Author Topic: Is restoring a car to the standards of their day serving the car—or not?  (Read 8989 times)

427heaven

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I look at my house ,my car ,my wife ,all in the same light. I love them all but I don't want to go out on the town with my wife that has a dirty blouse, bra, toes sticking out the end of her shoes just because she has owned that stuff for years. Same with the house,I don't want paint peeling ,weeds growing in the yard, and a swimming pool full of algae because it gives it the original look to the house. The same holds true for my cars. A kick ass engine .paint and interior work etc puts the smile on my face as well as those that see it at the races,car shows or out the the streets. My thoughts are we purchase cars at the dealerships to get a beautiful car so why not make your pride and joy at least as good as it was 50 years ago. :)

Shelby_r_b

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I find the more originality that a car has, the interesting it is, and as more & more cars are restored, the original cars are becoming more rare and more valuable, imo. If the painty is thin on the fender edges, and the gel coat is showing on the hood, so what. Protect it with a good coat of wax and leave it alone.  Same goes for the interior.

Day one cars have lost something that can't be replaced. Once any part of the originality is gone, you can't get it back, and you're left with a car that looks exactly like every other restored car. I can't really call any Shelby boring, but to go from an original car to a restored one, is headed in that direction. There's got to be some remorse when the dust settles.

Z

Sure but in retrospect now there is remorse that the car ever got driven away when the dealer delivered it because all it did was start a clock running on the cars ultimate demise.

The reality is that that clock already was ticking as it was driven out of the door at A.O.Smith and parked in the storage lot before it was even sold to a dealer.

So some of these points are just unavoidable. We're all getting older. Mention just one person who isn't?

I don't know about others but for me, in my mind now, back then I would have done things differently.

Would I have bought a 427 Cobra? I would like to think that I would have. Would I have kept it until now? I would like to think I was that clairvoyant but probably would have sold it when they went to $25,000, and that seemed like all the money in the world.

Second guessing now is of little point.

How many of the Daytonna Coupes would you have bought for $2,500 each?


Day 2 cars aren't all bad and there were different routes to get to them. Consider this one. A factory 427 day 2 car. I'll take it, then or now?  ;)

This picture with the wheel and tire combo is pure sex!  Wow!!  8)
Nothing beats a classic!

vtgt500

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Excellent thread.  My $0.02.  Survivor cars are an important bench mark to the hobby.  Typically showing how crude these cars came off the assembly line consistent with the level of acceptance at the time.  These cars are increasingly rare and should be preserved best practical.

Alternatively, if previously painted, rust or collision repaired all originality bets are off.  If you have never closely inspected a truly magnificent show car, you owe it to yourself.  A trip to SEMA or other show to seek out a Ridler Award winner, Foose's work or a handful of others.  Beyond breath taking.  Not just the paint, but panel alignment, uniform gaps, and perfection in form no stamping die of glass mold can yield.

Such is the route I went and 10 years later have no regrets.  I don't give a rat's ass about attracting a crowd or foolish show trophies.  It's what makes me happy.  The best being when I push it out of the secret lair on a late, warm summer night.  Then let the side oiler stretch its legs on deserted interstate for several miles.





2112

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^^^^This gentleman knows how to do it right.

Nice man-sized rubber. Not going to deliver any Mary-Kay cosmetics in those vehicles.

Also; Foose's Imposter is absolutely, without question, the finest custom made American Muscle ever imagined and brought to fruition. He brings sense to the world after I have viewed a Ring Brothers abomination.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 02:54:05 PM by 2112 »