[Fe26]

Congratulations on winning this fine pickup.

Lawson is right on the money, too often we see over restored vehicles. And while the sentiment is understandable that a new owner wants to do the vehicle justice and gain pride and kudos for himself, the fact remains; the vehicle is only original once.

I sympathise with your situation, someone has already been at the paint. And while it is understandable that this could be regarded as a valid reason as or for a departure point in moving toward a restoration, it could also be seen as a reason to pause, to take some time to research and to understand what you have, to assess what options you have available and to inform yourself about the many options you have available to you. In this regard I too urge caution.

To illustrate my point I will mention an experience many of us have witnessed: At so many car shows, club get togethers, breakfasts, barbecues etc.

We have literally dropped everything (food, beverages, conversations with good lookin' women, closing a deal on a rare car or part) and with all undue haste have beaten a path to the guy and his original barn-find car that has just driven (under it's own power) or been trailored into the area. In doing so we barely cast a glance (while we rush past) the restored vehicles on display. Why?

We know that the restored vehicle will come again and again and again. But what we hope, is that we will once again get to experience what our cars once were, not what they have now become. To experience the innocence of that less complicated time again is precious. Then our rational minds take over and we want to use this amazing vehicle for reference purposes, we want to understand the factory codes and their variations, we want to touch and feel and understand, and we want to feel like the first owner felt as he drove his new vehicle home in the darkest of dark Depression days. We want to feel his pride as he showed off his pride and joy to his family, friends and neighbours. And such experiences are becoming more rare each day, week and year. In the world we now live in we crave the genuine and the original.

And many of us fear is that someone with a bigger thirst than ours will eye off that original specimen, and declaim: Yep, I'm puttin' this one in my collection (and we know we may never see this one again) or, he may say, I'm gonna restore this to better than new, and our hearts sink, for what we have missed, and for what he never knew.

That the original is genuine (and genuine is often faked, and why do people need to do that?). And once the genuine has gone it can never be replaced (only with a fake). And what would any of us rather have?

There is a place for the restored vehicle, and without such vehicles our club EFV8CA would not exist. From such wealth of experiences we can can now reflect on the approaches taken in the interpretation and the restorations of many fine vehicles over many decades. This wealth and depth of knowledge now allows us to assess in new ways what these vehicles are, and how they may be interpreted in new ways. And in this endeavour we enhance our understanding and our knowledge.

To reiterate; your truck is only original once, and while the paint has been covered or obliterated this may not necessarily be the reason for restoration. Twice I have removed a crude topcoat of paint from cars by means of Sandsoap and elbow grease, to discover the remains of the original paint. I feel the old and original largely intact, although worn through in some places and cracked in others, was preferrable to the brushed on job I removed. And to turn the tables on myself, one of the cars was Bambalina Blue (a colour I do not like).

But before you proceed with energy and gusto, please take a moment to consider, and to inform yourself of your options before you make the decision (which is entirely yours) to either preserve or restore your prize.