[1937hd45]

Simple question: If you are a regular FORUM READER do you have a car/truck/motorcycle that you are doing a TOTAL ground up SHOW RESTORATION on? In light of all the anti Hot Rod threads I'd like to know if Antiques are in fact dead. My '37 Harley will be stone stock, what are you restoring? Oh, and how long has the restoration been going on, my Harley project started in 1996 with the purchase of a rear fender and tail light, today I have a mocked up roller in primer. I don't think I've put a wrench on it in five years.

[Restorer32]

Here's another perspective. I don't know how many professional restorers are active on these forums but I am starting my 30th year in the business. Started as a hobby then grew into a business. I constantly hear that "people aren't restoring cars anymore" and that all the interest is in street rods yet we have a shop full of restoration projects. Not saying we don't do any street rod work, we do, but it amounts to something like 2% or less of our work load and consists almost entirely of paint and body work. Anyway, currently in the shop, for restoration to original, we have;

1932 Packard Conv
2nd 1932 Packard Conv
1937 Ford 60 HP Sedan
1951 Jag Mark VI
1927 Kissel Brougham
1949 Volkswagen
1915 Milburn Electric
1949 Bentley James Young Sedanca Coupe
1929 Cretors Popcorn Wagon
1937 Buick S&S Carved Side Hearse
1959 Cadillac Hearse
1953 Packard Henney Ambulance
1937 GMC Rescue Truck (Original owner)
1937 Packard Super 8 Sedan
1909 ONLY
1928 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton

Also, contrary to popular wisdom, most of these vehicles are not owned by "old timers", nor are they usually "checkbook restorations". They certainly aren't being restored with profit in mind.

Reports of the death of the antique car hobby have been greatly exaggerated.

[BJM]

You read my mind. I though about creating just such a post. A lot of my rants and raves are about the unrestored projects that are wasting away while the monied baby boomers buy completed cars, many with chromed up engines and aftermarket wheels but otherwise fairly stock.

In my case, I prefer to restore projects for the fun of it, for cost considerations, for variety and stewardship. I currently own 5 old non running cars, this past year 3 of them had the bodies pulled off using a wood buck so yes I am doing body off restorations on currently 3 cars:

1949 Buick Roadmaster 2 door Sedanette. I actually traded a running, driving 72 Centurion convertible for this true basketcase. The fellow who traded showed up with the interior filled with parts and the back of his truck. But it's a Roadmaster, desirable and cool so what the heck. I have become depressed on several occasions and tried to sell before slowly moving forward. At this pace, my ETA is about 6-7 years, hopefully 350 to 400 points on the BCA Judging scale.

1963 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door HT. ($600) This was a field car that the seller gave up on, put on ebay and ended up not getting any bids AND was 20 miles away. So I got it because I have a 3 car garage and it must be filled! That was a mistake. I need the space. BUT I went through with it, the body is off, it is getting a frame off on a fairly ordinary body with virtually no options.

1968 Buick Riviera ($400) Came from new Mexico, nobody wanted it, was offered on the BCA Buy/Sell forum. Rust free and missing the drivetrain, therefore, another basket case. Totally stripped, lifted using the wood buck in August.

So there you go, 3 underway. If every forum member did 1-2-3 frame offs of the non running projects, we would increase the supply of restored cars in the hobby. The alternative is hot rodding/further deterioration, etc.

[ex98thdrill]

Yup. We've been doing them for about 20 years.

