The Unrestored Car Appreciation Thread

[alsancle]

In my advancing years I have really started to appreciate cars that have never been restored.   Some have had paint at some point, and some might have had some light cosmetic work, maybe an engine rebuilt, but I'm talking about cars that have never been fully disassembled.

 

No matter the level of restoration, a restored car is never really the same as the way it left the factory.   Things change.  Little pieces get lost or replaced.

 

This thread is for cars that have never been restored.   I'll start by posting some pictures of my Stearns.  Partially repainted in the 1950s, it is basically original.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 25 by alsancle (see edit history)

[Milburn Drysdale]

The Stearns looks huge. What is the wheelbase? Great looking car!

[alsancle]

5 minutes ago, Milburn Drysdale said:

The Stearns looks huge. What is the wheelbase? Great looking car!

 

The J8-90 is 145 inches.   The shorter wheelbase H8-90 is 136.

[Milburn Drysdale]

The cowl length looks gigantic.

[alsancle]

1 minute ago, Milburn Drysdale said:

The cowl length looks gigantic.

 

As a coachbuilt body, Brunn extended the cowl an extra 4",  so I think the total hood length is 74".   I need to start a thread on hood lengths. 

[alsancle]

This Larkin bodied PI is unrestored and quietly hiding in an east coast collection last I heard.

 

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2011/07/17/sia-flashback-a-rolls-in-mothballs-out-of-sight-for-40-years/

 

[lump]

Well said, Alsancle. They are only unrestored once. And as I've grown older, I do really appreciate the unrestored original vehicles more and more. 

 

[STEVE POLLARD]

Neat thread..... my 1969 Chevrolet Impala, I purchase it almost 20 years ago with 4900 miles, it now has just over 7000 miles... I'm the third owner, it came out of Minneapolis area....all original.

 

Steve

 

[Matt Harwood]

3 owners, 11,000 original miles, one of approximately 400 built. I believe the fenders were painted in the 1950s, but it has otherwise never been apart.

 

[Robert G. Smits]

34 Pontiac purchased in the early 70’s. Obviously had a repaint sometime as I do not think this is a Pontiac color from the 34 chart. Participated in the 34th Glidden. Hopefully it will be on the next Glidden

[Pfeil]

1976 Oldsmobile Omega Brougham. Original owner (me) 116,000+miles.

Original paint including engine paint.

Engine never been apart.

Trans never been apart.

Rear end, never apart.

original front calipers, original rear wheel cylinders, original rear brake shoes.

Original interior complete

Original suspension and steering parts

Original alternator, P/S pump, air pump, fuel pump

Original carburetor (never apart)

Original complete exhaust system including catalytic converter.

All bulbs including headlamps original.

[zepher]

I've posted pictures of my Pierce Arrow before, been in same family since the early 60's and has never been apart, inside and out.

It's basically a two owner car since it was purchased by a doctor from Pasadena in November of '29.

He owned it until he passed, someone bought it cheap, at the estate sale, just to flip it and my grandfather bought it from him.

 

And for bonus points, AJ has even ridden in our Pierce!

 

 

[George K]

Bob Bahre’s Ex William Burden SSK. Burden bought it in Paris on his honeymoon.

[alsancle]

1 minute ago, George K said:

Bob Bahre’s Ex William Burden SSK. Burden bought it in Paris on his honeymoon.

 

Do you have pictures of Bob's Alfa?  That wins,  but other than that this car wins.   A 50 million dollar car?

[edinmass]

Here is the Alfa. Think three digits on this one………

 

 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

32 Packard original paint, interior, etc.  I believe 14,000-ish miles

[Robert G. Smits]

  My only “barn find”.  Actually a rural quonset airplane hanger on a farm.  Car had been sitting there for 19 years. Had a replacement top when I purchased it. Has a few scratches from sitting next to my 58 Impala 348 tri power convertible that was destroyed when a tornado hit several years later. If my memory is correct it has 56 K miles.  Never touched other than maintenance.   My favorite thread since Walt started Memorabilia. Thanks

[kar3516]

My 37 Packard Super 8 Model 1500 Touring Sedan 54,XXX miles original paint original interior engine not rebuilt as far as we know.

 

[Scott Bonesteel]

My 34 Dodge DRXX business coupe, purchased from the family of the original owner, 77,000 miles, original paint, never been apart.

