Thank you to all who have shared their restoration projects!

[Michigan Farmer]

I would like to thank everyone who has shared their restoration projects.  I have read the AACA forum for years and have especially followed the restoration posts.  Your work has been an encouragement, inspiration and education to me.  I am sure there are others like me who are on the fringe of the old car hobby due to a lack of resources, but vicariously enjoy the hobby through the posts about your projects.  Over the years I have been able to pick up a couple of non running projects that might make a car some day.  Nothing that would win awards, but something that might put a smile on one of my grandchildren's faces if I could drive them around the farm in it.  Thank you again for sharing so generously your work, sweat and tears in bringing an old car back to life and preserving a piece of history!

 

Ron

[F&J]

2 hours ago, Michigan Farmer said:

I am sure there are others like me who are on the fringe of the old car hobby due to a lack of resources, but vicariously enjoy the hobby through the posts about your projects.  Over the years I have been able to pick up a couple of non running projects that might make a car some day.  Nothing that would win awards, but something that might put a smile on one of my grandchildren's faces if I could drive them around the farm in it.

all of my prewar builds were done with very little spare cash flow.  Some will say "you need to send the engine out for a $6000 rebuild", but in all honesty, most can be fixed up for cheap if you won't be putting 100,000 miles on it around the farm!

 

"Fixing up" an old car, rather than restoring is mostly labor, and during those long stretches of labor chores, you then can save up a few bucks for something you honestly need to make it go.  Grandkids and most onlookers won't notice or care if it's not perfect, ....it 's actually quite the opposite reaction..

 

Here is one I fixed up this Spring.  It's a postwar 1946 Willys that came from sitting in a junkyard for 38 years for $400, my son sold the cab and plow to bring it down to $240 and now running/driving, he has less that $1000 in it.  He uses it every day at the farm he just bought a few months ago. He likes it so much that we will do a bit more work so he can register it for trips to town and riding around the countryside.

 

Below, driving it to his farm from my shop a few months ago.

 

 

 

Below, at his farm

[Michigan Farmer]

Thanks F&J, I appreciate your encouragement.  I have learned a lot from your posts!

[keithb7]

I agree 100% with the above post about it not needing to be expensive. My ‘38 Plymouth is a labor of love for me. Tons of time invested, by comparison  a little cash. Its a hoot and a half to drive around. The public appreciates it and lets me know it.  They go out of their way to get my attention to show me their positive gestures. 
 

It may take me many years to get it painted up all pretty. Paint is not priority. Drive-ability, safety and reliability are my top priorities.  My personal education and technical understanding also rank much further ahead of a paint job. 
 

What a great time its been nursing my sick old car back to health. Today it gallops and brings me great satisfaction. 
 

As I sit and type this very message...My view. 
 

Edited August 11, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[Rivguy]

I've always felt that we can experience the old car hobby in many ways and on different levels. And especially different price points. Most of us will never have Jay Leno's resources available, but he is actually an outlier, not the average hobbyist. It is possible to buy and fix up a car with tight funds. You'll have to be more resourceful and do a lot of work yourself. Michael-Russerrector has done some outstanding work on his Imperial thread. I was amazed, and inspired to be more creative in my thinking. I hope you get one of your projects up and running soon and can share it with us.