when to restore or when to remodel

What are the deciding factors on whether you should restore or remodel (make into hot/rat/street rod,etc, I use the term remodel as I am in the construction business) an old automobile? What I am asking is that as these cars get older and rarer should some thought of maybe restoring it be a better choice than remodeling? Now I love both types, original and altered from stock, maybe thats a better phrase. Just trying to decide what factors should be considered. First lets take money out of the list as we all know that is always at the root of all our decisions (good and bad). Also lets limit the "what you like more" factor, your personal preference, which also should rule what you do. I am just looking for things like: RARITY - not many originals of that type left, is saving a part of the auto history important or not? ORIGINALITY - not many of these rare models have been altered or remodelled, being unique? CONDITION OF CAR - if most or all of the car is there, trim and everthing, whether running or not, compared to most of the car gone but the frame and most of the sheet metal, really rusted or barely any holes? TWO DOOR or FOUR DOOR - yes this seems to be important, do most 4 doors go restore route while most 2-doors go the remodelling route? Just looking for opinions, thoughts and comments. I have a 49 packard that I plan on remodeling?

 

Got my popcorn!

 

Rat = never. Thats a waste of tin.
Restore = never. Leave that to the OCD restoration crowd.
Traditional rod = always. This is the shit.

 

If you think something is too rare or too nice to turn into a Hot Rod, pass on it, sell it or refer it to a friend that's into restoration (they might want it or know someone that does).

If you think something's too far gone for your skill level or budget to want to take it up to polished Hot Rod level, pass on it, use it for parts, sell it, or make a Hot Rod that's just not polished & perfect.

Unless your Packard is just a little paint & polish away from a resto, & it's the car you want to make a Hot Rod out of, make a Hot Rod out of it! It's not the last surviving example of a 49 Packard. If you have doubts, find another car that you DO want to make a Hot Rod out of and sell this one.

 

Are you lost? You're on the HAMB. Traditional Hot Rods and Customs. Nothing in there about Restorations and Remodels. There is nothing within your reach that fits the realm of the HAMB that will be so rare in your lifetime, your kids lifetime etc. to not build.

 

Not Lost... just wondering if it is something someone should think about before begining a project.. and I was not suggesting that my packard would be that rare... I was asking in general if one should consider things before jumping in, I plan on the traditional rod route with mine, just was trying to get some thoughts from others one this topic, sorry if I offended anyone by mentioning it here at the H.A.M.B. I enjoy this site and have gain a lot of ideas and knowledge following the various constructive threads..

 

When was the last time you went to a Musiem to admire all the Stock 49 Packard 4 doors that are left? If it winds your clock, do it, no matter what form it takes.
The Wizzard

 

lots of times Rare means not desirable ...

 

My wife often agrees with this, there is only one of me...

 

If I was worried about ruining a rare or valueable car by hotrodding it, then I'd probably sell it instead. Let somebody else that's into that sort of thing do restos. I'll hotrod anything if I like the body, so I'm the wrong guy to ask about when to restore a car.

 

Ain't that the truth.... For most standard production cars, 'rare' means it sold poorly. Sure, if it's a special performance version or high-end model that was expensive in it's day, it may be both rare and desirable. But for most, it just means few people were interested enough to buy one, seeing better value in other cars.

As a retired construction guy, I understand remodeling... Look at rodding a car as a 'bring it up to code' project; better brakes, more reliable drivetrain, modern conveniences will make for a better driving experience. And you won't spend as many hours tracking down those unobtainium parts needed for a restore.

 

That could make a nice looking rod- had a friend hot rod a Hollywood Graham which I think must be rarer than this- was a great looking car- I feel this one could be a well-

 

Well, 49 Packards aren't "rare" as there are still several thousand of them floating around the world that range from running driving hulks to 100 point show cars.
Unlike some I don't fault anyone for wanting to restore a car to 100% showroom condition or better if that is what they want and what they enjoy. Plus there are certain cars that are so rare or have a history behind them that should be restored rather than modified. I do have a dislike for those who look down their long blue nose and badmouth guys who do make nice hot rods or customs out of older cars though and often save cars that were parts cars for some restorer before the rodder or customizer got his/her hands on it. I've had countless clowns over the years tell me that I "ruined the value" of the 75.00 beater 48 Chevy pickup that I turned into a hot rod pickup that has carried me though Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington for the past 40 years often at 80 mph for hours on end on the long roads. Many still thing that a restored to stock vehicle is "always" more valuable than a hot rodded same model vehicle and any listing of Model A Fords will quickly prove that a fallacy and totally off base.

Rat Rod? we have beat that one to death and it still crawls out of the grave and haunts us. To most of us on the HAMB it means "unsafe scabbed together death trap hunting a place to have an accident". A car like that Packard that has had the steering brakes and suspension brought up to snuff and is safe to drive even though the paint is shot and the interior is scruffy isn't a rat rod as long as it is fully safe to drive out in real traffic.

The main thing is to just build it so it's safe to drive or restore it so it's safe to drive and enjoy the hell out of it. Don't worry your ass off about it being "more valuable' one way or the other and rodding won't kill the perceived value unless you make a fucked up mess out of it but enjoy the hell out of it.

