Method for Starting a Project
it really depends on what the goal of the car is. if you're doing a full point resto or just making a nice driver the end goals are kinda, sorta, the same but everything in the middle is totally different.
either way i like to have a car that, well, resembles a car before i start taking it apart and modifying anything. for instance, i like to make sure that the rear end and springs and front end and steering-- basically the chassis-- is all decent and sorted before faffing about. nothing sucks worse than spending the time and energy of cleaning, prepping, installing torque boxes and then spraying everything nice only to find out that one side of the spring location is all out of sorts.
if you got it as a roller and a bunch of boxes take an inventory of everything and write it down-- in two places-- i use a notebook dedicated to that project and keep a spreadsheet with notes. and then take pictures of everything, print off some of the important things that i might need to make notes on and then keep a file on the computer and one on a hosted site with a dedicated album.
but usually, i like to make sure that it runs first. if it doesn't have a motor, then i'll turn my attention toward the rest of the car and determine what i need to do in order to get a motor in and make it run. like the professor said, i like to do stuff that is easier to get at when it's in pieces like plumbing and wiring. paint and interior are last on the list.