Have never done a restoration on a vehicle. I could see the difficulty in doing one. Period currect parts, locating them etc. Sometimes ..in my opinion people get a little wound around the axle. I do have a Lot of respect for them and finding one worthy of restoration ...unmolested would be exhilarating. My builds have been customs. And they are a pain in the butt. Both my trucks were hacked up when I bought them. My 52 is named Ms Stubborn. Stuffing new technology into old school has been challenging. I am just a retired old hack working in my shop but sure enjoy the crap out of it. Regards Jerry
We do all kinds from high point restoration to all out custom show rides but my favorite is the resto rod. When finished you have one with all the looks of the original but with a modern drive train so you can actually use it for something besides parades or short trips. I know some drive their 1927 Hupmobile all the way across the country and term it an "adventure" but I would rather arrive not dirty, sweaty, and exhausted. It's not relaxing to be putting along at 45mph when cars doing 75 are taking dead aim at your back bumper. When I was a young guy I drove all those romanticized classics when they were brand new and they weren't that great but it is what we had. One doesn't have to be radical to be enjoyable and one of my favorites of the last few years is a 57 3100 with a 235 that has an old Borgwarner overdrive transmission, radial tires, and air conditioning (it's Texas). It can cruise 70 in the left lane all day long. My 37 Buick has the straight 8 engine, automatic (for wife), 2.73 rear gears, radials, and a/c. It's been all over the U.S. at highway speeds and with a comfortable relaxed driver. I don't think even purists would call them "butchered". Oh yeah, brake updates A MUST.
In the last month, I've made 4 round trips from Klein TX (30 miles north of Houston) to Fredericksburg TX and back. Each about 550 miles. Three of the four trips were pulling Bilbo's 5x10 two wheel trailer, loaded with household/garage stuff. All four times the back of my 3/4 ton flatbed was fully loaded. Most of the way my 90 HP 228" engine pulled me and the trailer along at about 60, but the 250 foot uphill in 1.6 miles approaching Johnson City had me driving on the shoulder and cresting the hill at 37 MPH. Truck ran great, but the A/C was strained. Around 13 MPG loaded and 15 MPG empty. Bilbo accompanied me on the last trip with his 235. Maybe he'll check in with his part of the story.
Bill, On my old Buick my a/c was marginal until I plugged every single place where heat could migrate through the firewall/toe board and then TRIPLE insulated the entire car, roof, floor, sides, doors, and firewall. First sprayed with Lizard Skin, covered that with Dynamat, and topped with the foil covered bubble wrap. Now with fan on low and temp switch set to cycle the compressor just once every couple minutes my wife wears her winter garb in July.
I still haven't left the city limits, but I am SO happy to slide behind the wheel and roll around town. A dream come true, for sure!
