I got a zero because I didn't take the quiz. If you ask three people what defines a classic, an antique, a muscle car you will get four different answers. Then we have the debate over what is restored, what is a survivor, what is original, and on and on. In the end the only thing that matters is that you own the car you like. I personally like restored to showroom stock. I think that making a pro street car ruins it but that just isn't my style and it isn't my car.

 

Not to start anything. But I think a little different then My Buddy Gregg. I like stock cars as much as I like a shape stick in the eye. I LOVE Muscle cars. And PRO STREET carS are just AWESOME. In the Chevelle club we have a little of both. But the Pro street are the head turners for sure. The guys that like the chalk marking in the right place. The correct radio nobbs the write nuts and bolts are BORING too me. Its a damn HOT ROD. NOw not saying that one of there car with 22 or what ever and they sit up like a 4x4 is the right way. Just not my way. The way I feel about it is. YOUR MONEY build it your way. But if you want to make it an investment then theres only a couple of ways to build them. I always said. I'm building y car or bike for me not you. If you don't like it. Shut your mouth an walk your a** down the street. Sorry about the Rant. But that brings the worst out of me.

 

See I'm just the opposite of Rick. I like a Concours restoration. I even listened to a 2 hour interview a couple of guys trying to do a restoration on a pair of '69 Mustangs did because they want to restorie the way the factory would have and even go as far as to make the same mistakes the factory would have...


I like seeing some peoples eye to detail. I've seen people paint their master cylinders black because thats the way Ford actually painted them... ugly, but that's the correct way. I've seen people intentionally make runs in their engine bay to replicate factory originality. I've even gone so far as to paint ignition coils to look like factory ones myself.



The thing about the quiz though... any time you're asking "What is the best way too...." you're getting a subjective answer. Some guys refuse to put a reproduction part on a car. They'll hunt junkyard for 1 year trying to find that right part that is restorable. To them, it is an unforgivable sin to put a reproduction part on a concours restoration. Unacceptable, no matter how you spin the wheel. I've even known guys who went to a parts store, bought a brake hose for the front, saw "Made in China" printed on the rubber, got pissed off and went to a hydraulic shop and had a hose made just like it out of American materials.



One of my history professors always said don't criticize unless you're willing to offer an alternative. Maybe I'll work on a better antique car quiz along the same lines that we can agree upon....

 

Duane . How you doing ? Hey i unstand all that. But I see guys & girls that are building their hard earned cars for someone else's idea's. Not theirs. There for not having fun with it. The Concours stuff is great. But thats for the guys that " I think are in it for the ca$h" Not the fun of it. Duane. I grew up in the 60 & 70's With the Muscle cat 1st started and also came to a screaming halt. We never pd attn to to all that. We made mods that were fun and looked cool to us. We built them our way. Maybe its my old biker ATTITUDE ! gets in my way once in a while. With people TELLING whats right for me. Or whats the right way to do things. KMA! I might be way off base with a lot of people. But that makes the world go around. And I go around MY way. You bring up some good points. The two of us come from different sides of the tracks. And the two will never come together But its fun discussing it. Rick

 

I think there is a difference between building a car and restoring one. Both great ideas

 

Well it seems that around here, everyone has their own things in their vehicles and I decided I was going to shoot for something different. I've always had that strive to separate myself from main stream a little bit. So I figured the best way would just be to put the car back together stock with the stock rims and all that bit to separate myself from the "hot rod" culture here in the south. Almost everyone here has a hot cam, gets about 4 mpg, has a BB crate engine, American Racing or Cragar wheels, shackle bar kits, maybe even a T-bucket with a GM engine.


So I wanted what I wanted and I set out to do it. I always tell people on the Torino forum to restore it the way it makes you happy. Heck, we had an argument not too long ago about whether the Ford Torino Talladega Cobras were "Ford Fairlane Cobras" (used a Fairlane body code), Torino Cobra (sold in the Torino line) or just "Cobra" because the sales literature advertised them as a "Cobra." Believe it or not, it got heated. Just call them whatever makes you happy.... couldn't believe it.


Ford-Mercury-Lincoln Torino Talladega Cobra Fairlane Sportsroof convertible C6 manual transmission, small big block engine with bucket bench seats, and EFI carbureation.



Some guys on the Torino forum take pride in making great efforts to make cars stock. I've seen guys replicate mistakes such as incorrect stickers or placements, runs in the engine compartment paint, the red primer on the bottom instead of painted black, all sorts of strange mess. I've even repainted ignition coils to look like the stock ones. I just see that as clever. Repainting what was a red ignition coil to the black and yellow to cause the illusion of being correct.


I just built it the way it made me happy.

 

My Chevelle isn't all stock. I have pro car bucket seats. Instead of the bench seat it came with. It has a built motor, lower gears 342. Shift kit. after market radio, Cragar wheels front & back, Headers with cut outs. But its an a/c car V 8. automatic. Its just a toy to me. At this point in my life and being retired. I don't have the $$$$ it will take to restore it to factory. I was ALWAYS a Ford guy till about 8 yrs ago. I had a 68 Torino fastback 289 2 bbl. My 1st new car ever. I had cragars and pipes on it and that was it. We were a family just starting out. I LOVED THAT CAR. It was RED with black int & bucket seats. I agree this conversation will never end. Cause I say potato you say spud. Its all in the eye of the beholder. I too like looking at stock cars. But I also like Customs and Pro street. Pro street being my fav. WHY listen to one 1st. If that doesn't make the hair on the back of yr neck stand up nothing will. OK nough said. This will never ever get settled on here or any place. BUt lets all do our thing. And have a Blast doing it.

 

Rick , I know you should build for yourself ..,I had a truck driver tell me a messed my 1940 chevy up because I put 350 engine in it ,He said it should be a 6 not a V8 . I told him to get his own old car..

 

Rick I would like your car. You personalized it and made it yours. I like those kinds of mods. You have not done anything to your car that can't be undone and returned back to stock if you or someone else chooses to in the future. When someone builds a Prostreet they make mods that are difficult to reverse. I hate to see a Prostreet built out of a rare car. If someone wants to build one out of say a 70 Chevelle that was originally a six cylinder automatic, they were a dime a dozen and that would get my vote but to do it to a SS 396 or 454 I think is a sin.