What Are Your Reasons For Restoring An Old Car?

[linus6948]

I think I was about 8 when I was taken to Eisenhower Park in Long Island where an Antique Car Show and picnic was being held. A friend of my Father had two cars at the show and this man let me sit and "air-drive" in those cars for literally hours. Never a lecture or a reprimand came out of his mouth, he let me rock the steering wheels and bounce on the seats and I was hooked.

The same man who would become a "Dutch Uncle" to me gave me my first antique car when I was 14 and I`ve always had at least one in my life at all times since, he helped and advised me till his death a few years ago and I miss him dearly.

I really don`t know why they got into my blood stream but they did, an old car still stops me dead in my tracks when one goes by. In fact the whole reason I got my present car was a woman selling a house she inherited to my friend.She saw me do the Exorcist 360 Head Swivel when an old car rolled by and asked me if I liked old cars because she inherited 3 and had one left she couldn`t seem to sell.

Not 30 minutes later I was buying it from her because I made me her take me to it immediately and it was at yet another house she had inherited from her father that was close by.

Plus she asks if I could clear out an area in her basement cluttered up with NOS parts for the car. I`m ashamed to say I`ve still haven`t gone thru some of the milk crates I hauled out of there. I`m also ashamed to say I left a full nose clip and complete engine and transmission on blocks behind as I had no place to keep them at the time. That`s one I wish I could do over, no kidding.

 

 

Paul

Edited July 24, 2014 by linus6948

[bbbbbb99]

For me, old cars bring me back to days gone buy and the memories I have to go along with them. I own a 2014 Ram 1500 with the Penstar V6 and absolutely love it. But I also love my 1964 Dart station wagon and eventually I'll get my 1936 Dodge BC on the road. These cars just have a different feel and are almost time machines for the mind

[Young Ed]

For me, old cars bring me back to days gone buy and the memories I have to go along with them. I own a 2014 Ram 1500 with the Penstar V6 and absolutely love it. But I also love my 1964 Dart station wagon and eventually I'll get my 1936 Dodge BC on the road. These cars just have a different feel and are almost time machines for the mind

Post a pic of the wagon please!

[48ply1stcar]

I started the restoration of my first car 5 years after I retired from the Army.  I joined the Army in 1970 and forgot to get out until 1990.  Well my mother never had the Plymouth hauled away so much to my shock I kept throwing money into the open window.

 

Its been off the road for two years now.  I hope to make a Labor Day this year.

[soth122003]

I agree with a lot of the sentiment here. I am not restoring my car so much as making it a daily driver. These cars were built when a person had pride in their work, craftsmanship. and the country in general. Today with the ME,ME,ME, generation and everyone has their nose buried in a cell phone, and does not take the time to stop and smell the roses.

 

With that being said, I don't need a PhD to work on these cars, I just need a standard set of tools and a weekend. Of course a covered carport would awesome, but I spent over 4 years contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, so the temps don't bother me to much. (just the humidity) The one thing I think these cars have over todays cars are class. Rounded curves, smooth lines and the older I get the more I hate bucket seats, at least with a bench you can move your butt around. Case in point, I bought my wife a brand new KIA. She likes it very much. (she is 5'1" tall) Me, I have to put that thing on like space suit. (I'm 6'7") After working all day and driving 45 minutes home, I almost need a crane to help me get out of it.

 

I hear lots of people saying it doesn't have AC or a stereo or GPS. People lived without all these things for thousands of years and guess what? they survived just fine. Which brings me to my next point.

 

What do you think will happen when we have a massive solar flare or some such other EMP event that knocks out most of the sensitive electronics in todays world. Don't know about you, but I'll be driving my 48 around and laughing at all the people who can't do without the comforts of todays world. I think the only thing I'll miss is the internet. Reading the posts you guys have put up has been immensely helpful in getting my car running and drivable.

 

These cars represent a time when life was simple. Did we have problems? YES. Did we whine and moan about them? Yes. Did we get some one else to blame our problems on? HELL NO. We pulled our selves up by our boot straps and fixed them ourselves. WHY? Because we were not a nation of dumbed down, self absorb, whiney little turds that most of the nation has become today.

 

When I look at and work on my car, I think to myself, "How can I be better than I was?" What can I do that my parents and grandparents did that will let me relax and be a happier person and help spread that to others? What if cat really spelled dog? If a train left Chicago at 8:36 am, would anyone really care?

 

My point is working on these old cars lets me relax and lets my mind go of on such weird tangents, it's like a vacation I don't have to pay for.

 

Sorry for the of tangent comments but I was thinking about the brakes on car. I have to get shoes for the rear this morning.

[Don Coatney]

What do you think will happen when we have a massive solar flare or some such other EMP event that knocks out most of the sensitive electronics in todays world. Don't know about you, but I'll be driving my 48 around

 

My best guess is that like the rest of us you will not be driving around as gasoline will not be available.

