CRG Discussion Forum

Camaro Research Group Discussion => Restoration => Topic started by: Rufcar on April 13, 2013, 03:52:23 AM

Title: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: Rufcar on April 13, 2013, 03:52:23 AM
1st let me say that for the last 15+yrs I have been a national Rolls Royce and Bentley judge plus Ihave a successful building restoration co and.  a car restorer. That all said I have lots of personal opinions on this subject and you ad car owners can do whatever you wantanf thats ok too. So here I go.
In my opinion taking any car and replac sding most items is not restoration but a rebuild. Keeping the car as origional as possible when posible is really preservatipn. I have seen a 1959 rolls silver cloud in perfect irigional conditional. The owner ordered it drove it a few months and died his friend bought it and kept iy mai.tained in perfect co.ditional all these years but nit driven much. Then I see cars driven maintained fir 40 50 years in perfect condition just repairig what needd done.
With this in mind we all tend to over rebuild/restore these cars.
I am very impressed with this site and your dedacation to trying to do the right thing. You all have been and continue to be very helpful to all who ask and thats what this hobby us all about.
Remember we do not own anything we,are just the current caretakers of them and some day they will all have different owners so tread lightly.
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: lakeholme on April 13, 2013, 01:11:30 PM
Rufcar,
I agree with you! The problem is in the defintion of the two words,"as possible".
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: 1968guppy on April 13, 2013, 03:38:12 PM
Wow. "Caretakers".  Never quite saw it that way.  It feels bittersweet and scary at the same time.  Enlightening.
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: 69Z28-RS on April 13, 2013, 03:40:32 PM
One can 'take care' or one can 'use it up'..  :)    *(junkyards are full of the 'used up' ones)..  or at least they used to be full of them when junkyards were plentiful..  :)
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: 69Z28 on April 13, 2013, 06:18:31 PM
I'm for preserving the unrestored ones, but if the car is way too gone to be preserved then I think it should be done with all the original pieces it came with, period. Locating original parts is very time consuming but is very satisfying for me. It's all part of the fun of the hunt. Believe me there are some disappointments as well but still I still keep looking. My car is still drivable as is even with the wrong parts. My oldest son is gettin this car and as long as I have had it he is getting a really good appreciation of what this car is and what it means, at least to me. I believe he will be a good 'care giver' for my Z when the time actually comes. I'm thinking it's almost time for me to add his name to the title as in 'and/or' next to me and my wife. That way when I'm gone they both can fight over it.
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: Rufcar on April 17, 2013, 03:29:02 AM
69Z (Gary) I agree to a point I guess. Theres a mustang in the paint bay next to mine where I do alot of the work before the painter finishes it. The owner found it in a field and wanted to restore it. The short version is as of now due to finding more and more rust and its not even close to paint because they are still assembling it. Theres about 2% original parts! I think the main firewall is there and not even all of it. Now what is this? Preservation? Restoration? or a new car? This is my point.
BTW can I throw my name in the hat for your car too? LOL
Title: Re: Restoration/ vs preservation
Post by: 69Z28 on April 17, 2013, 04:22:55 AM
If it was mine, I would fix all the rust damage and still use all the original parts that I could and what I couldn't I would find. Restoring is fine for some but not for me. Way too much money goes into restoring and then your afraid to drive it later. Heck, I'm afraid to drive mine during the day. I like driving it at night. Not alot of idiots out there to slam into you.  I have a wife and kids and grand kids that all come first, but when I had enough of them I have my car, good ole Betsy.

Throw your name in the hat for my car??? Is someone raffling off my car behind my back?


69Z (Gary) I agree to a point I guess. Theres a mustang in the paint bay next to mine where I do alot of the work before the painter finishes it. The owner found it in a field and wanted to restore it. The short version is as of now due to finding more and more rust and its not even close to paint because they are still assembling it. Theres about 2% original parts! I think the main firewall is there and not even all of it. Now what is this? Preservation? Restoration? or a new car? This is my point.
BTW can I throw my name in the hat for your car too? LOL