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Those are the only three options? So, modifying it by adding new chassis, going to modern LS motors with overdrive trannies, adding AC, power steering and brakes and then enjoying the heck out of driving them frequently isn't an option? Darn, nobody told me that!
That's the wild card here - Modified cars. The Porsche folks call them Outlaws. Corvette people call them Resto-Mods. Same thing.
It may be that a Corvette is so far gone that the owner has only two choices. Modify the car or restore it. The two are actually very similar if you think about.
btw - Do you know people who don't drive their Corvettes? I don't.
This idea that there are people out there who don't enjoy driving their Corvette is a myth. Who knows how it got started but some people still believe it.
A friend of mine just spent around $90,000 on his C7. He drives it.
I have an acquaintance who actually races his original GS. Let's say that car is worth about $10,000,000. It gets driven - on the track.
I have yet to meet a Corvette owner who does not enjoy driving their car.
That's the wild card here - Modified cars. The Porsche folks call them Outlaws. Corvette people call them Resto-Mods. Same thing.
It may be that a Corvette is so far gone that the owner has only two choices. Modify the car or restore it. The two are actually very similar if you think about.
btw - Do you know people who don't drive their Corvettes? I don't.
This idea that there are people out there who don't enjoy driving their Corvette is a myth. Who knows how it got started but some people still believe it.
A friend of mine just spent around $90,000 on his C7. He drives it.
I have an acquaintance who actually races his original GS. Let's say that car is worth about $10,000,000. It gets driven - on the track.
I have yet to meet a Corvette owner who does not enjoy driving their car.
Richard Newton
They are out there, in more ways than one. I met a old guy with a 67 Coupe at a show a few years ago that had 8,000 miles on it. He owned it since new and now just trailers it to a couple local shows each year.
Over the years I've encountered a lot of people who place a much higher importance on things of the past than do I. They include historical groups who try to protect 100 year old buildings and neighborhoods, geneology groups who place great importance on long dead ancestors, and collectors of all types of things who value originality over functionality. I have no problem with any of these people doing what feels important to them as long as they don't try to impose their arbitrary values on me.
I value the past for the information it can provide to make living in the present better. But I don't have much use for it beyond that. I enjoy driving my 1963 Corvette because it's been part of my life for a long time and other people enjoy looking at it because it doesn't look like every other car on the road today. I recently removed and boxed up much of the original interior and replaced it with safer and more comfortable seats, shoulder harnesses, and a custom dash with gauges I can actually read at night. It's not what I would call a resto-mod. It's just my car modified to work better for me today.
So I make this offer to you originality purists. I won't criticize your way of dealing with YOUR cars if you won't claim that anyone who does it differently is doing it wrong. Different strokes for different folks.
Oh they're out there all right. I was introduced to a friend of my friend last year when I bought my vette. A retired Eli Lilly Co. exec who proudly showed me his '69 vette that he bought new, sitting in his climate controlled garage. He told me it has only 10,000 miles on it!
Oh they're out there all right. I was introduced to a friend of my friend last year when I bought my vette. A retired Eli Lilly Co. exec who proudly showed me his '69 vette that he bought new, sitting in his climate controlled garage. He told me it has only 10,000 miles on it!
It's only a matter of time before the government imposes a pollution tax on classics cars. We are moving more and more towards all electric powered cars. When they become mainstream all polluting vehicles will pay dearly.
It's only a matter of time before the government imposes a pollution tax on classics cars. We are moving more and more towards all electric powered cars. When they become mainstream all polluting vehicles will pay dearly.
Richard,
I'd distinguish between restoring and refurbishing. Refurbish is to make it look or run better with no regard to originality. Restore is to return it to its previous condition.
Not my intent to split hairs, but to me an essential difference. I understand "restore" is generally used for both.
The interesting thing to me is that people often think of restoration as a positive thing.
A restoration is a truly destructive act. You have to remove every bit of originality and all of the original surfaces to restore a car.
I'm starting to view restoration as an act of desperation. You should only restore a car that it so far gone it can no longer be driven.
Richard Newton
IMCO many people look at a classic Corvette to see what they can find wrong with it (as in not factory original). That's creates the desire to restore to a level of what is deemed to be perfection so when it is in public view the owner is not subjected to ego deflating negative comments. You need thick skin if your going to subject yourself to public criticism. The Corvette hobby is suppose to be fun and enjoyment not a job and frustration. Jeeezzzz it's a car drive it.
IMCO many people look at a classic Corvette to see what they can find wrong with it (as in not factory original). That's creates the desire to restore to a level of what is deemed to be perfection so when it is in public view the owner is not subjected to ego deflating negative comments. You need thick skin if your going to subject yourself to public criticism. The Corvette hobby is suppose to be fun and enjoyment not a job and frustration. Jeeezzzz it's a car drive it.
Which is exactly why I have made many changes to my '66 L79. 5 speed tremec, rack & pinion, bilstein shocks, composite rear spring, LED tail lights and front turn signals, aftermarket stereo and speakers, pertronics ignition, torque thrust wheels, and Quickfuel carb to name a few. If someone starts picking my car apart, I tell them all the things they missed!
The owner of this car/birdcage was looking for a new paint job so he could to drive it. What category does it fit in?
This car had a fire where a portion of the firewall was melted. Firewall repaired with a donor car fiberglass blended in so it is undectable and possible being shown at Detroit AutoRama.
Then there is my turd, original car, repainted body on by the restorer 3rd owner I bought it from, backed into by an inattentive driver, repaired and now driven extensively.
I forgot of my good friend who has owned many "Survivor" cars, this one being judged at a Michigan Regional.
If they are being kept in the "fold", that is good.
Those are the only three options? So, modifying it by adding new chassis, going to modern LS motors with overdrive trannies, adding AC, power steering and brakes and then enjoying the heck out of driving them frequently isn't an option? Darn, nobody told me that!
Rick
If it wasn't for resto mods I wouldn't own one. Btw Rick if you still need a hydraulic clutch bracket, I have one for you.
I admire guys who bring old cars back to their former glory. I'm not one of them but it's nice to see someone feels the need. I build my cars to my liking only. I don't care what anyone else thinks or does. I'm not building it for them to look at. When I'm dead my son will probably resto-mod it to his liking. And the circle of life goes on. The days of saving stuff for the next generation are almost over. They don't want our crap.
12-08-2016, 07:34 AM
Preservation, Conservation and Restoration
