Pete Phillips Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 First, I have to confess that the subject is a 1929 Chrysler 6-cylinder coupe, and I know this is the Prewar Buick forum, but I know most of you and you know me, and I respect your opinions. A friend of mine pulled this totally unrestored, original, 1929 Chrysler coupe out of a barn last winter. I know it needs a new gas tank and the wood and canvas roof insert needs replacing. Needs the usual tires, hoses, fan belt, etc., too. But he got the old flathead six running this month and it doesn't sound too bad. Today, I learned from a mutual friend that he plans to "modernize" the car with a late model frame, V-8 engine, new suspension, etc. It upsets me very much to hear and see this happen. This is a rare and desirable body style, rare car with only about 4000 of these coupes made in '29; it has the Chrysler advances, such as hydraulic brakes in 1929, etc. The car has its original paint and upholstery. How many '29 Chrysler coupes can there be in existence in this kind of condition? It makes me very angry and upset that he would do this, and he's a friend of mine--not a close friend, but a likeable guy and lives just a few miles away. I think he has about $5000 to $6000 in the car, and I would buy it just to save it from this fate, and resell it to someone who will restore it properly. This same guy has a street-rodded 1941 Graham, which is even more rare, but he did that years before I knew him.I don't have a problem with someone taking an incomplete car or one that isn't so rare, and street-rodding it, but to watch this is really upsetting. What arguments can I make to stop this guy from destroying this car?Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke01 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Tell him that that the body is wood framed with a metal skin. These don't make good street rods because that type of body won't hold up very well and is difficult to modify. Zeke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Pete,Steer him to a "Factory 5" glass bodied Duce and leave the poor old Chrysler alone !!!!He could probably finance a street rod by selling the Chrysler to someone who will properly restore it. Just my $ ,02 Mike in Colorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Show him e bay listings of all the street rodded coupes of that era and how the owners have way more money in them than what they bid up to. The argument regarding the wood framed body is a very good one as well. Educate him on the HPOF class in AACA too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Offer to buy it if he will leave it alone. The wood framed body is the best reason not to make it a hot rod. Try not to let it upset you, give it your best shot and then forget about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Today, I learned from a mutual friend that he plans to "modernize" the car with a late model frame, V-8 engine, new suspension.So he wants to put the body & fenders on a pick up chassis or some 1970's chassis? Junk the restThe wooden body will not like that.And not much left of the car as it now. We do at times see old running chassis advertised here on the forum and ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 For the most part, how do you turn $30,000.00 into maybe $15,000.00. Easy, just chop and channel a good car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Find him another coupe with trashed running gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 If he didn't ask for your opinion, then stay out of trying to talk him out of doing the improvements he wants.He may soon be your FORMER friend, it's never going to be a highly valued piece, restored or updated.I smile and walk away from any person telling me how I should build my car, exception is WHEN I ask for input.Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 You need to find someone in the AACA with a similar car and give him a chance to get familiar with it, maybe even a test drive. Test driving a 1929 Chrysler would surely make the error of his plan obvious.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_a Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 You could tell him that nearly stock 1928 Chryslers were entered in Le Mans in '28, and took 3rd and 4th with the same engine his car has, a 249 cu. in. six. His Chrysler is a coupe instead of a roadster, and a '29 instead of a '28 -- but he's got some racing heritage going on there. One of the race cars is preserved at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Ummmmmm..... maybe referring to the 1928 Le Mans Chryslers is not the way to go if you don't want it street rodded. If it looks like a duck.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoelsBuicks Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pete, cash speaks loudly. Go tell your friend straight-up that you are deeply troubled when you see such fine, complete and original cars used for modification. Tell him that you'd like to buy the car and that you have a good chance at getting the car to someone who will make her like new - even if you end up in the red. Be prepared to go to your limit; if he can make some money, at least that excuse he'll no longer have. If he turns you down, make him put a price on it. If he prices it and it is not entirely out of reason then you'll know that he is not too emotionally tied to the car. Let him know that he can change his mind and that your offer will still be good at least for a while.There will be a lot of thinking that he'll go through in the face of such earnestness. One more thing you can consider is asking if you can thoroughly document and photograph the car as it is a fine original and rare specimen and that once it is gone, it will be lost forever to those that value the information. Maybe you have connections with a Chrysler publication whereby a story can be written. He may begin to realize that his plans do have a detrimental and irreversible consequence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 It is his car so he can do what he wants, however a real friend would tell him he's going to do something stupid. We can argue the dimensions of what stupid means here but hard to argue 10k car + 30k worth of work = 15k car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It is his car so he can do what he wants, however a real friend would tell him he's going to do something stupid. We can argue the dimensions of what stupid means here but hard to argue 10k car + 30k worth of work = 15k car. exactly - if that's what his plan is there seems like there would be better cars to do it to I saw a running studebaker president that someone was offering