I agree with your sentiments tony but you missed one important part of the cleaning process, it gets you intimately familiar with the car your trying to build. Once your done cleaning you know every nook and cranny of that particular car and you more often than not find areas that need repair that you otherwise will not see.
EXACTLY all of this. Welding panels to rust is dumb. A solid cleaning of all metal parts is the right way to go. Anything less is just not a complete rebuild.
Yep, I was cleaning all the door & tailgate jambs on a project car I've had for five years the other day and found some rust on the bottom lip of the tailgate that I didn't even know was there. Luckily I caught it before it needs any metal replaced, I can just clean off the rust and re-coat it, but after a couple more years untouched it would turn into a kind of pita patch panel job...
And if you intend to modify the things you've cleaned, you have a clearer idea in mind of what's behind, beyond or around them. You see the thing as the sum of its parts.
I'm 78 years old and my whole life, since I was old enough to understand the meaning of "doing things", I was told "Do it right, or don't do it at all"!!! That equates to no "short cuts", no "that's good enough", no "your never going to see it"!!! As you say, start with a plan (assuming it's something you have done before), use good materials and tools (a mistake most amateurs make that usually dooms them to failure before they start), and DON'T BE IN A RUSH!!! Take your time, enjoy your work, and be extremely satisfied when the project is complete and you KNOW it's going to last!!! Particularly in Hot Rodding and Street Rodding, "it's all about the detail". Not about the "bling"!!
I'm moving from my first restoration to my first actual build, and my neighbor -- who is teaching me welding and some finer points of carbureted engines -- preaches repeatedly the most important work you put in is what no one sees. "Chrome don't get ya home"
Now we are all showing our age if we know that line :) That movie was awesome! My kids 10 and 13 like it even though its coming up 40 years old!!! hahahah its well (dramatic pause) timeless! Thanks Bruce from NZ
After scraping a half inch of brake pad dust off the back inside my rotor with a screwdriver and chisel, I beg to differ. Cost me in Advil, 1 week of proper function in my right forearm, and some of the precious little bit of sanity I have left. 10/10 would do again.
@@chrisfreemesser haha I saw somewhere 'round upstate here that there's a place that sells southern rust free pickup beds. Takeoffs from utility bodies and stuff like that. Haha I wish some of these guys around here would support em 😜
@@MrTheHillfolk You'd think that with rust as big a problem as it is up here, somebody would open a dealership that brags about selling nothing but rust free low mileage older cars brought up from places like TN. They'd have a constant line at the door and be able to sell 'em for twice as much up here as they'd go for down south
You can never have it too clean. Stay on these kids Tony, show them the right way and then if they screw up they will know who to blame. I've been playing with cars all my life and I have yet to complete one that I considered I did perfect. It's a lifetime learning process that tests you every day. Good job Tony!
I restore parts and rebuild them for a living, I absolutely love cleaning parts and getting them better than factory. As one other guy said, it does get you familiar with the cars parts and functionality of them. 👍🏼
So, true about cleanliness in general. As an apprentice in 1969, I spent a lot of time cleansing. I am a little concerned about the jack stands. In the past 20 years, two guys, in my area, have died from jack stand failure. In one case the stands were on soft ground and tipped. In the other case, the pawl of the support let go. There is a lot of crappy chinese metal(much of it really can't be called steel). I use solid wood cribbing now(old combat engineer habit). Good Luck, Rick
This is my first time watching this man's channel, and I already know I will love it. The message in this video is the same approach I take to working on any project, whether its cars, equipment, tools... if you are taking the time to refurbish something, do it to it's proper completion. Clean it down to the metal and build it back with parts that have also been prepped as if they were new parts. In the end, success is far more likely if you are disciplined and thorough. Thanks for a great video!
It took me 2 years out of my life to disassemble & rebuild a numbers matching 440 6 pack 70 Challenger back to factory stock & earn several 1st place trophies. I learned that I’ll never do that again!!!
I spent 3 years doing a frame off on a rusty rolling shell of a 65 GTO that wasn't even a good parts car, and I turned it into a fun daily driver. I enjoyed it so much I am doing others, like a 72 Cutlass, 71 Mustang, 69 GTO, 70 GTO, 68 Firebird (rustiest one yet), 72 Formula, and others. Made a video of the 65 build showing the stills I took while doing it. I like to build drivers, I am not into show cars, but I really appreciate the work and skill that goes into a show quality car. I'd never drive it nor enjoy it if I made it that nice.
Been there done that. If you look back and say never again, you might have done it for the wrong reasons. Choose carefully, unlike money time is the one thing no one ever gets back.
Yeah and my wife is like: if you cleaned the house like you cleaned your car parts 🤣🤣🤣🤣 She still hasn't noticed the interior pieces Ive been putting thru the dishwasher 🤣🤣
I am terminally Ill & you give me inspiration to stay active as I pass on. Thank u Uncle Tony you mean a lot to me. Be well, stay strong & see you on the other side.
The last minute of this video is a great philosophy for life! I'm older than you, and have allowed my self to get sloppy at my desk and in the shop. It's much harder to reorganise than keep it straight as you go. This week, I filled 2 barrels of junk from just one corner of my shop. (55 gallons each) I DID find some good stuff that I actually need right now.
Tony this a excellent video and applies to all mechanics. I’ve been an industrial Millwright for 38 years and have rebuilt all kinds of turbines, pumps, gearboxes, compressors etc. I have hammered the importance of cleanliness to over 50 some apprentices over the years. Cleanliness is about reliability and professionalism. Remember everyone, if you build something your NAME is on it! Uncle Dee
I truly wish more people would really take in what you have to say .because you speak 100% truth .what it takes to do this type of passion for classic cars. this come from years of experience and you just can't find this just anywhere..
Painting the lifter gallery also helps to fill in the rough pours of the casting helping oil to get back to the pan for re-circulation faster. Used to use a product called Glyptal for that, I think Eastwood still offers that product.
First got turned on to Glyptal in 1980, building a 340 it was like an electric motor inner coating is how I found it when I bought some. Cuz the guy Napa had no idea. Think I got it through Grainger
Your engine block has to be baked clean with no oil deposit before you paint, or you risk paint flaking off and blocking oil passages inside the engine, same goes with inside an oil pan or valve cover
Ugh, I know the feeling. Spend more time looking for tools than working. I need to completely re-organize my tools. Did it once about 10 years ago, everything nice and organized and in its place but over the years it's got away from me again. As a matter of fact, this weekend I thought somebody stole my toolbox out of my truck. I was mostly pissed because I had individual pieces from 10 sets of wrenches and sockets in there LOL.
It's true, but clutter becomes an unavoidable issue when storage is limited and you're deep in a build. I don't have the kind of space Tony has. Currently I have a front-end stripped, engine out and every part painted, so clutter has been the story of my garage for the last 5 months, despite having spent a significant amount of time organising the area. Things go missing and there's not much you can do about it. Just recently I found the 10 and 12mm spanners that had been mia for over a month; I found them when clearing space to place to put a freshly painted and assembled crossmember/rack, along with some brackets for the power steering lines I couldn't find that I had apparently primed and put in a random box.
Amen brother. I'm getting close to having 60 years of working on vehicles and cleanliness and organization are key to being successful and cutting down on frustration.
