[Harvey]

I realize I have only begun the process of restoring this car. I want to express gratitude to all of you who warned me from the beginning and maybe advise someone who is just considering their first project. Mind you I am glad of the road I choose and will continue with as concourse as a restoration as I can. However some of the simple decisions I have already had to make in restoring a car have cost me much loss of sleep and anxiety as well as money!
From the beginning The decision to go Survivor, Resto-Mod, Concourse, Daily Driver, was kinda tuff, Each one is limited by what you have to start with and what or how much you want to invest along with what you want to do with the car later. That decision alone leads to numerous other decisions. Paint, type and color, NOS parts or refurbished, OEM or after market? New reproductions or Keep what you have? When I was taking my car apart I noticed some things that I didn't understand as they were to sloppy, Now I find out that Ford quality was quite poor and the things I thought were not right as they were to sloppy were original Ford! The paint is almost done! Was getting ready to spray the pinch welds black but had a question as to how far back the spray went. Made a few phone calls and looked at some pictures, The original pinch welds on my car (68) were put there with a BRUSH! Now I have a very expensive paint job and I make a decision to brush on black paint over it! That kinda messes with my mind but it will be correct! And right when I think I am doing everything correct I decide to deviate such as taking the orange peel out of the paint! I believe it was the right thing to do but agree it was wrong in regards to the concourse paint job. If I ever do another car it will be a modified restoration. That way all I have to do is figure what I want. Not what is right or wrong. I definitely am feeling much more attached to this car already than when I started. Even after talking to all yall on here I had no idea what I was getting into and I am only starting!

 

[Jon Manning]

Ahhh, another addict trying to deal with the demons of passion. Harvey that's why there only original once. How many 100 point concourse cars do you really see? None! Can you make them better, even if it's cosmetics, Oh heck ya! There's probably a whole bunch of people on here that wish they were doing exactly what you are doing, including myself. All I can say is my hats off to you and its not worth losing sleep over. Carry on!

 

[Harvey]

Different plants do different things. Sometimes different from one line worker to another. So much speculation. Look at one of Royce's cars, Look at one done from KTL, drool over Gunner! The the painters well whats it gonna be?!! and I just kinda say uhhhh?

 

[mmmeat]

You can worry about details like the blacking out of pinch welds later, too, Harvey..It was one of the last things I did. That and the paint dobs and driveshaft/spring coloration..and again, NOBODY cared or asked what color they should be or made it an issue whatsoever..once it was done, it was merely noted that it was done..

Just food for thought. Nobody cares about your car as much as you do, so you'll make it right, and it's the sweating over the details that are more satisfying to you than anyone else down the road.

I only did it because it was the only way to do a GT-E and get top dollar out of her..I'd not have sweated the details if it was for me to drive.

I'm also thoroughly enjoying having a couple of cars that are uniquely orgininal and looking at their little original details all over them..but they are things that are only uniquely important to a few of us Cougar Weirdos


Enjoy the process, give yourself a break occasionally and have a vacation from the car. But don't stray for too long, it's easy to lose the focus and drive!

 

[Harvey]

Brian, How ya doing? I am ok with the way things are going on the car and enjoying it! I do overthink stuff and worry a little but I am beginning to become a lot more attached to this car. $$ has some to do with it but the little weird things like intentionally doing a poor job on sealer makes this car more and more a part of me I rekon. I am not looking to sell. Just trying to sort through all the details. Originally when i removed the extensions I saw some of the black paint on them. Thought that was weird and must have been a mistake! LOL now I discover through this forum that the intention of that was to hide the body color and display the chrome more. Who would think. And that black was brushed on also! Ya know I have never seen an automotive assembly line but sure can't believe they produced this car in two days!!! Incredible. I am actually enjoying this process of restoring more than I even imagined. I wanted a car with no knowledge of what it would take to make it new again. Never really thought that part out. Now I am finding that the re-building of this car is probably as enjoyable as just having one! I think when it is done and turnkey there must actually be a let down period. Now What? But I have a long time go before then. I have brought many parts into the house to clean and polish over the winter. I was thinking of repainting the black on the tail lights but after cleaning them up they look like new!! Inside and out!! When I threw this post out there it was not because I was discouraged, broke maybe but happy with that too. I read a few days back where someone was wondering about restoring or driving. I know yall told me to drive it first and that might have been good advice however if I had done that I don't believe I ever would have taken the car to this extent. That was one of the hardest decisions. Once I decided to go this route some of the decisions are easy as I just have to live up to what i started. Again thanks for all the help and you can take it as a compliment as I do study the pictures of Gunner often.

 

[Smith Brother]

Harvey, I'm NOT picking on you, I would suggest that in posting you put some DAYLITE between your SENTENCES. Those long paragraphs are hard to follow. Kind of like mmmeat did in his post above yours. Makes it a ton easier to read.

I admire what you are doing, but don't let it burn you out, like Brian said, take some time off now and then.

I wish you the best.

I'm going to be in Frankenmuth tomorrow, not to far from you. Wife and I are taking a few days to do some shopping and visit friends in Saginaw, and Higgins Lake.

Dale in Indy

 

[leonbray]

Harvey

I was going to go down the restoration route with my 428 convertible but i realised that, even now, every time I take it out I am worried that someone will scratch it or do something silly

Instead I decided that it was better to make my slime green 68 and common old 69 std convertible into something I could drive to a cruise or leave in a parking lot (with the alarm on) while I was out enjoying myself. That's sort of why I like the butt ugly wagon as well. I also use the best part that fits (like electronic voltage regulator rather than repro one that doesn't work properly or NOS)

(....and unfortunately the concours muscle car crowd in Oz are a picky critical bunch and I'd rather hang out with the guys that find a better way to get their electric headlight covers working)

Don't stress over it unless you want to get a new record at BJ or win a whole heap of trophies at the Cougar Nationals. It's your car - make it like you wanted it to be if you were controlling the build process.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

...Now I am finding that the re-building of this car is probably as enjoyable as just having one! I think when it is done and turnkey there must actually be a let down period. Now What?...

Exactly how I think/feel. The let down was not bad at all, what with driving the thing you worked so hard on and obsessed so long over and going to cars shows and seeing people's reactions, it really is an awesome ride.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

...Don't stress over it unless you want to get a new record at BJ or win a whole heap of trophies at the Cougar Nationals...

Even then, make it fun or the obsession work for you, not against!

 

[1969XR7Vert]

...If I ever do another car it will be a modified restoration. That way all I have to do is figure what I want...

Works for me! And the concours details I put in (to pretty much everything that wasn't a deviation) make the end result so pleasing, the discerning folks at the shows really seem to go for these added to a tastefully modified car (which hopefully mine is).

 

[1969XR7Vert]

EXCELLENT advice right there and words I'm going to live by.

Yes, but you want a bunch of trophies so there is a balance to strike Grasshopper! :buck:

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Maybe YOU do. That's not what it's about for me.

Oh, is that so?: http://www.mercurycougar.net/forums/showthread.php?57344-Award-from-car-show&p=481783#post481783

...Someday I'm going to have a huge trophy collection too.

DOH!!!

Impetuous youth... :buck:

 

[johnboy]

That was just a poke at you since you seem to be all about showing off your collection.

No worry Rookie, it's a recent affliction :lol:

 

[mo2872]

:spit:

Darn kids!!!!!!