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To restore or not.


My friend M2M writes about an unrestored motor car called Patrina. I don’t know who manufactured it infact I don’t know anything about it at all, but it has opened much discussion in this forum on whether to restore or not.
I’m not intending to enter the Patrina discussion however I have had my own experience whether or not to restore. Many years ago I bought a 1953 FX Holden. It had driven only 23k miles and was in excellent mechanical and body condition, all original except for 1 detraction, all 4 mudguards (which you Americans call fenders). It had obviously been driven through fences or scraped up fences as all mudguards were all badly scored. It was said father purchased it for son who was 63. He had so much difficulty handling it father instructed son to park it up. A good story but there is no way of knowing whether it is fact or fable.
After I had acquired it I took it to a local panel shop to have these 4 mudguards repaired but was talked into a full paint job. I have regretted it ever since. I know I can return this to original and that is spend hours rubbing with a cutter for the colour and undercoat are relatively thin then have the mudguard scores simply touched up. Do I want to do this. No.
This Holden car is a very sort after model for it is the first model of Australia’s first in house motor car. Holden is a subsidiary of General Motors. I am frequently approached with offers to sell. I purchased this and the 3 Model A’s for my kids so it is not really mine to sell. But it is car that I don’t warm to but so is almost every car built after the mid ‘30’s when running boards and flowing mudguards became redundant. I have posted a picture of that model from the internet. I have several pictures of mine but they are all mixed up with hundreds of others awaiting sorting and it’s too tedious to start sorting at this time.