| Author | Message | ||
     Bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: 94.197.122.92 |
It would nice if one could buy an old car and restore it to as New condition. But the realities are that time and money will always interfere with the day dream. I have seen many restorations and I never criticise because often if the restorer had not say sensibly bodged the car to save money then the car would not have been restored and scrapped. Many SY and now SZ cars are being broken up because the owners had a dream that has turned out to expensive because they set the standards to high. So if someone can't afford a respray and Wilton carpets and brush paints and make his own carpets because the money was spent on the brakes, then so be it. Another car saved. I see so many half done cars for sale because the owner has restored the only half the car and spent loads of money doing it to perfection and run out of money. To avoid this have a plan that covers the whole car. That way a decision to save money say by reusing chrome can be made before one pays £600 for a rear bumper not knowing that the gearbox needs £600 worth of work. Also from the plan a record of the work is developed which will add £1000 to the value of the car Provenance!!and artefact. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1431 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Bob, Most restorers are aware they will never recover the cost of restoration if or when the car is sold and they proceed on this basis. The pride and satisfaction you feel when a "basket case" is resuscitated and returned to the road is priceless and this is why restorers continue to tackle vehicles where restoration cannot be economically justified. The situations you refer to where cars are not finished are usually the result of unexpected personal financial problems due to the economic environment or advancing age requiring expensive medical treatment and/or deteriorating ability to continue restoration for physical or medical reasons. However, if the partially restored car is sold to another restorer, eventually another car will return to the road and provide much enjoyment to the restorer[s]. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 969 Registered: 6-2009 |
Bob, I, too, agree that far too many cars end up in desperate situations because "the bar was set too high" and "too much was undertaken too soon." I also question the need to "restore" every example. People criticize the condition of SRH33576 for a multitude of reasons, most of which are cosmetic. I purchased "the best example I could afford" when I bought her in 2006. She was a home market car that had been converted to LHD by some previous owner, so originality was never really a consideration. I set about dealing with the deferred maintenance with safety issues as those tackled first and other mechanical issues as time and money have allowed. On a Rolls-Royce of this vintage there's always something, and my acquaintances with "close to perfection" examples confirm this. I now have a car that I can count on starting and taking me wherever I'd like to go, but she's nowhere near to her glory upon her departure from Crewe. She's not suffering further neglect, is being driven regularly, and will be a "project car" for as long as I own her. I have not ever been in a financial position where a full restoration would be possible and that was never my goal in the first place. I don't think that those of us who are doing what I'm doing deserve to be looked down upon for doing so, but my experience is that my opinion is in the distinct minority. I've long ago inured myself to the looks and comments of disdain that issue from certain quarters. "Driver quality" is what some people actually want, not concours perfection. Brian | ||
| Bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: 94.197.122.92 |
Flying spares gets loads of RRs that could have been saved by a competent sensible bodging diyer. I reckon the best happy medium is to aim for is say a well kept 10 year old. I want to use my car not endlessly polishing every washer to perfection and spend time worrying that the cat is asleep on the bonnet. Dave, I shall look out some old time photos I saw a photo of my rosso red Range Rover somewhere around and a 1955 ZA MG in midnight. Most photos of the restoration work I have done went to the owners. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: 94.197.122.88 |
Dave, I see a few cars where the owner has got old or ill. A restoration plan would have helped a great deal. A plan would include way points such as by April the chassis must be ready for powder coating. By May the chassis must have 4 wheels. Etc etc. From the plan time and money can be allocated. All restorations need a plan I won't work without one. Bit like running a business, no plan no profit. No restorations ever make sensible money even if the Labour taken out. Add £30 per hour and the money will be completely out of wack. (Message approved by david_gore) |
