What Are Your Reasons For Restoring An Old Car?

[Oldguy48]

My P15 is a twin to the first car I had (except for the modifications I've made to the current one). It was purchased new by my grandfather, became our family car, and eventually was turned over to me as my first car. That original P15 transported my sister home from the hospital following her birth (I clearly remember that). And I really loved that car. My first date with my wife was in that P15. It finally was simply worn out, and put out to pasture, although I had the desire to find another. My current P15 was discovere4d on-line about 7 years ago, and after a look-see, was purchased and brought home to begin the resurrection. Much to the disappointment of some of the forum members, I chose to replace the flathead with a SBC. I've never regretted that decision, as the car drives very well, will keep up with traffic on the interstate, and is a real hoot to drive. I enjoy wrenching on the old gal, and have attended quite a few car shows where she's come home with awards. I'll never sell her, and once I'm gone, my family can do as they wish, although my grandson recently asked me, "Pop-Pop, when you die , can I have your old car?" How can I possibly refuse a request like that? Anyway, my P15 is a true joy to me, brings back a lot of fond memories, and I think helps me to keep a good outlook on life. Your results may vary.

Wayne

Edited July 23, 2014 by Oldguy48

[Tim Keith]

I'm also old.

[pflaming]

I rebuilt my truck because I had it, had never attempted such before and could use a pickup. I have always liked the cars of my high school years so I gave it a go. When I lucked upon this forum and Dave Erb took me under his wing, the rest is history. Then I bought a car and met the car side guys and now I'm hooked. There is a prestine 39 Plymouth Bizy coupe for sale in town. It's a driver, but I just can't handle any more projects.

[48Dodger]

Why do I restore old trucks and cars? What are my reasons?

 

Art.

 

I love metal, I love steel. To be able to shape it, change it, bring back.....I love all of it.

 

Strength.

 

The power of the engines, to push the air out of the way, to hold on for dear life. 

 

Solitude.

 

When I go the road alone, make the world mine, sometimes that's all I need.

The drivers seat was the first place I felt Iike I was a real man, that I had grown up. 

And its the place where I go to feel young.

 

48D

[desoto1939]

I always had the yerning for an old car, but my parents never had a garage for me to store the car and also the money to buy a car for me.  When I met my future wife back in 1979 her dad had several antique cars, 1915 Willy Overland Touring, 31 Model A 4 door Phateon, Model A 31 Fourd Sedan and several other cars during the time frame.  So I took to him very quickly sin ce he had the cars that I could never have.  I helped him on the repairs and her foirst taught me how to drive the Overland that had a leather cone clutch.  Then onto the Model A's. And my passing assignment was to beable to downshift into 2nd gear without grinding the gears.  Well I did pass the test.

 

My wife found my 39 desoto while visiting out optometrist, his neighbor had a 39 Desoto and his kids lost interest inthe car.  So we, the wife, agreed to buy the car.  That was 27 years ago. I still have the car. It has been repainted and some chrome work done, still has the original interior.

 

I gues my drawing to the car started along time ago. Owning a car is like a marriage.  You go thru some fantastic time, so so so time, so hard time when you questions why all the time, and you work thru the issues and then back to the good times.  The owning and driving of the car is like having your next best companion at your side, your best compnaion is your wife, and do not forget that point, because she has to go along with all of your spending habits.

 

For me the driving of the car is important and to beable to slow down and enjoy what is around you. Whendriving our modern cars we are traveling at such higher speed that we drivie right past things on the road. When driving the older car you ar more observent of things around you.  As some have said the pase of life was slower back inthe 30/40 and 50's.  I think there was a real sence of pride in what we the USA produced.  Yes there were issues and every decade has issues.  I know some people would like to go back to that time period becasue I get the opinion that people respected other peoples property, looked after their neighbors, cared about people as a whole and live seemed to be less complicated as compared to now with all of our modern technology which should be making it easier but seems to make it more complicated.

 

When going to events that represent this time period you seem machinery that was being used, such as hit and miss engines and in their simplicity how effective they did their jobs on the farms. How the simple machines worked and you understood how things worked.

