When is a car no longer "original"?

[challenger]

I'm sure this has been argued many times but I tried finding more information about general opinions and failed to. When is a car no longer original? Many folks have bits and pieces restored on their vehicles and I imagine it can get to a point where their "original survivor" is really a restoration. I'm in strong favor of NOT restoring a good, original car but the temptation to make them look better is sometimes irresistible. I myself have a car I'd like to get the bumpers rechromed on. Would this then put the car into the restored condition? I can see some thinking yes.
This is very subjective and there will be many opinions but I think an average may be obtained???

 

[polara71]

I think once you've gone there then it's an original with rechromed bumpers.

There is a fine line and with varying opinions where do you draw that line? I, personally would do the bumpers .

 

[bajajoaquin]

It's only original once. You could be pedantic, and say once you replace tires or belts or hoses, it's no longer original.

I'd submit that tires, belts and other "consumables" don't count. So if you re-do the bumpers, you'd have a "mostly original" car. I'd still do the bumpers.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

belts, hoses etc are wear parts.

I would not rechcrome bumpers to make them look fresh again.

If someone has a real nice original car but one of the bumpers is badly dented: I would consider finding a nice original not rechromed part.

Carsten

 

[Fury440]

There is a fine line I guess between "repair" and "restoration". To my mind chroming a bumper, removing parking lot dings, sewing a seat tear, etc are all repairs. Replacing brake shoes, shocks, exhaust pipes, plugs, points, etc are just maintenance. The key is timing, repairs and maintenance are done as required when required. However, when you decide to stop reacting and decide to fix everything "now", you're doing a restoration.

There are some who claim a car must be as is with no apparent replacements done to be called a survivor or original. Not very realistic. I bought my car new and it lost it's "virginity" very quickly as it spent a lot of it's time getting warranty repairs to fix stuff that the factory screwed up. As much as we crow about our Mopar's, plant quality control was virtually non-existent and allowed a lot of crap to hit the streets. My car needed the power steering unit replaced just to get it off the delivery truck. Then within the first year the engine burned oil like crazy and the engine got a ring job and 4 new pistons. Seems the "factory" screwed up while installing the rings.

What I'm trying to say, and not well, is cars evolve as they age and to keep them on the road and safe requires constant "restoration" of one part or another.

It's your car, bought with your coin, so all repairs and maintenance are your decision. Anyone who doesn't like that can go buy one of their own and do whatever they want with it.

 

[Big_John]

I've seen this topic discussed ad nauseam and IMHO, do what you want. It's your car.

I like cars to look good. I appreciate a nice survivor, but if it was my car, that bumper would get rechromed.

 

[The Horvaths]

If someone else can tell that it isn't original, then it isn't original.

 

[live4theking]

Maintenance is maintenance.

Modifications = not original any more.

Rechrome the bumper to preserve to beauty of your old car and don't bother to worry about what others think.

 

[Fury440]

Modifications = not original any more.

Not quite, even the Concurs guys accept disc brakes, seat belts, dual circuit brakes etc as ok modifications.

 

[Fratzog]

Would this then put the car into the restored condition? I can see some thinking yes.

I'm one of those people. Where I draw the line is at regular maintenance items i.e. oil/air filters, rad hoses, exhaust, batteries etc. Anything beyond that IMHO is no longer a survivor/original car. Granted my line is drawn subjectively so others may disagree.

 

[Fury440]

Your coin, your car, do what you want, just don't park it in the back 40 keeping it original until it has to be restored or buried.

 

[ricks_RR]

I have seen old cars that at the dealership the car had damage on delivery .would that be not original any more if you found out 40 years later that the car was fixed at the dealership when new .I am just asking sometime you have to do things to preserve the car .

 

[Fury440]

Yes ..

sometime you have to do things to preserve the car

Even the Mona Lisa gets "tuned up" but it's still considered to be original. Thing about early paintings, without periodic cleaning and repair they eventually darken to the point of framed garbage.

 

[OneEyed]

So if he re-chromes the bumpers...does the car lose or gain value and/or quality? And if he doesn't, do the bumpers get worse to the point that it costs more later on to repair them?? IMO, that might help determine if it should be kept "original" or not. If he swapped the bumpers, now thats a different story..

If I was looking to buy a car that was indeed 100% original, I'd likely have to dump a bunch of money into just to make it reliable. For example, I wouldn't drive any of these old cars with the original brakes and tires. Thats a safety hazard. So considering that, is "Original" really even that good of a thing??

 

[bajajoaquin]

So if he re-chromes the bumpers...does the car lose or gain value and/or quality? And if he doesn't, do the bumpers get worse to the point that it costs more later on to repair them?? IMO, that might help determine if it should be kept "original" or not. If he swapped the bumpers, now thats a different story..

If I was looking to buy a car that was indeed 100% original, I'd likely have to dump a bunch of money into just to make it reliable. For example, I wouldn't drive any of these old cars with the original brakes and tires. Thats a safety hazard. So considering that, is "Original" really even that good of a thing??

Now you're getting into a different question, which is should he change. That's different from "What is original?" I think that if he rechromes, it's no longer "all original" if it still was otherwise. Should he? It's his car, but for my car, I value originality until it starts to go over into decline. I loved the original paint and chrome, but when the oxidation let water in and I started getting surface rust, that was degradation, and I am having it painted. My interior was original, but the driver's seat had some wear and a couple tears. I'm having the seat bottom replaced, but keeping all the other items intact because they're in good shape.

Antoine St. Exupery once said, "perfection comes not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away." So I'd say to replace as little as possible to keep you happy.

 

[bluefury361]

A survivor car means that a vehicle has come through the years with all of the originality that made it highly desirable in car guy world. Lately, the definition of a survivor has been diluted down to a wishy-washy.

The only point to a survivor vehicle is to sit in a museum and act as a guide line for the restoration of like examples. If your going to drive or show the vehicle then do what is necessary to maintain the vehicle in OEM condition. New chrome is maintenance. Do it.

 

[ricks_RR]

well put on a survivor car .it is great to see one so we can put it back so it looks right

 

[Ironwolf]

When is a car no longer "original"?


WHEN I BUY IT !!!!!!!

BECAUSE I AM BUYING IT FOR ME !!!!

 

[traintech55]

When is a car no longer "original"?


WHEN I BUY IT !!!!!!!

BECAUSE I AM BUYING IT FOR ME !!!!

EXACTLY.

 

[moparnutcase]

Original and survivor are the same AND different. I had my Cordoba in the "Survivor " tent at Carlisle this year. Criteria is at least 80% original for the exterior,interior,and engine compartment. Minor body damage repaired say from an accident is accepted. However, any type of rust repair is not allowed. If wear items are replaced they would like them to be as close to factory original as possible. As for my particular car......battery,tires,spark plugs,fuel and air filters, and heater core(replaced with NOS)are the only things that the car did not leave the assembly line with. So I would say mine is a "survivor" and original as possible.