Restorations
 

I know this isn't going to sit well with those that spend the time and money to do a complete restoration of a car, regardless of what kind. I'll admit they're a beautiful sight to see and bring back memories of a time long aga when everything was grand. I walk throught musemes and explain to my grand kids how nice i was to drive that old Model T down the gravle roads of Wisconsin in a time long past, and I respect those that do these things. However doing this for a daily driver or something for the grand kids is definately a waste of time and money. The first time it breaks down and the local auto shop says take to someone that know about them. And when they find out their not many left that do and the parts are not available, and if they are the cost is out of sight. Also with that said, the finished product is unsafe in present day trafic. The car/truck will sit in a garage until someone finds it again and the process will start all over. What you might consider is restoring it to look like it did 50-60 years ago, but with better steering, brakes , set belts, Etc. Now they can get some enjoyment from your labors. I'm going through this with my 47International now, and trying to find pats is a problemnow, just think how hard they'll be 20/30 years from now.

Re: Restorations
 

Ron -

Everyone to his own. I think perfect restorations are nice, but impractical. I want to be able to drive my car (or truck). That said, I like them all original. I like the original experience as well as the original look. Part of the fun is living with Henry's idiosyncrasies. I remember when these cars were the family sedan and I enjoy them from that perspective. Do you want the real car or just something that looks like one? I don't drive it on the interstate, but I do use my truck for regular service locally. Lot's of comments ("My Dad had one just like that!"), which is part of the fun. Of course, if you don't enjoy working on it yourself you're probably in the wrong hobby!

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Oil' Ron. Google:Gibson Truck and Tractor in Winnsboro, TX. And talk with with Charles Gibson. He might can help you with 47 International parts. Charles

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Nice to hear from am ex navy may I was on the DDE 465

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Actually, I converted everything to Ford, except the rear. Body hood and fenders are in pretty good condition.

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I here ya Ron .. set up my 1935 Three Window for the best of both worlds for my particular taste - stock in look albiet slightly lower in stance... high performance flathead power (S.C.o.T supercharged 1948 284 ci Flathead Ford) with a 39 Transmission and Columbia 2-speed and big 39 Lincoln juice brakes for the stop.

Prior to my 35 Three Window, I had a beautifully restored high point original 1935 Five Window - pure stock like it left the factory... I enjoyed how it looked and operated but did not enjoy driving it in normal driving situations as it did not perform at the level I was hoping for - yes the mechanical brakes where very good for what they were ... but in my case - I sold the Five Window and I am much happpier now with the performance/looks combination of the Three Window.

There is no right or wrong, better or worse .. just personal taste and preference.

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I get what you mean, and in a reverse and irreverent way I smirk at '50 s and '60 s muscle cars (with proper factory cable ends and hose clamps) that will never be enjoyed for the way they could burn the tires with ease. Or the way the quad(s) could drain the tank of gas in a night (for five dollars). Museum pieces are only that, pieces of static artwork. Pleasure cars need to be in a state of flux. Able to meet the demands of the day; in a world of increasing costs for (rapidly) decreasing supply.

My avatar to date, has had repairs only by me. To use it for anything other than a toy, would take more than I can afford. I've got my sights on a dream of a flathead V8 with vintage body, and modern (no disc) controls. As mentioned by DD931 I can do without the interstate. Its more fun, without the pressure.;)

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[QUOTE] "There is no right or wrong, better or worse .. just personal taste and preference."

Hear! Hear!

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I like a driver myself.....but it's your vehicle.....your time.....your money....do it the way you want. I like to see 'em all. I will admit I don't understand the high dollar show cars that don't even have internals in the motor or trans/rearend. They are just built for the trophies I guess......Mark

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Antique cars exist for one purpose.TO ENJOY!! We all have our induvidual way of doing this.Some restore the cars to the finite details.Some up date them to make them suppositly more reliable.Some maintain them in basic stock form a say that they are more reliable this way.Some just drive the wheels off them and do whatever it takes to keep them running.All of above owners are enb
joying the hobby their own way.This is what makes the hobby great. No body is 100 percent wrong and nobody is 100 percent right.Now I will get off my soap box. Phil

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I really enjoy looking at the variety of cars at a show but realize that most are trailer queens because the owner went overboard with the restoration. I like to be able to drive and enjoy my old cars and even my 49 Farmall cub tractor. To summarize I think the best term that I can come up with is "Different stocks for different folks"

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Ron I agree with you. Over the years I have done a lot of high point restorations. Been to all the showa AACA and Early Ford V-8 . Won a few , then I got to thinking why in the hell am i standing here waiting for this group of men to come by and judge my car. They can't make up their minds whats right and wrong. So here I am , spent all this money, time and labor on the car and for what, something that will collect dust on the self, I sold the trailer and the cars. I drive the two 34s I own and love every minute of it.

.

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Absolutely. If its not a "driver" that I'm not afraid to get a little dusty on the gravel roads then I don't want it.

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I agree. I went with a ford 302, auto, radials, dics brakes. Everything on the outside is stock including stock looking wheels. We drive it anywhere including almost every state east of the miss. river. Every where we go people stop to look at it and assume it's stock. 20 yrs and it's never left us stranded.

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If i wanted a "safe" boring car i'd have a toyota. Being a purist i would rather have my old car and find new materials to use and/or make/substitute only the bare minimum of parts. And making new parts function like old ones and fit in the same space/boltpattern is a challenge some people enjoy.

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I own a 37 Ford half-ton streetrod which was already subframed years before I bought it and redid it as opposed to building a rod out of an original. It is a driver now with a/c, automatic, power windows and the like. I was and intermittently am, working on 3 originals, a 35 and 37 pickup and a 39 panel. The kids are not interested in 6-V positve ground, no a/C, no Bluetooth, my wife messed up her left leg and can no longer drive a standard due to not being able to fully depress the clutch. She will not drive the streetrod and I do not like going places by myself. The projects will probably stay projects and the streetrod may go away. I bought my wife (and I) a 370-Z for driving fun with the amenities. Never thought I would own a sportscar with an automatic, but so be it.

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I'd like to put this in a different prospective. We old timers can remember back when ther wasn't anu power steering and brakes and the turning ratio of the steering war 4/5 turns. For us, no problem, get a suaside knob. Next cones the cost of just reparing the old stuff. The weak link is the drive train, steering and brakes. After you pass this car on our young folk won't consider driving it fun. Why spend the money and time fixing a Banjo rear or installing a columbia rear. Can you consider how difficult it would be to repair these in another 20 or 30 years. Many replace the machinacle brakes with the 39/48 system, not much of an improvement. For the same price you could go to Disk brakes. Last but not least Wheels, the wide five and 5 on 5 1/2 are getting harder to find. Today the 4 3/4 and 4 1/2 are common place. And when you replace all the wiring, think 12 volts. Your grand son just might keep it. I know this will rub some people the wrong way, I'm just trying to save these old cars so our future generations can have the fun of driving them as we do.

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I just missed out on a survivor 32 5W B around here that sold like wild fire. The seller has another 32 5W all done in street rod trim with Jag rear end and Boxed frame with modern sb engine and price is same for both cars. The car is still listed here and interest seems much lower than the untouched stocker that needs everything. So, what do make of that?

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I like to keep them original on the inside and outside but prefer an upgrade chassis.
Enjoy my '49 much more with ps/pb 302 etc. and no traffic issues.
Also enjoy the restorations very much, just can't afford them.