Your Restoration Regrets

[Mister 4x4]

Yes, but the difference is that you are restoring a classic Mustang, which has broad appeal and will continue to rise in value. If you decide to sell, you have a far better chance of recouping a larger amount of your investment.

On the other hand, the car I am currently working on is a '75 Gran Torino. The car was originally a "Sport" model (basically meaningless in reality), red with a white vinyl roof, 14" steelies with hubcaps, and a few options. 460 PI motor.

the 74-76 "Big Boy" Torinos are basically worthless unless you restore them to one very specific configuration: "Starsky & Hutch" style.

Which I am doing.

(( snip ))

But...these cars are topping out right now around $20,000-$25,000 for one done as nicely as I think mine will turn out.

The difference is that I really don't think they will continue to go up in value.

In fact, unless there is another "Starsky & Hutch" movie (extremely doubtful), I think these cars are going to start losing value.

But...I love the car, I want one and I'm gonna have the best one around!

It's all relative. Personally, I think the Gran Torinos are some of the coolest bodies out there.

As far as cool cop show cars go: tell me about it. One of those 'could be obtainable' dream cars for me is the Coyote X from Hardcastle & McCormick. Not to mention a few of my own personal designs that would be awesome real cars. But I'm also of the mind that I don't see myself building/restoring another car any time in the foreseeable future after my '71's done - but I'm always looking, dreaming, and picking up Lotto tickets just the same.

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Funny you mention the "Coyote X" from "Hardcastle and McCormick": When i lived in California I watched them film 2nd-unit car-stuff from that show on many ocasions.

The first "Coyote" was really a "Manta" kit-car, which was basically a scaled-down replica of a Porsche racing 917, with some modified bodywork along with no doors to make it look unique.

The engine was surprising: Most people thought it was some kind of VW/ Porsche engine, but was really a 2.8 litre Chevy V-6 from a Citation X-11. 135 HP. Moved that light-weight body around pretty well.

Apparently, actor Brian Kieth ("Hardcastle") was so fat, old and broken down that he could hardly get into or fit in the little Manta-based "Coyote", so the producers replaced the original design with a new version of the Coyote: it was a Delorean with the doors removed and some bodywork to try and make it look like the first car. It didn't work: It looked terrible in person. All the beautiful swooping lines and proportions of the "manta' were ruined on the DeLorean. They never meantioned anything about it on the show that i know of and acted like it was the same car, but it clearly was not to anybody who cared to look at it.[/i]

 

[Mister 4x4]

I remember the car being built from a Manta Montage kit... but I always thought they were replicas of the McLaren M6GT race car.

Regardless - I totally agree with the sentiment about cutting up a DeLorean and trying to make it work. Totally ruined the whole Coyote image.

I'd also heard Porsche 4-cylinder, with Ferrari V-12 noises mixed in. Interesting about the V-6.

 

[jhawk635]

I'm not done yet...days or weeks away... but, my biggest regret is that I waited this long to really tackle it. I've had it since '99 and it's been fun to drive but slowly deteriorated. What I did learn when I took every single part off of it is that I am lucky and have a very solid car. My recommendation to anyone starting is to find a solid car from the start, it will save you thousands easy.

Mine is going to look close to brand new (and in some ways much better) and I haven't sunk a mint into it so I am very happy. The biggest key in my opinion is that I have one of the best painters and body man I have ever worked with. It runs great but that is going to be one of the areas I tackle next. I put in a complete new exhaust system for the headers to the exhaust tips so I'm headed in the right direction. The other thing I want to tackle soon is the stance of the car, but I'm not exactly sure what that entails...but with the help here, I'm sure it will turn out great.

This site has been a life saver and has made it so much easier to make good decisions. I guess another regret might be not reading more on this site before I started. Don't think it would have changed too much other than help with all my anxiety and sleepless nights figuring things out as I go.

John

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Eric,

You may be right...it certainly does look like McClaren more than it does a 917. I just remember bring told that by the car's "wrangler" on the location, but he probably didnt know.

I am sure they used some exotic engine sound effects like you suggest, but the actual drivetrsin was just the mundane, ordinary Chevy V6. Of course it sounded nothing likethe TV show porttayed. Barely could even hear it run actually.

I do remember clearly that the car was extremely smaller in person than it appesred on TV. No way would I ever have been able to fit in that car.

 

[Totalled]

Sometimes I wish I had left it in Iowa and spent the money on a Boss 351... or a 63 1/2 Galaxie...

 

[OpiemusRex]

Should have changed the C-4 out for an AOD tranmission! I am still going to do it but it would have been nice not to have spent so much money on the C-4. It would have been nice to have the correct cam from the start too, my initial cam was too much for the auto trans, power brakes, steering and a/c.

 

[imusa76]

I should have had someone else do the restoration

But now I know every nut and bolt in the car, and if something goes wrong I only have my self to blame

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