 

I gre up in the 50's so have been at the tail end of the Korean War, VietNam and all the wars upto the curren times. So working on the car and driving it lets you escape every day life and to slow down the pace of life and help to reflect back on life as to all of what seemed to be a simpler time and more caring time for our past generation.

 

Maybe our kids will same the same   for when we all grew up inthe 60- and up. Who knows but life is always evolving. We all look to the past for guidance.

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Jeff Balazs]

I have many reasons for resurrecting my old truck. First I have always wanted a vintage truck. For me the utility of a truck has always made the most sense.

I love the old ways and the fact that it was built to last. This is in a large part missing from our society today. The old ways are in my blood and I earn my living building things that will easily outlast my customers grand kids. I despise the throw away mentality that is so prevalent now.

 

I have done it because I could ....... and it makes a point about building something to last. Good bones are still good bones. Why not take something off the scrap heap and make it useful again? Better it serves it's intended purpose than to be shipped to china and be made into a Walmart type appliance that breaks in a year and winds up in a landfill or worse. It makes me ill to think of our resources natural and man made being wasted in this fashion. I am not telling any of you something you don't already know......after all we are the ultimate recyclers as we build and drive these old cars. This is especially true for us Mopar owners.

 

Yes it makes me smile and reminds me of the good old days. There is no getting past that. And it is a wonderful feeling to know that I will be able to keep it on the road forever. Or at least as long as I last. But it is even better because I know I brought it back to life. It is just basic transportation and that is what makes these old trucks so cool. Nothing to distract you or insulate you from your journey. No AC...no power windows....no cruise control or driver assists....and no computer talking at you. Just the road....the truck and me. Every drive is going to feel like an adventure and that is the way it should be. If it breaks I will fix it and if I have to stop and stretch my legs so be it. Will it take a bit longer to get where I am going? Yup....and so what? Do I care if some other driver blasts past me or gets where they are going in more comfort? Not at all...Go for it! There is a bigger picture to see when we quit rushing about. Driving and maintaining an old vehicle like this helps keep our eyes open.

 

Jeff

[1941Rick]

Boredom.......driving an old car is far from the boredom of modern cars....

[Plymouthy Adams]

Boredom.......driving an old car is far from the boredom of modern cars....

you just not buying the right modern car.....!

[sig]

a quest !!...as I have no money to buy anything in a reasonable state (the price is tripled by the time it reaches spain)..I have a weird magnetism to anything wrecked and dying ( it started with buildings hence the place we´re living in now) and now ill vehicles. they just deserve to be brought back to life.

I´m not interested in the gleaming paint of a shiny end result..the process is massively enjoyable and enough in itself. one surprise in owning the cars has been the "soul" that they have...I swear sitting in the dodge is the most enchanting place on this earth...like having a chat with your grandad about his adventures when you´re young.

on a practical level I love the learning process also and because noone else bothers these days it makes me feel ever so slightly better than every one else around here !!!! heheheh-

 

cheers sig

[1941Rick]

you just not buying the right modern car.....!

Thats just it.....what is the right car....KIA is a great car,dont have to worry about anything.....boring....now the 41 is a challenge to drive and keeps you on you toes. Never a dull or boring moment. I love it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

any car can be fun if your heart is into it..if not..then that could well be your own fault...lol...nothing to see here folks...move along...!!  I will admit that most of my cars are in the 1941-75 range and either old Mopars, or English sports..ranging from 850CC to 7212cc

Edited July 23, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[Bingster]

Well Alf, you know, that really wasn't the question.  It was why people love old cars, not comparing them with modern cars.  And I love the idea to give rides to retirement home folks.  I'm gonna do that when my '47 is done.

[rusty_apache]

WOW... It's already all been said. I agree with all of it.

 

 Two things messed me up for life.

 Dad's '35 Ford Business Coupe, and Mom's '64-1/2 Mustang.

 He and his brother bought the coupe around '58 for $25.oo. It had the truck bed adapter, but dad found another trunk lid and reversed the conversion. I can still remember everyone gawking at the beautiful old car, and watching the pavement pass through the battery box hole when I was FOUR. Dad sold the coupe for $900 in '69 so mom wouldn't get it in the divorce. I loved it's anachronistic looks compared to the boxy slabs of the late '60's. These experiences made me who I am.

