Restoration: What Would You Have Done Differently?

[Madflyer]

I did my first one in 1993 TR6 1973. as I had to start with a new frame it was defiantly a frame up. The good part is I now know every part of a TR6. The bad part is I know every part of a TR6 and as I started with one driver and two parts cars I had ex stuff for years. I did the complete restoration in one year so that was a plus. I did not drag out for years as many have had to do. To note I worked part time at a LBC shop so had insight into the work and back up also. No regrets and on the road to this day. It was built as a road trip car and has been from the Mexico border to the Canada. It is a almost 30 year old car again.
This last July I started a new project , 1972 GT6. it is going a little slower as I know little about GT 6's. As it is said a poor man's E Type, the 6cyl motor is about the only thing similar to the TR6. C19 and being retired gives me much time to learn about this little car. some motor work has been done note headers elec. fan compression is 120 psi all cyl and as I started with one driver and one parts car total cost for all $2,500.00 so cost are good so far. As also been said time or money you choose that is what is called restoration of the mine when retired.

Madflyer

 

[nevets]

My one and only restoration(ish) project was a bug-eye Sprite, way back, around 1970, when I had plenty of motivation but scant resources. The one thing I would have done differently is color. I had it painted MG Midget teal blue. Should have kept if OEW.

 

[bob hughes]

Two things.
I used the old bits of the floor around the gear box cover to pattern two new pieces to make them myself. Just welded them in without trying the gear box cover first, later I found that the gear box cover does not quite fit properly.

I was going to leave the petrol tank out of the boot after I rebuilt the boot floor so that I could see the boot lid locking mechanism and make adjustments accordingly, - - I did not and had a we bit of a problem getting it all right.

You learn by your mistakes


Bob

 

[glemon]

I often wonder when seeing folks on the online auctions see a run-down LBC and say, "Just fix it up enough to get it driveable and enjoy." I wonder if anyone in the whole history of old British car ownership has ever carried that off.

I have done it, admittedly none of them British, but the last decade or so decided life was too short to spend doing full bore restorations, and too short for me not to have more fun cars. Bought a BMW 2002 that had sat for a decade or more and had a cheap 80s or early 90s refurb before that, rusty underneath, I welded up some structural bits around the rear, unstuck the clutch, and did a lot of little stuff, enjoyed it for a year, and sold it.

Then got a Porsche 924, fixed vacuum leaks and such, cheap paint job because it was all dinged up but first old car I ever bought that wasn't rusty, upgraded sway bars and shocks and enjoyed it for a year.

Then similar story with a Saab Sonett.

Really the most fun I have had with cars since I was a kid and they were just used cars I drove.

More fun than the three years plus I spent as basically a second after hours job restoring my TR250, though the 250 is a still hoot to drive and nice to look at, and after ten years I am not so worried about a rock chip in the paint (and I have kept the TR, and moved on from the cars that got the "just make it driveable and enjoy" treatment, so that may say something too.

So yes, like others have said, the pursuit of perfection is a lot of work, the return depends on how you are wired I guess. I can live without painting a car if the finish is presentable, but if I do paint it and I screw up anything I am much more critical of my own work than those who came before me.

Lastly, re tiger stripes. I would probably paint a solid color car myself again, but would definitely hire out a metallic. My Healey Blue car ended up with the dreaded stripes on the hood, even after the second paint job, they weren't too bad unless I put my sunglasses on, then they really jumped out.

 

[roscoe]

Yesterday I was doing a bit of cleaning and lamenting the "tiger stripes" when I realized that between my gravel driveway and several highway trips that involved wind and trucks hauling God knows what blowing out of them that I had quite a few new paint chips and some scratches I hadn't seen. Despite this, the people I went to visit, who weren't car folks, thought the Healey was totally awesome and looked great. I agree, better to have fun than to fret.