up for hot rodding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 The younger guys seem to want an old car that they can drive at hiway speeds or even faster and can stop good. I don't think they care about preserving history or anything like that. They have a vision and although its usually not realistic it is their vision and its their car. What ever is done with the car does not bother me at all. There are plenty of well preserved cars just like there are plenty of modified ones. The neighbor probably thinks you are crazy for wanting to make your car as original as possible since to him it won't really drive well in todays traffic. What is a stupid decision to you may be a very logical one to him. I love leaving my car as original as possible but I realize that many others think I should paint it etc. Its mine so I will do as I want, kind of like your neighbor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Pete, no point in getting upset over your friends decision. My thoughts are : each car hot rodded makes my car more valuable. Hell, I don't even restore my own cars and their value still goes up, and I am way on the plus side with the value of all my cars. I'm good to go with that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 (edited) Maybe the guy sees his neighbor keep buying and selling cars and wonders how hard it is to be happy with a stock car. He probably gazed at that nice '49 Buick and one day it was gone, too. The role model down the street may have made him think doing it his own way would be his path to a keeper. Bernie Edited August 29, 2015 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick5563 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 10k car + 30k worth of work = 15k car.The same can be said for restoring. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 It would be TERRIBLE to buy a car and fix it up to please your neighbor or anybody else. It should definitely please the owner. No matter what the owner does some other folks will like it, some won't, and some won't care either which way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I was just teasing Pete. I like his work on the Bugle, submissions to the forum, and watching those cars pop up in discussion.Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted September 4, 2015 Author Share Posted September 4, 2015 For what it's worth, and if anyone is interested, I was able to work a deal with the owner (hooray!), buy the car for what he has in it, and thereby save it from being street-rodded. I'm going to clean it up, polish it, get it running (needs another carburetor, if anyone has one), and resell to someone who will keep it original. The amount of original paperwork and documentation with this car is truly amazing for an 86-year-old car.Pete Phillips 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Good for you, Pete. Looking forward to pics somewhere. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37_Roadmaster_C Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Good going Pete, another one saved from canibalism. Hopefully someone will appreciate your effort and buy the car at a fair price and put it on the road as origional. Again, great work... Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Pete, I am sure Bill McLaughlin will have a lead on a carb for you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 (edited) For all YOU purist, I have a 46 Roadmaster 4-door, thinking of HOT RODDING it, Who wants to SAVE it????? Thinking small block Chevy, scallops, lowered, very large rims, maybe GREEN body, RED top, BLUE interior, should be a cool piece, huh? I'm waiting,,,,,,,,give me YOUR price. OH, it comes original, not cut up YET.... Dale in Indy Edited September 4, 2015 by smithbrother (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted September 4, 2015 Author Share Posted September 4, 2015 (edited) Posted Today, 05:28 PM "For all YOU purist, I have a 46 Roadmaster 4-door, thinking of HOT RODDING it, Who wants to SAVE it????? Thinking small block Chevy, scallops, lowered, very large rims, maybe GREEN body, RED top, BLUE interior, should be a cool piece, huh? I'm waiting,,,,,,,,give me YOUR price. OH, it comes original, not cut up YET...." Dale in Indy I don't think this little episode came out the way he wanted...so he's going to mock it. Can't please 'em all. Pete Edited September 4, 2015 by Pete Phillips (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 (edited) I have gone on record OFTEN, I enjoy purist cars/trucks and modifies. I also think it WRONG to tell another member HOW to live within his/her automotive interest when THEY didn't ask for suchI have no reason to suggest this turned out anything different than I wanted.I am pleased that many of you are pleased.I was just havin fun, Love you ALL, Dale in Indy Edited September 4, 2015 by smithbrother (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 (edited) I'm entering this conversation a bit late, but I might suggest that in a similar situation, a look at beautiful original or restored examples of the car might go a long way towards dissuading someone who is "torch-happy". I took a moment to Google "Image" some '29 Chrysler coupes and saw a number of beautiful cars and one pathetic looking light blue street rod version of one. The thought that I'm always trying to drive home at times like this is how very disproportioned modified cars often look. The light blue coupe is a fine example of that. Sadly, my argument often requires that the person with whom I trying desperately to reason have some sense of taste. Don't ask me my success rate. https://www.google.com/search?q=vintage+auto+lite+distributors&biw=1220&bih=648&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIs_Wyho3exwIVwouSCh0KlA6Q#tbm=isch&q=1929+chrysler+coupe Edited September 4, 2015 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 You bought the car now you can do with it as you please. When he had the car he could and should do with it as he pleased. There is no RIGHT or WRONG, there are just different tastes and there always will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted September 9, 2015 Author Share Posted September 9, 2015 "I wonder if would have sold it and not hot rodded it had you not bought it." He was within a day or two of ripping out the original engine and hot-rodding it, when I bought it. He has done that with other vehicles he owns, so I have no doubt that he would have done it to this one. I know this isn't the Chrysler forum, but here's a photo or two to peek at, and then you can pretend you never saw this!Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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