Is a Restoration In Your Future?

[Stretch Cab]

I read so many posts about the high cost of restoring a car and that it is cheaper to buy a restored one. All that is probably true. But what are you going to do with the cars you already own? My cars have been in the family for 50 years. To do the math, that's longer than they were old when my dad acquired them in the 70's!

I'm 65 and nearing a time when I will have the time to work on my cars, will have to see about if I will have the money.

I am currently restoring a 36 Fordor Deluxe. I have most of the running gear painted and ready to put back together. My wife promised me a rebuild of the flathead for my 65'th birthday. Yeah, she is a keeper!

I have my dad's 31 Deluxe Roadster that I plan to freshen up with new paint on the normal black exterior parts. Will also clean up the engine compartment while I'm at it.

I have an early 30 Roadster PU that I gave to my daughter but have in storage for her that I would love to repaint to the original green.

I have a "Brass Era" fire chief's car that I need to finish as well.

I enjoy working on my cars more than driving so I can see where I will have plenty to keep me busy in retirement. Does it make financial sense to put money into any of them? Probably not but my cost basis is so old it really doesn't factor into the equation and at this time I do not plan on selling them.

How about you, is there a restoration in your future?

 

[WHN]

There are gardeners that spend thousands of dollars every year on seasonal plants because it makes them happy.

My point is! If it makes you happy, and your can afford to do it, why not.

You could most likely cover the cost for painting one of your cars with what the cost of a good vacation would be.

Remember, it’s a hobby.

I could pay to have someone restore a number of Model A’s with what our IRA’s have lost in the last few months.

Life is to short to worry. If you have the funds, don’t worry, be happy!

Enjoy.

 

[Bob Bidonde]

My last restoration cost about half my annual income, but I spread the cost over several years. Another full restoration is not affordable in my retirement, especially with the ugly current economy. Should another Model "A" follow me home, it will be an unmolested original or a good running older restoration.

 

[burner31]

If you mean a $15K deep gloss paint job and a spiffy $8K interior package, nope, not going to happen.
But if you mean a engine that starts and runs great every time I start it, and brakes that allow you to stop when you need it to, and with very little body rattles that allow you to talk with and hear the passengers in your car...then yes, already started, already there.
Surprising how good these cars can look with just primer.
And like you I am also doing another car ('57 Chevy), but that's our hotrod, and by no means "restored" but she looks good, runs good, and she's fun to drive...and that's all that matters...but that's just me.

When people ask me "when are to going to be done restoring your cars?" I always reply..."Hopefully never"

 

[Tobey]

I'm referring to it as a rehab. I have a family car, purchased in the'40s by my mom's great uncle. It's a basket case, but still solid. And I got the engine started a few weekends ago. It last ran in 1990. Anyway, I want to basically restore the running gear to make it safe to drive. I'll decide on aesthetics later. But it won't be getting $20k worth of paint and interior. I might just leave it rusty for a while.

 

[jack backer]

Got 2 diamond B and 4 A engines to build,10 V8 transmissions,2 a transmissions and one nice rear axle. Good loaded backing plates to clean and restore.2 f1 steering boxes too..plus a car thats not a restoration,but is an ever evolving modified model A...sold off a 51 pickup,a 48 f5 cab forward sheetmetal,an A chassis,a bunch of V8 and Y block stuff..no restoration in sight,but a busy shop just the same..I do all my own work,so a show quality restoration has never been my goal..but I decided to concentrate on one car,no more ground ups for me.

then again,Im like a sailor on liberty when it comes to a project car..so todays sentiment might not hold.

 

[Dennis Pereira]

I'm 76 and my projects have been stop and go I sold a couple to finance my 29 coupe project . The 29 standard coupe project is coming together I've been working on it almost non stop last 4 months body is close to going back on the frame .

 

[SDJason]

...is there a restoration in your future?

Hopefully not!
Mine's a driver, and the important parts have already been worked on - I just enjoy the experience of operating a vintage vehicle, and seeing the smiles on peoples' faces when they see it drive by.

The one thing I would like to do is have the hood and front fenders painted at some point - a previous owner pretty much used rattle-can to paint a previously green hood black (flat, not glossy), and after 90 years, the paint on the front of the fenders look like they've been sand-blasted. It looks passable from 20 feet away, but up-close it definitely looks aged.

 

[Greg Jones]

I am 66 and have a 1930 68B Cabriolet that I have been planning to restore. I have done ground up restorations in my past and learned a lot from doing them. I have body and fender and paint skills so my approach with this car has been to focus FIRST on getting the mechanicals solid, then do the bodywork. Unfortunately health issues are leading me in the direction of selling this car as I am unsure I will be able to finish a restoration on it. To answer your question, looks like my answer is likely a NO but I really enjoy the restoration process so time will tell......

