What are your thoughts on restoration and over-restoration?

[oldrelics]

What are your thoughts on restoration and over-restoration? Can you leave things 'unperfect' like Henry?



I'm not talking about leaving cars in their pure original unadultered state. I'm talking restorations.


I'm talking about things like NOT painting under the dash and EVERY nook and cranny in Hi-gloss rubbed and polished paint, orientating bolts and cotters, wires not crossing or twisted, smoothing over factory spot welds etc...

For instance: my fathers '47 Mercury 1/2 ton, is factory painted topside, underneath still sports it red oxide primer....

We all know there are manufacturing discrepancies everywhere on these old critters, my question is do YOU leave the discrepancies? (I know what I do, and I'm not looking for advice, or which way is right or wrong).

[Old Henry]

I don't know that any points are lost in point judging for over-restoration so I guess a person can overdo if that's what he wants and still not lose any points in judging. For myself, I like authentic. To me, authentic is how it came out of the factory and out of the dealer's showroom. To go beyond that is not authentic to me. For instance, I don't know that Ford powder coated anything yet a lot of that goes on now. I think there were things that were not even painted that now get painted by the over-restorers. And clear coat. Don't think Ford did any of that but it gets put on a lot. Changes the look of the paint from its original look to . . . something else. The other downside of over-restoration in my opinion is that the over-restorers, after over-restoring their car, are scared to death to take it out of the garage or off the trailer and just drive the thing for fun. But some would rather just have than actually do. Each to his own.

Just my 2¢

[Vic Piano]

I like to drive our Flatheads, and I don't build them to please anyone but myself. I could not care less what some "judge" at a car show thinks. As for restoration and over-restoration, there is a wide gap between the two. If, as Old Henry suggest, you want to restore your vehicle "the way Henry built it", and use it "the way Henry intended", that is your prerogative. Should you decide to "over-restore" and still drive it or not... That is also your prerogative. There certainly is a place for both restored and over-restored vehicles. I think it comes down to individual preference. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with over-restoring a vehicle however; it should not be represented as "as Henry built it", or exactly like the original.

[PeteVS]

"It's only original once." That said, after a bunch of years of being driven hard and put away wet, my Chevy sat for many more years in a dry garage. The toll from the early years showed on the chassis. So, I took off the body, totally refurbished the frame and all that stuff and put the untouched body back on. It hasn't been washed since 1969. It's not a daily driver, but it does get driven to the cruise nights and back again. Still lots of fun to drive. People ask me if I want to sell it and I tell them, "Talk to my kids at the funeral."

[FL&WVMIKE]

Most of the "over-restoration" is done in the painting. It sure looks good and shows the quality of the work, but it is not as HENRY had intended.
MIKE

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE - Twice

[woodiewagon46]

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I can remember a time when some people would grind off casting lines and sand down castings such as blocks and heads. All the major clubs now will usually deduct points for over restoration. Because of the internet, there is so much information now available on the exact way cars came from the factory over restoration is no longer tolerated.

[Torchie]

This is a debate that people have in regards to many projects.
Here are some pics of a boat that I am currently finishing up.
Is it over restored?
Maybe as Thompson only put 2 coats of varnish on their boats and this one has more than that
But on the other hand it could be considered under restored as the motors are rebuilt and repainted but I haven't had the chrome redone
When working on something I just do the best that I can and let other people worry about putting a label on it.
Just my two cents....
Torchie.
p.s. pardon the dust in the pics as we are still under "Construction".

[37 Coupe]

But another side of the coin is the original cars that owners say they want to keep them as they left the factory. Problem is some have dented in fenders, surface rust over half the car and stuffing coming out of the upholstery,this isn't how they came off the showroom floor and not how they were"only original once". I think most of it anymore is a cop out to take on a restoration. You couldn't get away with this to say a 200 year old Historic home,with the roof leaking and falling in. When I got my 37 coupe 10 years ago it had 23,000 actual miles but the elderly lady who bought it new dented in every fender and both bumpers over the 65 years she owned it. Everyone said they would leave it original as is? This was not the way it left the factory and I fixed it,upholstery is original and not worn out yet,just water stained.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

But another side of the coin is the original cars that owners say they want to keep them as they left the factory. Problem is some have dented in fenders, surface rust over half the car and stuffing coming out of the upholstery,this isn't how they came off the showroom floor and not how they were"only original once". I think most of it anymore is a cop out to take on a restoration. You couldn't get away with this to say a 200 year old Historic home,with the roof leaking and falling in. When I got my 37 coupe 10 years ago it had 23,000 actual miles but the elderly lady who bought it new dented in every fender and both bumpers over the 65 years she owned it. Everyone said they would leave it original as is? This was not the way it left the factory and I fixed it,upholstery is original and not worn out yet,just water stained.

