Stay out of your own way: 8 tips on how to better assemble a car
By Tim Suddard
Mar 21, 2026

1. Test-Fit Emblems Early

Reproduction emblems and trim can differ slightly from the originals. For instance, new lettering can be slightly narrower, leaving holes to fill.

2. Work Inside Out

In general, begin reassembly near the center of the car and work your way out. Installing the doors, deck lid and grille first will just impede access to the interior, trunk and engine compartment.

3. Start With Wiring

The wiring harness touches nearly every system, so install it very early in the process. For bonus points, ready all of your electrical items so you can wire and test at once.

4. Build the Dash on Your Bench

It’s so much easier to install a dashboard fully built rather than piecemeal. Trust us, you’d rather mount and test all those gauges and lights when access is clear and easy.

5. Score a Quick Win

For a real morale boost, stick on a piece or two of chrome. Celebrate the achievement.

6. Don’t Connect the Battery

It’s fine to drop in the battery early, but leave it disconnected for as long as possible. Don’t tempt a blown fuse or worse.

7. Test-Run the Driveline Early

If at all possible, test-run the driveline on a bare chassis or subframe. Maybe you won’t be able to install the clutch pedal, but you can still temporarily rig up the fuel, ignition and cooling systems to bring your engine to life. This trick also makes tuning and finding leaks so much easier.

8. Align a Mounted Body

Perform all of your hood, deck lid and door alignments while the body is mounted on the chassis. Alignments can change a surprising amount once the body is bolted down.

 

darkbuddha HalfDork
6/23/24 4:13 p.m.

I appreciate the timing of this article. I started shoving my '70 Mustang back together and it's felt a bit haphazzard, mainly because I set artificial deadlines which tempted me to commit compromises I'd regret.

As brief as this article is, it has reminded me to take a step back and get back on track following a logical process rather than just stabbing at things willy-nilly. Unfortunately, there's probably still going to be some of that, but I'll know how to get back on course after.


Wolf New Reader
1/10/26 11:58 a.m.Pre-assemble everything. Just finished a '70 Boss 302. Luckily I hired a steel fabricator to help. If you're doing a resto measure EVERYTHING before disassembly.. #8 sheemetal screws are your best friend. Even if you use self drilling, pre drill any holes where the panels aren't clamped together. I bought a box of 1/8" cobalt drill bits. Before burning any wire make sure that everything fits. Mount the doors, hood, trunk and bumpers. I thought I had everything right but when I mounted the bumper the holes didn't line up. Luckily I still had the adjustment available.

All aftermarket sheetmetal sucks... It is truly a better than nothing situation.Use as much original as possible. Be prepared to cut new metal to shrink or insert more metal in brand new panels. Don't be afraid to hire expert help. I paid $95 / hour.

Originally I had sticker shock. Now it is money well spent. Pay attention to what the pro does and ask questions if you don't understand why. This year I'm doing a "69 Z-28. Did all the metal work myself because everything becomes easy when you know how.