The value of undercoating is regional. I firmly believe anyone in the southern half of the country got duped if they paid for it. Up here in WI, it is the only thing that let any car older then 1986 survive being driven in the winter in the last 40 years. The underside of my 78 Monaco detective's car was completely blasted with the stuff. It was also washed by the country garage inside and out every time it left the building and returned. These two things let this car survive, in WI, long enough to be bought at auction by someone that kept it indoors in winter. I took the trim off. I took the vinyl roof off. I pulled the interior out. I had surface rust I could take off with hand sanding in the foot area of the front seats. No pitting whatsoever. There is surface rust i can also hand sand off where the paint is scratched in the front edge(dinger) of the driver rear wheel well. Both of those areas are sanded and primed. Floors have been painted also. The roof had left some rust. Well not really, it is in the rear window, very bottom corner edge from under the trim. When I got the car and washed it, I blasted about 20 pounds of pine needles out from under the front and rear window trim. I suspect this had more to do with the rust area then anything else. The actual roof, once I got the glue off, I coule have cut and polished the paint and it would look like it left the factory that way. The car is completely solid otherwise. If you live in WI(or even one of my neighbor states) then you know what kind of miracle this is. People say undercoating eats the car. I say, the only other B body Monaco I have seen in the last 15 years had the rear springs pushing against the trunk lid, and left the entire drivetrain behind when the wrecker came to winch it out of the lot it was in. I am going to leave it be. I plan on driving this car everywhere, this isn't going to a show in a trailer with a mirror under it. "But it's heavy!" Look. I keep my gas tank between 1/2 and full. I am built like an NFL linebacker, I weigh 285. I am doing a big block up in "can actually estimate mpg" street trim and this car has 4 doors. That's four doors to let buddies pile in to go golfing, go cruising, whatever. The car will have enough guts to move on out, hoon around like no ones business, and leave a set of blackies a block long even if it is full of rowdy guys and golf clubs. Not exactly worried about 20 lbs of tar under the car. Why am I writing all this? Because Uncle Tony, this video is stepping dangerously close to what every other internet car guy has done in the last 20 years: "This is how you build a car the RIGHT way." Just saying, careful man, I know you don't mean to be that guy but it can be easy to let the internet experts affect your world view. If I listened to internet car guys I would be car-less looking for only a car that's "worth it to fix" because every classic should be an investment, and the only way to fix it is "the right way" which means rotisserie, hot tank, 12 layers of wet sanded primer and 8 coats of wet sanded paint, but it has to be 100% original and if your going to add power might as well drop 25,000 dollars into the engine so it's at least 750hp otherwise don;t bother, might as well leave it stock. Not every car older then 1990 is going to the strip. Not every MOPAR is destined to run with a roll cage and a fuel cell and pizza cutters up front. All I want my car to do is look nice enough not to be embarrassin and lay blackies and make me and a few buds smile with the windows down. According to the internet guys, I am doing it wrong and I should work on this for 5 years before it goes back on the road again. Life is too short to worry if your car might get a rust spot 12 years from now. Like my body shop buddy says, "it's just metal" If it gets a rust spot, just fix it, it's a freeking car.
@@shawnbottom4769 Not everybody is. All the comments about "have you ever seen" and just the tone in general leans kinda hard towards the "you have to build it the RIGHT way". Lefties are trying their dangdest to make gas cost 10 bucks a gallon and make gas cars illegal to drive on public roads(already law in CA by 2032). You start telling people they have to do it a certain way and they need to spend 5 years on a build or they should feel bad and people are going to miss their opportunity to enjoy their ride. Uncle Tony needs to stick to the tips and tricks and lay off the "do it this way or else it sux" language.
There’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing, but everything you’ve said is just common sense. The one philosophy does not exclude the other… Tony said as much.
Best thing for me as a first time builder was to just pull the trigger and get going. I didn't do it perfect, but I'm happy with the build and the experience trumps all the internet info.
As a noob, the first ting I learned was that there's a reason why every book ever written on the subject of restoring an old car begins with exactly the same sentence: "If I knew what I was getting into, I never would have begun." But after two years of work and after reading a whole shelf full of books and tech manuals and watching hours and hours of UA-cam videos on the arcana of car repair , when I walk out into the garage I stop, look at the car, smile and think "I built that!"
You’re spot on about clutter. I have to routinely clean my bench and reset my tools before I move on to another task. It helps the mind to think better and work more efficiently.
I've collected and forgotten about so many tools I have that I've gone out purchased specialty tools that I forgot I had. Cleaning my shop after a minor flood was the best thing as it refreshed my memory of tools I have.
Two big take-always from your video, Tony. 1. A discipline, or mind-set, must be established and then followed. 2. Clutter confuses the brain. I've worked from dealerships to performance shops, and even small engine repair. The guys who don't like to "waste time" by cleaning and returning tools back to an organized state are the guys who have the most repair jobs come back to haunt them. And they have the honor of "fixing it again", but this time without pay. Anyone who's worked flat rate will tell you it requires discipline and organization to be successful. Yeah, I remember those guys rolling carts that were overflowing with hand tools that hadn't seen a tool box in weeks...searching for the proverbial 10mm socket. You're so right, Tony. Take care of things that you have the power to take care of, clean, inspect, organize. And if you do your homework, the technical side will come to you with time and experience. Great video!
Thanks Tony!!! Someone finally validated what I have been doing all my life. My shops have NEVER been nice, clean, or organized (I would give my left nut to have a shop like yours), but given my limitations, I have ALWAYS made sure that my work was done AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. And all I have ever heard from people is "why bother", "too much work", "whos ever gonna see it", "waste of time", "wont make any diffrerence", and MOST often "WHO CARES"!!! And my reply has always been "I DO"!!!!!!! The laughs STILL. ring in my ears. THANKS!!!
I have always maintained a clean and tidy workshop promotes quality work, and you have just said the reasons why. I run an electronics workshop from my home, I try to keep my work area clean, every night I put everything back into its place, I wipe the desk down, every week I get the dust buster out and give my desk a vacuum, if anyone comes into my workshop I want them to see its tidy! I set out my book work in such away that my accountant says its the most simplest and easiest tax return to process and for this my bill is half price! You see what Tony says just resonates with me 100%. Thanks Bruce from NZ.
Watched a top fuel crew at Keystone Raceway this weekend disassembling the motor in between runs. Everything and everyone had its place and the attention to detail was amazing to watch. That motor was torn down and put together in over an hour with 3 guys. Devils in the details!
ALL my projects...starts with cleaning. Not just "washing/detailing"..but A DEEP cleaning. Cars, boats, Harleys, and even planes. It's free, and it gets you intimately familiar with all the nooks and crannies of your project. Awesome videos !
Tony, not only is your quality improving greatly on these videos, you've kept a laid-back style while simultaneously taking the job of presenting more seriously. Kick ass, man! Also, you have one of the best comment sections in UA-cam, a community that resembles your laid-back style for the most part but there's a wealth of knowledge and fun banter. Keep it up! (This goes for us in the ComSec, too!)
As ever, very, very sage advice. I work with someone whose desk is a mass of stacked paper, and mess and disorganisation. She is the Financial Controller ! Every time I ask her a basic question, there is panic, and paper shuffling and "I'll get back to you" and then .. nothing. So yes, organisation, and cleanliness - in the office, in the garage, in the kitchen etc. - is a great starting point. I echo Lee's comment below about cleaning allowing you to get familiar with the parts / chassis you are working on. And ALWAYS, clean and put away your tools for the next day.
MUCH better off with a complete strip+clean underside then a couple coats of thick concrete floor paint. its epoxy tough and not too expensive, seals out water that'll make it rust. half gallon is only a couple pounds when its dry too. use what you want, I'll put this stuff on with rollers and brushes thanks. undercoating is heavy and it holds moisture, anything sprayed can have you choking on the crap, so why?
No matter what,or how you do things you're gonna get the "know it alls",sometimes it's almost not worth explaining yourself. Just do you,there's tons of us that Listen&Learn,and love the input.
I 100% agree with starting with cleaning on a car before anything else! I'm 26 now, but when I was 21 and first got my '65 Falcon, I didn't start by cleaning. The interior was full to the doors with parts, old door panels, hubcaps, and it made working on it a chore! Because you were always working around stuff! My '49 packard is the same way, but this build, I'm going to clean the packard out before I do anything else!
Great PSA Tony. This reminds me of what I read in AUTOWEEK once about TEAM PENSKE and how they approached INDY CAR RACING from their beginning in the late 60’s….. Clean, white jumpsuits, immaculately clean garage and pit areas. They even put down their own flooring..! Clean, perfect tools and equipment, best that money can buy, organized beyond belief. Strict professional protocol on every level. I think that their winning record speaks for itself. They had an approach to racing that was a cut above everyone else and intimidated the competition. They showed them how it’s done.
