'74 Restoration

Maybe I overdid it. It was intended to be a "sympathetic restoration". I'm not really into the "restore it to the point you can't drive it" mind set.



The ONLY thing I can find that STOPS me from thinking this is a 100% Brand New car and ANNOUNCES its "restoration" are the discolored plastics.

That is, the clips and hoses and reservoirs... maybe the regulator cover. Restoring or replacing all those would be a bunch of work, especially at this point but I just gotta say it.

I'm not putting this down or Mark down in any way... its just the resolution I came to as to what was the difference between a new car or "museum piece" and a "1000 Point Restoration".

In any case... WELL DONE, OUTSTANDING! And I am afraid if it were mine I'd do the obscene and place it in a glass case!
 
I know... I know... I know...

I picked up a Pedal car for my first granddaughter that was "cute" and I could fix it up and she could ride it around...



Its the Good Humor trike on the left. After investing $750.00 into it and about 3 months of work playing with it... it was a MUSEUM piece and I found it was valued at around $3500.00 dollars!

So I'm gonna let this 3 year old take it out and bang it into curbs?

HA!



Here she is UN-POSED with a Big Wheel of sorts I pulled out of a dumpster and converted to a Harley Trike. There were several others... but like the little Red Trike above, most were restored over the top. I believe I have about 22 under my belt... HA!

The one-dog power was our Princess Sara and she would haul-ass pulling the kids down the street. She seemed to love it more than the kids!
 
Thank Mark... it gave me something to do...

whilst my X was in hiatus and primarily a shelf and work bench in my garage. Another example, sitting atop Black Tooth...



A friend of a friend sold me this car in grey primer and I bought it unsure of what it was. Luckily it was as I thought in the height of the Hallmark Card promotion that probably lasted 5 years or so. It turned out to be a "Garton" Hot Rod with CHAIN DRIVE! I collected all the collateral I could and built it to exactly MATCH the Hallmark models even though they were not technically correct. The Chain Drives were the Hemi's back in the day and would kick bums on the pump action cars.

I managed to only spend about $250 bucks restoring this guy and he was worth about $1500. The Trike on the right was a backed over frame from a bike shop in Livermore CA... and they said I could have it. One day I straightened it all out, pounded out that fender, upholstered the seat, and added lights and a battery pack, using the wheels and tires that came off the Hot Rod, I built an axle and handle bars and on and on.. The lights came from a truck stop... HA! I doubt I have $70 bucks in that one...

Always sumthun'...
 
OCD

You know guys, Mark is different...
As we [us normal humans] accumulate parts, most of us find room, and if we're real organized, might half-ass separate them into walmart bins, placing them in specific areas of our work areas.

Mark has a tendency to completely re-finish parts, then gingerly place them in bins or proper shelf order.

No dirty engines on the floor...
No grenaded transmissions stuffed in the corners...

Nope. Fully restored parts, engines, trannys...all waiting for a home in some "as yet to be named" project. If you didn't know the parts were redone, you would think they were seeing the first light of day from the factory.

I asked Mark about this. His reply couldn't have been simpler. Start on one thing and finish it.

Whaaaa?

You mean all I have to do is one thing at a time!? Not have two car and one project motorcycle all going at once? not divide my finances pathetically thin? All I have to do is get the "proper" color paint? All I have to do is media blast before I even rattle-can some satin black...?

And the kicker is, he has the same or less time than the rest of us. His Job is full time, and his family comes first, well before the car stuff.

I neglect my family regularly, AND I am retired, and I still get 10% of what he does finished.

I've grown to like Mark, but he is reeeealy starting to piss me off!
 
AWESOME car! I just bought a 1982 that I'm having restored. (I just don't have the time to do the paint and body work myself.) I can't wait to be back driving it again. What a great little car!! Nice job on your restoration!
 
Dash repair question

Hello Mark,
Can you tell us about the dash repair on your car? Details of the process you used to repair and replace texture. Thanks,
Bob
 
red carpet in a yellow car...

I'll admit it seems a strange color combo, but the car is a 70's child, and I'm keeping mine. I guess my car is rarer now--an unrestored original 74.

My orange-red 74 has red carpet as well, #8489.

I"m curious to know what color 74's came with red carpet, orange carpet, and if any other carpet color was offered...
 
Actually, I would have kept the red carpet if it was worth saving.
I'd love to see photos of your unrestored '74.


I'll admit it seems a strange color combo, but the car is a 70's child, and I'm keeping mine. I guess my car is rarer now--an unrestored original 74.

My orange-red 74 has red carpet as well, #8489.

I"m curious to know what color 74's came with red carpet, orange carpet, and if any other carpet color was offered...
 
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