Defination of "Restoration"

[RusTy/SE]

 

1) An organization is created (how about MOPAR? - Mopar Organization of Professional Automotive Restorers) which steps forward to rein things in.  The top 30 (just my own arbitrary number) names in Mopar specific knowledge; production numbers, date codes, fender tags, build sheets, part numbers, colors, methods of assembly, etcetera - as many as it takes to insure that incorrect datum and procedures are proved incorrect just as surely as correct datum and procedures are proved correct. Both ways to satisfaction. We're all human and we all know that knowledge is power, so equalize the knowledge and move forward.

2) MOPAR will then need to establish verifiable criteria regarding Mopar restorations. How? That free flowing knowledge from step one, just as Cody has shown with e-bodies.org.  By assembling irrefutable documentation not just as the base, but more importantly open to all so that future customer is as informed as can be, there can be little question left other than "How much will I be charged for service 'X' or service 'Y' or services A through Z?".  Now let the buyer research and beware. 

3) MOPAR approved rebuilder/restorers.  Carburetors, wiper motors, instrument clusters, small electrical components, radiators, exhaust systems, labels and decals. They each have specialists - no small feat and not by accident to be sure - who are roundly praised across the various forums by the little guys as well as among the top restorers.  These folks specialize - they perform the service(s) and do it better than anyone else by most, if not all, accounts.  Think of all the threads out there asking who is best at seatbelts or power brake boosters and more often than not, the same handful people or businesses are recommended.

4) It gets deep at this point.  Mopar has a rich history and the models with their respective supporters to represent that history. A12 cars, A990 cars, SE/A78 cars, Trans-Am cars, Wing Cars, Los Angeles or Hamtramck built cars and more.  There is quite a lot of crossover by this point and 'Registries' become invaluable for the accumulated resources they may provide.

5) Restify or Restomod.  Free form is going on here - mixed with personal taste and lots of $$$$$$  As an example, think Rob Kindig and the crew at Kindig It Design. No Restify or Restomod here as they call it like it is and refer to themselves as "A Custom Car Fabrication Shop".

Maybe MOPAR could even ask Rush to paraphrase the words of Closer To The Heart as a theme song     

Rebuilders and Restorers. Each must know their part. Build a new reality. Closer to the Heart. Closer to the heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY2iKzm62AM

[340challconvert]

Wow, I feel like I just read my notes from a college philosophy class.
I would think that most of us have many different types of "restorations" going on.
I plan to "restore" my car as a driver, to be driven and enjoyed.
I take the time to date code the parts that I remove just to see how much of the car is original and to best determine when the car was actually built, when parts were added and when the car was completed.  This is fun for me.
I do not worry about obtaining exact date coded parts or NOS only and try to buy the best quality new parts when available or clean up the old ones if possible to be reused.
I do not plan to build a Barrett Jackson special, with so many people building cars to the max or fixing up just to flip them.


Has off to people who put the time work and effort to build a concourse car.  They are beautiful.
But congrats to people that build the car the way they want to, to drive and enjoy the car as it was meant to be enjoyed.
If you building your car somewhere in the middle: Enjoy the journey!

I usually do not modify beyond what might have been available from the factory, but would like to add factory options at my discretion. (maybe adding factory leather seats in same color, adding power windows or a rear factory luggage rack. or even something as simple as upgrading the front disc brakes to the later larger inner bearing)
There is enough e-body diversity here for everyone.
Let's stay diverse and be happy!

(a picture of what I started with and working on)
Owned since 1979 and finally working on it.

[screamindriver]

    Obviously the person "restoring" their own vehicle isn't willing/doesn't have the funds to pay someone else...And so the restoration quality is limited to the person's own abilities..Some are great and some...Well, not so great...

  But from a business standpoint Mike you're correct the word "restoration" is a much abused word..We as a community, know your quality of work and your contributions to the HOBBY...I could name a few high caliber resto shops around the country that,if the need arises could perform a national level resto on the vehicle or it's components...The end result would be for competition,profit, or acknowledgement with the said vehicle...