No worries, they are out there, I should say we are out here.. Most don't have a channel is all. I've met young guys who have the same drive, motivation, curiosity, and determination to build stuff that us old guys have. All they need is the time doing it under their belt.
I agree 100% Uncle Tony. As an Army Infantryman who's first duty was in a mechanized unit driving APC's in Germany back in the 1980's....keeping it CLEAN, knowing where every grease fitting was,...they also stressed "preventative maintenance"... Not only did it make you feel good, you "knew" your vehicle, and in the back of your brain you knew yours would perform better than the Slackers and good time Charlie's....with their piss poor approach to cleaning and maintenance.
That is so true when I helped my sister do her El Camino I has her clean everything. She found a few trouble spots hidden away. Ended up doing a full frame off restoration. Plus she learned a lot about how everything goes together and works.
I'm a Ford Technician and I absolutely Love how you said I put my tools away before starting something else....I do that even though I work on a Flat Rate system so TIME is crucial....I rather feel less stress then make time.....And it also goes to say it's hard to make time when your looking for tools all the time.....Im hopefully starting my High Performance Mustang build soon........Discovered your channel this is my first video so I wanted to comment....I'll be subscribing and watching more....THANK YOU!!!!!
Its also the reason an apprentice should be put on a broom first and not taken off it till they know how to sweep up and keep a shop clean. It's the 1st thing I thought when I saw you sweeping up under the car. It's all part of the learning process.
A lot of people YEARS in still havn't figured it out. I understand everything not being clean each second of the day. Some times even a day two three its a mess because of a big job, but putting your tools away, wiping some stuff off and just starting fresh always makes it easier.
Just spent the last two days cleaning my 645e3 v16 to get it ready for welding. We have three cracks but are going to repair two and monitor the third. Trying to get it as close to perfectly clean as possible. Better cleaning will make the welding and heat treatment easier not to mention the idea pride in craftsmanship. Greetings from the high plains of Texas.
Had a 74 camaro I was restoring back in the 90s whereas they had used undercoating to cover bondo in the rear subframe rails. If we hadn't cleaned the undercoating off we wouldn't have known to replace them. It's important for safety too. So I totally agree with you.
Im a gm guy. Pontiac specifically. Ive been building a 1970 gto for a few years now. I have no interest in mopar stuff and probably never will. But i love this guy! Its interesting to hear another mans perspective no matter how far seperated from your own it is. Although i do agree with most of the things he says. Honestly as long as ive been following it would be crazy to meet tony.. dare i say id be star stricken
Solid advice. I always say the best way to learn cars is to clean them spotless. You learn what things are, how their routed, mounting and what their connected to in the system. Great advice man.
Tony you're absolutely correct in guiding these boys to do it right been doing cars for 30 years and everyone was stripped to Bare Metal inside and out so every inch was clean and repainted, I don't know how many times I've seen beautiful cars at a car show and then look underneath and see nothing but rust and and old undercoating.
I agree. I bought 2 -58 chevys to restored one. I had to take every bolt and nut apart and took entire car down to bare metal. and put it back together one piece at a time after fully cleaning, repairing, painting everything. Frame removed from body in a Chevy. I learned a lot in the process which was the whole point. I even learned to repair and polish stainless which this car had a lot of.
I think that one word used here in your presentation is most important: "DISCIPLINE". Discipline is a practice in any type of work that reaches for, and attains the level of "craftsmanship". In the strict practice of set methodologies, which is part of what "discipline" is, one expresses through the process of discipline, a respect for the finished product, no matter what that product is. You, sir, are brilliant in your presentations, and I cannot express sincerely enough my appreciation and respect for your art, your work, your discipline, and your respect for your craft. Unfortunately it seems that more often these days, the concepts of discipline and respect are waning. God bless.
I am a small engine mechanic and shop owner. A fair part of my job involves cleaning equipment. People mostly have pretty dirty outdoor power equipment and don't give it a second thought. Try working on and seeing the details of a dirty part, it's tough.
Im doing a 79 z-28 right now and i have cleaned the entire underside with a wire wheel and what a mess. Not my first rodeo but at 60 it's not as much fun lol. I have the underside so clean and painted you could eat dinner off of it and I love that. I'm finally at the point where I am installing all the new parts and man it looks awesome. If you keep the underside of your car as clean as the top side, no one will question your work because your professional. It's the same thing with leaks, nothing leaves my shop with leaks.
I have been working over a 1966 f250 while daily driving it, and every part I work on or take off I wire wheel everything spotless. I even wire wheel off all the threads and nuts on it. It makes it go back together easy.
I've had the same problem with people asking why I take so much time cleaning something that I'm going to go out and try to destroy at the drag strip. I tell them almost exactly what you just said. With the addition that "I'll be spending a lot of time in and under the car, I like working on clean cars, and I want to be able to enjoy my hobby." Nothing pisses me off more than when I buy a new/used car and I have to work on it because of some "Sin of the past owner" rears it's ugly head and it won't wait until I can clean everything up the way I like it. My wife just closes the windows and doors so she doesn't have to listen to all the cussing and swearing. lol Not to mention what I look like after working on a filthy neglected car.
I've been in the Industry close to 45 Years Everything that You are Saying is Dead On... I'll start with the Undercoat... Weight Loss Sure... But it Could also Reveal Weak Cracked or Rusty Spots in the Floor or Chassis... I Typically Debut All the Engine Blocks that I go through which eliminates Stress Risers helps Oil Flow and You Don't Heat Cuts so easy etc.The Little Things Do Make a Difference. Keep Up the Great Work... Brother
AMEN, Uncle Tony! When you know every inch of the car and have a clear idea of every flaw you need to address, it makes every difference in the world! Besides, when I am pounding on car parts to make something fun, I do not want to cut the corners or take the easy way, I want it right for me! I consider myself and my fun to be worth it.
We always clean up, but none of us noticed the undercoat was still there when we were putting things away this time. Usually, when we finish, we pressure wash under the car. This time we made a mistake forgetting about it but we usually don’t make the same one twice.
@@austinlacroix888 Most of us working people actually realize how hard this job is. The fact that you have dedicated a segment of your life to be distracted away from the life you had previously; then subtract about half the time you used to have for the other half.... Keep up the awesome work... Now, I'm going to enjoy my one day off this week and get the week started all over again tomorrow night... Only to go back to my two 360 degree foam extruders... Things happen and life happens. I haven't missed a week of mowing all summer, dry and hot. Then 3 rain showers in the last 5 days, yesterday I had a hay field in my yard; even though I mowed 6 days ago...... That's what happens in the real world.... Sometimes you just get on the mower and you are king of the world blazing the saddle for all she's worth, other days you might get on the mower and have to take it down to 1st gear and just sightsee for a few hours.... No matter what, the only response you'll get, well I see he mowed his yard.....
I agree removing the undercoat with a propane torch is the right way. Learning your car is an important benefit. Visual inspection can save your ass, that fault could be hidden otherwise. I'm hoping the UTG crew all made it through the flooding okay. Saw some nasty stuff on the interwebs of wrecked homes, cars and lives in Mid. Tennessee. My heart goes out to all affected.
Yes, totally agree with that, Everytime I dig into something on my ride I clean it up,if I ever have to go back it's better than it was the first time,an the newest wheels I ever had were at least ten years old.
No one drives a restoration or custom car in winter, maybe not even in the rain, like those old cars did. I used a pressure washer and compressed air to remove the loose undercoating. I was using the air to dry it and chunks started flying off. Thought about using a torch for the rest but I just primered it.
First thing I tell a kid that "wants to know how to do that" is 80 percent of building a vehicle is as exciting as doing the dishes. 80 percent of the kids leave when they find out that's truth.
Funny you use a propane torch, I’ve used this method to remove bondo/filler. Softens lifts and easy to scrape. Taught myself 13 years back like everything I’ve learned in 43 years, first will power, common sense and hunting information from the go to guys. Always good to start on a unibody platform and grasping the structure engineering. Appreciate ya bud!
