When did we all become restorers?

I love a historic car as much as anyone, but it seems everyone is just putting cars back as they were and not building anything original anymore. Just a comment, no
Real reason.


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I'm not restoring anything.....

 

Jim,I don't think we have ALL turned into restorers,I for one have always like the looks of a chopped hot rod and have built a few but as I have grown older and realized I am too tall to still fold up like a pretzel I came to the conclusion I don't have to have a chopped car anymore.

It's like my Deuce sedan,the body and sheet metal is totally original Henry Ford steel with one repaint back in the 1960's so if that makes me a restorer,,so be it! HRP

 

I would agree that we have an appreciation for "how they were" coupled with a respect for how the hot rod guy three of four owners back built the car we have now, for those of us who have built from what we bought vs. a big box store build. Then on the other hand there are plenty of examples on the Hamb of nice original bodies cut in every direction. But I think I understand what your saying. Tim

 

I have a 48 willys truck that goes under the sawzall next weekend, plans are a 6" chop and 10" vertical section out of the middle. Definitely not a restorer

 

Not much restoring here. I do understand your point.

 

I haven't "restored" any cars. There is not one car I've ever touched that went back together completely stock. Every car has it's own little tweaks that it wants, whether it's as aggressive as a heavy chop and complete build, or just adding skirts and trim to a mild custom. They all want something.

 

My rule of thumb is if it does not take much to restore and pretty rare then restore it, if it is too far gone to restore, well, that's a fun project to get creative with.

 

I have two finished cars both were 100% stock when I bought them .The dodge coup is a straight axel gasser and my 65 dart is a mild custom . I have 37 ford pick up that was built in 65 I would not have wanted to restore or copy the work that was done.

 

Sometimes I think too many worry about restoring it to how the original builder built it. Personally I feel that if it was the way you would like it, then go ahead with the restoration but if you want something a little different, change it.
Not all cars were built like I like them and some people disagree but that is the essence of hot rodding IMHO, satisfy yourself and if others don't care for it, they can build what makes them happy..

 

What an interesting observation. I get it when it comes to the restoration of an iconic rod or custom by someone with the money and vision. On the other hand, pulling out a barn find and restoring it to the condition it was in when it was parked, is a waste of time and money in my opinion. Hot rodding always was and will be making a car your own, no matter what the previous owner envisioned.

 

how my latest "restoration" started....



...but yeah, we have to restore them before we hack them up

 

The word "EVERYONE" sorta puts umm well ,,, everyone into your observation and its just not true. I'm more than reasonably certain that I'm not the only one, but you'll not see another one like this, very original.





Restoring a car takes quite a bit of skill, doing something original all of your own mind takes imagination plus the skill. Unbridled imagination that's not afraid of what might happen and Tempered with good judgment. One just needs to look at some of the RR crap to see imagination without discernment.

It also requires accepting that alterations usually cost more to do and pay less return than a restoration.

A person can build a one of a kind wild ass chevett, or spend the same effort and money restoring a corvette. Most sane individuals would do the corvette no?

I don't think you're looking in the right places Jim

 

Jim. I've often wondered the same thing and have voiced it many times on here. It seems almost every time someone comes up with a decent car, no matter what the make or model and voices their intention to build a hot rod about a post or two later someone chimes with, "please don't cut that one up, find a smashed, battered, rusted hulk to work on. That one deserves to be restored."
Don't people realize that by now there are probably a hundred thousand restored Model A's for example lurking in garages all over the country and owned by old men who restored them 50 years ago, using mostly NOS parts. These guys are about ready to check out of this life and their offspring have absolutely no interest in the cars. This will give us a gold mine of potential hot rod materiel. It's been said that if you want to build a hot rod, start with the best raw materiel you can afford.
This rant could go on for pages, but enough for now.

frank

 

I don't think you really mean restorer. Just because it has most of its original sheet metal doesn't mean its restored. I see very few restored cars. They are kind of boring.
But I do understand those that find a car that hasn't been modified and they leave it original. After all, if it made it nearly a century without being cut up, it might be interesting to leave it alone. I have one of those. It was so original I couldn't bring myself to modify it although that was my original intention.

 

If Henry had built them perfectly to begin with, then his cars wouldn't have needed all our help.

 

guess i'll be the oddball. i prefer original first. second is restored. third (and tied for 2nd) is original/ restored with a twist. forth is unusual modified. fifth is hot rod / street machine.. last is belly button billet pastel hot rod / street machine. (however i like them all.)