 

 My brother flipped the Mustang in '76 while Mom wasn't closely watching the car keys. After nearly 40 years I still never let him live that one down! I wanted that Mustang to be my first car because we were the same age, and it was one of the first ones shipped to TX.  Mom didn't agree, because needed the money to keep up the payments on her '73 Cutlass, and it didn't matter once the Mustang was totaled. You would think that I would have gone out and bought another one when I got old enough, but I didn't. That would have been too simple.

 

 My first car was a '59 Belvedere 4-door sedan. I picked it up when I was 17 for $750. Dad said "if you're going to drive around in old cars, you had better own two". That was so I would a parts runner when one broke down. Well it just snowballed from there, and I've lost track of how many projects I own now. Owning land helps, and my plan was to grab good deals when they come around, and fix some and sell some when I retired. Dad teases me that I'll never fix them all if I live to be 100, but their values have gone way up and barring any more global economic collapses they will keep going up. I can't believe how much baseline 4 door sedans go for these days!

 I loved the fact that back in '80 my 21 year old car cast such a beautiful shadow with those giant fins! It literally stood out in the crowd and was always so easy to find in big parking lots. I still love catching the reflection (my car, not ME) in the windows of downtown buildings. I love owning a time machine that only needs to be driven somewhere timeless to take me back to the old days. A simple desolate country road would do just fine. Or even a small town square with the obligatory Victorian courthouse, or an abandoned service station. I love secretly watching old(er) guys admire the graceful lines made even more beautiful by a patina that took decades to erode.  

 

Mopars just aren't hugely popular in south TX. maybe because  ol' Virgil Exner's designs were just so much more flamboyant than Harley Earl's! Everybody here seems to have a tri-5 Chevy or a 60's Camaro and who wants to follow the crowd?

 

 

 I've never restored any car, and really only enjoy the accomplishment of "having" worked on them. I just love it when everything works the way it should, and that I was the one who made the difference. I love the musty smell of the old upholstery. I love the TRUE experience of operating them even with the drawbacks of obsolete technology. The vacuum tube radio that takes time to warm up and has a certain tone that can't be produced digitally. A tone that guitarists seek when they spend big bucks acquiring vintage amplifiers, and now reproduction tube amps.  It's an experience you can't get in a modified Rat Rod equipped with every modern convenience known to Man. In 100 years people won't look to experience riding in a modified classic. They'll want to know what non-sychro-mesh gears sound like.

 

My ego isn't hurt when passed on the road by modern plastic appliances. I like to tell them that I'll race them when THEIR  vehicle is over a half century old, knowing full well it is disposable transportation! I do aspire to restore a few projects eventually, but I need to build a bigger garage so they are out of the elements otherwise what's the point if the elements are going to quickly ruin it? Besides there's a certain freedom in not dreading that first big scratch inflicted by some careless oaf. (usually ME!)

 

 Possibly the best reason for me to resurrect these junkyard refugees, is that it's so rare to have the identical make/model sitting next to me a traffic light!

 

  I just bought a '54 Belvedere parts car today from a Kid who probably can't legally drink alcohol. He is driving/rehabilitating an original unrestored '53 Chevy that was part of his grandfather's hoard, so the tradition continues! Folks like us who care about the past are still being born. They are not ALL about being fast and furious in cheap Asian sedans! It certainly gives me hope for the future!

 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

Bingster, on 23 Jul 2014 - 7:28 PM, said:Bingster, on 23 Jul 2014 - 7:28 PM, said:

Well Alf, you know, that really wasn't the question.  It was why people love old cars, not comparing them with modern cars.  And I love the idea to give rides to retirement home folks.  I'm gonna do that when my '47 is done.

Well I am be Alf but by golly I can follow a thread..the prior poster's comment  is the very reason for my reply...so correct question or not, t was a point brought to the table and open to the forum to reply  in kind..maybe you should point that out to him instead of me....or just go with the flow....I am...heck I have never seen a true restored car...here or at most shows...seen a few close but not from these pages..