On something like that Packard, there is always the option of making it stock on the outside and fairly stock on the inside and putting a more modern V8 under the hood along with upgraded brakes and steering and having the best of both worlds.

 

My Dads line was "If its a nice bone stock original leave it be...if its already a hot rod make it one hellava hot rod" My line "If its an old hot rod leave it that way...If its a street rod turn it back into a hot rod"

 

Your Packard,if it's your avatar,is a 2 door. Would make a cool looking,big,round custom. Build it to your vision,and enjoy it... If you don't know which way to proceed with it,I suggest sitting in front of it, drinking beer,and looking at it for a minimum of 2 weeks... Walk around it,too. I've seen a couple of really good looking Packards that vintage that I'd be proud to own...
Don't do shit until you have some kind of plan... THAT can change every day,but you need one to get started...
Big,round,smooth custom.. that's my vote.
Remember...stare and drink beer first

 

I got the beer drinking part down, thats probly why I don't have money left for the project.. and been looking at it for the past two years.. love the "cool looking, big, round, smooth custom" label (both for cars and the ladies).. always was a fan of the mercury lead sleds...

 

your thread/questions are maybe offending to some of the established traditional rodders ,
but (at least in my opinion) interesting for FNG`s like me

imho voodoo and patmanta summed it up very well

i "hotrod" all my stuff (even the vintage trailers i have)
i rate "driveability" higher then "vintage correct" parts.

all the original vintage parts that i replace (like lights for example) go to e-bay ... this makes "restorers" happy and actually pays for my replacement LED lights

 

I think if it is rare and also valuable sell it. Use the money to buy some hot rod material.

 

Before any remodeling I always call Marta Stewart for opinions.

 

The Kools't Packard in the world will never measure up to a fair Merc. If that's your vision sell the Packard and buy a Merc

 

Everytime someone says remodel on the HAMB a V-8 60 throws one of its tiny rods....
Sell it and buy a Merc IMHO

 

Hmmm, restoring never crossed my mind. '48 Pontiac convert, cut up. '51 Pontiac tin woody wagon, cut up. '59 Tird, REALLY cut up. '48 Diamond T pickup, rarest car I'll ever own, cut up.

Anybody can fix up an old car, but a real man cuts one up.

Brian

 

Your answer you get, also depends where you ask.

Ask on HAMB, the answer will mostly be "traditional rod".

Ask on a restoration forum, they will say "restore it".

Ask on osr or kb, they will say "turn it into a rat and add an orcabetty".

 

You could do a sled treatment to your Packard. But if you're always going to want a Merc, you may want to evaluate how much time and money you think you can throw at a project car over the upcoming years. Some of these guys may be right in advising you to just buy a Merc.

Personally, I like Merc's too, but if I had the Packard I'd pull the drivetrain & swap in a later MOPAR v8 setup & make a fast cruiser. Then you'd also have a cool Packard inline to use on a future open wheel project

 

low kustom, reliable drivetrain (note I did not say modern) smooth and clean body. it looks like a fun car if you like it keep it if you think a merc is better get your merc. No use in building something you don't want

 

when I said I was a fan of the mercs just meant that they are one of the types of cars I like... I will keep the packard over getting a merc as once I saw this car I would not let my brother, who just got it, sell it to anyone but me... so it will be the 49 packard deluxe eight club sedan 2-door w/ 468 big block olds, dual quads on offenhauser manifold, turbo 400, and all riding on a 1990 cadillac frame and suspension, wheelbase within 1/2 inch, no major body modifications, maybe a custom dash with new gauges... hope this qualifies as a traditional rod, don't want to get kicked off of here.. LOL

as far as my original question, it was just meant as in general do folks even take time to consider whether to restore or hotrod the car based on whatever factors deemed important... I know on this board it's traditional rod the only way to go but, sometimes not even a little thought or guilt on cutting up a restorable "maybe rare" car?

Now I just got to figuire out the veh ID number thing if I remove the straight eight thats in it and is the only place the VIN Number is on the car, packard did things different....

 

most of us do not want to have a 100 point car. we like to drive them and get a kick out of doing it ourselves. it sounds like you have a plan. the car is cool, you like it. I think most of us have an idea about what we want to do with a car as soon as we see it. of course it changes over time.

To me the car tells you what it wants to be. To me your car is a dark blue or rootbeer with full caps sitting low and has heavy chrome bumper I would also keep the straight 8. ,

 

I like the "root beer" one of the colors me and daughter thought of, but we do want to go two-tone, so maybe bottom half "bronze" (daughters favorite) with top half (roof and rear trunk kinda flow together on these packards) "root beer" , full caps definitly, sitting low maybe, our roads up here in wisconsin take a lot of abuse with winter freeze and thaw, very ruff, and thought about keeping straight 8, but I am big fan of Big Block Olds and I already have everything for the motor, bored and all, just have to put it together.. now just to win the lottery so I can do this...

 

your car: your choice.

 

So what do I have?

I put a 62 ford 223 engine with an a unknown vintage t98 4 speed in a 54 f100 that is more of a beater at this point than anyhing else.