VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions A statement I like

There is a statement by Jim Richards in my new Hemmings Classic Car magazine that I like.

"If we are to be true to history, we must do our best to take our collector cars back to the way they were, not how we imagined them to be."

I like it..the way they where

Next to the knowledge that Gene Schneider provides us, I like the articles that Jim Richards writes.

After reading this months G&D Presidents Message ,I wonder about modified cars and where that starts and stops.I own a 1940 Chevrolet 2dr sedan Master Deluxe,it is all original and has about 44,000 miles since new. although original mechanics it's
appearance is not factory original. Liberties have been taken to
add accessories that were not on the car when delivered. The car now has all bumper and trunk and grill gaurds ,bumper ends and white wall tires. The interior has the optional clock ,but when looking at the radio to find it's problem its a very base 5 tube
radio ,makes you wonder is this car a correct representation of its original self .

We can always wonder about a car's originality, but you have to allow for 68 years since the car was really "original' only during a very small splinter of time, not to be the same, unless you can crank up the old time machine and go back to 1941 and haul a new car back with you. Would it get a 1000 point score? I doubt it with the judges that we have today. We can't replace the original tires, tubes, and the radioactive isotope free 1941 air in the tires, tires and batteries aren't made of the same ccompounds that they once were. The capacators, resistors in the radio won't last for 68 years and still be in the original condition. A car set up on jack stands and kept in a climate controlled atmosphere would have many items that deteriate just because of age.

Look at us humans, some of us age fairly gracefully, and then there are the rest of us. Cosmetic surgery does wonders, but it is merely cosmetic!
I think that we honor a restored car for being brought back to what we consider "Original as it rolled off the showroom floor". One could always argue that it was possible for a new car buyer to have the items you mentioned dealer installed before you receive it to be driven home.
We do the best that we can and try to get close to that ultimate score of 1000 points. Maybe a judge won't find out that we have homemade gaskets, a Inlet Needle Viton® Tip, etc., etc. and a modern vibrator power supply in the "Restored 5 tube radio".

MrMack. There is a lot of truth when you mention the test of time on original materials and the natural decay. It's not so much the idea of replacing items that reflect the originality
even if the material is different , about the substitution of
equipment like putting a later model 235 c.i. engine or a later model transmission or converting to 12 volt on my 1940 .The car appears stock and sounds stock and to the layman would look like the original car. From the VCCA stand point is this in keeping with their ideals ? When I read the article it made me wonder as a new member is this really a hot issue? With my car the look I want to have is a typical car of the decade not the show case for gm accessories or to modify it or reenginer the car . I was just curious as to what veteran club members though?