Drive or restore
 

I've had my 1930 CCPU since July and have really enjoyed driving it. It was restored back in the 80's by a guy in Texas and is in good shape. Was wondering how many people here bought their vehicles and literally just drive them and only repair them as needed as opposed to those who bought them and restored them? My last vehicle was a '50 Buick which I restored and it was a lot of work and $$ and in the end I was almost afraid to drive it! This truck however, I love to drive and it's fun. I don't plan on restoring it, but was wondering what folks thought process was on the driver vs the restorer?

Re: Drive or restore
 

I have a 31 WB CCPU and drive it as I "restore" it. I have friends that never drove their A until after complete dis assembly and total restoration. Their A's tend to sit in the garage, totalling only a few hundred miles per year. Mine rack up that many per month. It's all what YOU want.

Re: Drive or restore
 

It is easy to explain what a driver is, a "Restored" A is many things to many people. I'd save my money and keep adding gas and oil. Bob

Re: Drive or restore
 

Mine are both drivers, already "restored" by amatures along time ago who used parts from all years of "A" production. In the 10 years that I've had my '28 I have replaced all the incorrect parts with period correct parts, some NOS and some repro for appearance sake and some I restored the correct original that was on the car/truck.
As they are now, I'm afraid to drive them because of the way people drive nowadays, nothing to do with how much $$$$$ I have put into them but rather the sentimental value that I have placed on them for all my time researching parts and hunting them down. A labor of love. I also have a great deal of "pride of ownership" in these two vintage autos and hope to be able to pass them along to my children, no matter what their condition.

Re: Drive or restore
 

just drive it and fix what everneeds to be done to drive and enjoy it, that way you wont have a stroke if some child touches your fender

Re: Drive or restore
 

I have a 30 Briggs fordor that I bought this Summer also. It was an older restoration. It runs good but the paint isn't the best. It looks like an old original car. The interior was redone years ago in original style. I plan to drive it as is. I also have a 30 coupe that I am doing a frame on restoration.
Bill

Re: Drive or restore
 

I bought my 30 coupe on September 20 2012, it was a barn find basically. Did a tune up, checked it over and me and my wife got married in it two days later and we have since then drove the wheels off it, fixing things up as needed , put over 2000 miles on it since September, hard to believe but we really do drive it everywhere , everyone loves it compared to one that's all restored , my family has many restored model a and model t fords but mine def attracts more attention the way it is

Re: Drive or restore
 

I bought a '28 Tudor earlier this year. I know it has been repainted inside and out, front fenders have been replaced, engine swap, and a new clutch. Looking under the car, it looks like it has never had the body off, but not for sure.

I drive it all the time, will clean and paint the under carriage this winter and come spring, will repaint all of the fenders. After that, will drive the wheels off of it and come winter, will paint the body, and then will drive it some more.

I guess I do like the others, restore and drive, but a lot more drive.

Re: Drive or restore
 

A driver seems to mean the owner has an excuse for not being correct. Could be a car that is barely able move under it own power to an overhead valve conversion with headers and dual intake.

A restored car has the chassis fully restored to factory and the upper body closely held to factory. Is not always a points car, just a car done properly. This car will run the 60 MPH and stop with authority. They are a dream to drive and are super reliable.

Keep in mind a show car out getting points may not be much fun to drive. A points car has to have the correct parts and they do not have have to fit properly.

My car I consider restored as I am trying to get the chassis back to factory tolerances. Not all the parts are going to be correct from the judging point of view. I am trying to capture much of what a car would look like when it came from the factory. I also consider my car a driver cause that is what I intend to do with it.

Re: Drive or restore
 

As was mine, and I also "restore" as I go.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I would describe mine as "refurbished and close to correct," and I drive 'em all the time.

Re: Drive or restore
 

We got a high points car as my wife says so. :cool:
(luckily nobody arround to judge different)

Its truely loved, but treated as a car and it will
be fixed once something breakes.

Sadly no driving in wintertime as car-industies over here
sponsored an new record amount of salt this winter. :mad:

.

Re: Drive or restore
 

Mine is a bit different. I've had it over thirty years as a basket case. Never even saw it together, ever. It is under construction, as correct as I can make it, without thinking points, but with the objective of having an accurate 1929 new car driving experience.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I was going to repair my 30 coupe and keep it on the road. I started with the brakes. They turned out to be completely shot. The front roller tracks completely worn off. Remove all the brakes for repair. Noticed the steering was sloppy when removing the front brakes. All the steering balls were shot. Removed them for repair. Now I could see that the front axle was bent.

