Restore it, but leave some original patina???

[L78M22Rag]

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I probably would have not taken the car apart. I would have just cleaned it real well with a steam jeny and wipe the frame and everything else down with WD-40 or Armoral. I think that frame will be nice and original with a real good clean up. Seems like you are getting into a resto with doing the resto. I would not change anything, then it becomes fixed up altered or ..... The car is what it is. I think it is a great example just like it appears.

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Thanks... I share your point of view.

I wouldn't be replacing anything if I didn't absolutely have to. The car had been in a minor front collision some time ago, and repaired poorly. The subframe was damaged and slightly bent, while the rad support and inner fenders need rust repair... and thus a repaint. That's what led from a simple repaint to taking the car off the frame in the first place. Since the underside cleaned up so well and firewall is so well preserved, I've changed my plans for the frame-off. I'm repairing or replacing ONLY what's damaged and retaining as much originality as possible. The trunk and interior were always going to remain original. Since the frame, rad support and inner fenders still need to be repaired, I'm simply going to replace them with nice original components rather than the repaired and repainted components.