- From 1986-1990 we did a full frame off restoration on a 1929 Whippet 96A Coupe.
- From 2000-2001 we did a full frame off restoration on a 1937 Plymouth Pickup. This truck is a Senior Grand National Winner that is currently on loan to the AACA Museum.
- From 2001-2003 we did a full frame off restoration on a 1940 Plymouth Woodie Wagon. This car is also a Senior Grand National Winner.
- From 19991-2004 we did a full restoration on a 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra - will be going for a First Grand National Award in March.
- From 2003-2007 we did a full frame off restoration on a 1942 Ford / American LaFrance fire truck. This truck won a Senior Award in Binghamton back in June.
- From 2006-2007 we did a full restoration on a 1947 Empire Tractor. If AACA ever accepts antique tractors, we're ready to go. If not, we'll use it for tractor shows and parades.
- From 2006-2007 we also did a full restoration on a 1952 8N Ford Tractor. If AACA ever accepts antique tractors, we're ready to go. If not, we'll use it for tractor shows and parades.
- In August we started restoring a 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe. Hopefully the restoration will be complete in a couple of weeks. Because of the tires, rims, radio and headlight bulbs, this won't make the grade to take an AACA award.
- In the spring we will be finishing a restoration of a 1940 Dodge convertible for another club member. Target completion date for this car is fall Hershey.
- Once the '40 Dodge is finished, we have a 1950 Willys M-38 US Army Jeep waiting to get restored.

[rbl2]

Depends upon your definition of restore. I'm fixing my 26 up to the point where it's mechanically sound and safe to drive. I'll do the body work and interior to where it looks good. I don't need, and can't afford, a 20k paint job.

Taking the body off will depend on how involved I get in doing the body work and paint. It's a driver now and it'll be a driver when I'm done.

When I'm done most everything will be new or NOS. It should look real good but will never be a trophy winner. I have absolutely no desire to put it in a judged show.

For me the enjoyment comes in doing the work as best I can, finances permitting, and driving it.

[Ron Green]

No restoration this winter however I have been busy in the past with a 72 Corvette, 67 GTO, 55 Pontiac and a 67 Amphicar. Remodeled the entire house last winter.

Next winter I will hopefully start my final full blow restoration, another 67 Amphicar to AACA standards.

[Skyking]

Right now I'm on my third Metropolitan, a 1960 coupe. The first one I restored was my red & white '57 hardtop. After that one I re-did my son's '56 yellow & white convertible. Although he's in his own business of restoring cars, he never has enough time to do his own toys, so I helped him out by doing his Met. Besides the Metropolitans I've done three Buicks, a '55 Special, '62 Invicta and a '66 Skylark. I enjoy doing the Mets because they are small and I now know them inside out. Here are photos of the Metropolitans

I hope to be painting the '60 by the beginning of the year.

Oh, BTW, my son does mostly originals. He just finished a 68 Corvette and is now working on a '57 Cadillac convertible, frame off.

[Rusty_OToole]

I guess I'm "one of those hot rodders". I'm working on a 51 DeSoto coupe with over 80,000 miles on the clock, and which was not original when I bought it. Among other things it has a Dodge pickup truck engine.

When I get done it will be basically stock with a stock looking flathead 6 engine and a McCulloch supercharger and a few mild custom touches, as the car might have been done up by the original owner in the early 50s. In other words "contemporary accessories".

I certainly favor the stock restoration and even more, the preservation of well preserved original cars. But there are lots of run of the mill cars like my DeSoto, which are not worth restoring but which someone can have some fun with anyway.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Well, I cannot say I am actively involved in a full restoration right now. I did one, a long time ago and would very much like to do another one, but only when I have the time. I plan on re-restoring my '30 A Tudor, which had a "parade quality frame off restoration" in the early 70s. I don't anticipate this will be too difficult as the car has no rust, and I have attended to a lot already, but at some point I would like to completely take it apart. I am undecided if I will go for a driver or high point car. I am accumulating much of what is needed now, to minimize the parts chasing and expense when I want to be working on it.

I think running out of steam midway kills off many of these projects. This was the case years ago also, I remember looking at many half done projects in the 70s - 80s. I think good projects are much tougher to find today, which is part of the reason there are fewer restorations being done out there, experienced hobbyists or pros may pass on a car a novice may want to try out. Also, today a good original is much more prized than in the past.

[Shop Rat]

Bill works when he can on our 1963-1/2 Ford Falcon Sprint convertible. It will be fully restored when it comes to it's first show.

The 1939 Dodge Deluxe 4-door will not be restored but will nicely done and modified just enough to enjoy it without breaking the bank on a car that would NEVER be worth what it would cost to do a full, proper restoration. Nothing will be done that can't be easily undone if someone does want to make an AACA show car out of it someday.