 

[twas_brillig]

I started a thread a few years back entitled " Tasteful upgrades for a BJ7". And folks came up with a swack! I just had a look and didn't really see any 'this was a waste of time and money'; in our case, I should have thought about changing to negative ground before purchasing LED lights etc. that committed me to stayinjg positive ground. One 'wasted' item was a Lempert 3.54 gear set that had been set up incorrectly and has a built in whine. It's sitting in a bucket; hopefully this summer we'll take the car out for a few runs, and then swap ratios and see how bad the whine actually is. Doug

 

[Superwrench]

My 62 BT-7 Tri-Carb restoration turned out better than I thought. Wish I would of replaced trans and overdrive with the Smitty Toyota Supra 5 speed kit right off the bat ! Purists disagree but the car is a dream to drive now ! The original overdrive broke down 3 times on me ! Had one of the best british car mechanics on the planet help me the 3rd time and it still broke ! That was it ! I yanked it out again and ordered a Smitties ! Haven't been on here in a long time and wanted to say hello to some old friends ! !

 

[roscoe]

I hear you Superwrench but I'm glad I had an original gb and overdrive for several years despite some issues. There is some pleasure in flipping that switch or blipping the throttle. I'm glad I have made the Toyota conversion as well but would have missed out on some fun. I'm glad I have Minotaur tubeless wheels now but I'm glad I had the experience of tubes, flat tires and broken spokes on 48 spoke wheels. I'm too old for all that now but oh, my it was "fun". Four wheel drum brakes were part of the experience too but now with front discs I'm way more comfortable.

 

[randw]

I would have done more research on the restoration shop I chose , and should have pulled my car out of there at the earliest moment I realized that things were going very badly. BTW, the shop is in Philadelphia, Pa

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Randw, I think your experience is very common. Many people I've talked to said the shops they used never delivered what and when they promised. Not only British cars but all kinds of collector cars. I was lucky to find a Paint shop that only worked on two cars at a time and wouldn't take on another until one was complete. Of course that meant you had to have all your decisions made before you started. No spending months trying to decide on the "right color".

 

[Bob_Spidell]

It's a no-brainer, but I wish I'd been more diligent bagging and labeling all the small pieces when we resto'd our BN2. You tend to think "Oh, I'll remember where THIS goes," but my dad had a couple serious illnesses and the resto took 10 years. We disassembled the car in a couple weekends.

 

[bob hughes]

Thinking about it, I saved a few bob when I decided to reproduce the curved floor sections that are under the gearbox tunnel. I had the remains of the existing floor sections so proceeded to make 'faithful' replicas. They looked good and welded them in matching up with the front and back sections of the tunnel area in the cockpit. I would have done better to fit the gear box tunnel to properly locate them and tack weld them before a fully welded them in in.
The tunnel fits but it could have been better.



Bob

 

[LAW75]

I would have researched a bit more about shooting a metallic color. I put the doors on saw horses and put the base coat on a little too heavy because I didn't have to worry so much about having a run. It's a no no with metallics as it lets the metal flakes concentrate and can make a very faint striping effect. People don't tend to notice but I do. I even bonded the doors to the paint gun and a real ground to prevent the effect. I didn't see it until I shot the clear coat. I decided it would be more fun to drive the car than to strip and repaint the doors. If you zoom in on the attached photo you can see it. I think light coats and allowing it to flash off would have been better.

Lovely looking car, Roscoe.

 

[roscoe]

Thanks so much. Complements from other Healey owners on or off this forum are special indeed. It's really about a 10 footer. It did win a people's choice award the ony time I showed it. I think it won because I put this photo on the windshield as a "before" picture. Ah, younger days........

 

[Goldie]

I had my transmission rebuilt, but nothing done to the overdrive. Both working okay. I just don't like not having 1st sycnchronized and it is way too low in first. I start off a lot in second. I now wish I had installed a 5-speed conversion in my 67 BJ8.

 

[JagConsult2]

spend the majority of your funds an a better car in the beginning, even if such means you have no $ left to begin to drive. when you have accrued more funds you will be surprises at how quickly a project gets completed,. it is an arduas task to repair/restore junk-- and thankless at best

 

[JagConsult2]

Happy day my when I bought my sailboat, only to be eclipsed by the happiness on the day I sold it. If you were a good steward when you owned it ( no doubt there), and had a bit of fun, that's what counts.

B-O-A-T==bring over another thousand LOL

 

[Garrym]

Taken about a zillion more photos.
So many times I didn’t have a photo when I was trying to figure out how something went together.