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68 Skylark resto.


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I am in a work in progress restoration with my 68 Skylark, I was woundering what all makes a car a concourse car. I mean all the spesifcations and all.

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I can tell you from having a friend who runs a full time restoration shop for the last 18 years, a concourse car will cost you great buckets of money. Simply put, a concourse car that will actually WIN at a concourse show, is overrestored to the point where it is MUCH better than new. Every nut and bolt is perfectly painted the correct color. Every plated part is plated back like it was when the car was bought. Every number on a carburetor, fuel pump, engine block, head, etc, not only is correct for the year, but some parts are also date stamped within the production run, so if your car was sold in January of '68 and you have a part on it with an identifiable tag that shows a later date than that, then technically you are incorrect. Suspension and driveline parts also may have had inspection marks, maybe as simple as a daub of yellow paint, or different colored stripes, etc.<BR>Having seen first hand what it takes to get a car concourse (my friend has done a lot of early Mustangs, their club is the worst when it comes to nitpicking a concourse car), I personally would never want to do my car that way. A concourse car cannot be driven, or it will quickly not become one. I personally love to drive my old '65 Riviera, and the thumbs up and head swivels I get are just as much fun to me as any car show trophy. And, as I have seen at National Buick and Oldsmobile meets, cars can win without being fanatically concourse.<BR>I realize this has been a long reply, but I just wanted to give you a flavor for what you are in for if you try to get your car concourse. As for specifications, you will need to acquire an assembly manual, service manual, and any other factory literature you can get your hands on. These will come in handy to resolve disputes about the originality of something on your car when they arise. (And unfortunately they will. I actually heard of two Chevelle owners coming to blows at a National meet a few years back over who had the correct shade of web paint on their factory mags! I say, get a life!)<BR>If you still want to pursue making your car concourse, more power to you, it will be a long and expensive puzzle you are reassembling. However, if you do it right, and win a National, you will get a lot of satisfaction. But do not, under any circumstances, think that you will ever get your money back should you choose to sell the car, because IT AIN"T GONNA HAPPEN!<P>------------------<BR>Boyd Shuler<BR>Orangeburg, S.C.<BR>65 Riviera

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Guest John Chapman

I second Nail Head. Starting with a '68 Skylark to make a concours car is a sure way to spend forty grand and have a twelve grand car when you're done. That assumes you start with a convertible with desirable options.<P>You may find Skip Cain's series on restoration informative:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.chevelles.com/shop/index.shtml" TARGET=_blank>http://www.chevelles.com/shop/index.shtml</A> <P>Good luck.<P>John<P>------------------<BR>John Chapman<BR>BCA 35894<BR>1965 Skylark Convertible (Some Assembly Required)<BR> jmchapman@aol.com

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Bill,<P>Certainly, a BCA Senior Award is more realistic than trying for a concourse car.<P>Greatly oversimplifing, the BCA Senior is a near-new car with correct equipment, but there is tolerance in some of the criteria.<P>Not easy, most winners have years of effort and much research, and many are trailer queens. But that level of perfection won't kill you the way a concourse level would.<P>Mercury_1968 should find some examples in his area and check them out and discuss with their owners.<P><P>------------------<BR>

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Hey thanks guys. How would I get a car that could at least get a bronze at the nationals? That is what I am really looking for right now, I don't have the money to spend, I am only 21, and about out of college. And I love driving my car.

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My car is right now as close to the original specs as I can get it. I have been working on it for the past 5 years, and just started showing it full time this year. Not bragging or anything, I usually get an award at just about every show I attend, but nothing that is at nationals level.

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