vintage photos

[Coralsnake]

From my personal experience, I think the number of concours car that just get put away is a lot lower than you think.

I know of many that have been returned to service.

I think the perception comes from because they are so nice to start with. Thats the majority of the cars, they are shown right after restorations.

I can tell you from experience its very difficult to maintain that level.

Most people that think they have a "concours" cars, don't. Even the cars from five years ago are only semi competitive in-this years events

[6s1432]

I have a lot of respect for people who restore to concourse level. Especially the ones who do the work themselves. The attention to detail can be agonizing. Especially if you have a deadline.

[JohnSlack]

I understand exactly what Pete is saying. The difference between what Concours was in 2006 and what Concours is in 2025 and to be honest what Concours will be in 2030. As information comes to light there are different kinds of what is correct.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

..... It may not have run correct at the end of the restoration, because I have been told by more than one "restorer" that the car isn't going to be driven so it just had to look good.

When they all look alike, it's boring.

When Larry Zane had 001 restored the guy assumed museum piece. Titus ran it at Lime Rock and popped the engine at Monterey. When we tore it down we found genuine grade 5 hardware nuts on some of the rods. He had apparently lost a few so just screwed on what he had lying around.
I must agree looking at a row of cars where the only difference is the date coding on the sheetmetal and glass is very boring and IMHO a waste of time. When Lynn Park finally got his hands on Dirtbag he took it to the Petersen for one of the Cobra Days. He was standing with CS who pointed out how everyone was looking at Dirtbag and not the other cars. CS advised him not to restore it and he hasn't. It's one car that always looks better in photos. Years of outside storage under a blue tarp has severely checked the paint. He turned down an unbelievable offer that was about twice what a nicely restored 289 would bring. I'm glad he didn't sell it the guy lived in Malibu and it probably would have been lost in the fires.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/barn-find-hunter-lynn-parks-cobras/

[JohnSlack]

..... It may not have run correct at the end of the restoration, because I have been told by more than one "restorer" that the car isn't going to be driven so it just had to look good.

When they all look alike, it's boring.

When Larry Zane had 001 restored the guy assumed museum piece. Titus ran it at Lime Rock and popped the engine at Monterey. When we tore it down we found genuine grade 5 hardware nuts on some of the rods. He had apparently lost a few so just screwed on what he had lying around.
I must agree looking at a row of cars where the only difference is the date coding on the sheetmetal and glass is very boring and IMHO a waste of time. When Lynn Park finally got his hands on Dirtbag he took it to the Petersen for one of the Cobra Days. He was standing with CS who pointed out how everyone was looking at Dirtbag and not the other cars. CS advised him not to restore it and he hasn't. It's one car that always looks better in photos. Years of outside storage under a blue tarp has severely checked the paint. He turned down an unbelievable offer that was about twice what a nicely restored 289 would bring. I'm glad he didn't sell it the guy lived in Malibu and it probably would have been lost in the fires.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/barn-find-hunter-lynn-parks-cobras/

I've been lucky enough to see the dirt bag and take my time to appreciate it. It's magnificent.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I've been lucky enough to see the dirt bag and take my time to appreciate it. It's magnificent.

Even son of dirtbag would be a fun ride. I've thought of building a Factory 5 FIA car and wrap it in a vintage livery with stone chips and "aluminum" showing where the paints flaked off.

[jimhyc]

I have noticed a distinct lack of interest in the history of the cars and their stories lately. All the emphasis seems to be expended on erasing a car's story and restoring it to Day 1 configuration. After it gets a SAAC Gold trophy it's parked under a cover in the garage. The owner will brag of his ownership at local gatherings but his blue chip investment will not be risked at a mere cars and coffee. It will only be transported in a closed trailer to an inside show lest some rain spot his $25,000 paint job.

If only they could talk. Can you imagine sitting with a few friends and beers while having 1432 tell you about the time that..........

I made the mistake of doing a high level restoration once. Bought a low mileage BOSS 429 and did a rotisserie restoration and hated the car after. The car lost its soul from being totally disassembled. Now I have a really original low mileage'69 GT500 and put on 155 miles in the last few days. It's not a perfect car so I don't stress about dust or an occasional chip. Here's a picture of mine with the original owner. One of the things I love about old cars is tracking down the history. That tells a story that's more important than having a trailer queen.

