Originality vs Modification — an exchange

[divingrocks]

relish this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1HVcNrDipE

These military trucks weren't made in the numbers that civilian trucks were, so I'd much rather see plain old powerwagons get the ubermodifucations...

[Desoto61]

I wouldn't own mine if the only option was a stock restoration, sure it would still be fun, but I just don't have the time, money, and space for a truck that can barely be used as a truck in an urban environment. If I had a truck like my Desoto I'd have a harder time doing what I'm doing, but it wasn't so I don't feel bad modifying parts that weren't there or weren't complete when I started.

We complain about all the modifications people have done in the past but if that was what had to happen to have it continue to be useful and survive for another day then it was worth it. If my modifications allow this truck to live and work for another 60 years then were they really so bad? Especially when most of the people that complain about the modifications wouldn't be willing to pay a decent price for the truck to prevent it.

Lots of people told me how much more my truck would be worth if I restored it, but when I offered to sell the wrecker parts or work out some sort of trade for a "normal" truck there were crickets. You can't please everyone, but hey it's your time and money so why try to please anyone else anyway?

I personally love seeing all the various ideas and options, some may not be my style but it doesn't mean I won't take the idea and run in my own direction!

[Bob Thompson]

Rod,restore,recycle...

A few years back a fairly nice fellow and his wife were subjected to the wrath of the entire Chrysler collector community. His crime was that he had built a high end street rod using a Chrysler Airflow as the basis. It turned out very nice and his efforts overcame a steadfastly ugly design.

When the W.C. clubs and aficionados caught wind of it the owners of the car were nearly lynched. They surrounded the car at car shows and bemoaned the loss of a rare classic.

Oddly not one of them showed the slightest interest when the car had been advertised on several occasions previous to its conversion.
There are always people about that want to restrict your right to do whatever you want with your own property.

I try not to hack up restorable cars unless I have a vision for what it could be with a slice here and there. I try to pass on cars that are too nice to rod to others who wish to restore them. I am not however, so altruistic that I want to run the entire hobby out of my own pocket.

I have restored Packards and found that community to be ravenous for undiscovered cars. With minimal advertising in the appropriate club journal you should come out pretty well.

[Bruce in BC]

I new I was right when hot rods made it to pebbles beach.

I sold some exhaust manifold to a guy at one time. Got 700 bucks or something insane. He was happy because he was restoring some chevy product . I was happy because I got them off a chev wagon and the numbers happened to match . Punch line from some twit, "but those are not original, they are from a different vehicle" and I have done this with manifolds more than once. Ditto with carbs, $300 for a dusty old one I was going to toss out. And then there is the rear end I took out of one of my rods because a guy wanted it for a restoration. I made money on that deal and ended up with a better rear end. My truck was not complete but I tried to save the original frame, this was a mistake I will never repeat again.

The thing that makes most of the builds on this thread worth looking at is the quality of the build and the vehicles are owner built. There is no bling. Not some bolt on poop made in China that came out of a box.

If I came across a coffin nosed Cord I might attempt a restoration on it, but I could hot rod it too. They are just vehicles, after you have owned a few hundred of them, the glow wears off. There are guys out there restoring their commodore 64 computers or old hoover vacuums. Sounds dull to me.

I could see myself with a restored Carryall, but I am not sure I would enjoy it much. Now a lowrider Carryall , with a 4bt, traveling across the Nevada desert with the rear dragging and magnesium sparks flying through the air, that would be a thing of beauty and I would enjoy it a bunch.

Lot more saving vehicles than chopping them up going on here though. Some of this stuff that we are saving would have gone to the crusher a few years back, speaking of which I bet that is still happening, old fellow passes away and his restoration only vehicles end up in the crusher.
With a mint tailgate...

[divingrocks]

to chop or not to chop...that is the question.

He-Man Comrade Bruce...
Chopping up a historical vehicle like a carryall or in my case an ambulance is blasphemy. All the super modifications I see to them tend to make me only ask why bother making hypermods at all? Perhaps it's just my taste and experience. I too wanted to do subversive things to my ambulance, but others in the hobby reasoned them out of me. Having neared the end of my restoration, I take simple pride in putting all the original bits back in place as they were from the factory. Driving it as it was intended creates my own time machine...all the original sounds, smells and personality come alive. What you are doing isn't to my taste, but I am impressed with the work Alex is doing from an engineering standpoint. Some of what you have done reminds me of the Mexicanized rides here in CA where the owner has made one too many trips to the bling store.

[Bruce in BC]

I have a 29 Packard 626 in barn find condition . Had it for sale a few times at 6 grand. Guy I got it from paid 9 for it in the same condition . I have never had a decent offer for it. Parting it out seems a bit harsh .
Although if I put it in the back yard and set fire and recorded the action I am willing to bet a could make that 6 grand putting the video on Utube. kind of thing that would go viral and drive folks to hissy fits and tears.
Funny thing is I have given a few decent cars away over the year and chopped up quite a few too. Just not willing to do it with the Packard.
It has been taking up space for too many years and now it is personal- it pays me cash or I squish it.
Anyways we want to stay on topic here.
I moved the Packard out of the shop to make room for the Carryall. See how I got back on topic. The Carryall won out on shop space and attention.

What is that old quote? "anyone can restore a car, it takes a real man to chop one up"
parting one out makes more sense than crushing the thing.....or toasting it up in the back forty.