If you were to restore a car....

[KierenGG]

Watching 'Wrecks to riches USA' and 'Wheeler dealers' just wondering what the general PH classic lovers would do if you were to restore your dream classic.

Would you restore to original spec or do a total modern overhaul? (e.g. uprated brakes, suspension, performance parts, etc)

Personally I think id keep the car looking pretty much looking the same but go for uprated brakes and suspension (all round discs and upgrade from leaf springs to coil springs).
Engine wise I think for me it would depend on the condition of the original, if it was pretty good just sort it all out and maybe just some small stuff like polish and port the cylinder head. Also probably dress it up a bit with lots of shiny
If it was shot though id probably go for what ever would fit in, the bigger the better.
Would personally go for a 5/6 speed box as well if there was one to fit.

So what would you do?

[300bhp/ton]

Think it would depend on the car the reason for restoring it.

My own personal view would be to improve it though. I can't see anything wrong with modernising certain aspects or even period modifications.

I've sort of tried the period mods on my TR7, but it does become limiting.

But as said it would very much depend on the car at hand. Don't think I'd want to change the appearance too much or there would be little point in restoring that vehicle, you might as well just build one from scratch.

I'm not a fan of blinged out 22" rims either. So that certainly wouldn't be an area I'd look at changing.

[Lord Flathead]

To me a resto is just that. Restoration to its former glory. Besides the looks, the whole purpose of a resoration is to take it back to 'as new' as it was in the day.

If you want a modern car - buy a modern car

[Hammer67]

Lord Flathead said:

To me a resto is just that. Restoration to its former glory. Besides the looks, the whole purpose of a resoration is to take it back to 'as new' as it was in the day.

If you want a modern car - buy a modern car

Yep, spot on.

[Motown Junk]

I feel no guilt 'restifying' (lovely Americanism there) old Yanks.

Mainly because they weren't that good in the 1st place.

But, if I had the money, would be taking the same approach to old Astons and Jags too

(but maybe not with big, shiney alloys)

[velocemitch]

Might depend what you are starting out with. If you were doing a Morris Minor for instance and you wanted to use it on a daily basis you might well consider front discs, front ARB, inertia reel belts etc. If you were starting out with something like an Alfa GTV you wouldn't need to do much to be able to keep up with modern traffic, so keeping it standard is still an option.

Either way I'd only do modifications that are reversable and as a matter of taste I like to keep things in period where I can.... say's he with digital trip meters and clocks in his 1970's Rally Car

[MikeyT]

Again, for me, it matters what car it is you're restoring. If I was ever to restore a Facel Vega, or a Gordon Keeble, there are so few about that it makes sense to restore to keep the integrity of the vehicle intact (and also the resale value). No-one (who is sane) wants a Facel Vega in candy purple with Lambo doors ...

My Mustang is one of millions made. Okay the purists will say there were 22,465 fastbacks built at that particular plant in 1966 which left the factory with the hazard option but I'm not really interested in that. If I had a numbers matching car to begin with, then fine, I'd be researching the chalk marks on the axle maybe and the amount of overspray on the (red oxide) floors - but I don't.

I've driven a 60s Mustang with the original (albeit tired) suspension and steering set up and it isn't nice! You can manage okay but it isn't *that* enjoyable as a car to *drive* properly. Keep the looks and upgrade it to modern components, brakes, suspension, steering, engine output etc and it becomes a different animal. You get the reliability and the performance of modern components with the individual looks of your favourite car - what can be wrong with that?

Best of both worlds I'd say ... come the weekend sin the summer I don't want to drive a Mondeo or a Focus - in fact, especially not a Focus, thanks.

[Pothole]

light upgrading, Q car stylee

[AndrewW-G]

For me it simply comes down to the owners planned use for the car, if it's going to be driven, then why not improve reliability and safety whilst keeping the looks and if possible the feel of the original, for example most older cars benefit from modern tyres, would you really want to use old Michelin XWX's when you could use a more modern, safer tyre of the same dimensions?

If a cars going to be shown at concours level, then restore it nut and bolt to factory orignial perfection.

just because your upgrading it, doesnt mean it has to end up looking like an easter egg!

[garethj]

I prefer to keep it original. Part of the charm of owning an older car is for it to be older technology, and driving within the limits of the car.

The problems come when using restoration parts which aren't as good as the originals, then some upgrading might be needed just to get something working!

[ukzz4iroc]

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

[garethj]

ukzz4iroc said:

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

Why?

Straight question and not just aimed at you but a few posters have said this. If you had an Audi A4 would you be concerned it didn't have the grip, acceleration, brakes and comfort of an A8? Would you upgrade it?

[williamp]

garethj said:

ukzz4iroc said:

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

Why?

Straight question and not just aimed at you but a few posters have said this. If you had an Audi A4 would you be concerned it didn't have the grip, acceleration, brakes and comfort of an A8? Would you upgrade it?