Code Select Expand

26

[JohnSlack]

I have noticed a distinct lack of interest in the history of the cars and their stories lately. All the emphasis seems to be expended on erasing a car's story and restoring it to Day 1 configuration. After it gets a SAAC Gold trophy it's parked under a cover in the garage. The owner will brag of his ownership at local gatherings but his blue chip investment will not be risked at a mere cars and coffee. It will only be transported in a closed trailer to an inside show lest some rain spot his $25,000 paint job.

If only they could talk. Can you imagine sitting with a few friends and beers while having 1432 tell you about the time that..........

I made the mistake of doing a high level restoration once. Bought a low mileage BOSS 429 and did a rotisserie restoration and hated the car after. The car lost its soul from being totally disassembled. Now I have a really original low mileage'69 GT500 and put on 155 miles in the last few days. It's not a perfect car so I don't stress about dust or an occasional chip. Here's a picture of mine with the original owner. One of the things I love about old cars is tracking down the history. That tells a story that's more important than having a trailer queen.

Code Select Expand

26

And I bet she took her dog in the car also!

Nice

[98SVT - was 06GT]

And I bet she took her dog in the car also!

Without wiping the snow off his feet.

[FL SAAC]

I have noticed a distinct lack of interest in the history of the cars and their stories lately. All the emphasis seems to be expended on erasing a car's story and restoring it to Day 1 configuration. After it gets a SAAC Gold trophy it's parked under a cover in the garage. The owner will brag of his ownership at local gatherings but his blue chip investment will not be risked at a mere cars and coffee. It will only be transported in a closed trailer to an inside show lest some rain spot his $25,000 paint job.

If only they could talk. Can you imagine sitting with a few friends and beers while having 1432 tell you about the time that..........

I made the mistake of doing a high level restoration once. Bought a low mileage BOSS 429 and did a rotisserie restoration and hated the car after. The car lost its soul from being totally disassembled. Now I have a really original low mileage'69 GT500 and put on 155 miles in the last few days. It's not a perfect car so I don't stress about dust or an occasional chip. Here's a picture of mine with the original owner. One of the things I love about old cars is tracking down the history. That tells a story that's more important than having a trailer queen.

Code Select Expand

26

and that my friends is were its at, drivem till the wheels falls off.

Enjoy them while you still can get in and out of them!

Hey about that $25,000 paint job....you got to be kidding.....$25K....lmao

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Hey about that $25,000 paint job....you got to be kidding.....$25K....lmao

The Cost To Paint A Classic Car Varies
Painting a classic car is a significant investment, but it's also a critical step in restoring your vehicle to its original glory. The cost to paint a classic car can variety greatly from $3,000 for a basic job to upwards of $30,000

Labor:
The hourly rate for professional auto body and paint work can range from $85 to $125 or more. A basic paint job might take 80-100 hours, while a more extensive restoration could require 200-300 hours or even more,

Paint Quality and Type:
High-quality automotive paint, especially for classic cars, can range from $100 to $800 per gallon, Kendig gets $1,100 a gallon and House of Kolor has a lot of $400 a quart paints. A premium clear is $800 a gallon.

[6s1432]

My body shop rate in Socal is $175/hour; $30,000 to paint a gt350 would be a bare mimmum if it didn't need much work. Materials are typically $5000 to $5500.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

My body shop rate in Socal is $175/hour; $30,000 to paint a gt350 would be a bare mimmum if it didn't need much work. Materials are typically $5000 to $5500.

This is why wraps are starting to become popular for "regular" cars. It beats "I'll take Earl Scheib for $100 Alex......." They painted a POS Toyota I had stuck together from 3 different cars. The cost was up to 49.95 at that time and I complained about the poor coverage and runs. They were happy to repaint it but could only do 1/2 at a time under their warranty.

[JohnSlack]

In 2006, I had a quality paint job on our 1969 1/2 BOSS 302, it cost $28,000.00 good job. I laugh every time someone says that a color change is $10,000.00. remember that the rubber, the seals, all of that gets changed when you paint the car. BTW 28,000 2006 dollars is around $44,000.00 2025 dollars.

[csxsfm]

Five seasons of SCCA racing developed the patina on my Cobra. Adds to authenticity. Saves cash. Made the repaint decision easy.