[Jeff Balazs]

My best guess is that like the rest of us you will not be driving around as gasoline will not be available.

Don;

There is always the option of adding a wood fire gas conversion.......at least for us truck owners. I have even seen this done on motorcycles that were equipped with a side car. I doubt the old flathead would mind that much.

 

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

Don;

There is always the option of adding a wood fire gas conversion.......at least for us truck owners. I have even seen this done on motorcycles that were equipped with a side car. I doubt the old flathead would mind that much.

 

Jeff

Unless you have one pre fitted and sitting in your garage plus a supply of wood to fuel it, it becomes a moot point.

[bbbbbb99]

Post a pic of the wagon please!

 She's partially disassembled right not as I'm in the middle of massive upgrades. I don't have any pictures , sorry

[Plymouthy Adams]

Fred Flintstone had an open floorboard..someday all the vehicles will be powered by nuclear propulsion, yept..you read right, the cars will be steamers with radiation contaminated water boiled for steam engine use..that is..if we are not subjected to a Water world (I did like that movie..smokers)

[soth122003]

Hey Don,

 

12 volt sump pump, battery and a midnight run. Good to go for a while. There's a gas storage depot 1/2 a mile from the house.

 

Joe

[Don Coatney]

One thing I liked about Tennessee, there was always a good supply of stuff to run your car on.

 

[Jeff Balazs]

Well now there you go Don.....just keep the trunk full.

 

It's funny Dave......but just looking around the shop and warehouse I probably have almost every thing I would need to run on wood. What I don't have I can get from the plumber next door and the A/C shop about a hundred feet away. Wood is definitely no problem. I will just have to get motivated. My brother-in-law has been holding on to a utility trailer made from a pilothouse bed for me the last couple of years. I had thought about either making it into a camping trailer or a BBQ.....but a self contained gas plant is always another possibility. I wonder how far I could get on a bed full of wood chunks?

 

Jeff

[Don Coatney]

That would be a tender, not a trailer.

 

[Dave72dt]

You'll have to go back to the barter system to pay for those pieces at the plumber and AC shop, since his computer will no longer function and he won't be able to price them or bill them and once your initial supply of wood chunks is used up, you'll have to go to hand cutting chunks.  I can see this problem snowballing  bigtime. as your source for woodchunks dries up.  Sobering thought on how sustainable our way of life and life itself depends on power sources.

[Lumpy]

Just be well armed when you are the only one able to drive around. You may want someone to ride shotgun at all times, literally.

Anyhow, when I went in search of a 1940's car, it was because I found I was spending all my time on the muscle cars, and gas prices were just starting to really go up. I work on Lumpy much much less than the Darts, Road Runners, Barracudas, etc., as with those I was always doing something to make it faster. Lumpy I just maintain, and improve a bit here and there.

So, after having a long meeting with myself one day, I started selling off most of my cars, except for the Dart, found Lumpy, and have been happy ever after. Also went back to motorcycles as they take up so much less space, don't need a hoist or crane to pull an engine, don't have to crawl under it, ever.

My 1968 Roadrunner I sold, and bought a nice kayak. Spending a day on the water is more better than under a car. !!! Not that I don't like working on cars.

As a bonus, driving Lumpy does feel like being in a time machine. It's neat. On the new car thing, nope, don't like them don't want one. I've never liked having AC junk hanging all over an engine, and have pulled countless AC compressors and associated hardware off all the 1960-1970 cars that I have owned. Used to have quite a pile of them. Even took it off my Dart. I do have a newer Dodge pick up, but it's strictly for pulling the camper-trailer, or maybe taking the dirt bike somewhere. I like it, but only drive it, use it seldom. New cars ARE boring, no matter how fast they go, or how many goodies they have, or how comfortable they are. Boring really is the key word.

"Case in point": I have a BMW motorcycle, and a 1937 motorcycle. The BMW is smooth, fast, and comfortable. You push a button to start it. The 1937 is rough, noisy, not real comfortable, no rear suspension, and not easy to drive with foot clutch and hand shift. You jump up and down on a lever with all your weight to start it, and it involves a "technique" to do it right. (yesterday I left the choke on by accident...my leg was still sore this morning) Guess which one I prefer to ride? Yep. 1937. For a long long trip, or running errands in Spokane, sure I'll take the BMW. For just pure riding pleasure, bombing around the countryside...yep, you guessed it. 1937!

For me I guess it all boils down to the fun factor, and trying to escape the boredom of driving.

k.

[Bingster]

One thing that amazes me and really is a kick is when you find some NOS piece like a clock or turn signal or name plate.  You'd never think they'd still be around, but they are, stored in someboy's old car inventory. But like somebody said, they ain't gonna be around forever, so try and get the important stuff now.  Bearings and stuff like that we should always be able to get.  I've found that if you're on a budget, you have to pick your battles!

