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Car restoration. Where do you draw the line?


KrisDR

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I need a reality check as I believe I might be going overboard. My daughter just asked me which part I'm redoing (removing rust and respraying) and why I'm doing it.

I was actually busy with the two fan pulleys (with a surprisng new cost of 160 quid for the pair) and I suddenly realised that nobody was ever going to see that part again. It doesn't make any difference really if I would leave it with some rust spots except that I would know. It reminded me of those miniature ship builders who spend hours of work on an interior part which will probably never be seen again. I have gone through the same process when I restored a 911 some 6 years ago, as a result the restoration lasted for 18 months. I usually don't like to take shortcuts but than again is leaving a pulley as it is a shortcut? Where have you drawn the line?

Schermafbeelding 2018-03-17 om 18.04.46.png

Schermafbeelding 2018-03-17 om 18.05.05.png

Edited by KrisDR
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Tell me about it - my Defender project has taken years longer than it should have for the same reasons. As an ex-racecar engineer I can't abide corrosion, so fate really stuck it's knife into me when it got me into Land Rovers. Among heaps of other things, I've re-made half the damned panels in stainless steel to ensure they don't turn to white powder in six months...

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Kris, the pulleys look great. Keep up the good work !

I restore because the way I do it make me feel good. When I cut corners, I feel bad and will probably redo it soon. Better do it right the first time

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46 minutes ago, AV8R said:

Kris, the pulleys look great. Keep up the good work !

I restore because the way I do it make me feel good. When I cut corners, I feel bad and will probably redo it soon. Better do it right the first time

I do apologize for the confusion but the pulleys I posted aren’t mine although I’m fairly sure they will look like that comes tomorrow. 

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My son once asked me  why I'd spent 10 hours detailing a 1/24 scale Merlin engine for a spitfire I was building when no one would see it when the engine covers were fitted, my reply was simple "I will know".  Thats how I treat restorations. But to each their own.

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I'm as picky as some of you guys but have had to really rein myself in over the years. Things just got out of hand and took forever. It depends on what you're doing - a full restoration for the enjoyment of it, or something which needs to be on the road and used. A few rules for rebuilds are that everything takes much longer than you'd ever guess; the thing you've rebuilt will never look as good again as the moment it's finished; and before you know it, ten years or so have passed and the thing is old again. 

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All down to your own really.

Although I have great admiration for those who restore to factory spec, it is not for me. I, we as the Mrs. does the spraying, build to use and stop corrosion as much as I can.

The Series is in the workshop for the last stage on the - hopefully - last rebuild and it is totally not as it left the factory. But it will not rust, have good brakes, nice engine and working electrics.

If you're happy with what you do it is good.

 

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7 hours ago, Davo said:

I'm as picky as some of you guys but have had to really rein myself in over the years. Things just got out of hand and took forever. It depends on what you're doing - a full restoration for the enjoyment of it, or something which needs to be on the road and used. A few rules for rebuilds are that everything takes much longer than you'd ever guess; the thing you've rebuilt will never look as good again as the moment it's finished; and before you know it, ten years or so have passed and the thing is old again. 

I know that feeling. I did my One_Ten about 20 years ago. Then, a couple of weeks after I finished it, I took it to the Sahara, it came back with enough sand in it to to fill a sand pit, lines etched on the side windows by the blown sand, a bent outrigger where I had landed a bit hard on top of something that turned out not to be pure sand, dulled, scratched paint, lots of cuts in the tyres and it has been a similar story for the last 20 years. I went back to the Sahara a year later, I have sunk it in rivers, driven through hedges and thickets, hit a pheasant which gave the truck quite a dent, the bird seemed to survive the experience and now it looks 20 years older, well used and probably in need of the paintwork doing again. But at the age I am I think it will outlast me, thus we can both grow older disgracefully

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I spent ten years on my truck, seven years then three more doing the things I did not want to do. Had to fix all the little bits of which if you are doing all the details.

you will enjoy the vehicle a lot more.

the 110 PU I am working on may be a different perspective for completion.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 17/03/2018 at 8:27 PM, JeffR said:

My son once asked me  why I'd spent 10 hours detailing a 1/24 scale Merlin engine for a spitfire I was building

Ten hours? Why the rush? I did a Merlin for a 1/24 Spitfire and took most of the winter! :D:D:D

Nobody will ever see it (likewise the wires behind the instruments in the cockpit) but I really enjoy the process as much as the end result. I assume this is the same for the OP - so go for it! But try not to cry when you see rust on it after the first winter :D

Lovely job on the pulley by the way - photos of other restoration porn would be appreciated here :)

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Let it take as long as you want it to take.

I'm in the boat of making every part as perfect as it can be, protect it as best as possible and it will stay looking great for longer. Whether its something you'll see when its finished or not, I'll know if something hasn't been done to perfection and that will bug me no end. I'm building the 90 to be functional and usable but it will still look good and with the protection/prep it should last.

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On 18/03/2018 at 1:29 PM, neil110 said:

...hit a pheasant ... the bird seemed to survive the experience and now it looks 20 years older, well used and probably in need of the paintwork doing again...

mmmm that'd be a tasty restoration :lol:

There's a simple philosophy; try and put anything that comes off a vehicle back on in better condition than was when it was removed. 

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Mission creep is always an issue, we've all been there..."I'll just give this a quick wire brush and fresh lick of paint" turns into a strip down, sand blast, prime, powder coat then renewing all the nuts and bolts. Just spent 4hrs yesterday and another 4 this morning blasting 19yrs of underseal off the td5 axles. No idea what it was but it took some shifting! 

But, they will look as new (hopefully) once restored.

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You know I used to be quite obsessive with vehicle restorations, spending days, weeks, months and sometimes longer seeking out that "correct" illusive missing part, rebuilding and refinishing to better than new condition - the lot. It was a kind of maniacal OCD thing where everything had to be just so, and if not it would play on my mind until it was. Then when it was all done there was the constant worry if it got written off by some uninsured Richard Head twatting about with his mates.

But you know what, nowadays I'd rather see something with the the kind of patina that only use and passing years can achieve. I no longer obsess about motorised vehicles - and it feels good!

;)

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On 04/04/2018 at 2:44 PM, Mo Murphy said:

I get more pleasure from tidying and reusing other people's old cast off bits than I ever would from buying new bits and bolting them on 😊

Mo

I thought you were just tight ! 😀

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