I could obtain through the wrecking yards, horse-trading, and simple groveling.
It means there will be a few months where you won't be buying anything, and you will need to schedule your time accordingly AND it also means there will be times when something comes up, you still have a schedule and plan to jump back in to. For example, you can set aside funds for tires and can wait for the annual sales that are like clockwork - or conversely, peruse the used ads for gently used items.
Remember, to stay on the plan. Sometimes, the plan is not to spend money that month, rather to perform the labour-intensive tasks (checking over the wiring and securing correctly is a hateful job, yet when completed, is very self-satisfactory.)

My two cents.

>It is only a money pit if you let it become one.
What I meant was that it's in worse condition that I initially thought. The previous owner did some (not easy to see) things that need to be completely redone. Seems like what appeared to be mostly stock and simply poorly maintained was rigged, patched, and taped into service...let me say it this way: they took out axle bearings with what looks like a sawzall.

Yea, all good advice there. That's pretty much the way I had planned it. and the way I work.

 

[shortarms]

1. If they’re not leaking, don’t touch the window seals until you’re ready to replace them.
2. I suppose if you think a spray bomb primer job looks better than what it currently looks like, go for it. But a scuff n squirt primer job over 40 years of dents, scratches and rust looks trashy IMO.
3. If you think the primer is going to preserve or stave off rust, that is debate-able at best. Most rust through comes from the inside out. Sure I’d figure out how to touch up bare metal, like behind the fender wells or something, but otherwise, doesn’t seem productive to me.
4. Beware of hidden rust under the window gaskets. Back to #1, do some investigation, so you’re prepared for what you might encounter if or when you do remove fixed windows.

1. Yes.
2. No, I wasn't planning a spray can job. I was asking if I ought to take it down and epoxy primer the whole truck, knowing that I'm going to have to sand it and reprime before it gets paint. The original paint is burnt and rough, but very little rust.

 

[shortarms]

And not to provide financial advice, but it feels like a 35 year old full size 4x4 is not generally the most economical daily driver, and seems like a way to spend more money when you allude to money already being tight.

It wasn't the plan, hence the title and post, however it's the hand I've been dealt unless you can replace my septic system for free.
I don't drive every day as I work from home. It's not that bad.

 

[Rusty Nail]

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