Page 26 - Aug 2022

How Much Time and How Much Money? These are t he exist ent ial quest ions,
Rest orat ion or Preservat ion
continued from page 25
Define Your Rest orat ion Terms
Tradit ional rest orat ion: return the car to its
original condition, modern parts may be used but
the car must retain its original appearance. The
authenticity of the restoration depends on the eye of
the beholder-- does it look the way it is supposed to
look compared to the way it looked when new.
Rest o-Mod- The car is restored with modern parts
and peripherals and while it may retain its original
look, depending on the motive of the owner, the car
may also be modified in subtle ways. No matter what
is done to a resto-mod, it should be possible to
return the car to its stock condition should a follow
on owner decide to do so. Quality of life upgrades
like A/C, power steering, better brakes and
suspension are common to resto-mods.
Ext erior preservat ion: a process of leaving the
original paint or lack of it, dents, marks, etc. under a
protective clear coat in order to preserve authenticity.
Original Car- these are rare. An original car is one
that has been maintained both aesthetically and
mechanically without the replacement of any parts
or pieces. Here's where matching numbers come into
play. VINs were not standardized until the 1980s, so
every manufacturer had its own system for assigning
numbers. Make sure you know what that numbering
system is, because a matching numbers car is always
more valuable than one where the numbers don't
match up.
Depending on your purpose (motive and intent) for
the car, your project may include elements from all of
these categories. Only you can know how much or
how little you want to do, what you can afford and
how many tradeoffs you're comfortable with
between staying original or bringing the car up to
date for safe, comfortable driving. It's OK to be a
purist; it's OK not to be a purist. The person who pays
the bills makes the choices.
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Once you've determined what you want to do with your car and what your purpose is for doing it, you're left with the
questions of who is going to do the work and how much time is it going to take. Assuming you have some skills, the tools,
Cosmet ic Rest orat ion- the repairs or
improvements do not effect the operational or the place to put your car while the work is underway, and friends you can call on to assist, your costs will be more
mechanical condition of the car. These are manageable because you aren't going to be paying for labor.
repairs for "looks" and can include both exterior But for discussion purposes, let's presume you have decided to shop the job out. A spread sheet will be your best friend.
and interior projects. Please note before you After you've established a top end budget, plus or minus 20% for the unexpected which will definitely occur., you're ready
hurry out to change the color of a car that to take the plunge. An average classic car restoration using professionals costs between $40,000 to $60,000, and that's
original factory paint will add value to many
beginning with a car in reasonably good condition. Labor is the biggest driver in cost. The average car takes 40 hours just
collector cars. That's why you see people
to disassemble. Labor , depending on your area of the country, runs on average $80-100 an hour. If you decide to send
scurrying around with paint meters checking to
your car to an out -of -state shop you will also have transportation costs, to and from , to figure into your budget.
see whether the paint that's on a car, even if it is
Know how your shop wants to be paid and know it up front. Will they bill you monthly, request a draw up front, agree to
the original factory color, is actually a repaint.
finance at an agreed upon interest rate, or allow you to make payments? Make sure the financial agreements are clear
Before you change the color to your favorite
before you sign the work order. Get a written scope of work for mechanical, electrical, paint and body and upholstery.
shade of pink, remember that someday you may
want to sell this car. If the factory paint is Get agreement on the scope of work with estimated costs, in writing, Document the condition of your car with photos
decent, think long and hard before doing a before you turn it over to the shop .
respray or a full color change. Then, repeat several times: there is no such thing as a quick, inexpensive, professional restoration. If you're hoping to get
your money back or make a little money after a restoration only start with a car that is investment quality. It takes an
Just like plastic surgery, cosmetic restorations
average of 750 hours to restore a standard TR6. Do the math cost to value ; numbers aren't sentimental even if you are.
may be more expensive than the value of the car
is when you've finished. If you're sentimental
about a car you still may want to spend tens of
thousand dollars to make the car pretty again;
go back and rethink your motive and intent.
Mechanical Rest orat ion- The car may not look
great but it runs great and that may be what's
most important to you. Find a mechanic that
really knows your car before a mechanical
restoration begins. Not every person can fix
every car. Make the right choice or repent at
leisure.
Full Cust om Car Rest orat ion- This is for
people who want a high achiever show car and
are willing to pay the freight to let a professional
do it all, top to bottom. We're talking complete
disassembly, the restoration of each part,
system, and component, interior and exterior to
and "as new" standard. There are different
levels of craftsmen involved in the restoration
trade. Restorers at a Concours level are going to
cost more than restorers who are working to
produce a good looking driver's car
423 West over Drive
Bot t om Line: Know what you want, well before
you begin, and don't change your mind in the Columbia, Tennessee 38401
middle of the job.