What is a Full Restoration?

**hqhzvans** · 25-10-2014, 11:52 AM

Curious to know what most people on here consider to be a full restoration in regards to the process, see many ads for cars for sale and starts of in description with full resto but when you read into it becomes clear that many people have a different interpretation of what a full resto is, myself I dont consider a paint job and new set of seat covers to quite cut it. To the extreme their are guys that do the full nut and bolt replacement, these days if I was buying a car that has been portrayed as having a full restoration I would thinking in my head it has been off the chassis, chassis blasted repainted new brakes, suspension and front end components. Motor , gearbox, diff and reconditioned including new components such as starter, alternator, carbie etc etc. Electrical also at the very least tidied up if not replaced and should also go without saying full bare metal respray including engine bay & underbody and all interior replaced or in excellent condition same with wheels and chrome work etc. I just think there a lot of ads out there that are misleading or the sellers really have a different spin on what a full resto is my thoughts anyway but if people expect top dollar for that particular model they are selling I would what all the above ticked off.

**wbute** · 25-10-2014, 12:25 PM

Yeah good question. There are going to be lots of current restorations that in the future are going to muddy the waters for historical reasons.
Another reason to not touch a survivor car if you are lucky enough to find one.
But life would be boring if there were rules to follow on car rebuilding.

**adam perth** · 25-10-2014, 12:30 PM

I think there is one rule that is becoming apparent.. "Don't touch good survivor cars"

I have noticed at car shows that there is always 10 people huddled around a daggy old survivor than a restored car

**HK1837** · 25-10-2014, 12:58 PM

A Survivor HQ 173 3spd Belmont ute interests me more than a restored HQ Sandman.

Fully restored to me means everything is made as per new, either as original (Concours) or modified.

**hqhzvans** · 25-10-2014, 01:25 PM

True a survivor car should be kept that way, my friend bought a HQ 350 coupe earlier in the year a survivor he was in two minds as he is very fussy with his cars what he should do with it as he was entertaining the idea of restoring but I and other people he spoke to suggested he leave it and won best authentic Monaro at the Nationals last weekend I dont think you can beat a good survivor car nut my question above is more to do with what people classify as a full restoration in terms of work carried out

**Innuendo** · 25-10-2014, 01:37 PM

Full Restored Car as a description is like Fully Worked Engine and Best one in Australia, you won't ever see another.
All very much open to interpretation. Another good one is "Rare" when you have six in the garage and there are a dozen more listed on ebay daily.

**wbute** · 25-10-2014, 01:42 PM

Full restoration has no real meaning, other than back to how it was when it was new. So to fully restore my blue WB you had to miss the patch of paint above the rear window. There is no answer. It depends on your own views.

**Vombil** · 25-10-2014, 04:26 PM

once you nail down the meaning full and restored you're closer to it

**Alien DNA** · 25-10-2014, 05:02 PM

Using period correct components, be they NOS or 2nd hand, is what I would class as a resto. You could always improve your ride by using later model components, but a resto in my eyes is building something back to exactly how it left the factory. Possibly the term resto gets blurred because people dont do the proper research and take as gospel what they see in shows etc etc or maybe 2nd hand information which is incorrect.

A full nut and bolt resto is for the extremely dedicated....and i tip my hat to them. I use my cousin as an example.....his 1973 Regal Hardtop is very likely the best on oz. Was banned from the mopar shows as it kept winning year after year...so the judges politely asked him to step aside for fairness to the other owners, which he did. After getting the designers, production line workers and office staff from chrysler to look at his hardtop, there was only a handful of changes to be made.....wrong colour zinc plating on clamps, wrong factory markings.......all small things. Now its as it left the factory, but brand new. Now you cant find a fault with it. His air cleaner is signed by a bunch of chrysler execs and designers. Better part of 9yr build.

My point is, the research and attention to detail is far more than just getting NOS parts. Overspray, bad panel gaps, markings....all things that need to be taken into account. Not for the faint hearted.

**steve1975** · 25-10-2014, 06:57 PM

The term survivor ? I have a survivor it was given to me. 2 owner 140,000 KLM, all original. But not on the road as it needs shockers, brakes, hoses, radiator, tyres, dahs pad, seat belts, w/screen, rego, RWC, carpet, remove the mouse crap, But don't fix up the surface rust on the bonnet & the tail lights that have been installed with tek screws & it will be a survivor ? Survivor to me needs to be on the road not in the shed. To be a survivor these issues need to be addressed. Restored is a term for cars on the road. Needs resto is not. Full resto is an interpretation possibly for cars that are for sale. if you don't like it don't buy it.