Anybody Doing Restorations

[h-e-n-r-y-j]

So true, Jim. There were a few times that I got a call from a Bulletin reader just to let me know that there was no way in hell that I would ever get the price that I was asking for a particular part.....

[darrin502]

I have restored 3 Darrin's and I am doing 3 more Darrin's now they are all mine except for one of the ones I am doing now. I was asked to do one by a club member and I agreed. Hope it is not a mistake. I am 73 hope I have enough years left to finish them. The time it takes me to do them is long because I do show car work.  I have always liked the Darrin but parts are very expensive and hard to find. I really enjoy doing them. I can do a lot of the work myself but I have had to have some work done by others to get them done. Finding good shops is tough because I have such high standards. It does keep me busy which is good for me. I am lucky that my wife let me build a big garage to do the work in. I had to build it tall to put in a lift I can't do work on a creeper any more. Here are a few pics of the cars I am working on.
If you are able don't give up the joy when they are back on the road show car or driver is worth it.
Lee

[Roadmaster49]

Thanks Lee.  With a car like the Darrin, one can fully justify the costs because nice Darrins sell for (?) $75,000 to $125,000. (?)

Not that resell is the main reason I buy a car to restore.  You should write a book. The knowledge and procedures you have and do would be well worth the cost to buy, for future generations.

[darrin502]

Thanks for the confidence. If anyone has questions they can call me and I will tell them what I can.
520-591-8221
I live in Tucson most of the time and in Chicago for the summer months.

[Logan]

I bought my first "old car," '41 Plymouth, for $700 in the late eighties. It barely ran. I pulled the engine, took it apart, starting messing around with the interior and gave up. Second car was a '53 Manhattan. I fixed it up well enough to run, pretty well, could have licensed and registered it, but I decided to "restore" it. Again, I was young and really had no idea what a restoration entailed, so I ended up giving that one away in many, many pieces to someone who was going to restore it. Who knows what he did with it in the end? Next, I had a '66 Pontiac. Good runner, rusty body, mediocre upholstery. That one I just kept running and it was a fun driver. I thought about restoring it, but never got around to it--thank goodness! A few years ago I bought a '53 Dragon, decent paint, pretty nice interior, good runner. That one I did right: kept it running, fixed what I needed to, went to shows, took trips, and really enjoyed it. I ended up selling it for almost twice what I bought it for. That was the first time I didn't have any "restoration" plans, and unless I have lots of spare cash lying around I don't know what to do with, I doubt I will ever "restore" another car in the future!

[Kory Fox]

I got my '48 Kaiser from my grandfather in 1996. Been slowing working on it off and on since. It's very expensive but I'm no t worried about resale. It's been in my family since 1963 and I just want it back on the road in good shape. Just can't afford it and with 2 teenagers in different sports and my own sport I compete in, time is very hard to come by.

[TomG]

I'm at the beginning of one. I rescued a 1948 Frazer Manhattan from a North Dakota junkyard and am in the process of getting it back to Michigan. I grew up about a mile from the Willow Run plant, so it seems fitting. The car is essentially complete, with very little rust, so it should be a fun project.

Tom

[joefrazer]

Your car looks like a 49 or 50. Best of luck with the restoration!

[Fid]

As Joe points out, it's a '49 or '50, which is more rare than a '48. Look at the tag between the driver's door hinges - the number will begin with either F495 / F505 if it's a standard or F496 / F506 if it's a Manhattan.  Also the data tag on the firewall will list the model number as well F495 for standard or F496 for Manhattan.

FYI, this '51 Kaiser parts car has a '49 Frazer rear bumper if you need one!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/USED-195-Kaiser-Frazer-4-Door-Left-Front-Parking-Light-Blinker-723-/253213343869?hash=item3af4b1007d:g:m2MAAOSwT2dZ5l-Q&vxp=mtr

[Roadmaster49]

Hi Tom:
Yes as Fid and Joe F noted, you have the restyled 1949-50 Frazer, likely a 49.  If you are lucky it will be an F496.

1949 Frazers are one of my favorites. The restyled grilles gave a more substantial look to the front end and the taillamps were nice as well.  Bodies the same. 

It would be great if you can update us, and join KFOCI