Restore or just repair?
- Thread starter J Witt
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JM 35 Sedan
Well-known member
I saw that '34 5w coupe at the EFV-8C/A 2014 CNM in Springfield, Illinois and took a bunch of pictures. I talked to the owner several times. It was not Kube's car at that time, although he may have bought it since then.
Ross F-1
Well-known member
The place where "over-restored" really hits me is on the trucks. Any of these old trucks that survived, have dents all over the beds and tailgate from hard use. A restored truck with teak bed wood and mirror-straight sides and tailgate doesn't have near the charm of a nicely used one with weathered oak bed wood and lots of character flaws.
Bored&Stroked
Well-known member
I've been on both sides of this dilemma - and I see value in all approaches. In the end, it does come down to what makes you happy.
With that said, I've had one Hell of a good time with my 32 Cabriolet - was in a garage since 1959, had a newer 59AB in it . . . a cheap paint job somewhere in the late 40's, but has the most character of anything I've owned. I have not taken the top down, cause I know it will not last once I do - has varmint paw prints on the old top (was a nice hammock for them all those years). I redid the interior in beautiful burgundy distressed leather (it was original, but covered in vinyl and I couldn't stand it), then put a really bad-*** 41 Merc flathead in it. I think people like the fact that they can't believe how this thing looks . . . but also how it sounds. Folks seems to enjoy the 'character' of it. Kind of like a rolling museum from a long time ago.
There is something about NOT having to think about restoring all aspects of the car . . . leaving the blemishes of time, the warts and all intact. It still has the oil change stickers from 1957 in the door jambs (about 5700 miles on it), and now it has about 6200 on it. I believe the miles are original given the condition of the fenders and other things. When I got it, still had the old tires from WWII on it. But in the end, who really knows it's story - 'Grandpa Earl' has been dead many years and it sat at the family home on blocks.
I'm babbling, but this car has been really fun for me - and I'll never restore it. Truth be told, I could put $30K into it and it would not go up in value one bit . . . might even go DOWN in value. LOL
Here are a couple pictures (As found and how it looks today):
With that said, I've had one Hell of a good time with my 32 Cabriolet - was in a garage since 1959, had a newer 59AB in it . . . a cheap paint job somewhere in the late 40's, but has the most character of anything I've owned. I have not taken the top down, cause I know it will not last once I do - has varmint paw prints on the old top (was a nice hammock for them all those years). I redid the interior in beautiful burgundy distressed leather (it was original, but covered in vinyl and I couldn't stand it), then put a really bad-*** 41 Merc flathead in it. I think people like the fact that they can't believe how this thing looks . . . but also how it sounds. Folks seems to enjoy the 'character' of it. Kind of like a rolling museum from a long time ago.
There is something about NOT having to think about restoring all aspects of the car . . . leaving the blemishes of time, the warts and all intact. It still has the oil change stickers from 1957 in the door jambs (about 5700 miles on it), and now it has about 6200 on it. I believe the miles are original given the condition of the fenders and other things. When I got it, still had the old tires from WWII on it. But in the end, who really knows it's story - 'Grandpa Earl' has been dead many years and it sat at the family home on blocks.
I'm babbling, but this car has been really fun for me - and I'll never restore it. Truth be told, I could put $30K into it and it would not go up in value one bit . . . might even go DOWN in value. LOL
Here are a couple pictures (As found and how it looks today):
V8COOPMAN
Well-known member
Correct John...it was not Kube's car by the time of the Springfield meet. Kube is the one that INITIALLY purchased and rescued this car from the little lady in the picture, whose husband had kept this car since 1948. Kube chased this car for decades. Kube purchased the car, re-assembled the pieces and rebuilt the mechanicals on this car after it's near-65 year slumber, untouched. It was then sold to the guy you talked with. DD
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34fordy
Well-known member
Correct John...it was not Kube's car by the time of the Springfield meet. Kube is the one that purchased and rescued this car from the little lady in the picture, whose husband had kept this car since 1948. Kube chased this car for decades. Kube purchased the car, re-assembled the pieces and rebuilt the mechanicals on this car after it's near-65 year slumber, untouched. It was then sold to the guy you talked with. DD
I see stories like this and makes me think "maybe there is a Santa Claus" and I will find a coupe like this or a 34 V8 pick-up-- If you give up looking and hoping the fun is over--The HUNT is so much fun--The trip home with a "new love" is wonderful also.
deuce_roadster
Well-known member
Like Bored&Stroked, I too can appreciate both sides of this discussion. I have a 33 standard phaeton (quite rare) that still has the original top, cracks in the front fenders, 1950s dinette set vinyl covering the seats as well as a Dearborn award 40 station wagon. Each draws about the same number of people when I drive them but the crowds are different types of folks! There are pictures of both of these in my public albums.
mhsprecher
Well-known member
I am trying to buy a 1923 Model T that has been in a basement garage since 1962. Dealing with people who have things like this can be a challenge and that is my situation. The "owner" got angry with me after my first offer, so who knows where it will go? I guess I should have offered more. I really want the car. I found it in an unorthodox way. The lady who has it came up to me at a traffic light when I was in my Model A roadster. It would be a shame if it got away. I would get it running and keep it like it is.
ford38v8
Well-known member
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Bored&Stroked
Well-known member
Another "lesson" I learned (had to have a friend tell me) is that sometimes one can go about a limited restoration plan with the thought of "keeping the car running" as much as possible.