Tony is absolutely right. If you know that you will be repetitively taking things apart, you don't want rust flakes falling in your eyes and mouth every time you are working under the car. Also, you can see cracks or other potential catastrophic failures before they happen if everything isn't coated in 1/2" of greasy dirt. This concept applies to anything a person might be working on. I don't want to work on electronics if the circuit board is covered in disgusting dust (mostly skin cells). It's might seem like extra work the first time (and it is), but every time afterwards is a "happy place to work". "Clutter" always gets in the way of focus.
Uncle Tony, my father committed suicide Friday. He was a massive fan about you and has passed on the Mopar legacy to me. His name was Charles Gorton and he said he’s spoken to you about his 400 Big Block Chrysler he was building. You told him to use 5/16ths 383 heads and everything. I just wanted you to know I’m thankful of the impact you made on him and the inspiration you were to his passion. When it came to Mopars, you didn’t make him feel alone. And for that, I thank you
Uncle Tony,I agree 100% with you.When I BUILD a car I gut it and make the car exactly the way it was at the factory before getting painted.I use Glyptol inside my engines.It makes the oil flow through the valley and other places faster.I want every part of my cars to be immaculate or it's a POS to me.I been called a freak but don't care.I just love my cars and it shows.
I totally agree with what you are saying. Yet my body shop is a mess. At times it's a problem, but cleaning is for slow spells. I hate undercoating though, and we always remove it on ground up restos
Greetings from Northern Ireland. Over here rust is absolutely horrific its so hard to find a solid car to restore. A seasoned car guy told me the first thing you need to learn is the art of welding! I once went to look at a "professionally restored" 1965 mini and I didn't let my heart rule my head! It looked beautiful with its fresh tartan red paint and gleaming chrome. I opened the door and the fibreglass and filler smell hit me. The magnet trick told its tale it had more filler than metal. All the classic mini rot spots were eating away below the filler and after a winter the bubbles and rot would be back!
@@Nord3202 The heritage body shell. I can remember watching a documentary about the 1970s when bare shells were left outdoors! A blueprint for rust before the paint hit the shell! It's before my time but in the early 70s my Mother bought a brand new Hillman Avenger it had a rusted roof in about 3 months needless to say it was returned to the dealership!!
A person that sees undercoating should be very VERY mindful when inspecting a car with undercoating! A year ago I purchased a squarebody chevy truck that appeared to have a beautiful appearing undercoating, 3 weeks later I discovered that the individual had done an incredible job with duct tape when the frame broke in half as I drove across a recently installed drain tile connecting one field to another under the roadway. At 52yrs old I've seen many hacks to sell square body trucks, but I must congratulate the work done by this individual, for it was impeccable done and had me convinced I had found a gem!
I agree about making something a happy place to be, the block cracked in my Range Rover classic and while I had the engine out I spent 3x the time painting, decluttering and minimalising the engine bay then rebuilding the engine so I didn’t groan when I opened the hood.
I don't think that airplane engines are painted on the inside, maybe to make cracks or corrosion more visible, or the concern that a paint flake might get in a bearing. They are very clean , the castings on mine look like they've been brushed. One thing that is done, all the fasteners are safety wired, castle nuts or bend up washer locks.
You must have had training the same as most of us did. Old school. I was taught by my Grandfather. Parts & tools must be clean. What great way to pass this on to the next generation of builders. Hats off to the 'old timers' that taught us.
When I was in the Army, they drilled it into you to keep your rifle so clean you could eat off of it. (Of course you never would, cuz then you'd have to clean the food residue off of it!😉) Sometimes I wish I could just disassemble my engine and clean it like a rifle!😁
So I can put together an engine and sandwich it all together and install the engine. Install the surrounding needed mechanical parts. For my low slung CRX I use a special undercarriage washer to be able to get all the grease and make it look factory again. For Building the engine like putting the rods, Heads , Cams and engine spec I take it to the specialist. For tuning I take it to the Tuners. Now I am currently working on completely restoring and 1972 FJ40 and that is a whole different process like he said your taking about rebuilding everything back to spec or better.
We need more uncle Tony's in the world! My uncle Bobby was just like uncle Tony and we lost him about 10 years ago. Been lost with out his knowledge till I found this page. Keep the info coming. 👍👍
Great advice. Thank you for sharing the knowledge. All serious car builders have one trait in common: they’re obsessed with what they do. The cleaning process is part of that obsession.
One of the Best Videos you’ve ever made ,If you hand off a nasty part to the next guy ,they will only give it poor care ,If you hand off a very nice clean deburred part ,It shows you care and want precise work !!!
You make a great point,Uncle Tony!I am in the process of replacing some of the floor of my '65 Studebaker.I flunked metal shop in high school, but I'm slowly cleaning things up a bit at a time.Shop vac, scrape, chisel, sawzall,grind, remove paint,etc. I'm chipping away at this a little at a time,and ultimately I'll get it done.
I agree with your sentiments tony but you missed one important part of the cleaning process, it gets you intimately familiar with the car your trying to build. Once your done cleaning you know every nook and cranny of that particular car and you more often than not find areas that need repair that you otherwise will not see.
EXACTLY all of this.
Welding panels to rust is dumb. A solid cleaning of all metal parts is the right way to go. Anything less is just not a complete rebuild.
Yep, I was cleaning all the door & tailgate jambs on a project car I've had for five years the other day and found some rust on the bottom lip of the tailgate that I didn't even know was there. Luckily I caught it before it needs any metal replaced, I can just clean off the rust and re-coat it, but after a couple more years untouched it would turn into a kind of pita patch panel job...
Perfectly said
And if you intend to modify the things you've cleaned, you have a clearer idea in mind of what's behind, beyond or around them. You see the thing as the sum of its parts.
He does at 5:10.
A racer once told me - don't look for a place to take off 100 pounds - look for 100 places to take off 1 pound.
whoa.... DEEP!
Bruce Lee. I fear not the man that practiced 10,000 kicks once.. but i fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times .
I don't know about that. Those big ole boys on Street Outlaws should let the skinny girls drive.
It's quite simple UTG famous quote "Nothing is lighter than a hole" that quote is totally awesome!
Simplify and add lightness. Or keep taking off things one at a time until something breaks, then put that last thing back
"Building is different than modifying." There's a lot packed in to that simple sentence.
..but indeed a huge distinction.
When he said that, my thought was that building starts with a load of raw materials, if you start with a car, you can only modify it.
I'm 78 years old and my whole life, since I was old enough to understand the meaning of "doing things", I was told "Do it right, or don't do it at all"!!! That equates to no "short cuts", no "that's good enough", no "your never going to see it"!!! As you say, start with a plan (assuming it's something you have done before), use good materials and tools (a mistake most amateurs make that usually dooms them to failure before they start), and DON'T BE IN A RUSH!!! Take your time, enjoy your work, and be extremely satisfied when the project is complete and you KNOW it's going to last!!! Particularly in Hot Rodding and Street Rodding, "it's all about the detail". Not about the "bling"!!
I'm moving from my first restoration to my first actual build, and my neighbor -- who is teaching me welding and some finer points of carbureted engines -- preaches repeatedly the most important work you put in is what no one sees. "Chrome don't get ya home"
"I'm gonna be mayor & clean up this town" ... "Good, you can start by sweeping the floor"
Thats right Goldie
Now we are all showing our age if we know that line :) That movie was awesome! My kids 10 and 13 like it even though its coming up 40 years old!!! hahahah its well (dramatic pause) timeless! Thanks Bruce from NZ
Good quote
Back to the future. Lol. . My favorite movies growing up.
2015 came and went like a fart in the wind...
Elbow grease is one of the secrets of nearly everything...and its free! The basics never goes out of style.
You don't know the lazy upbringing we have today? Cleanliness is next to Fuck it....
Basic black
After scraping a half inch of brake pad dust off the back inside my rotor with a screwdriver and chisel, I beg to differ.
Cost me in Advil, 1 week of proper function in my right forearm, and some of the precious little bit of sanity I have left.
10/10 would do again.
