Anybody Doing Restorations

[Roadmaster49]

I know the forum community is only a small segment, but is anybody doing restorations any more? 

[Doc]

Not here. Those two '51 Frazer hardtops did it for me. Those came after a '55 Studebaker that took five years. Too much frustration and aggravation trying to find parts, find people that will actually work on them (upholstery for example and body work), and the escalating price of rechrome and even "basics" like fuel pumps and carburetors.

[kaiserkid]

I've been working on my 54K for 6 years now in my garage. I can see some light at the end of the tunnel! Yes locating parts has been a challenge at times but overall not too bad. This is my first restoration by myself.

[54manhattan13]

As I noted in my previous post, I have been working at restoring my 54 Manhattan for he last 3 1/2 years. It has benn slow but I am hoping to take it to our local community car show on July 1st.
Mine is a work in progress and probably will never be totally restored. It is not being restored as a show car, rather a pleasant car to use for my own enjoyment.
Paint is not original, and upholstry is not totally done as original. The upholstry is close to original but not 100%.
The hardest thing for me was to find a local shop to do the paint job. This problem revolved around the fact hat the car had rust above the windshield and the rear window. This meant that he glass had to come out and most shops wouldn't even attempt this.
I was married owning a 54 Manhattan 52 years ago. Local salt issues destroyed that body. I kept it all these years to use as a parts car hoping to have another to enjoy for my own personal pleasure.
As of today (6-14-2016) I only have to install the seats (they are ready) ad try to track down a problem with the brake lights ( they worked before, I suspect a poor connection at the switch or a non-functioning switch.

[Aeroman]

I have been restoring Old Toby for going on 38 years. Don't think I'll ever be done. Hardly ever work on it. Discover more stuff that needs fixing every time I get under the car, so I don't get under it. Put a replacement engine in it about 2 years ago ( last rebuild was in 1983) and still haven't finished hooking everything up. I miss driving my car but apparently not enough to finish the work. Here's some shots of Toby at peak in 1989.

[Roadmaster49]

The think the hobby of restoring car's has died a slow death, due to the cost of the restorations and the time involved, and finally, the need by some to over-restore has left some feeling if they don't keep up, their amateur restoration won't be seen as a nice job.

I think we need to consider a restoration trophy at all of the club meets for amateur restorations.

[pjkaiser]

I am doing a restoration on my Darrin.   THe first picture is typical of what I was working with to where the body is now.    It has slowed a bit due to my time limits

[pjkaiser]

Oops, pressed the wrong button.

To where the body is today.   I am currently working on repair of the doors, which were in pretty bad shape.   Lots of repair and fitting.   The mechanicals just need to be cleaned up as it ran great.

[MarkH]

I've been restoring my Aero for 6yrs now, sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get it on the road again. Other than my own time & money constraints, prolonged shop delays for farmed out work seems to be the norm.
I've got 2 other cars that need restored, one deserves a frame off and I'm considering giving it to my (doctor) brother who could easily afford it and really wants it. The other might get a quick & dirty freshening up to get it back to driver condition. I'm looking for a driver quality early 70's Buick to enjoy strictly as is. No more in depth restoration projects unless I hit the lottery.

I really enjoy restoring the Aero, but the guys actually driving their cars now regardless of condition are probably enjoying them more.

[Corsairdeluxe]

I have restored several Henry Js. Some of them to a high standard. At the current prices for paint and body work as well as chroming,I'll never do another.Buy a decent $7,000 driver and do a half way restoration and you are up to $18-20k.
I'll do a minor fixup and if I do not break more than I fix or injure someone dear to me ,I'm satisfied.

[Fid]

I did a lot of work on all of my cars. Much of it restoration work but today if a car needs to be restored, it needs an owner other than me.

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

I, too, have restored a couple cars over the years. Two of them were Henry J's. One was sent to Fred Walker for paint/body work and the other I finished up after it was essentially 90% restored. I lost my ass on the first car when it burned up in a body shop fire while having a drivers door replaced and repainted. $23K netted me $12K in an insurance settlement. The next HJ was purchased for $9800 and later sold for $12K. It was a break even deal after I tinkered on it for years. The third (a truck), and most recent, restoration cost almost $20K and netted me less than $10K. Never again. The only way to go for me is to buy a car that somebody ELSE has restored. I will attempt to post images for car 2 and the truck.

[dpledger]

I finished  (sort of) an 8 year restoration on my 53 Manhattan- had gotten it after high school and driven for 26 years. Was pretty well rusted out and had 220,000 miles. As I had done all the repairs on the car  myself, starting as a graduate student who couldn't afford to pay anyone, I figured I would have done everything at least once. Did everything myself, except for engine machining and hydro work. wife helped pulling engine and such. Used 5 4x8 sheets of 18 gauge steel plus some 16. Found that I could duplicate most anything I couldn't find. got a lot of stuff on ebay including an NOS rebuilt carb that had been sitting forever. Some things from club vendors, lots of things here and there.Rebuilt everything that moved. Had all the chrome replated. Figured I had put about $10K into it plus many hours of my time. Not a show car now, but can't see much wrong either. Kept essentially everything original. Found some fabric long ago that one has to be very close to to see that it isn't the original seat insert. Starting to take it to shows now. For me the restoration itself was the most fun. There is such a variety of stuff to do that it doesn't get boring. Running down the parts is a game in itself. Recently found a second backup light to match the one that was originally on the car, so ebay surveillance continues.

[Corsairdeluxe]

Some more of your 51. I will always regret not buying it!

[Corsairdeluxe]

Alan posted that car in our monthly bulletin,NO SALE! He then sold it on ebay for more than he had asked in the bulletin. I have always felt that most of the buyers from the bulletin are "bottom feeders".