[motoringicons]

Here is the 1910 Buick Model 16 ( The BIG ONE-318 Cubic Inch Displacement and a 112" wheelbase). This car was found by probably the second owner in the 1930s-1940s and painted the car red with a brush. The second or third owner kept the car until 1990s.The next owner kept the car from about 1990 until 2020 and never touched it in his  30 years of ownership. It is mostly an original car and very sporty.

Edited January 25 by motoringicons (see edit history)

[George K]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

Here is the Alfa. Think three digits on this one………

 

 

If my memory is still intact that car was for sale in Hemmings in the late 1970’s for 80k.

 

 

 

 

[rwchatham]

If a car has had paint work is it truly an original ? 

[George K]

I think paint on an automobile falls under the heading of maintenance. Especially on early vehicles due to material base.

[V16]

1927 Rollston Packard Sport Touring, one off custom, all original from the cowl back with original interior and top with original top boot

[V16]

1936 Packard V12 R/S Coupe

[V16]

1932 V12  Packard R/S Coupe

[V16]

1931 American Austin Roadster

[Porsche 68]

2 hours ago, Scott Bonesteel said:

My 34 Dodge DRXX business coupe, purchased from the family of the original owner, 77,000 miles, original paint, never been apart.

Hey Scott let me know when you don’t need that crank hole cover anymore 😁.  John 

[V16]

1927 Packard Service truck used by the Hartford Ct. Packard Agency

[prewarnut]

'30 I think...(in the color photo) Well the front clip is '30 maybe body '27?

Edited January 26 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[avgwarhawk]

44 minutes ago, V16 said:

1931 American Austin Roadster

This has to be fun to drive! 

[Scott Bonesteel]

51 minutes ago, Porsche 68 said:

Hey Scott let me know when you don’t need that crank hole cover anymore 😁.  John 

Always keeping my eye out for things like that, will let you know if I run across one.  Love your coupe!  SMB

[auburnseeker]

My 33 Plymouth PD Business coupe.  One respray,  done a very long time ago in original color.  Original Interior. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Here is a 57 Chevy with around 20,000 miles (if I remember right) with all original paint, chrome, interior, etc.  283 power pack.  It was available recently $20,000 - interesting, but full garage here.  I might be more inclined to make space if it were a hardtop/Sport Sedan.

[auburnseeker]

1950 Cadillac.  All Original Paint , chrome and Interior,  though it needed the rear seat upholstered because a raccoon destroyed it after it went in through one of the rear 1/4 windows and got trapped when the window springed closed.  (before i got the car) 

These are before and after photos. 

[auburnseeker]

1948 Chevy Fleetline. Original, thin,  Paint and interior.  I bought this from a fellow that bought it off from the sister of a guy that never made it back from Korea.  He went to the house to buy a Model A and came home with this instead. 

[Rivguy]

Of course a lot depends on the condition of the car when it was saved by a collector. You can stop further deterioration and carefully preserve the existing condition, but if it's too far gone, some restoration will have to be done. 

[Paul Dobbin]

I like the term "Unrestored" better than Barn Find;    Our 1935 Ford V8 has had a long life as an unrestored pickup truck.  Purchased from a from a color Polaroid Photo in the Flea Market at Zephryhills, FL in 1990.   It's been a great Pickup for my use now for almost 33 years.   As Ed Minnie would say, I sorted it out and have enjoyed it as a a  utility vehicle as intended by Ford Motor Company.   It even made the back cover of the Early Ford V8 Times back in 2010.  Always a hit at shows but a HPOF Reject.

They said there was no P in it.  (The only time ever on a trailer was when we moved from Florida to North Carolina.)

Edited January 26 by Paul Dobbin
added photo (see edit history)

[Erska]

I too like original, unrestored cars.  This is my unrestored 1971 Volvo 1800E, mostly original paint (except for 1980s accident repair) and interior.  The car was always maintained and garaged.  I bought the car from its original Bay Area owner in 2006, accompanied by a thick file of records from new.  Much fun to drive, has been to many west coast Volvo and other events, and almost always it is the most original 1800.   

[Joe in Canada]

My 1912 Canadian T I bought from the original family on Vancouver Island and had shipped home. Has had some paint work done years ago and a terrible top replacement I will replace. Sill has the extremely rare original brass tag from the body manufacturer as Ford did not make the body's back then. They were placed over the top material of the front header. So when the top was replaced the tag went out with the old top.