Here in Iowa if we clean the underside there's no car left to build 🤷
That is where your welding skills become important. BTW I live in Minnesota and lived in Iowa - we got WAY more rust up here.
😄
Same here in NY!
@@chrisfreemesser haha I saw somewhere 'round upstate here that there's a place that sells southern rust free pickup beds.
Takeoffs from utility bodies and stuff like that.
Haha I wish some of these guys around here would support em 😜
@@MrTheHillfolk You'd think that with rust as big a problem as it is up here, somebody would open a dealership that brags about selling nothing but rust free low mileage older cars brought up from places like TN. They'd have a constant line at the door and be able to sell 'em for twice as much up here as they'd go for down south
You can never have it too clean. Stay on these kids Tony, show them the right way and then if they screw up they will know who to blame. I've been playing with cars all my life and I have yet to complete one that I considered I did perfect. It's a lifetime learning process that tests you every day. Good job Tony!
Wow! That’s very profound and makes me think of artists never being truly happy with their works but every one else looks at it like a master piece
I restore parts and rebuild them for a living, I absolutely love cleaning parts and getting them better than factory. As one other guy said, it does get you familiar with the cars parts and functionality of them. 👍🏼
So, true about cleanliness in general. As an apprentice in 1969, I spent a lot of time cleansing. I am a little concerned about the jack stands. In the past 20 years, two guys, in my area, have died from jack stand failure. In one case the stands were on soft ground and tipped. In the other case, the pawl of the support let go. There is a lot of crappy chinese metal(much of it really can't be called steel). I use solid wood cribbing now(old combat engineer habit). Good Luck, Rick
This is my first time watching this man's channel, and I already know I will love it. The message in this video is the same approach I take to working on any project, whether its cars, equipment, tools... if you are taking the time to refurbish something, do it to it's proper completion. Clean it down to the metal and build it back with parts that have also been prepped as if they were new parts. In the end, success is far more likely if you are disciplined and thorough. Thanks for a great video!
It took me 2 years out of my life to disassemble & rebuild a numbers matching 440 6 pack 70 Challenger back to factory stock & earn several 1st place trophies. I learned that I’ll never do that again!!!
But clearly it was worth it and looked good to some people so.
I spent 3 years doing a frame off on a rusty rolling shell of a 65 GTO that wasn't even a good parts car, and I turned it into a fun daily driver. I enjoyed it so much I am doing others, like a 72 Cutlass, 71 Mustang, 69 GTO, 70 GTO, 68 Firebird (rustiest one yet), 72 Formula, and others. Made a video of the 65 build showing the stills I took while doing it.
I like to build drivers, I am not into show cars, but I really appreciate the work and skill that goes into a show quality car. I'd never drive it nor enjoy it if I made it that nice.
Yup I repaired a rusty car once.
What I Iearned is to go south or west to buy a car.
Been there done that. If you look back and say never again, you might have done it for the wrong reasons. Choose carefully, unlike money time is the one thing no one ever gets back.
@@MrTheHillfolk I can't afford rust free cars, also I have a welder, sawzall, and a shop with plenty of time on my hands.. so rust fears me
I think Tony they also are learning discipline and the value of sticking to something till you get it right !!!
Wax on ... wax off.
Never was about the wax.
@@BobOBob Wax This
Yep. You quickly see who's worth keeping around when the shit jobs need doing
Someone finally put what was a given when I started out 30+ years ago into words! Excellent video UT.
One of the first things we learned was to clean "schtuff".
Our shop teacher use to say make it shine like chrome...
THNX!
Yeah and my wife is like: if you cleaned the house like you cleaned your car parts 🤣🤣🤣🤣
She still hasn't noticed the interior pieces Ive been putting thru the dishwasher 🤣🤣
@@MrTheHillfolk The women folk would kill us if they found out👍💪🍻🦅🦅🦅
@@lambrokedrc5998 shhhh😁😁😁
I am terminally Ill & you give me inspiration to stay active as I pass on. Thank u Uncle Tony you mean a lot to me. Be well, stay strong & see you on the other side.
stay active and keep moving. wishing you peace
Good luck me too , its a prick .See you there, someone will have a beer for us .
The last minute of this video is a great philosophy for life! I'm older than you, and have allowed my self to get sloppy at my desk and in the shop. It's much harder to reorganise than keep it straight as you go. This week, I filled 2 barrels of junk from just one corner of my shop. (55 gallons each) I DID find some good stuff that I actually need right now.
Reminds me of a video of a hard rubber undercoating ruined a 2007 Silverado frame. Undercoat are great for scammers to hide undercarriage rust.
Tony this a excellent video and applies to all mechanics. I’ve been an industrial Millwright for 38 years and have rebuilt all kinds of turbines, pumps, gearboxes, compressors etc. I have hammered the importance of cleanliness to over 50 some apprentices over the years.
Cleanliness is about reliability and professionalism. Remember everyone, if you build something your NAME is on it!
Uncle Dee
Right on!
Uncle Dee, I agree 100 percent. Thats what is largely missing in todays society - old school mentality - take pride in what you do.
I would love to get inside Tony's head another old school hot rodding mechanic, as a mechanic you can always learn more!
As a mechanic thanks for showing us some of your secrets🇺🇸
I truly wish more people would really take in what you have to say .because you speak 100% truth .what it takes to do this type of passion for classic cars. this come from years of experience and you just can't find this just anywhere..
Painting the lifter gallery also helps to fill in the rough pours of the casting helping oil to get back to the pan for re-circulation faster. Used to use a product called Glyptal for that, I think Eastwood still offers that product.
First got turned on to Glyptal in 1980, building a 340 it was like an electric motor inner coating is how I found it when I bought some. Cuz the guy Napa had no idea. Think I got it through Grainger
Most good electrical shops can get it for you.
Waste of time.
I couldn't help but notice that he painted over loads of casting flash.
Your engine block has to be baked clean with no oil deposit before you paint, or you risk paint flaking off and blocking oil passages inside the engine, same goes with inside an oil pan or valve cover
He's right about the clutter, the cause of me spending hours and hours trying to find the part or tool I just had in my hands a couple of days before.
I feel your pain, same here
Yup,jumping from one project to another right away tends to do that
Ugh, I know the feeling. Spend more time looking for tools than working. I need to completely re-organize my tools. Did it once about 10 years ago, everything nice and organized and in its place but over the years it's got away from me again. As a matter of fact, this weekend I thought somebody stole my toolbox out of my truck. I was mostly pissed because I had individual pieces from 10 sets of wrenches and sockets in there LOL.
@@MrTheHillfolk And who doesn't have at least 6 different projects going at once
It's true, but clutter becomes an unavoidable issue when storage is limited and you're deep in a build. I don't have the kind of space Tony has. Currently I have a front-end stripped, engine out and every part painted, so clutter has been the story of my garage for the last 5 months, despite having spent a significant amount of time organising the area. Things go missing and there's not much you can do about it. Just recently I found the 10 and 12mm spanners that had been mia for over a month; I found them when clearing space to place to put a freshly painted and assembled crossmember/rack, along with some brackets for the power steering lines I couldn't find that I had apparently primed and put in a random box.
Amen brother. I'm getting close to having 60 years of working on vehicles and cleanliness and organization are key to being successful and cutting down on frustration.
I started out working for dad by washing parts. HIS way. Perfectly clean. Learn to look for wear. Learn what normal/good looks like.
The value of undercoating is regional. I firmly believe anyone in the southern half of the country got duped if they paid for it.
Up here in WI, it is the only thing that let any car older then 1986 survive being driven in the winter in the last 40 years.
The underside of my 78 Monaco detective's car was completely blasted with the stuff.
It was also washed by the country garage inside and out every time it left the building and returned.
These two things let this car survive, in WI, long enough to be bought at auction by someone that kept it indoors in winter.
I took the trim off. I took the vinyl roof off. I pulled the interior out.
I had surface rust I could take off with hand sanding in the foot area of the front seats. No pitting whatsoever.
There is surface rust i can also hand sand off where the paint is scratched in the front edge(dinger) of the driver rear wheel well.