 

[Oldbluoval]

Greg, we’ve had some back and forth before. Sorry to hear of health problems. God’s blessings

Just a side note… guy told me one time to do all the body work first. Looking at a really nice body and fenders motivates one to get to the greasy stuff!
All I do is body and fender so can’t testify to that process

Again, well wishes for you

 

[Ayers1]

I'll repeat what others have said, if you enjoy the work and can afford it, do it to keep the cars going! I just turned 60 and hope to rebuild 2 more A's before I'm done so each of my girls will get one. For me, I enjoy the process and it's easier to put a few dollars at a time in them than to shell out 20K for a nice one.

 

[180 a]

purchased a rust free 31 standard phaeton I plan to do a frame off restoration, so I will have a 31 deluxe phaeton and a 31 standard 4 door phaeton

 

[Synchro909]

No more restorations for me. I have 4 Model As and a Delage (top end French car). I intend driving the wheels off them and the only work I will do on them is the expected maintenance. I enjoyed restoring the ones I did but enjoy driving them on my long tours even more. I figure that I restored them so I have earned the right to wear them out again.

 

[al's28/33]

I have had my Phaeton since 2001 and I have painstakingly hunted for and replaced 99.99999% of all the incorrect components to present it as a "1928" model year since it has the left hand e-brake hole in the drivers side frame rail. There are a lot more pieces to locate and install to complete the look, but my biggest pet peeve is that it is the color scheme for a '29 and I would love to have it repainted.
My '33 early V8 pickup is the same situation, wrong paint colors but they are both GREAT drivers. Some day, maybe. My wife would rather spend the money on vacation trips. I'll come back to this post in 15 years and update you guys which way the story ends...…...

 

[1930artdeco]

You betcha! Although, we just bout a 1905 craftsman that needs some garage help Then I have to restore the Model A, which I anticipate taking about 7 years or so. Then I have a 57 Ford Station wagon to restore for retirement.

Mike

 

[nkaminar]

No, but I am continuously working on my Fordor. Right now I am building a Burtz engine to put in it.

If I live long enough I would like to build a camper on an AA chassis. It would be very old fashioned but built light with modern materials. To include a small wood burner for heat and an ice box. Plus clerestory windows like an old trolley car. I had an early Reo campbus in the 1960's that I had to let go and I miss it. It had the clerestory windows, chain drive, and the driver's seat doubled as the toilet.

 

[burner31]

No, but I am continuously working on my Fordor. Right now I am building a Burtz engine to put in it.

If I live long enough I would like to build a camper on an AA chassis. It would be very old fashioned but built light with modern materials. To include a small wood burner for heat and an ice box. Plus clerestory windows like an old trolley car. I had an early Reo campbus in the 1960's that I had to let go and I miss it. It had the clerestory windows, chain drive, and the driver's seat doubled as the toilet.

Yeah...I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that..."the driver's seat doubled as the toilet"

 

[Synchro909]

No, but I am continuously working on my Fordor. Right now I am building a Burtz engine to put in it.

If I live long enough I would like to build a camper on an AA chassis. It would be very old fashioned but built light with modern materials. To include a small wood burner for heat and an ice box. Plus clerestory windows like an old trolley car. I had an early Reo campbus in the 1960's that I had to let go and I miss it. It had the clerestory windows, chain drive, and the driver's seat doubled as the toilet.

I've toyed with the same idea but finding an AA is near impossible in any state of (dis)repair.

 

[hazelhoff]

Our cars deserve more than being “just a hobby”. They truly are sacred relicts of early engineering (-art). Look at the money involved with preserving castles, churches (Notre Dame de Paris) … Model A restoration cost is peanuts if you look at the broader picture …

 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Interesting post as it's a common topic on the AACA forum where admittedly I spend most of my time.

The plan with our scruffy but rock solid 30 roadster is keep focusing on mechanics but I am buying everything needed for a good touring class level restoration. That way, when I do actually do cosmetics it will be slightly easier on the wallet. I fully expect to be over invested as we are with our other cars, which is fine. These cars are not investments and I don't mind spending a bit more than the car could return although anything else I buy now would likely be a restored car, or very nice original depending on age. We like prewar cars of all types and postwar sports cars. Same formula applies, finished cars are cheaper in the end, or cost of ownership is less.

The A draws a lot of attention as it sits, but the paint is dead and eventually I want to do as nice a job as someone did 50, maybe 60 years ago. We know they did a thourough job but decades in a barn unfortunately was not kind to it.

I expect to finish this before retirement, 8 years out but might want to build a T speedster as a relatively easy retirement project, had one and they are cool. That I would do as much as I could myself. The Model A though, I want painted and trimmed professionally.

Great hobby as WHN says!!