[Jeff Balazs]

You'll have to go back to the barter system to pay for those pieces at the plumber and AC shop, since his computer will no longer function and he won't be able to price them or bill them and once your initial supply of wood chunks is used up, you'll have to go to hand cutting chunks.  I can see this problem snowballing  bigtime. as your source for woodchunks dries up.  Sobering thought on how sustainable our way of life and life itself depends on power sources.

Dave;

If you really want to sober up ....just think about how most folks would react if all of a sudden they couldn't use all their gadgets. That concept scares the crap out of me. I personally don't mind doing without all that stuff. I don't even own a cell phone or play computer games so no big deal. But I know plenty of folks that would have a complete and utter melt down if they didn't have access to all these silly things. Part of me wouldn't mind seeing this happen......but I know the chaos that would soon ensue would be the death of us all.

 

In an attempt to get back on topic I would suggest that a large portion of this group ...could if they wanted to....figure out how to get their old car or truck to run on something other than gasoline. That isn't going to happen with someone who just owns and drives the average new vehicle. A big part of owning one of these older vehicles is figuring out how to keep it going. And I believe that self reliant nature is something most of us here share. We all seem to want what we want and have figured out a way to get it and keep it going. These old cars and trucks just help us be what we really are.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

After reading through all the relevant posts on this thread, the one common element seems to be an emotional, psychological reason.  They make us feel better.  Whether it's a stress release or a memory, bonding project, whatever, they seem to be an investment in our personal well-being.  I didn't see a single " I bought 'cause it was cheap, I could fix it up a little, sell it quick and make some money".  My truck project is approaching 30 years now, I never driven it under it's own power but it's given me hours or relaxation, frustration, opportunities for creativity, skill development and over the past few years through this forum, social interaction from around the world.  It was the best 40 dollars I've ever spent and what I've received from it has been priceless.

[Niel Hoback]

On August 22, I will have had my "therapy tool" for 20 years.  Maybe we will have a party.

[RobAr]

I bought "Penelope" ('51 Plymouth Cambridge) in the spring of '67, drove her through grade 12, then college, resurrected her the first time in '78 and drove her until '85, when I took a 1-year posting to Tripoli. Parked her "for the winter" in my parents back yard. In quick home visits over the next few years she bounced around to various neighbours' garages, then went on blocks permanently in the summer of '92. I came home to Canada in 2011, and have inched toward relaunching "the Penelope Project" ever since. Fired her up last summer but got stalled on brakes. Those are done now, so the project is back on the rails. I'll be looking for suggestions and advice over the next while.

[dpollo]

I have several reasons.  First, it was a necessity to stay mobile.

I got a low mileage 50 D 36 Dodge which had been banged up in the front and down the left hand side.

Repaired and replaced parts and had it repainted. I drove that cat 20 000 miles a year until I put 120 000

miles over the original mileage.  Learned how to repair almost everything. Remember, as teenagers, we were duty-bound

to find the weaknesses in our parent's generation of cars. I worked hard at it.

Next reason was to demonstrate the skills I had learned and it is a real ego booster to have others admire your work.

I also helped a lot of friends keep their cars running and presentable to look at.

Another  reason is that  it has become an obsession. It keeps me occupied when I might be inclined toward idleness.

But perhaps the over riding reason is that at some level I hope to glimpse the past which to me seems like a safe place to be.

If you can find a short story by Jack Finney called Second Chance he captures this hope perfectly. ( it is in a little book called Car Tales by  Jane Gottlieb )  My flagship car is a 51 Plymouth convertible.  

[Tom Skinner]

I was born po, and when I got out of rehab I had some duct tape I didn't know what to do wif

Tom,

Huntersville, North Carolina

Edited March 31, 2016 by Tom Skinner

[dale]

My reason being..I retired and after awhile started getting bored with time on my hands along with getting out of shape.  Then one day an ad on Craigslist for a 1946 Plymouth basketcase convertible.  After looking her over I determined almost all the convertible specific stuff was there minus the transmission.  When I was in highschool so many eons ago my friends all drove 1947-48 Plymouths and there were many back seat memories there ) her name was Kay)  LOL along with the dragging them and working on them,  I had a 1951 Ford but always wanted one of those Plymouths.  I had two coups thru the years but a convert was my dream,  Im almost done with the restoration now.  Need to get the glass company out to install the windshield and then drive to town for the top yet.  Old cars lend many things like the mechanical, design, electrical, paint, and on and on.  Ive done all the work myself.  The car will look stock from the outside with even a single exhaust but she houses a Chevy 350 and 350 automatic.  The dash is still original with the old gauges including the speedometer.  Getting close to $20 thousand in her now but just the pleasure of the work going on three years is worth it. Got a couple pictures in  "likes" and will have the completed car there in a couple months.  Dale

[dale]

Another thing I love about old cars is that they didnt have annoying beepers in them telling you dont have your seat belt fastened etc.  Government intrusions everywhere.