Both of those areas are sanded and primed. Floors have been painted also.
The roof had left some rust. Well not really, it is in the rear window, very bottom corner edge from under the trim. When I got the car and washed it, I blasted about 20 pounds of pine needles out from under the front and rear window trim. I suspect this had more to do with the rust area then anything else. The actual roof, once I got the glue off, I coule have cut and polished the paint and it would look like it left the factory that way.
The car is completely solid otherwise. If you live in WI(or even one of my neighbor states) then you know what kind of miracle this is.
People say undercoating eats the car.
I say, the only other B body Monaco I have seen in the last 15 years had the rear springs pushing against the trunk lid, and left the entire drivetrain behind when the wrecker came to winch it out of the lot it was in. I am going to leave it be. I plan on driving this car everywhere, this isn't going to a show in a trailer with a mirror under it.
"But it's heavy!" Look. I keep my gas tank between 1/2 and full. I am built like an NFL linebacker, I weigh 285. I am doing a big block up in "can actually estimate mpg" street trim and this car has 4 doors. That's four doors to let buddies pile in to go golfing, go cruising, whatever. The car will have enough guts to move on out, hoon around like no ones business, and leave a set of blackies a block long even if it is full of rowdy guys and golf clubs. Not exactly worried about 20 lbs of tar under the car.
Why am I writing all this? Because Uncle Tony, this video is stepping dangerously close to what every other internet car guy has done in the last 20 years: "This is how you build a car the RIGHT way." Just saying, careful man, I know you don't mean to be that guy but it can be easy to let the internet experts affect your world view. If I listened to internet car guys I would be car-less looking for only a car that's "worth it to fix" because every classic should be an investment, and the only way to fix it is "the right way" which means rotisserie, hot tank, 12 layers of wet sanded primer and 8 coats of wet sanded paint, but it has to be 100% original and if your going to add power might as well drop 25,000 dollars into the engine so it's at least 750hp otherwise don;t bother, might as well leave it stock.
Not every car older then 1990 is going to the strip. Not every MOPAR is destined to run with a roll cage and a fuel cell and pizza cutters up front. All I want my car to do is look nice enough not to be embarrassin and lay blackies and make me and a few buds smile with the windows down. According to the internet guys, I am doing it wrong and I should work on this for 5 years before it goes back on the road again. Life is too short to worry if your car might get a rust spot 12 years from now. Like my body shop buddy says, "it's just metal" If it gets a rust spot, just fix it, it's a freeking car.
I like what you said but you missed the point. You're not racing.
@@shawnbottom4769 Not everybody is. All the comments about "have you ever seen" and just the tone in general leans kinda hard towards the "you have to build it the RIGHT way".
Lefties are trying their dangdest to make gas cost 10 bucks a gallon and make gas cars illegal to drive on public roads(already law in CA by 2032). You start telling people they have to do it a certain way and they need to spend 5 years on a build or they should feel bad and people are going to miss their opportunity to enjoy their ride. Uncle Tony needs to stick to the tips and tricks and lay off the "do it this way or else it sux" language.
There’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing, but everything you’ve said is just common sense. The one philosophy does not exclude the other… Tony said as much.
Best thing for me as a first time builder was to just pull the trigger and get going.
I didn't do it perfect, but I'm happy with the build and the experience trumps all the internet info.
There is a very fine line between art and OCD.
I've been around cars all my life and what you have said Tony is spot on!
Very articulate rant!
I once striped an entire car took it to the paint guy
Was. Dude was like ohhhhhh haaaaaaaa lol
As a noob, the first ting I learned was that there's a reason why every book ever written on the subject of restoring an old car begins with exactly the same sentence: "If I knew what I was getting into, I never would have begun." But after two years of work and after reading a whole shelf full of books and tech manuals and watching hours and hours of UA-cam videos on the arcana of car repair , when I walk out into the garage I stop, look at the car, smile and think "I built that!"
You’re spot on about clutter. I have to routinely clean my bench and reset my tools before I move on to another task. It helps the mind to think better and work more efficiently.
I've collected and forgotten about so many tools I have that I've gone out purchased specialty tools that I forgot I had. Cleaning my shop after a minor flood was the best thing as it refreshed my memory of tools I have.
Two big take-always from your video, Tony.
1. A discipline, or mind-set, must be established and then followed.
2. Clutter confuses the brain.
I've worked from dealerships to performance shops, and even small engine repair. The guys who don't like to "waste time" by cleaning and returning tools back to an organized state are the guys who have the most repair jobs come back to haunt them. And they have the honor of "fixing it again", but this time without pay.
Anyone who's worked flat rate will tell you it requires discipline and organization to be successful.
Yeah, I remember those guys rolling carts that were overflowing with hand tools that hadn't seen a tool box in weeks...searching for the proverbial 10mm socket.
You're so right, Tony. Take care of things that you have the power to take care of, clean, inspect, organize. And if you do your homework, the technical side will come to you with time and experience.
Great video!
100% spot on UTG.
A clean race car is a happy race car and
a mean pristine racing machine.
Thanks Tony!!! Someone finally validated what I have been doing all my life. My shops have NEVER been nice, clean, or organized (I would give my left nut to have a shop like yours), but given my limitations, I have ALWAYS made sure that my work was done AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. And all I have ever heard from people is "why bother", "too much work", "whos ever gonna see it", "waste of time", "wont make any diffrerence", and MOST often "WHO CARES"!!! And my reply has always been "I DO"!!!!!!! The laughs STILL. ring in my ears. THANKS!!!
I have always maintained a clean and tidy workshop promotes quality work, and you have just said the reasons why. I run an electronics workshop from my home, I try to keep my work area clean, every night I put everything back into its place, I wipe the desk down, every week I get the dust buster out and give my desk a vacuum, if anyone comes into my workshop I want them to see its tidy! I set out my book work in such away that my accountant says its the most simplest and easiest tax return to process and for this my bill is half price! You see what Tony says just resonates with me 100%. Thanks Bruce from NZ.
One of the best videos for a rookie in the car building game !!
Watched a top fuel crew at Keystone Raceway this weekend disassembling the motor in between runs. Everything and everyone had its place and the attention to detail was amazing to watch. That motor was torn down and put together in over an hour with 3 guys. Devils in the details!
Haha that musta been like watching van Gogh paint.
ALL my projects...starts with cleaning. Not just "washing/detailing"..but A DEEP cleaning. Cars, boats, Harleys, and even planes. It's free, and it gets you intimately familiar with all the nooks and crannies of your project. Awesome videos !
Tony, not only is your quality improving greatly on these videos, you've kept a laid-back style while simultaneously taking the job of presenting more seriously. Kick ass, man!
Also, you have one of the best comment sections in UA-cam, a community that resembles your laid-back style for the most part but there's a wealth of knowledge and fun banter. Keep it up! (This goes for us in the ComSec, too!)
It takes very little skills to disassemble a car or an engine….but it takes tons to put it back together
Try cleaning black rattle can out of a Top Banana engine bay ,wow!! Got it done though, some people should not play with aerosol paint
As ever, very, very sage advice. I work with someone whose desk is a mass of stacked paper, and mess and disorganisation. She is the Financial Controller ! Every time I ask her a basic question, there is panic, and paper shuffling and "I'll get back to you" and then .. nothing. So yes, organisation, and cleanliness - in the office, in the garage, in the kitchen etc. - is a great starting point. I echo Lee's comment below about cleaning allowing you to get familiar with the parts / chassis you are working on. And ALWAYS, clean and put away your tools for the next day.
Propane torch is great for burning out the mouse nests as well.
MUCH better off with a complete strip+clean underside then a couple coats of thick concrete floor paint. its epoxy tough and not too expensive, seals out water that'll make it rust. half gallon is only a couple pounds when its dry too. use what you want, I'll put this stuff on with rollers and brushes thanks. undercoating is heavy and it holds moisture, anything sprayed can have you choking on the crap, so why?
