Finding a Race Car Opinions

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71GSSDemon

71GSSDemon

FABO Gold Member
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My question to the masses.....what do you do with a found race car. Not a famous one, just an old car used for racing all of its life. What is the point where the car should be restored to stock vs left and used in period race trim? I lean towards period correct race trim restoration/use myself. What would your criteria be? How rare? How much changed/missing? Let me know your thoughts!!
 
Old race cars are cool. I would just leave it alone. Unless there is some real hack going on, that is. Always interesting to see how someone else does things or how "old" tech works. To me, it's kind of a shame when a car is "put back street". A great example is the Steve Bagwell driven 70 Hemi Cuda convertible super stocker. That was a bitchin looking race car. Now restored back to assembly line fresh. Still a great looking car. Triple black I think! But, to me, all that history gone...
 
I have a friend that found a dedicated AMC Rambler race car. The body and paint are not getting touched but it will be back on the track next year. How can you paint over the name on the door and all the other hand painted sponsors? It's cool history
 
The root of this discussion is with my Demon. My dad bought it new, Mr Norms 340 +6 GSS car. He raced it, blew up the 340, dropped in a 440 and kept at it. Very minor changes to the car over the years he had it. It then sat in a garage/barn for 34 years until I found it. Missing motor and trans. Homemade inner fenders and core support (guy after Dad had a blower on the 440 for a year). So when I found it, I wanted it to be similar to the way Dad raced it, with a few liberties of my own. I have an engine plate, tunnel ram 440, different wheels, different hood, etc. Interior is factory stock as is the sheet metal. Do I get a date code 340 (I know where the #'s block is but he refuses to sell it to me) and add my original Norms 6 pack and put to stock? or have fun, drive the car as often as I can in a 1970's street machine/race car image that has been burned into my brain since the 1 and only time I rode in the car when I was 6????
 
71GSSDemon said:
The root of this discussion is with my Demon. My dad bought it new, Mr Norms 340 +6 GSS car. He raced it, blew up the 340, dropped in a 440 and kept at it. Very minor changes to the car over the years he had it. It then sat in a garage/barn for 34 years until I found it. Missing motor and trans. Homemade inner fenders and core support (guy after Dad had a blower on the 440 for a year). So when I found it, I wanted it to be similar to the way Dad raced it, with a few liberties of my own. I have an engine plate, tunnel ram 440, different wheels, different hood, etc. Interior is factory stock as is the sheet metal. Do I get a date code 340 and add my original Norms 6 pack and put to stock? or have fun, drive the car as often as I can in a 1970's street machine/race car image that has been burned into my brain since the 1 and only time I rode in the car when I was 6????
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I have seen your car and although it's a Mr Norm car it has a rich history of being something else. That's cool and something that didn't happen to many Norm's cars. Keep it like it is and relish the history. Even better yet, it was your dad that modified it. Icing on the cake.
 
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Rock that thing! Race it, take it to shows, take your girl out to lunch and just be happy you have a lifelong memory attached to your Dad
 
dartindanno said:
Rock that thing! Race it, take it to shows, take your girl out to lunch and just be happy you have a lifelong memory attached to your Dad
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Thank you. I also was able to bring dad with to buy it back and since getting the car back, dad bought a 1969 notchback barracuda. We go to shows together and talk cars all the time. He just had a 440 built for it over the winter. It has been a great run..

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Ya, put a motor in it and run as is. Take a small part of the painted real estate and tag it with your name as well. inside the trunk or lower quarter. You are wrenching on it, put a sig on it. You are part of the hx is what i say. Your Pops made it a BB, Id keep it BB and note the year of the changeover and years of the swaps on a list inside the trunk. Cool stuff. I have seen the car I think.....but this thread could really use a picture, even if its old. I need some cowbell here fellas.

Holy schizen!!! imeediate pics!! nice job!
 
clementine said:
Ya, put a motor in it and run as is. Take a small part of the painted real estate and tag it with your name as well. inside the trunk or lower quarter. You are wrenching on it, put a sig on it. You are part of the hx is what i say. Your Pops made it a BB, Id keep it BB and note the year of the changeover and years of the swaps on a list inside the trunk. Cool stuff. I have seen the car I think.....but this thread could really use a picture, even if its old. I need some cowbell here fellas.

Holy schizen!!! imeediate pics!! nice job!
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Thank you. The whole story is in my signature with barn find pics and all. Here are some more... Even one with me, Dad and Mr Norm

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Changing Tires Demon.jpg


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Me, Dad and Mr Norm.jpg


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Ok, back to other cars. Where is the line? What cars need to be restored back to stock and what cars need to show their history and changes over the years?


Also, I repurchased all the original NOS fender decals he had during that time. Debating putting them back one as well....
 
My favorite race car from back in the day is Tennessee Thunder. You can see the influences...

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I bought a 67 barracuda fastback. No numbers, no tag, had torque boxes and a BB K member. It was a solid car but who knows what it was. Frame stiffening and a mini tub is perfect for that kind of car. I would not treat a V8 numbers car in the same way unless it came to me already modified. Everybody has their own threshold for this, and pocketbooks to match. I just hope that whomever gets the Jay Leno collection keeps up the tradition of caring for that history.
 
Although, I am in favor of keeping sorta as is, it would be nice to get that numbers block. It's too bad a trade of sorts couldn't be worked out. If he's refusing just to be a dickhead, I'd be tempted to ask if he would enjoy walking with a limp.....
 
408 swinger said:
Although, I am in favor of keeping sorta as is, it would be nice to get that numbers block. It's too bad a trade of sorts couldn't be worked out. If he's refusing just to be a dickhead, I'd be tempted to ask if he would enjoy walking with a limp.....
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It is how he is. It is in a 78 Valore Road Runner of all cars too. 408 stroker, aluminum heads, etc. Been together since the 80's -90's ish. I offered a replacement block, pay for machining, etc. Nope. His whole family is on board that the right thing to do is get it back to me. Nope. All I want is the block. He can keep the rest. The only number I ever got from him is $5K. Sorry, not paying your ransom I will wait for you to die first then talk to the family.
 
barbee6043 said:
I totally agree espeially from a "what will it be worth if you ever sell" standpoint.
Since I am a child of the sixties, I agree with day two stuff, especially!!
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I will never sell the car. My original plan was to take it back to a small block, 6 pack, ralley wheel, stock hood, etc driver once the Charger is done. I am just afraid I wont drive it much in that configuration as it will then need to be having more date code parts and such.
 
Preserve your dad’s touch on that car as much as possible. Once it’s gone, it’s gone…
 
71GSSDemon said:
Ok, back to other cars. Where is the line? What cars need to be restored back to stock and what cars need to show their history and changes over the years?


Also, I repurchased all the original NOS fender decals he had during that time. Debating putting them back one as well....
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I think the car's personality is cumulative over time. Making the current state the best possible condition captures that. I would draw the line at some egregious disfigurement that occurred but otherwise show the character. :thumbsup:
 
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not a race car but this is along the same lines.. this hemi cuda got restored back to boring *** original.. that paint job may not be everyone's cup of tea but its much more interesting then the after pics.. in my opinion the owner ruined the car buy restoring it.. i don't care how rare it is, it should have stayed as it was in the 70's... but hey its not my money..:)



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another one.. used to see this at Englishtown's Mopar Atlantic nats every year.. i hear its ben restored to original too.. damn shame..


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