Different thingld cars r4eally dont handle, grip or brake as well as modern cars. My Aston for example. In the day it had the best rakes in the world: in the wet it could stop better then mnost cars could in the dry. But 40 years later, the brakes are nothing special and as a driver you have to be aware that the brakes are not that good.

With the Aston, I have kept everything you can see original, but modernised some of the things you cannot see- brakes, suspension etc. This is, I feel the best of both worlds and it enables me to drive my classic with confidence in modern traffic

[ukzz4iroc]

garethj said:

ukzz4iroc said:

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

Why?

Straight question and not just aimed at you but a few posters have said this. If you had an Audi A4 would you be concerned it didn't have the grip, acceleration, brakes and comfort of an A8? Would you upgrade it?

Yeah you have made a strange comparison I am talking 20 years of technology here. Drums/ crossply tyres etc. Why? Becuase you can then enjoy your classic more and feel less vulnerable. It may just save your life.

[//j17]

garethj said:

ukzz4iroc said:

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

Why?

Straight question and not just aimed at you but a few posters have said this. If you had an Audi A4 would you be concerned it didn't have the grip, acceleration, brakes and comfort of an A8? Would you upgrade it?

There is a big difference between comparing a 6 year old A4 with a 2 year old A8 and a 6 year old A4 and a 1960 Morris Minor - especially when the older car is following the newer at 50MPH!

When the A8 jams on the 4-wheel, ABS brakes the car comes to a stop darn quick. When the following A4 does the same it stops more or less as fast. The Morris Minor on the other hand stops...eventually...with luck...and a few words with God.

[garethj]

williamp said:

Different thing: old cars r4eally dont handle, grip or brake as well as modern cars. My Aston for example. In the day it had the best rakes in the world: in the wet it could stop better then mnost cars could in the dry. But 40 years later, the brakes are nothing special and as a driver you have to be aware that the brakes are not that good.

With the Aston, I have kept everything you can see original, but modernised some of the things you cannot see- brakes, suspension etc. This is, I feel the best of both worlds and it enables me to drive my classic with confidence in modern traffic

Fairy nuff, but why not drive within the limits of the car as it was? Would it make things less enjoyable? I like old cars because it's easier to detach from the madness of outside lane reps with a 2 foot braking gap, not to compete with them.

ukzz4iroc said:

Yeah you have made a strange comparison I am talking 20 years of technology here. Drums/ crossply tyres etc. Why? Becuase you can then enjoy your classic more and feel less vulnerable. It may just save your life.

Strange comparison? I've probably made worse.... Can you get an upgrade to Porsche carbon brakes for your old car? Where do you draw the line?

If it's what you need to enjoy a car, then certainly go for it. As for the saving your life part, I've rarely* been in a situation where an old car got me in trouble that a new one would have saved.

I quite like the feel of narrow tyres and being able to feel where the grip is, without doing bonkers mph around corners.

• We were all young once!

[300bhp/ton]

garethj said:

ukzz4iroc said:

I reckon keep the car original looking, but upgrading brakes, power and chassis can only be a good thing..

Why?

Straight question and not just aimed at you but a few posters have said this. If you had an Audi A4 would you be concerned it didn't have the grip, acceleration, brakes and comfort of an A8? Would you upgrade it?

Yes to your last question.

Like I said before, for me it depends on the vehicle. If I wanted to make it 100% period correct as a museum piece or if it was uber rare then I'd leave it as is. But realistically I'm never going to restore such a car.

I'm however likely to have another classic at some point. I certainly want to keep the charm and character of the car, but it doesn't mean you can't alter it a bit.

Remember people modify brand new cars too.

But as others have said, simple things like brakes make a huge difference. Some cars like a TR7 had rubbish brakes when new, really truly awful! So to be used on a modern road network and traffic conditions its downright dangerous not to improve them.

[garethj]

300bhp/ton said:

But as others have said, simple things like brakes make a huge difference. Some cars like a TR7 had rubbish brakes when new, really truly awful! So to be used on a modern road network and traffic conditions its downright dangerous not to improve them.

A friend had a couple of TR7s but of course I never managed to visit in the 10 minutes any were working. This is the TR7 bashing thread isn't it?

The snotter I'm currently driving is an old VW Polo, it's got disc brakes at the front but no servo and I'm sure the brakes were criticised back in 1987. However as long as you're prepared for giving a good shove, ready that the 145 tyres won't generate much grip, and even if they did the brakes are fairly poor, the whole thing drives fine. I've certainly never had any worrying moments and I'm far from the slowest car on the road (officer).

However I do look ahead a lot, which comes from years riding motorbikes and not getting killed....

[Jam Spavlin]

A Lotus Elite 501/2/3/4/ with a gavanized excel chassis with Toyota Supra 3.0 TT power and drive train or lexus 4.0 v8 power. In Black with JPS livery period wheels, red leather interior seats and red carpet and last of the line Esprit dash and insruments. Horrid to some heaven to me!

[Graham]

I've a hankering for a TVR Vixen, with uprated suspension and brakes, with either a modded injected xflow or a more modern engine and modern gearbox.

but externally stock