Take pride in your work no matter what it is
Building the proper foundation is why my vw bus has been waiting half nekkid for 2 years
No matter what,or how you do things you're gonna get the "know it alls",sometimes it's almost not worth explaining yourself. Just do you,there's tons of us that Listen&Learn,and love the input.
I 100% agree with starting with cleaning on a car before anything else! I'm 26 now, but when I was 21 and first got my '65 Falcon, I didn't start by cleaning. The interior was full to the doors with parts, old door panels, hubcaps, and it made working on it a chore! Because you were always working around stuff! My '49 packard is the same way, but this build, I'm going to clean the packard out before I do anything else!
Great PSA Tony.
This reminds me of what I read in AUTOWEEK once about TEAM PENSKE and how they approached INDY CAR RACING from their beginning in the late 60’s…..
Clean, white jumpsuits, immaculately clean garage and pit areas. They even put down their own flooring..! Clean, perfect tools and equipment, best that money can buy, organized beyond belief. Strict professional protocol on every level.
I think that their winning record speaks for itself. They had an approach to racing that was a cut above everyone else and intimidated the competition. They showed them how it’s done.
Thank you for taking the time to explain the higher order thought process of WHY.
Thank you for making these videos.
We need 100's more Uncle Tonys' in the world
No worries, they are out there, I should say we are out here.. Most don't have a channel is all. I've met young guys who have the same drive, motivation, curiosity, and determination to build stuff that us old guys have. All they need is the time doing it under their belt.
I agree 100% Uncle Tony. As an Army Infantryman who's first duty was in a mechanized unit driving APC's in Germany back in the 1980's....keeping it CLEAN, knowing where every grease fitting was,...they also stressed "preventative maintenance"...
Not only did it make you feel good, you "knew" your vehicle, and in the back of your brain you knew yours would perform better than the Slackers and good time Charlie's....with their piss poor approach to cleaning and maintenance.
That is so true when I helped my sister do her El Camino I has her clean everything. She found a few trouble spots hidden away. Ended up doing a full frame off restoration. Plus she learned a lot about how everything goes together and works.
I'm a Ford Technician and I absolutely Love how you said I put my tools away before starting something else....I do that even though I work on a Flat Rate system so TIME is crucial....I rather feel less stress then make time.....And it also goes to say it's hard to make time when your looking for tools all the time.....Im hopefully starting my High Performance Mustang build soon........Discovered your channel this is my first video so I wanted to comment....I'll be subscribing and watching more....THANK YOU!!!!!
Its also the reason an apprentice should be put on a broom first and not taken off it till they know how to sweep up and keep a shop clean. It's the 1st thing I thought when I saw you sweeping up under the car. It's all part of the learning process.
A lot of people YEARS in still havn't figured it out. I understand everything not being clean each second of the day. Some times even a day two three its a mess because of a big job, but putting your tools away, wiping some stuff off and just starting fresh always makes it easier.
Just spent the last two days cleaning my 645e3 v16 to get it ready for welding. We have three cracks but are going to repair two and monitor the third. Trying to get it as close to perfectly clean as possible. Better cleaning will make the welding and heat treatment easier not to mention the idea pride in craftsmanship.
Greetings from the high plains of Texas.
Had a 74 camaro I was restoring back in the 90s whereas they had used undercoating to cover bondo in the rear subframe rails. If we hadn't cleaned the undercoating off we wouldn't have known to replace them. It's important for safety too. So I totally agree with you.
Im a gm guy. Pontiac specifically. Ive been building a 1970 gto for a few years now. I have no interest in mopar stuff and probably never will. But i love this guy! Its interesting to hear another mans perspective no matter how far seperated from your own it is. Although i do agree with most of the things he says. Honestly as long as ive been following it would be crazy to meet tony.. dare i say id be star stricken
You nailed it shut with that "declutter your work area and shop" whether cars or cabinet making that makes your life 100 times easier!
luckily my f250's 7.3 idi leaks all of the undercoating my truck will ever need
that trucks frame is nicer than some 2000s f150s lol
I have a 12v Cummins , even the rear bumper is rust guarded lol
Oiled clutch ✔
No squeaks✔
Biggest problem with oil leaking is dirt entering
Use Glyptal or Rust-o-leum in the lifter valley to aid in quick oil drain back.
Rust-o-no! The paint will peel and chip and clog up your bearings.
Solid advice. I always say the best way to learn cars is to clean them spotless. You learn what things are, how their routed, mounting and what their connected to in the system. Great advice man.
Tony you're absolutely correct in guiding these boys to do it right been doing cars for 30 years and everyone was stripped to Bare Metal inside and out so every inch was clean and repainted, I don't know how many times I've seen beautiful cars at a car show and then look underneath and see nothing but rust and and old undercoating.
I agree. I bought 2 -58 chevys to restored one. I had to take every bolt and nut apart and took entire car down to bare metal. and put it back together one piece at a time after fully cleaning, repairing, painting everything. Frame removed from body in a Chevy. I learned a lot in the process which was the whole point. I even learned to repair and polish stainless which this car had a lot of.
I think that one word used here in your presentation is most important: "DISCIPLINE". Discipline is a practice in any type of work that reaches for, and attains the level of "craftsmanship". In the strict practice of set methodologies, which is part of what "discipline" is, one expresses through the process of discipline, a respect for the finished product, no matter what that product is. You, sir, are brilliant in your presentations, and I cannot express sincerely enough my appreciation and respect for your art, your work, your discipline, and your respect for your craft. Unfortunately it seems that more often these days, the concepts of discipline and respect are waning. God bless.
I am a small engine mechanic and shop owner. A fair part of my job involves cleaning equipment. People mostly have pretty dirty outdoor power equipment and don't give it a second thought. Try working on and seeing the details of a dirty part, it's tough.
yes in a shop the tools needs to be put back clean and no clutter but Einstein's desk was a mess
He didn’t work with his desk, he worked with his brain… ill bet it was orderly in its way
That's why Einstein could never break the speed of light.
Some believe he had a text book case of autistic / savant! He would forget to comb his hair.
Einstein was a fraud
Einstein was a theorist, not an applied scientist
Im doing a 79 z-28 right now and i have cleaned the entire underside with a wire wheel and what a mess. Not my first rodeo but at 60 it's not as much fun lol. I have the underside so clean and painted you could eat dinner off of it and I love that. I'm finally at the point where I am installing all the new parts and man it looks awesome. If you keep the underside of your car as clean as the top side, no one will question your work because your professional. It's the same thing with leaks, nothing leaves my shop with leaks.
I have been working over a 1966 f250 while daily driving it, and every part I work on or take off I wire wheel everything spotless. I even wire wheel off all the threads and nuts on it. It makes it go back together easy.
I've had the same problem with people asking why I take so much time cleaning something that I'm going to go out and try to destroy at the drag strip. I tell them almost exactly what you just said. With the addition that "I'll be spending a lot of time in and under the car, I like working on clean cars, and I want to be able to enjoy my hobby." Nothing pisses me off more than when I buy a new/used car and I have to work on it because of some "Sin of the past owner" rears it's ugly head and it won't wait until I can clean everything up the way I like it. My wife just closes the windows and doors so she doesn't have to listen to all the cussing and swearing. lol Not to mention what I look like after working on a filthy neglected car.
I've been in the Industry close to 45 Years Everything that You are Saying is Dead On... I'll start with the Undercoat... Weight Loss Sure... But it Could also Reveal Weak Cracked or Rusty Spots in the Floor or Chassis... I Typically Debut All the Engine Blocks that I go through which eliminates Stress Risers helps Oil Flow and You Don't Heat Cuts so easy etc.The Little Things Do Make a Difference. Keep Up the Great Work... Brother
AMEN, Uncle Tony! When you know every inch of the car and have a clear idea of every flaw you need to address, it makes every difference in the world! Besides, when I am pounding on car parts to make something fun, I do not want to cut the corners or take the easy way, I want it right for me! I consider myself and my fun to be worth it.
Your a gift to the garage/shop car guys bud. I grew up in a shop and know a little bit but I learn something every time you put out content.
