Restore it, but leave some original patina???

[fbirdguy]

I faced the same dilemma with my 69 T/A but I came to the conclusion that they are only original once. I went to great lengths to keep the car original and with the correct patina throughout. It would have been alot easier to just pull it apart and properly restore it since it was almost completely apart anyway. I have seen people walk past restored show cars to check out my car at the shows. People just seem to like survivor cars. I would just clean it all and put it back together. Also, if you are ever going to sell the car having the original unrestored finishes will certainly show you are not trying to hide anything. As a classic car dealer I can tell you restored cars make people very skeptical.

[MosportGreen66]

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Leave it alone!

In both cases, go over the belly of the car with preps-all (wax and grease remover) and leave it alone!

-Dan

[L78M22Rag]

Here's a couple of pics of the original motor and firewall... lots of originality and patina to preserve. It's just going to receive a good cleaning and detail.

Unfortunately, the original inner fenders, rad support and subframe are not presentable in original condition. If anyone has an original subframe, rad support or inner fenders that are still reasonably presentable in original unrestored condition, I'd sure like to buy them. Please either give me a call at 403-803-3879 or send me an email at [email protected]
Thanks!

[Salvatore]

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.

[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.

[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.

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Now that the car is already off the frame... lets say I'm giving it a frame-off detailing.

[mockingbird812]

You have a beautiful car there Helmut. Please keep us posted and GOOD LUCK!