While I love to work on these cars (and all the details involved), there is nothing better than driving them. This plan has cost me a little extra money (duplicates of some mechanical things), but it has brought me a lot of pleasure in that the car has been up and running as much as possible.
Normally I would have just pulled the old 59AB flathead immediately and started the build process - and given how I build engines, the car would have sat for 2 years. Instead, I bought another engine to build for it (42 Keystone/Merc block) and while I took all the time in the world with the race engine, ALSO got the 59AB running and drove it. Truth be told, a stock 59AB makes a 32 go down the road rather nicely! I kept the running 59AB in it all the way until the week that I swapped in the new engine and 39 trans. (This was about 2 years and 3 months later)
I'm doing the same thing with suspension - as I'm building a dropped axle and switching over to juice/bendix brakes (safety on the highway). I've bought everything for the conversion and am working through the rebuild of those parts - all the while driving the 32. Sometime this winter, I'll take all the stock suspension out of it (carefully) and roll under the new 32 front suspension and Columbia rear.
I'll save all the mechanical brakes and other stuff for the future. Some lucky person in the future may just want to put all that stock stuff right back under it. I'll have damaged nothing in the process and all original suspension pieces will be cleaned up, rebuilt and ready to be put back in. I'm even building a completely stock and correct 32 V8 for it - so that everything can be put back to the way "Henry built it". (Now, that is not a cheap endeavor - just try finding a 32 distributor, coil and short fuel pump!)
I know - it costs to have "two 32 heavy axles" - and other such parts, but they hold their value anyway and this has kept the car on the road.
Driving them - THAT is the most fun of all!
Whew . . . too much coffee for Dale this AM! LOL
While I love to work on these cars (and all the details involved), there is nothing better than driving them. This plan has cost me a little extra money (duplicates of some mechanical things), but it has brought me a lot of pleasure in that the car has been up and running as much as possible.
Normally I would have just pulled the old 59AB flathead immediately and started the build process - and given how I build engines, the car would have sat for 2 years. Instead, I bought another engine to build for it (42 Keystone/Merc block) and while I took all the time in the world with the race engine, ALSO got the 59AB running and drove it. Truth be told, a stock 59AB makes a 32 go down the road rather nicely! I kept the running 59AB in it all the way until the week that I swapped in the new engine and 39 trans. (This was about 2 years and 3 months later)
I'm doing the same thing with suspension - as I'm building a dropped axle and switching over to juice/bendix brakes (safety on the highway). I've bought everything for the conversion and am working through the rebuild of those parts - all the while driving the 32. Sometime this winter, I'll take all the stock suspension out of it (carefully) and roll under the new 32 front suspension and Columbia rear.
I'll save all the mechanical brakes and other stuff for the future. Some lucky person in the future may just want to put all that stock stuff right back under it. I'll have damaged nothing in the process and all original suspension pieces will be cleaned up, rebuilt and ready to be put back in. I'm even building a completely stock and correct 32 V8 for it - so that everything can be put back to the way "Henry built it". (Now, that is not a cheap endeavor - just try finding a 32 distributor, coil and short fuel pump!)
I know - it costs to have "two 32 heavy axles" - and other such parts, but they hold their value anyway and this has kept the car on the road.
Driving them - THAT is the most fun of all!
Whew . . . too much coffee for Dale this AM! LOL
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The cars start to deteriorate immediately after they leave the assembly line or the restoration shop either way. If you use a car on a regular basis then it will require regular scheduled and some unscheduled maintenance to keep the level of decline to a minimum. Cars properly maintained may have a used car look to them but are still plenty of fun to drive. I'd much rather be driving one than looking at it setting in the garage gathering dust, fly specs, mouse turds, and God forbid if birds can get in.
Patina, another fancy term for a rust bucket, is fine you like driving a rust bucket. Personally, I'd maintain the finish to at least a nice driver car appearance. Museum cars belong in museums.
Patina, another fancy term for a rust bucket, is fine you like driving a rust bucket. Personally, I'd maintain the finish to at least a nice driver car appearance. Museum cars belong in museums.