      The business animosity begins  when you have "restoration" shops performing as you say "orchestrated jingle can assembly" where they have no body shop to control quality or costs.. No equipment for various common mopar plating finishes and/or orchestrated lot plating on a schedule..Instead the rattle can gets the job for the "finish" throughout the process... The project costs reflect the subed out components and the inflated assembly labor....And when the finished vehicle rolls out of the "restoration" shop..The owner or the shop can't understand why it's a hard sale at the accepted price of a truly restored quality job...
       Now you have a situation where two similar vehicles, side by side command the same price but are vastly different in terms of fit,finish and accepted standards...The shop that performed the correct work is appalled by a jingle can resto is even categorized in the same field but the owners both feel their cars are worth the same...
   Ultimately it's up to the potential buyer to do their homework,research the vehicle and determine if the car is truly worth the asking price...
      Like it or not,there seems to be a need for the gingle can resto shops or they wouldn't be surviving around the country...But to imply these completed vehicles can compete at a national level or be worth the accepted value of a correctly restored vehicle is only a smokescreen to keep the money rolling from the owner to the shop....
     On the bright side I guarantee you a knowledgeable collector isn't buying one of those vehicles or ringing their phone for services..That's where your phone is ringing....

[anlauto]

The best thing about this hobby is there's room for everybody. From the guy in his backyard doing his restoration all by himself, to the fancy shops charging an arm and a leg for a restoration....

[AAR#2]

I think many are good with understanding level of restoration and limitations of money, skill, dedication, and desired expectation. Agree there's room for all.

I get more upset by misrepresentation and the way many promote "nut and bolt restoration" or "rotisserie" restoration, particularlly used loosely to make a profit or minimize a loss. This is never more evident that when one attends an auction. Know what your buying/selling, don't be taken or take someone by misrepresentation of words, but this becomes an ethical dilemma that will never be solved.

[chargerdon]

 I bought an undriveable 74 Challenger to "restore" .   In my case the car had plenty of rust in the rear quarters and deck lid of the car, with an uninstalled rebuilt 76 360 engine ready to put in.   How did i "restore" it. 

Simple: first i chemically stripped the car to bare metal.   Bought patch kits for the rear quarters, and made a couple of patches from scratch for the rear trunk strip, and sail area.   Welded them in and then began the tedious process of spraying on the epoxy primer and blocking it....then put on 2 coats of 2K primer and blocked it twice.   I then sprayed the engine compartment with plum crazy and the door jams and the underside of the trunk and hood and sprayed all of that with clearcoat.   Installed the engine and got the car driveable. 

Then brought the car to a professional painter who put on the color (FC7 Plum Crazy) and did a little cut and buffing. 

Took out the dash and rattle can painted all of the metal surfaces (black) and then put on a dash cap and reinstalled the dash and all of the wiring harnesses.   Tested all of the gauges and cleaned the up and painted the plastic surrounds for the gauges. 
. 
Then had a glass shop install the front windshield and the rear window.

I then installed a new headliner...this was the toughest of everything...wife helped.   I then put in a new carpet, and a console...   The seats had been reupholstered by the previous owner so put them in and test drove the car.   Found that the automatic transmission (904) would slip badly in high gear...   so i bit the bullet...did a lot of reading and took out the automatic and overhauled it myself in my garage.   Had to buy a slide hammer to remove the pump, a couple of GOOD snap ring pliers and had to make a spring compressor to take apart the front clutch pack.   Yes, i made that tool myself...   All told spent about $200 on parts and tools and it works great now.   Im real proud of myself for that rebuild and saving myself about $800. 

After a set of new tires and front end alignment, i have been driving it mainly on the weekends to car cruises and a couple of car shows...won a trophy for best 25 out of about 250 cars at the show.   

So, only work i didn't do myself was the final paint job, glass installation, and front end alignment.   Other than that i did all of the work myself.  Call it what you will...   

Here are some pics

[dodj]

So I ask, what exactly constitutes a "restoration"?

That's easy. Back to the way it was.

Anything else is modified.

Do I want a 'restored' car?...Nope

Modify mine to take advantage of technology, assembly techniques, paint, etc...

Just my 

[CudaMoparRay]

Car restorations or any other type of restorations is what ever that particular person considers it and is willing to accept and like.
Never-the-less, there has to be some kind of common reference that is acceptable to the majority in those hobbies.