 

I've been a restorer for more than 20 years , as a full time profession . I restore vintage british cars though , so it's definately different . Most of our customers want their cars as they were originally , but we've certainly done some "street killers" with swapped motors , hot cams , Weber carbs ... that kinda stuff too . I've got to say, at this point , I enjoy doing that kind of stuff more than a bolt-by-bolt resto . I don't think it has anything to do with hanging here on the HAMB , but wanting to do something different with my time .
My Shoebox is kind-of a mix of stuff that was done back in the day , with a splash of some kind of "modern" touches with the Ford small block ,& front disc brakes to make the drive a bit more reliable & safe as my daily driver & able to make long trips with the family . It's not a gold-chainin' street rod by a long shot - gotta draw the line somewhere , LOL !!

 

Kind of a leading question on a forum that is dedicated to traditional rods and customs built the way they used to be with a cutoff date of 1962 (I think) isn't it?

I think new and cutting edge belongs on the DOGFIGHT forum. But (although I'm a member) I haven't been over there lately.

 

"Restore" = putting something back to the way it was. Then comes "authentic" - and that's where the REAL lack of imagination comes in to play. Now "inspired by" there's some real hot rodding.
YMMV

 

My rides don't fit in anywhere.

Trad guys? - way too drivable to be trad
Street rodders? - no billet or power anything on my junk
Restorers? - nowhere near stock

Right now I'm working on a gow job look alike with totally drivable running gear - 26 T roadster on a 21 Willys Overland frame, lengthened hood, chopped top, Iron Duke/350 TH, 51 F-1 front axle, 47 pu rear and powder coated 21 x 3 aluminum disc wheels. I'm sure lots of people won't like it but who gives a fuck?

 

I don't have any plans to restore my Pontiac it looks great the way it is. I'm going to leave it the way it is and just drive it.

 

Man I only build cars to piss restorers off or i just use what they dont want !!

 

Restored cars are the best candidates for hot rods...

 

I like the comment of "Are you a Curator . . . or a Creator"? I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with whatever approach you take - do what makes you happy, it's your damn car. BUT - don't beat others up if you don't agree with their approach. I've determined that while I greatly appreciate the work it takes to 100% restore an automobile (of almost any era), it takes most creativity out of it and leaves no room for personal expression - just not my bag.

I kind of have a mixture of stuff - though everything I do tends to have a 'period' that it is targeted toward (traditional stuff tends to make me the happiest). Building a car like they did before WWII is very different than late 40's or mid-to-late 50's (just think of what parts were actually available). Then, when you get to the 60's . . . tell me what doesn't go?! They did more wild and sometimes goofy stuff in the 60's than I can imagine. Some of it was pure crap . . . right up there with the 'billet and pastel nightmares of the 80's and early 90's' (my opinion only). I think it is important for a car to have an "identity" or design motif that is as consistent as possible . . . have seen too many 'Frankenstein' builds that look schizophrenic to me

 

I figure there is a ton of 90's street rods out there that are perfect candidates.

 

For me, the idea of just being able to take a car apart, clean it, make some minor improvements and put it back together is really appealing these days. I think my focus from here on out will be on the running and driving cars that need a few things corrected or changed up. I just don't have the time, tools and skill it takes to do a big project.

They always say you can buy them cheaper than you can build them anyway so I think I'll be light years ahead.

 

I'm not talking about restoring to
Stock. I'm
Referring to how people come on here and build a nice early style car with their own flair and the style police come up and ridicule every aspect that is not exactly
Like they think it should have been back in the day. I, myself
Have a collection of early magazines that I use for guidance when building a car. In the magazines I see east coast cars with chops, west coast cars that are channeled, 60s cars with flatheads ect... And they were all built to be different. Today many of us have fallen int a mold that allows for very little originality. When I said everyone earlier I didn't really mean everyone. There are a few on here that are amazing, like the vw reStylings of English gent, and the truck to coupe build pictured above. Like u said this is just an observation, not
Meant to start a fight or anything.


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That is exactly right . . . and I traveled 2400 miles earlier this week to fetch one!

 

"WHEN DID WE ALL BECOME RESTORERS?"

All we need to remember is that 1st car, that's when. Most gear heads and hoodlums had to buy older used cars. We "restored" our cars to suit a need like power, styling, or both. For racing even, restored to that use back in the day. Stronger or newer parts used and generally made to look newer along the way. Or in my case it's my trade so a long time ago for me.