In a message dated 6/27/2004 3:43:45 AM Eastern Standard Time,
HannonsVT@xxxxxxx writes:
We have this same topic go through the list at least once a year, and
usually more, and all it does is ruffle feathers.
Brandie
58 Plymouth KUSTOM.
Brandie and "The List",
I've a half-baked theory about how some "custom" cars begin life. It
applies to at least my car. I've recently read on the Internet of some
owners that go out and buy cars 4 and 5 at a time. They obviously aren't
going to restore them all. They are just "inventory", used for parts or
whatever. These are the people that produce the "Concours",
totally original vehicles. I have one friend whose passion is to do
this. I'm happy that they are willing and able to accomplish this
monumental task. If I had all the money in the world, I couldn't stick to
it to the end!
Then, there are others like me and (possibly) you: They like the
cars, but can't/won't spend the time and money to make them totally original,
and are content to make them presentable and enjoyable to drive. I,
personally, think that most of us are like this. My Chrysler falls into
this category. Body: original, Paint: original color, wrong paint.
Interior: totally unoriginal, but appropriate materials and colors.
Engine: wrong, but from the exact same model of two years later. Is it a
custom or a restoration? The word that fits is "Custoration". All I
know is that from people that I see on the street, most comments I get are "What
a nice car!" It's older than they are... what do they know or
care? When I worked at Chrysler Engineering, we bolted all kinds of things
together, for different purposes.
Then, there are the total custom builders. I have a friend that
builds two or three cars a year for the express purpose of selling to
cruisers. He will take an old body from wherever, chop and channel it onto
a frame, install a large engine and have an interior put in, then paint it and
sell it. He uses "Billet" this, and "Billet" that, electric door latches,
suicide doors, etc. He ends up with a car that I personally wouldn't want
to drive because I've outgrown (Literally and figuratively!) it, but I do enjoy
looking at them, and they are a blast on cruise nights!
Of course, since we ARE the human race, there are shades of us in between
these broad categories, so I will close this dissertation with a quote from that
great Canadian handyman hero, Red Green: "Remember, I'm pullin' for you...
We're all in this together"!
Joe
Savard
Lake Orion, MI
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network