History Restoration Ethics (Your Thoughts)

Here ya go, simple but effective. Make your own history....

 

Given the parts you have it wouldn't be that tough to do an "in between" car, and swap that look of the car while honoring it's past as a custom and the unfinished gasser conversion

Given you have two hoods, could change them . Louvered hood a set of steel wheels and full wheel covers and white wall or chrome wheels you have a custom.

Many gassers had custom car cues light swaps ect... Hood scoop, mag wheels and you have the gasser look.

 

That does help. I was thinking about that very thing. I've got a 312 Y Block from a 1956 Mercury, but it's locked solid. I know that I can save it. I just haven't had the time or resources at the moment. It will happen though.

If I bring the rear suspension to more of a stock height and the tires still don't fill up the openings the way I like, I will bring them down. Not all the way down. Just enough to make it not look ridiculous but intentional.

I love the wheels and tires on that T-Bird.

 

I like the louvered hood I have, but I don't like the front set of louvers. If I don't go full fiberglass hood, I will be hammering the front louvers back into shape while keeping the louvers next to the scoop. I just think it would look better that way.

 

I wonder what the size of those slicks are?

 

One thing about bring an old modified car back to life, is that you might want to think twice about trying to make it look good. That wasn't usually the goal with modifications in that time frame

 

I agree with that.

I have to thank fuzzface for bringing up the Doolittle Thunderbird. This car gives me an idea of how the quarter panel arch would look finished. I even like the slicks. It works.

 

Looks like a 4wd

 

LMAO! Just like a field car:

 

8.20 is pretty darn big for a front tire on a T bird. Might be just right on the back, depending.

 

I agree with this philosophy, I do think we bear some responsibility to not ruin a historically significant car, or even just a nicely done car that somebody put their sweat and tears into creating. I think we owe it to the community of fellow car lovers.

This reminds me of the dude on the Model A page on facebook that bought a very nicely done traditional hot rod, then set about pulling out the sweet small block it had and sticking in an LS motor complete with backwards headers that ran the outlet towards the front of the car, then into u-shaped turn outs. His plan was eventually to run them into a turbocharger, but until then he was going to run it like that. I gave him a hard time about running a perfectly nice traditional hot rod, and some other guys came back and got on me about it, said he had a right to do whatever he wanted with his car. Do we? Maybe we have a legal right to, but not an ethical right.

 

Main thing is to have fun with it. Good luck.

 

I'd still like to know what size that drag slick is on the Doolittle Thunderbird. I'd run that size all day long. I was thinking something like this up front in the factory 670-15 size:

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about what size they are....just do your best to make yours fit to the wheel opening, like those do. Rearend width, wheel offset, etc play into it.

 

At one point I had a set of cheaters on the back of the bird. 7” Lincoln rims, original stock centers (built by Wheelsmith). They were 10” wide and I believe just about 29” tall. With a 4 or 4.125 backspace they fit in the stock openings, no skirts. They wouldn’t be large enough with the radius on your car, but they make a larger set. I’ve got a picture, but there’s some OT mods, if you want to see it pm me.

http://www.whitewallcandystore.com/images/wwcsflyer309.pdf

 

I'll be playing with all this for sure until I get it right.

 

Thought I posted the Torquing bird with the Doolittle one above so I reposted it. If it was pulled, sorry I won't repost it if it disappears again.

 

Save it like it as close to what was originally built....I always look at any new project with the mindset..."how hard will it be to sell this vehicle when I am ready to sell it"?...also how much will I loose on it too when it sells...

Make sure you tell everyone what the history is too...provenance is pivotal for resale...

my 2 cents
MikeC

 

I think these thoughts also, then laugh at myself for being so stupid...and buy it anyways....

 

I'm the worst of the worst. I have a hard time selling anything. I just don't want to. I always think to myself, "How much will it cost to buy another one?" And then, I keep it.