1000% It is the amount of pride you put into it. Clean and polish everything. Down to every bolt and nut.
My first thought was this: This is how these guys left the mess under it to be cleaned up??? Especially at the Nice/New U.T.G. headquarters!
My thoughts exactly.
Step one sweep it.
Step two shop vac it or blow it into the grass.
Don't leave it behind for the landlord to deal with.
We always clean up, but none of us noticed the undercoat was still there when we were putting things away this time. Usually, when we finish, we pressure wash under the car. This time we made a mistake forgetting about it but we usually don’t make the same one twice.
@@austinlacroix888 Most of us working people actually realize how hard this job is. The fact that you have dedicated a segment of your life to be distracted away from the life you had previously; then subtract about half the time you used to have for the other half.... Keep up the awesome work... Now, I'm going to enjoy my one day off this week and get the week started all over again tomorrow night... Only to go back to my two 360 degree foam extruders...
Things happen and life happens. I haven't missed a week of mowing all summer, dry and hot. Then 3 rain showers in the last 5 days, yesterday I had a hay field in my yard; even though I mowed 6 days ago...... That's what happens in the real world.... Sometimes you just get on the mower and you are king of the world blazing the saddle for all she's worth, other days you might get on the mower and have to take it down to 1st gear and just sightsee for a few hours.... No matter what, the only response you'll get, well I see he mowed his yard.....
Flipper cars have lots of undercoat. Like that plastic wire loom stuff. Run for your life
I agree removing the undercoat with a propane torch is the right way. Learning your car is an important benefit. Visual inspection can save your ass, that fault could be hidden otherwise.
I'm hoping the UTG crew all made it through the flooding okay. Saw some nasty stuff on the interwebs of wrecked homes, cars and lives in Mid. Tennessee. My heart goes out to all affected.
Yes, totally agree with that, Everytime I dig into something on my ride I clean it up,if I ever have to go back it's better than it was the first time,an the newest wheels I ever had were at least ten years old.
No one drives a restoration or custom car in winter, maybe not even in the rain, like those old cars did.
I used a pressure washer and compressed air to remove the loose undercoating. I was using the air to dry it and chunks started flying off. Thought about using a torch for the rest but I just primered it.
First thing I tell a kid that "wants to know how to do that" is 80 percent of building a vehicle is as exciting as doing the dishes. 80 percent of the kids leave when they find out that's truth.
old school wisdom passed down. worth it's weight in gold. thanks Tony.
Dude you are doing great these guys are gaining so much more than a fun car. You are passing on knowledge gained by years.
Funny you use a propane torch, I’ve used this method to remove bondo/filler. Softens lifts and easy to scrape. Taught myself 13 years back like everything I’ve learned in 43 years, first will power, common sense and hunting information from the go to guys. Always good to start on a unibody platform and grasping the structure engineering. Appreciate ya bud!
The advice on clutter alone is solid golden thanks uncle T
Thanks as always for the wisdom, Tony. You’re one of the last great mentors for this stuff.
Tony is absolutely right. If you know that you will be repetitively taking things apart, you don't want rust flakes falling in your eyes and mouth every time you are working under the car. Also, you can see cracks or other potential catastrophic failures before they happen if everything isn't coated in 1/2" of greasy dirt. This concept applies to anything a person might be working on. I don't want to work on electronics if the circuit board is covered in disgusting dust (mostly skin cells). It's might seem like extra work the first time (and it is), but every time afterwards is a "happy place to work". "Clutter" always gets in the way of focus.
Uncle Tony, my father committed suicide Friday. He was a massive fan about you and has passed on the Mopar legacy to me. His name was Charles Gorton and he said he’s spoken to you about his 400 Big Block Chrysler he was building. You told him to use 5/16ths 383 heads and everything. I just wanted you to know I’m thankful of the impact you made on him and the inspiration you were to his passion. When it came to Mopars, you didn’t make him feel alone. And for that, I thank you
Uncle Tony,I agree 100% with you.When I BUILD a car I gut it and make the car exactly the way it was at the factory before getting painted.I use Glyptol inside my engines.It makes the oil flow through the valley and other places faster.I want every part of my cars to be immaculate or it's a POS to me.I been called a freak but don't care.I just love my cars and it shows.
I totally agree with what you are saying. Yet my body shop is a mess. At times it's a problem, but cleaning is for slow spells. I hate undercoating though, and we always remove it on ground up restos
Greetings from Northern Ireland. Over here rust is absolutely horrific its so hard to find a solid car to restore. A seasoned car guy told me the first thing you need to learn is the art of welding! I once went to look at a "professionally restored" 1965 mini and I didn't let my heart rule my head! It looked beautiful with its fresh tartan red paint and gleaming chrome. I opened the door and the fibreglass and filler smell hit me. The magnet trick told its tale it had more filler than metal. All the classic mini rot spots were eating away below the filler and after a winter the bubbles and rot would be back!
They sell new vintage mini bodies. BMC never primed & painted them good from the factory.
@@Nord3202 The heritage body shell. I can remember watching a documentary about the 1970s when bare shells were left outdoors! A blueprint for rust before the paint hit the shell! It's before my time but in the early 70s my Mother bought a brand new Hillman Avenger it had a rusted roof in about 3 months needless to say it was returned to the dealership!!
A person that sees undercoating should be very VERY mindful when inspecting a car with undercoating! A year ago I purchased a squarebody chevy truck that appeared to have a beautiful appearing undercoating, 3 weeks later I discovered that the individual had done an incredible job with duct tape when the frame broke in half as I drove across a recently installed drain tile connecting one field to another under the roadway. At 52yrs old I've seen many hacks to sell square body trucks, but I must congratulate the work done by this individual, for it was impeccable done and had me convinced I had found a gem!
Congratulations on hitting 200k subs !!!
I agree about making something a happy place to be, the block cracked in my Range Rover classic and while I had the engine out I spent 3x the time painting, decluttering and minimalising the engine bay then rebuilding the engine so I didn’t groan when I opened the hood.
Nice work, UT. I helped rebuild a performance airplane engine. Your 'clean room' ethic is spot on. Keep up the good, high quality work.
I don't think that airplane engines are painted on the inside, maybe to make cracks or corrosion more visible, or the concern that a paint flake might get in a bearing. They are very clean , the castings on mine look like they've been brushed. One thing that is done, all the fasteners are safety wired, castle nuts or bend up washer locks.
You must have had training the same as most of us did. Old school. I was taught by my Grandfather. Parts & tools must be clean. What great way to pass this on to the next generation of builders. Hats off to the 'old timers' that taught us.
When I was in the Army, they drilled it into you to keep your rifle so clean you could eat off of it. (Of course you never would, cuz then you'd have to clean the food residue off of it!😉) Sometimes I wish I could just disassemble my engine and clean it like a rifle!😁
So I can put together an engine and sandwich it all together and install the engine. Install the surrounding needed mechanical parts. For my low slung CRX I use a special undercarriage washer to be able to get all the grease and make it look factory again. For Building the engine like putting the rods, Heads , Cams and engine spec I take it to the specialist. For tuning I take it to the Tuners. Now I am currently working on completely restoring and 1972 FJ40 and that is a whole different process like he said your taking about rebuilding everything back to spec or better.
We need more uncle Tony's in the world! My uncle Bobby was just like uncle Tony and we lost him about 10 years ago. Been lost with out his knowledge till I found this page. Keep the info coming. 👍👍
Great advice. Thank you for sharing the knowledge. All serious car builders have one trait in common: they’re obsessed with what they do. The cleaning process is part of that obsession.
One of the Best Videos you’ve ever made ,If you hand off a nasty part to the next guy ,they will only give it poor care ,If you hand off a very nice clean deburred part ,It shows you care and want precise work !!!
You make a great point,Uncle Tony!I am in the process of replacing some of the floor of my '65 Studebaker.I flunked metal shop in high school, but I'm slowly cleaning things up a bit at a time.Shop vac, scrape, chisel, sawzall,grind, remove paint,etc. I'm chipping away at this a little at a time,and ultimately I'll get it done.