Half-restored and Happy

So you bought an old car? Maybe you got the one you�ve always wanted or maybe so-and-so�s uncle had this one sitting in his backyard for years and finally decided to move it out. Now you�ve got it and here it sits in all its dusty, unknown-condition glory. So now what? Well these days the path is as unclear as it�s ever been. Few of us can afford to simply tear it down to labeled ziplock bags of nuts and bolts and begin a full restoration with a ridiculous 2 day deadline, like you see on the television shows. Quite the opposite, most of us just want to get it running and driving and get an idea of what we�re working with. We�re not usually short of big ideas for a grand restoration project, but first things first. What exactly have we gotten ourselves into here? First steps are usually to check the vitals, and make every attempt to get it into a condition for a safe start up. Defining �safe� varies from garage to garage, but we�ll assume no driving. You get the carb cleaned up and supply a clean fuel source to an engine with spark. Put 12 volts to it and see what happens, right? Most of these old cars were originally parked for a reason. They had a nagging issue or a failed part, and they sat on the sidelines from that point on. So you can assume there�s going to be more to it than a basic carb rebuild, but don�t let that anxiety get in the way. Usually the reason for being parked was as much a lack of interest as it was the severity of the breakage. Get in there and get it fixed! Once you�ve fooled with this old thing for a few days (or years depending on your attention span or energy levels) and it�s running and driving safely, see about getting tags on it. Where do we go from here? Ultimately that�s the question answered by available funds, time and commitment. One of the coolest things we see these days are old cars and trucks that have been fixed up just enough to be safe and somewhat reliable and then immediately enjoyed for their true value while the restoration continues. The idea of fixing up an old vehicle while you drive it is hardly new, but what is fairly new is that it�s cool to have a patina�d old car that runs good. Obviously we�re biased, but we see these cars all the time with a brand new set of original fitment tires or wild non-stock setup and they�re almost always seen with big smiles all around. The answer to that question of �what next� sometimes is, enjoy the car! If you�re just restoring it to flip, that�s a whole different ball game, but if you have a passion for old cars and trucks, getting it running and driving is half the fun, and getting it out on the road and enjoying it is the other half. You�ve got to get them safe and reliable, for sure. Nobody wants to be in traffic with a dangerous vehicle. But, just because they aren�t shiny doesn�t mean you can�t get out and enjoy them. In a way, it�s price:satisfaction equation. The guy who�s $150,000 deep on a �68 Camaro might be out-of-his-mind upset anytime the car won�t crank or pulls to the left, BUT the guy who just drove 150 miles to a cruise-in in his $1,200 C-10 after staying up all night getting the brakes figured out, has the biggest smile you�ve ever seen on his face. You know? He gets it, and we�re all happy for him and maybe even a little jealous! What exactly are we saying here? This is a Public Service Announcement of sorts. Yeah, we want you to put a brand new set of our tires on it. More than that, we want you to get out there and enjoy these classics. When you drive them, you represent the hobby, you inspire future generations and most importantly you immediately get all of the smiles and satisfaction that come along with it.

Don't Let Dull Paint Ruin a Good Time

So you bought an old car? Restore or don�t. Spend $100 or spend your retirement on it. Just get it to a place where you can get out and enjoy it (and everyone else can,too!). We always hope you�ll find one our products to help get it just the way you want it to look and drive, and we sure hope you�ll bring it by if you�re ever passing through. Check out these cars and trucks in various states of "restored" that have visited our cruise-ins.