As for building it like it was, most definitely. I want a car where someone else comes up to me and asks, "So what did you do to it?" I can't think of a better compliment. If they can't tell, I'm not going to tell them.

 

There isn't much rake on the Funicello T-Bird, although the slope makes it look that way. Here's a shot on level ground from Rik Hoving's collection. Jacked up a little in back, maybe.

 

Chrysler hemi tucks in nicely

Garrett turbo ride, early 60s

 

All this ethics talk, well I been in the restoration biz for most of my professional career. It's not ethics in a general sense, the only ethics issues are when some slag decides he thinks he can fake shit then sell it for real money. As to color, history, details, previous owners, blah blah blah, that's now. "Then" has little to do with it. Not long ago I viewed a very nice 33-4 Pierce Arrow V-12 cabriolet. Precious cargo to be sure. Was it "ethical" for the guy to paint it a late 70s Camaro teal blue metallic? Yes, it's that color. Am I snob because I see it as a glaring error? Has that community lost it's way and doesn't care? Did I say anything publicly, well no.

I'm likely a hot rod snob. I see a car with new shit under the hood and "credit card" dash accessories and yet the guy has an "old school hot rod" because he bought red steelies with whitewalls and baby moons. No he doesn't, his car is looking as confused as I am looking at it. That's care, not ethics. A lot of folks today do not care, further they don't want to. Too much work, they might miss Dancing With The Stars if they're looking up the goods from the past. See? Snob. I generally just keep it to myself.

Last one here, one of my dearest friends was quite melancholy about selling a car he had for decades. Had a monster of a HEMI motor, lots of kool things done, essentially an OT car for here. "I feel like I lost part of my identity Jocko." "Yo man, back up. You didn't lose shit, the car lost IT'S identity. Make sense?" I'm very happy that a convo between 2 very close pals shook away some sadness I could see, and lately there's a fire under his ass to get crackin again on what he still has. If I'm to be totally real here, it lit me up a bit too. Ethics? Ethics schmethics. If that car's past moves you then honor it. If it simply inspires you give it another chapter in it's storied life. The pursuit itself is full of life sized ethics that cars have nothing to do with. My next patient is here, see ya...

 

You've done it now. You brought out the big guns. That's just flat out awesome.

 

Three 4 barrels and an offset to the right of what looks like a foot, maybe at an angle? And here I thought I'd seen everything. Impressive engineering, even more impressive if it actually works.

 

My 47 was kind of like that when I bought it. It had signs of customizing from years ago (lead-filled parking light, tail light holes, instrument holes. Metallic red paint in the door jambs, and bits and pieces of black and white vinyl interior) Unfortunately by the time I got to it had passed through several people and I was left with a shell and a mismatched frame.
With no history or reference, other than the previously mentioned, I made it my own custom. If it were me, I wouldn't feel that I had to completely restore it to what was. Make it your own maybe keep some of what that car came to you with have some fun with it.

 

Not all custom work was significant.

Trying to fix a car - in years past, when parts weren't readily available -
"shave those marker lights because we don't have any"
"radius the wheel wells because there rusty" and there weren't patch panels on the market.

Build the cars you own anyway you want.
Chop a stock resto, swap a Buick engine into a Ford, whatever you want.

Saving the car for the "next guy" makes no sense to me. It's my car, my time, my money.
If the theoretical "next guy" wants to throw some money at my car - my opinion may change.

 

I agree and disagree with this at the same time. It may be where "Just cuz u can don't mean you should" applies. I can't help but have a measure of protecting the investment when I do stuff. What if I had to sell? Serious life issue means I need as much $$$$$ as I can suck out of it some day. Maybe that titty pink with lime green stripes and purple upholstery wasn't such a good idea. Maybe that cobble fuck stick weld angle iron motor mount works but looks sketchy and scares off a prospect. And maybe values and significance that the resto life is full of sorta influences my approaches too. Hard to say.