[IndrojitSircar]

What does Vinatge & Classic car Restoration mean to you ?

Does restoration simpley mean to buy a junk car and and paint it up, get the body work done , change the old parts and put in new ones in place of that and just drive it around and enter it for car rallys etc ? Or is it to get it back to Concourse condition, trying to use as many of the old parts as possible and keep the car as original as possible ? Nowadays originality is rarely found in many car restoration and that is because of various reasons like :

1). The restorer doesn't know how a particuler part works and replaces it and puts in something easily available.

2). The part cannot be made to work maybe because it is badly damaged or its probably not there and is missing so what do we do then ?

3). The owner cannot afforde importing in the genuine spares.

Now there are many who are new to vintage cars and don't know much about them and what they should look like and just restore them some how and use alternatives.

We have many vintage car enthusiasts but some of them don't even have the faintess clue about the restoration of such cars.

So now when we give our cars for restoration or restore them ourselfs what are the things we should look at getting done and what should we look to achieve out of it, as in the final outcome.


So why don't we put our views across and share the idea together ?

Looking to get ideas specially from all the regulers of this section.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Nice thread.

Many people have this wrong notion about Tinkering and Painting, and consider this as the last step of restoration.

Usually engine and other components dont usually rust and dis-integrate, but the body shell does.

I maintain a different approach in all my restoration.

I work on the body metal, get a perfect body line, replace all rotten panels, tinker and give them the BEST paint treatment.

In parallel i get my other team to work on the engine and other components, once painting and the electricals are done, fit the engine and start the car, Atleast untill now i dont need to wait holding the car to rust further.

Last comes the cosmetic fitting and upholstery.

This is my usual approach. And for me it saves time and the car owners money

On an average, i take 12-18 months to complete a restoration, and also the budget is well within any common mans pocket. Which is not the usual trend here in Bangalore.

Many highly regarded restorers here, take upto 5 years and more to do up a simple car like landmaster or any fiat, if its a classic or Vintage, there is no time limit and the budget is unlimited. I pity the owners many times.

[mbz180]

This is an interesting thread. For me there are 3 basic type of retorations that I have done in the past and am currently doing.

1) Buy a cheap classic, get it mechanically sound, do up the body with decent paint and interiors and drive it just for fun. This category of restoration is what I had done with my 1939 Austin 8 Tourer. The idea was never to win any shows etc. and it was simply to have open top affordable fun.

2) Buy a fairly original car and give it a sympathetic restoration, keeping a majority of the original components. In fact, from what I have read, sympathetic restorations are now becoming increasingly popular in the US and in many concourse like Pebble Beach, preference is given to classics which have undergone this kind of restoration.
However, cars in original unmodified form are hard to get by in India, and most will be restored with new parts etc. This is what I am doing to my 22S Fintail, as apart from body work and the faulty engine, the interiors are fairly good and the suspension is excellent, so will not be touching it. In India, some weightage, atleast in the Kolkata Statesman Rally is given to authenticity and originality, so this is kind of restoration is desirable.

3) Buy a reasonably intact car, but do a grounds up restoration, with the aim of winning concourse and restoration trophies. This is the type of restoration I am doing currently on my 180 a ponton. I am sparing no expense when it comes to parts, chrome plating, body work paint, leather upholstery, wiring etc. and the idea is to get the car as close or even better than what it was when it left the factory. For me, this type of car, when completed will be more for show and prestige and be used only for the Sunday drive to the clubs and events. Of course, there is an element of fun here also, but there is always going to be a feeling in the back of your mind to use the car sparingly and maintain it in the best possible way, to justify the large expense incurred in restoration.


Regards
Prithvi Tagore

[KPS]

Originally Posted by mbz180

This is an interesting thread. For me there are 3 basic type of retorations that I have done in the past and am currently doing.

1) Buy a cheap classic, get it mechanically sound, do up the body with decent paint and interiors and drive it just for fun.
2) Buy a fairly original car and give it a sympathetic restoration, keeping a majority of the original components.
3) Buy a reasonably intact car, but do a grounds up restoration, with the aim of winning concourse and restoration trophies.

Regards
Prithvi Tagore

Cannot but agree with mbz180. The problem is that few differentiate with the 1,2 or 3 listed above. The 1 type restorer quotes a prize of the 3 type retoration and forget he has actually done the car up to have some fun.

I personnally prefer the grounds up restoration and bring it as close to originallity as far as possible. This limits the number of cars that you can own as such restorations cost a packet. Having said that such restorations allow you to upgrade your car as you can sell the car at a good price in order the buy a better Mark should such opportunity arise, as we have done over the years.

Till date we have bought cars are reasonable rates and hence we could always afford a top restoration job at a pace at which we were comfortable. My plymouth took less than 15 months and we were comfortable with that pace. My Dodge convertible is currently parked covered. I am focussing on source parts which I believe are important to complete the car in one go. Last week I was able to get the complete convertible hydro-electric set from the US

Cheers

KPS

[mbz180]

Wow KPS, the full mechanism for the top, that's is impressive. Please put up some pics of your cars, please?

Prithvi

[KPS]

Like I stated earlier my Dodge is covered whilst I collect the parts. The cover is a water proof advertisement skin used for hoardings. For a 20 x 10 we paid Rs. 900/- and keeps the car weather proof

Here is the picture


Cheers

KPS

[COUNSEL]

Outcome of the restoration depends on Passion, dedication and your love for the car.

Types of cars we generally restore are:

1. Restoring Our family owned Classics of which you have fond childhood memories. (Fiats/Ambys in most cases).

2. Buying and restoring Cars we like inspired by movies like Beetle (Herbie). Or a car which was once owned by our Family and we buy similar car.

3. Restoring as a professional restorer or part-time restorer just to help friends. ie cars not owned by the restorer.

I belong to 1st case i.e I am more involved in my family classic car restorations. For me 'originality' won't matter much as compared to Quality of restoration. The car should be 100% reliable and should survive for the new few generations too. I will use as many new good Q parts as possible.

[priyadarshan.b]

Hey guys..
This is a very interesting thread. Here i am not an expert, infact i am a would-be-new restorer. And i admit that i dont know a thing about restoration. I find the three processes described by Prithvi very logical.

""1) Buy a cheap classic, get it mechanically sound, do up the body with decent paint and interiors and drive it just for fun.
2) Buy a fairly original car and give it a sympathetic restoration, keeping a majority of the original components.
3) Buy a reasonably intact car, but do a grounds up restoration, with the aim of winning concourse and restoration trophies. ""

My aim is to find a cheap classic and work on it slowly through mechanical stuff, then body work and finally cosmetics. Because the other two ways cost big money.. I guess in my case a classic not so rare such as austins/morris/standard/fiat, would be a good idea to start with.

Regards
Priyadarshan

[vintageman]

An interesting Johnny Cash number, reminded me of some of my restorations

https://youtu.be/rWHniL8MyMM

[71Convertible]

I prefer #2 approach in the cars I have restored. For example, I will keep the original slightly worn molded rubber mats in my VW to new incorrect repros or carpets. My objective is a used but well preserved example rather than a showroom example.

Here's my 67 Skylark convertible engine bay. Factory correct apart from the heater hoses (which should be black). Car is preserved in original paint.


My 81 Fiat Spider - stock - except for cam cover paint and a few out of place zipties. Car is in original paint.


My 71 VW vert - correct down to factory markings. Fuel hose clamps are incorrect. Car is in a '95 repaint in original color.


Byas