Edited July 24, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[Young Ed]

Well I am be Alf but by golly I can follow a thread..the prior poster's comment  is the very reason for my reply...so correct question or not, t was a point brought to the table and open to the forum to reply  in kind..maybe you should point that out to him instead of me....or just go with the flow....I am...heck I have never seen a true restored car...here or at most shows...seen a few close but not from these pages..

but have you seen a 64 1/2 mustang?

[Bingster]

I saw a modern T-Bird the other day that I'd love to own, and Vettes are nice too.  Maybe it's the fact that we think old is better?  And, sentimentality definately enters into the picture.  A thing has to be old with memories to sentimental.  I guess that's what we're talking about here. But, to each his own, and that's what a forum is for.

[Plymouthy Adams]

no and clearly Ed this has been beaten beyond any reasonable argument...I ask you if you recall to rebutt those folks that say they got the 64 1/2 Mustang..they the guys who will fight you tooth and nail that they exist...as far as I care any Mustang still rolling on the raod is a Mustang to many .. I hate them with a passion...again, go online..type in 1964 1/2 Mustang..read all the threads..those are the folks you need to convince...I merely admitted to an early production that coexisted with the 64 production year for Ford..

[Bingster]

What did you mean by "move along here, folks?"

[Bingster]

I'm sorry, "nothing to see here folks, move along."

[Plymouthy Adams]

basically if you cannot see or buy into the very build of someone here it clearly is not for you but yet...around the corner is another project that may well one that individual can also identify with..so basically it is clear, if a particular one is not for you then move along the next one may well be the ticket...

[Bingster]

That makes good sense.

[pflaming]

For me Tim makes a valid point. For example, I bought my suburbans for parts cars, then saw them as very practical vehicles with a 'flair all their own". I am tooling around with old cars because it's a hobby I can eventually use. I have nothing against such as golf, but at the end of 18 holes what the golfer has is a score card and a standing handicap which I do not fault but that does not excite me. NOW IF I could drive my old car on a 10 star golf course, that would be fun.

Edited July 24, 2014 by pflaming

[Don Coatney]

I recall 1964 when I was a junior in high school. One of my buddies bought a Mustang convertible about mid year. I don't know if it was titled 64 1/2 or 65 and I really don't care. But he did get it mid year 1964. My first wife had a 66 Mustang convertible. We drove that car well over 100,000 enjoyable miles. It looked very much like the one pictured below.

 

 

[Dan Hiebert]

Personally, I think along the lines that the "64 1/2"  Mustang thing is the enthusiasts imparting a sense of rarity on the first Mustangs, and I'm sure they existed, but weren't "1964 1/2 Mustangs", they were 1965 Mustangs built in 1964 - to make my point - we bought our 2001 Dodge Ram truck in August 2000, but it's not a "2000 1/2 Dodge Ram", I'll also point out that for as long as I've been buying new cars (not all that long actually), you could/can buy next year's model starting midway through the prior year.  (Although I've noticed that is not as prevalent as it used to be.)

 

I wish I could remember why I started monkeying around with old cars and trucks - if I could, someone may be able to find the cure.  I've been fascinated by old machinery (especially cars and trucks) as long as I can remember.  Cars, trucks, trains, tractors, farm and industrial machinery, you name it.  We'll stop at an antique tractor show just as quick as a car show.  There's just something about the sights, sounds, and smells of old transportation that gives me that warm-fuzzy feeling. 

[Young Ed]

Personally, I think along the lines that the "64 1/2"  Mustang thing is the enthusiasts imparting a sense of rarity on the first Mustangs, and I'm sure they existed, but weren't "1964 1/2 Mustangs", they were 1965 Mustangs built in 1964 - to make my point - we bought our 2001 Dodge Ram truck in August 2000, but it's not a "2000 1/2 Dodge Ram", I'll also point out that for as long as I've been buying new cars (not all that long actually), you could/can buy next year's model starting midway through the prior year.  (Although I've noticed that is not as prevalent as it used to be.)

 

Well said. I think the model year starting early is just as common if not more so than before. Just as one example the new 2014 Mazda 6 was available starting spring of 2013.