Restorations 100% original or make it your own

[mark870il]

when you put all the time into restoring the one car you really want to keep and drive, do you keep it 100% original or make a few adjustments here & there to make it your own. I guess with that said how far do you go without hurting the value of your restore? I am working on my second restore now and intend on keeping it as my daily driver so may want a few adjustments, but don't want to hurt the value. Being I am just getting started, I figure I would see what the opinion is out there on this.

 

[jake]

If you are worried about the value your in the wrong forum. Build it the way you enjoy it. Have fun.

 

[Fishfan]

I guess it depends on what shape the car is in when you acquire it. Mine was a mess. Was more interested in getting car running good and looking good than originality. Sometimes you won't find the original parts and sometimes those parts are obsolete. For example I'm eventually going to do a disc brake conversion. I like driving my car a lot and 4 wheel unassisted drum brakes are not the way to go for that with cars speeding all around you with 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. But just like Jake said, it's all up to you. No right way.

 

[67Monaco]

Make it your own own, drive it enjoy it.

 

[thrashingcows]

Unless the car has an extemely rare combination of options, and is a desirable make and model...I say make it your own.

 

[1966newport]

IF ITS modified its not restored

 

[tbm3fan]

Restoring it to 100% original is making it my own since more are modified than restored to original. My 68 Mustang is that way and that makes it one of the very few, if at a car show, that actually represents must of the standard Mustangs sold in 1968 as it is 100% stock except Pertronix. My F100, with a 352, looks to be stock except the engine has been turned into a 390 with a bigger torque producing cam in it but no one can tell. The 73 Polara is 98% original except when it's engine is rebuilt and stroked out to a 408. It will still sport the same exhaust manifolds, the same 2bbl intake and the same 2bbl carb but still have added punch and a higher compression. The -2% is due to the Motorcraft 2150 on it which enables the car to run sooooo much better than it ever did with the original 2bbl Holley. That is my personal take...

 

[1978 NYB]

It's hard to find every single part to keep a C-Body 100% original.

 

[70NPORT]

The only REAL worth in a c body car is what it is worth to YOU. Our cars are overshadowed by E,B, and A body cars. No-one will look twice at an old Chrysler barge - except us. That said do what you will with it.

 

[Big_John]

My thoughts.... I've never owned a car that didn't have some sort of personal touch or update to make the car more enjoyable. That doesn't mean that I've hacked anything up and every change I've made is reversible.

If 100% stock is what you want, go for it... but if you want something that would make you enjoy driving the car more, there's nothing wrong with that.

There's very few cars out there that are 100% stock... even a purest will install radial tires, Pertronix ignition and halogen sealed beams

 

[300rag]

My take has always been build the car for me, not the next owner. He can make it what he wants.

 

[commando1]

I try to see the other side of the coin when I see a C-body with personalizations that are unacceptable to my incredibly narrow minded standards. I do that by thinking how I would personalize an A or B-body that would get me hung by the cajones by the more narrow minded aficionados of those models.

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[1978 NYB]

I kept all the old parts....the next owner can McGuyver the Lean Burn and wiper cam.

 

[Ripinator]

Hell. . . Its a four-door. Do whatever you want with it.

 

[67Monaco]

I try to see the other side of the coin when I see a C-body with personalizations that are unacceptable to my incredibly narrow minded standards. I do that by thinking how I would personalize an A or B-body that would get me hung by the cajones by the more narrow minded aficionados of those models.

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Yeah don't care about those sensibilities either.

 

[mmissile]

Never original. 40+ years and going on 300 cars later....I've only bought one 100% type resto, and all the others were what I wanted them to be.

 

[mark870il]

This will help with the few things I had bouncing around in my mind. This particular car was acquired as from my grandfather which purchased it new. This is where my original thought was on trying to stay original. My first issue there was it seems it was a late model sale and dealer stuck different wheels & tires on when he got it. It had 15" Sport Fury Hubcaps instead of what should have come on 66 Fury III.
I am more interested now am bringing this 66 Fury III back to the road and being able to continue driving it. I am more on the side of make it your own, but not by anything that can't be changed back. I think just having a 66 Fury III with a 383 and A/C on the road is an accomplishment in itself, but to make it recognized is more why I want to get it there.

 

[65 500]

IF ITS modified its not restored

x1000, the word "restored"is WAY overused. That being said, do whatever you want with it, just don't call it "restored" if it isn't put back to the way it left the factory, or at the very least, the way it could have left the factory.

 

[67Monaco]

That being said, do whatever you want with it, just don't call it "restored" if it isn't put back to the way it left the factory, or at the very least, the way it could have left the factory.

If "the way it could have left the factory" is your criteria, it can't be. Ever. I'm not aware that the factory ever used rechromed forty year old parts, used chinese made carpeting, radial tires, patch panels, painted dash inserts rather than anodised, sealed beam headlights etc etc etc ad nauseam. The best you can get is "factory appearing".

 

[Big_John]

If "the way it could have left the factory" is your criteria, it can't be. Ever. I'm not aware that the factory ever used rechromed forty year old parts, used chinese made carpeting, radial tires, patch panels, painted dash inserts rather than anodised, sealed beam headlights etc etc etc ad nauseam. The best you can get is "factory appearing".

Sealed beams have been installed in new cars since 1939.... but, yes, the car is only original once.