Blue Ribbon Restorations

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Incognito-A

The intent of the OP was simply to find out if any individuals on here are currently doing FP restorations and what models.

It seems like the last big wave of spectacular restorations happened in the Mid-late 1990s. That’s not to say there hasn’t been some spectacular restorations since then, most certainly there have been. I’m postulating that in the 1990s there were more individuals doing more FP cars than at other times.

Unfortunately a number of those individuals have left the hobby or passed on.

Again, there are many very accurate, -and very authentic restorations of Model-As that would have scored well in Fine-point adjudication yet are never evaluated in a competition. Therefore there are more being restored than you think. Unfortunately the DIY Craftsmen in this hobby are falling and not being replaced simply because many Model-A owners do not possess the skillset nor the time to do the vehicle themselves. Hence there are restoration shops that have a long line of people waiting to get their project in.

Originally Posted by alexiskai

What I've heard from some folks is that it got significantly more expensive to compete in F/P in the last two decades, for a number of reasons:

• skilled labor costs up
• JS more refined, detailed in the newer revs
• suitable parts harder to find, more expensive

Just second-hand info though.

Colin, while I see your point, I do not find it as accurate as you might believe. Using Gary Karr and others as an example, ...Gary has taken the time to educate himself on the differences of components. Using a tire valve stem as an example, he has studied the differences between what was used (-and not used) on Model-As, and with that knowledge he scrounges swap meets looking for unrestored items that he needs for the restoration. He might find one single valve stem in a box at a swap meet for $1.00. He purchases it, -and then others that he finds until he can make-up a set to restore. He will then do much of the prep work on each of the stems before sending them to a plater to be correctly plated. When his capitol expenses are all added up for purchase, plating, etc. he then may have $100.00 in a set that others will pay $500.00-$750.00 a set for. Gary can also subsidize his costs by restoring 10 valve stems and then selling the other set to someone who does not wish to go thru the learning process. Now use this mindset throughout the entire project, and you quickly see how this does not need to be an expensive endeavor. The reason it becomes expensive is when hobbyists choose to have the work done for them.

Also, suitable parts are more than easy to come by for most restorations and do not need to cost vast amounts of money. It is when the restorer who takes the easier road chooses to spend large sums for a NOS item in lieu of actually restoring what they have.

And, in reality the only thing the later RG&JS revisions have done is to make questionable calls on subcomponents more defined. The answer was always at the Research Center, but 'one always had to go research it on their own to get a definitive answer.