It went on-and-on. while taking off the rear brakes, I noticed that the seals were bad. While draining the rear axle, I found several teeth from the ring gear were broken off. Eventually, I wound up repairing the rear axel, transmission, clutch, steering box, everything. The same with the body. Start repairing rusty sheet metal only to find that the substrate needs repair too.

I consider what I am doing as repairing my car not restoring it. I think of restoring a car as returning it back to the original condition it was in when it came off the assembly. When I finish the body work and reassemble it, I plan to drive the heck out of it. Hope to see you all on the road soon. Bill

Re: Drive or restore
 

Throw some duct take in tha back along with bailing wire and some basic tools. Have fun!

Re: Drive or restore
 

I bought my 28 leatherback in Jan 2011 as a retirement gift for me. It is mostly original except for the poor paint job and the top being painted with black paint. It starts well and runs fine. Unfortunately the oil smell and leaks are so bad I cannot drive it very far. I have been concentrating on doing repairs like brakes, front end rebuild, and most recently the carburetor. I may have to spring for an engine rebuild to allow me to really enjoy it more. There is no rust through anywhere and the interior is original. Look at my folder to see it. Restoration is not part of the plan.
Keep it safe and drive it for the enjoyment.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I bought my tudor in 1975 and gave it a paint job and a better motor, and just drove it for many years, fixing things as needed. About 6 years ago I took it all apart, restored the chassis completely, had the original motor rebuilt, fixed body rust and fenders, and painted it with quality paint and installed a Lebaron Bonney interior. It is a nice car, and occasionally gets a trophy if I stay long enough at a show, but I drive it. It has never been on a trailer in all those years, and I have enjoyed the car as a driver. It is not a piece of crap, as some describe drivers, but it is not a show car, babied in an enclosed trailer to gather trophies. I enjoy an evening drive around this big town with lots of country roads, to wind down after a day of work.

Re: Drive or restore
 

Personally, I prefer to drive mine anywhere and everywhere, but if you get your
enjoyment out of hauling yours around in a trailer from show to show, who am I
to judge you. To each his own.

Jack

Re: Drive or restore
 

My car is very original with a 60's paint job. I made sure it stopped and steered safely, the electrics are solid, and it gets fuel, compression and spark when it needs it and I drive it, alot. It's a blast

Re: Drive or restore
 

Unless you want it to be judged and most of us don't, why not just refurbish rather than resore ? As you get a buy on something you think you need snap it up and use it when the time suits. There are very few show cars around and most of them are trailer queens ! Drive it and enjoy it. Remember you are having fun with an 80 year old lady so treat her with respect and enjoy her company.
Wayne

Re: Drive or restore
 

I say leave it enjoy it and fix as necessary!

Re: Drive or restore
 

I bought mine to be a driver. Unfortunately, in the 2-1/2 years I've had it, it's been on the "injured/disabled" roster most of the time, due to incorrect/inadequate mechanical repairs when it was restored by the previous owner 20 years ago. The body work was immaculate, but the mechanicals were not so good. Hopefully here in the next couple of months I can get it back on the road and start driving it again. Even at that I've been able to put a couple thousand miles on it since I've had it, which is twice what it had in the previous 20 years.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I much prefer the driving to the showing. I like them to look original but enjoy doing a few modifications to make them more reliable and safer. We organize some longer tours to the various MAFCA meets and have driven cars thousands of miles. So I vote for driving!

Re: Drive or restore
 

AMEN, brother, preach on!

Re: Drive or restore
 

I wanted the best of both worlds, so I took the time to find a Model A that was very nicely restored...not a show car, but close. I also have no interest in showing it, but I did want a very nice, correct driver that I did not have to continually work on.
It is a very nice car, with a beautiful paint job and new interior, but I am not afraid to drive it often, in traffic, on tours on the freeway, and to local stores. I had an unrestored Model A coupe in the early 1960's and wanted a nice, like new Model A....but one to enjoy, not leave in the garage. People ask all the time, "aren't you afraid to drive it in traffic and park in parking lots"...and I say no, I am just careful, and I really enjoy driving it.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I think I am with TerryH. A nice restoration, not over the top, but clean and correct is my preference.

Re: Drive or restore
 

Every day you spend restoring it is another day you can't drive it. But also keep in mind that restored high point cars can still be driven dispite what you might read here.

Re: Drive or restore
 

A driving restoration project or my therapy as I call it.

Re: Drive or restore
 

I too had a 50 Buick before my Model A. An original '20 footer' car with some dings & fading in spots and that's what everyone liked about it. So I just kept it that way for 7 years doing general maintenance. It was a virtual furnace in the summer until I removed the vent deflectors. Sold it as I've always wanted an early 30's car & can have only one at a time. I think the little flaws gives it character. If it's a honey to drive then just enjoy it. It looks way better than most A's do in period photos anyway!