If you found one of these race cars today how would your restore it?

[R68GTO]

I've had so dang much fun with my car, I have to pinch myself sometimes. From the people I've met in the hobby to the prior owners it's just been a blast. Having lived the topic of this thread, I'll give my perspective:
If I didn't get to meet Rick Wilkins and Denny Davis and only had a few vintage photos of the car as Rats Nest, I probably would've just done the stock restoration. With the detailed vintage pics showing every paint line and sticker, combined with their personal stories and how much the car meant to them, Denny's Dad, Doug's wife, it gave the car an identity. Hell, they had an image of it on Doug's headstone and he only owned it like 4 years! I felt like I had to get it back to Rat's Nest trim. So I guess at the end of it all, I did it for them more than for me. With the vinyl and the vintage speed parts, it's about $8K worth of "extra expense". Most of the speed parts will likely go on my next project assuming I sell the car in stock trim (I think worth more that way) so I will only be out the cost of the vinyl. Either way, I would do it all over again under the same circumstances. The only change might be to reverse the order....vinyl it up, run the hell out of it, then do the factory resto. Sorry for the long response. I'll end with some pics of the people that inspired the process, and the car of course - even though you've probably seen them already

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by R68GTO

I've had so dang much fun with my car, I have to pinch myself sometimes. From the people I've met in the hobby to the prior owners it's just been a blast. Having lived the topic of this thread, I'll give my perspective:
If I didn't get to meet Rick Wilkins and Denny Davis and only had a few vintage photos of the car as Rats Nest, I probably would've just done the stock restoration. With the detailed vintage pics showing every paint line and sticker, combined with their personal stories and how much the car meant to them, Denny's Dad, Doug's wife, it gave the car an identity. Hell, they had an image of it on Doug's headstone and he only owned it like 4 years! I felt like I had to get it back to Rat's Nest trim. So I guess at the end of it all, I did it for them more than for me. With the vinyl and the vintage speed parts, it's about $8K worth of "extra expense". Most of the speed parts will likely go on my next project assuming I sell the car in stock trim (I think worth more that way) so I will only be out the cost of the vinyl. Either way, I would do it all over again under the same circumstances. The only change might be to reverse the order....vinyl it up, run the hell out of it, then do the factory resto. Sorry for the long response. I'll end with some pics of the people that inspired the process, and the car of course - even though you've probably seen them already

SCCA type road race cars are usually worth a lot more with racing history . Idk if it’s because you can NOT race in the vintage class without a car that actually was once raced and documented as such or what. I think the pure stock guys should do an old Jr stock lettered up class like that personally maybe let guys run off the record for their class for that year car?

There’s classes like NETO and others gasser classes etc. But that’s a bit different.

Idk why a stock showroom (anyone could buy it) car would be worth more (maybe it is) but these cars that were raced many (specially ordered) with factory backing of some kind were the True super cars of their day IMO
One that was recently for sale Jim
Minos old car was restored stock but once was a spectacular race car IMO . I know which way I’d rather have it and which I’d personally pay more .

Jim’s car was an awesome car either way don’t get me wrong like it a lot stock, LOVE it in race trim. This is another car that could be done with vinyl and bolt on race parts. But I don’t think I’d ever change it back .

[carnut4life]

Originally Posted by R68GTO

I've had so dang much fun with my car, I have to pinch myself sometimes. From the people I've met in the hobby to the prior owners it's just been a blast. Having lived the topic of this thread, I'll give my perspective:
If I didn't get to meet Rick Wilkins and Denny Davis and only had a few vintage photos of the car as Rats Nest, I probably would've just done the stock restoration. With the detailed vintage pics showing every paint line and sticker, combined with their personal stories and how much the car meant to them, Denny's Dad, Doug's wife, it gave the car an identity. Hell, they had an image of it on Doug's headstone and he only owned it like 4 years! I felt like I had to get it back to Rat's Nest trim. So I guess at the end of it all, I did it for them more than for me. With the vinyl and the vintage speed parts, it's about $8K worth of "extra expense". Most of the speed parts will likely go on my next project assuming I sell the car in stock trim (I think worth more that way) so I will only be out the cost of the vinyl. Either way, I would do it all over again under the same circumstances. The only change might be to reverse the order....vinyl it up, run the hell out of it, then do the factory resto. Sorry for the long response. I'll end with some pics of the people that inspired the process, and the car of course - even though you've probably seen them already

That car looks stunning in either configuration Jim!