Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Who else is working 24/7 (well, not really) trying to finish a car for Hershey? Seems every year we find ourselves trying to complete a car so the owner can show it at Hershey. With the car we are doing now we will have finished 5 cars in the last 5 years for Hershey, all frame ups. Glad the biz now belongs to my Son. Not sure I could take the stress these days though I still agonize over whether he will finish in time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl456 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Restorer, Sounds like the makings of a TV show!! Just Kidding. Best of luck. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46 woodie Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Sounds like a TV commercial, "try the new HERSHEY'S CRUNCH". I'm sure you will get the car done and have great success, good luck! What's the car, so we can check it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Finishing a 1918 Rauch and Lang Electric. I laugh when friends say I must enjoy a business with no stress. If you take enough of someone's money to do a show restoration it better do well at shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 I misspoke a bit above. Last year's car was shown at Charlotte rather than Hershey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Restorer32 said: Finishing a 1918 Rauch and Lang Electric. I laugh when friends say I must enjoy a business with no stress. If you take enough of someone's money to do a show restoration it better do well at shows. Professional auto restoration is ridiculously stressful. It is expensive, there are "hard dates" and the hidden variables that can destroy your schedule are numerous. Customers have varying degrees of patience and most don't understand the challenges the restorer is dealing with. Plus, you add in the fact that the entire transaction makes no sense from a financial perspective you have a recipe for an early stroke. Edited September 23, 2019 by alsancle (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 I wanted to add, the restorer is usually dependent on some outside contractors (like chromer) who do not have the customer directly yelling at them, and don't always have the same degree of focus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Amen Brother ! But I guess we wouldn't do it if we didn't enjoy it. The R&L is the 5th frame up we have done for the same client so he has been "educated" a bit to the variables in restoration but we promised him we would have it done for Hershey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Most of the good restorers I know have 3 or 4 "core" clients that keep them going. If the core client is a millionaire or 100 millionaire or billionaire it helps. I've seen some customers who I considered experienced, very wealthy and generally good guys lose their minds over how long and expensive a restoration was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 We are also finishing a full restoration of a Model A Fordor. I would have bet money noone would ever pay us to restore another A but sentiment goes a long way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlier Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Spent yesterday afternoon working on my DPC car that is coming to Fall Hershey. Looks like it will have to get finished this Friday as it needs at least one exhaust system part that I did not have. Oh how I love doing exhaust work the old school way in my garage at home with just a floor jack and jack stands, laying on the ground. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Restorer32 said: We are also finishing a full restoration of a Model A Fordor. I would have bet money noone would ever pay us to restore another A but sentiment goes a long way. Is that an AACA or Model A Ford Club cotter pin documented restoration ? Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 No, we are restoring it as close to original as possible without researching the cotter pins. This car will never be shown in AACA or likely any other show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 In the car business, it's ALWAYS a thrash to get ready for an event, not just for restoration shops. When I was building race cars, we'd have three guys in the trailer finishing the car while we were driving to the track. When we were building cars for the street, we'd have all-nighters to finish a car for the customer who was coming to pick it up the next day. It's inevitable. You can't plan well enough to have it NOT be a thrash at the end. I bet Steve Babinsky and Matt Joseph, and all the other big restoration shops don't sleep from about June 1 until the two days after Pebble Beach. It's just the nature of the business. We haven't decided which cars we'll be bringing to Hershey, but I suspect there will be all kinds of last-minute tweaks to be done. My cars DO NOT stall, stutter, snuffle, tick, smoke, belch, fart, or sh*t themselves driving into the car corral at Hershey. It takes a lot of work to ensure that doesn't happen. Jeff, will that Rauch & Lang be at Hershey this year? I've seen that car many times when it was local to me and always admired it. I can't wait to see it finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Barring any unforeseen complications it will be on the show field at Hershey. When we actually got into it the R&L was not in as good a shape as it first appeared. It needed a good bit of wood work and of course we paid a fortune for 4 new curved side glasses. She looks good now though. Showing it at Hershey then it's off to its owner in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 I forget the previous owner's name just now but he had some interesting vehicles, including a diesel bicycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 2 minutes ago, Restorer32 said: I forget the previous owner's name just now but he had some interesting vehicles, including a diesel bicycle. And that gorgeous little 1912 DeTamble that Dale Adams restored a few years ago. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ WOW! Off to Google for more photos. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 And the '07 ? Cadillac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 (edited) You guys are Major League players, where as all I need to do is polish and detail the engine and I'm good to go, finished yesterday. My car is a '68 low mileage garage kept that has Grand National and all I show for now at Hershey is another Wheel Tap (#7) to add to the Preservation Award Board . Makes for a relaxed day with great friends surrounded by beautiful vehicles. Good luck to all of us and have a fun day! Edited September 23, 2019 by Doug Novak added info (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 I’m sweating every day trying to get my Olds finished. I believe I’m going to make it and I was fortunate my pinstripe guy is going to be available for its last minute striping! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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