Sounds like you've got what the EFV8 Club calls a “Rouge Class” car…

[flatford8]

I agree with #3. It's your car, your money, your time. If it makes you happy, happy, happy........Good for you!! Happy Motoring, Mark

[Ken Bull]

Personally I think the clearcoat paint brings out the beauty of Henrys car bodies even more than Henry could have imagined. My resto efforts were to get it close to original but I added Hydrulic brakes for safety on todays roads,dual Cherry Bombs for fun & Clearcoat paint to magnify the body beauty & ease of maintanance. Im very HAPPY with my Cabriolet though I miss my 40 Ford PU which was my driver for 19 years while restoring the 36. I get enjoyment at Shows hearing words like BEAUTIFUL by people looking at my 36 Ford Cabriolet.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by flatford8

I agree with #3. It's your car, your money, your time. If it makes you happy, happy, happy........Good for you!! Happy Motoring, Mark

I may be crazy but I think the most important thing is to have an original interior. That way when you are inside you are transported back to the 30's. It is like sitting in the original space. Any other part that needs replacing to get the car going is acceptable. I want the car to go and not just sit there in a museum. Maybe Jay Leno jas the money to let cars sit there collecting dust, I don't and I don't want that anyway. Because someday I too will be dust and I would rather enjoy my car and my fantasy as we and the car both turn to dust.

[rotorwrench]

When the cars left the factory, they didn't stay nice and clean very long. It takes a lot of time and energy to get one to that level of restoration and a very short time exposed to the elements to make it look rough again. It only pays to go all the way if you have storage facilities that will preserve it that way otherwise a restorer would have to drag it to the show right away to get it judged then encase it in rust preventative compound to keep it from degrading. Nothing takes the wind out of the sails worse than watching a lot of work go down the drain.

[Joe Immler]

The thing that bugs me the most at a car show are all the cars with beautiful paint etc. but the engine and compartment is filthy. If you are going to that much trouble why not under the hood? You can even leave the undercarriage alone as few crawl under. If you don't do under the hood leave the hood closed. It just detracts. That's my opinion.
On the other hand,I have heard people say they don't like a certain customized vehicle. In this case I agree with Flatford. I also admire the work in these cars.

[El Rat]

My 38 is a "50's" hotrod so it has most of that era trappings. It even has "leaded" fenders which was popular back in the day. That said, lots of folks comment on the clear coated firewall and the cleanliness of the undercarriage. No one expects it to be "as Henry" made it because it's supposed to be what it is! Having said that my 52 F1 project will be pretty original even to the point of keeping the the black crayola on the firewall. Sooo I guess it depends on what you are trying to do and what makes you happy.
What really turns me off are fiberglass fenders and such on a "restoration" It just smacks of laziness.
The older I get the better I was...

[felix37]

I think if you had a perfect original 33 roadster that was put away in a time capsule and you took it out and entered it in a show, with several other beautifully restored 33's and you told no one that it had been preserved for all this time, it would probably get picked apart!
I'm of the opinion that time, technology and techniques have changed drastically over the years as well as people's expectations. I think I would find it a hard sell if I delivered a customers car finished to 1930's factory standards! I think it's perfectly acceptable to over restore a vehicle to a certain extent, but leave the Riddler cars on the trailer! they are pretty to look at, but are not practical.

[Ross F-1]

The thing about "over-restoring" is that a lot of it (over-painting especially) is to preserve it for decades. Henry didn't really care much how long the sheet metal lasted, back then it was easy and cheap to replace. Most owners traded them off in 5 years anyway.

[34pickup]

My thoughts are that you can't really enjoy a car if its perfect everywhere. Its just a car. A very desirable thing to have,but still just a car.
If you want an art object that is only for show in an exhibition, then have at it and detail to you hearts content.

[Fredb_]

I love to admire a perfect restoration, my problem is I want to drive the thing without getting ulcers. I love all the old cars in most any condition. My 38 is pretty rough, but all stock save the 46 flathead. I'm glad to own it and enjoy seeing others who also appreciate it even though it is not perfect. To each his own, I say.

[JM 35 Sedan]

A highly restored, or an over restored, if that's what you chose to call it, show car is a beautiful thing to see and admire on the show field. BUT...I would spend a lot less time looking at those than I would an all original Rouge Class car on that same show field. That is just my personal preference. We all see things differently and that's okay.