Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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buzzy bee
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 3382 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:15 am Post subject: |
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colwyn500 wrote: | Whilst I admire your attitudes to keeping things original, don't you think that putting replacement doors on simply to retain the signwriting where? in a museum? is going a bit far.
From my experience of very old cars, the final fettling and leadwork done in the factory can make the fit of each door very personal to that vehicle.
Why not make a template of the writing, take photos and do what the builder would eventually have had to do, and get it redone. |
Hi
The Problem with the other Attitude, of Restoring it perfect is that you loose all of the True history of the vehicle. I know in some cases this is not possible to avoid, in others people want to do it perfect, this is fine also, but where possible things should be kept for posterity.
To your point about keeping it in a museum... My new freshly painted door has not left the pickup bed yet, my original signed door, is the one thing that causes a great reception from others. Not everyone has got some original paintwork on their truck.
It is definateley worth doing if you have the chance.
Going the next step, is if one finds an original vehicle, the best thing one can do for its preservation, and value in some respects is keep it original, but make it mechanically sound, obviously this is not possible in most cars due to the amount of body work, and previous repairs. In tractors and the like, an original painted oiled up example provides just as much interest these days as a restored example.
At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference, but watch this space.. you will see more and more of this happening I think...
Cheers
Dave |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 11:21 am Post subject: |
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buzzy bee wrote: | Looks to be an interesting truck, in an interesting shed.... You offered to clear the shed too? |
Yes Buzzy... sheds actually, 3 of them and his garage at his home. The owner had held on to this stuff for years and refused all offers, quite bluntly I understand.
When I was told about it he was still not keen to let go, though he knew he had to. I met him on a few occasions and after a few "initiatons by fire", i.e. he'd pick up a random part and ask "What's this off then?" Sadly some would say - but luckily for me, I scored well on his tests of my knowledge of rusty parts and he seemed happy that I was a genuine collector and not someone who was going to sell it all off on ebay. A deal was done for... well everything!
Some 4 weeks later 3 sheds, 1 garage, 2 trucks, a mountain of parts and I'm still not finished, I have a one owner from new Liner Roughrider dumper to pick up amongst other things. It's been a great buzz for me and the owner is happy that his collection went to a good home. I'm on a mission to get the E83W finished so I can take him on it's first run... signwriting and all! |
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buzzy bee
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 3382 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds ideal, one thing I find handy in such situations is to offer the previous owner to come to my workshop, come and help occasionally if they want even.. |
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colwyn500
Joined: 21 Oct 2012 Posts: 1745 Location: Nairn, Scotland
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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I completely agree with your general point of view, Buzzy Bee. After all, on my car I have suffered criticism for retaining tired leather door panels and simply replacing the rotten carpet at the bottom. I have not replaced mazak door handles and badges that are widely available as shiny re-manufactured items. I wouldn't even contemplate a classic "body-off" restoration now and I swear that the rear diff. on my otherwise presentable car has some caked-on mud/grease from the 1950's; because I have never scraped it off or painted it.
My biggest difference of opinion with avid originalists is that this can make the car so "precious" that it doesn't ever get used properly. I know exactly what you are driving at... amongst the many reasons why we all love old cars is that time-warping way that the look, feel and smell can take you back even to a time before even we were born!
I think this subject warrants a new thread...... |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: My E83W builders "Truckette" |
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peterwpg wrote: | Rick wrote: | stryrus wrote: | Now that did cross my mind, I have a pair of doors which I could use and keep the originals. They are easy enough to swap, I think that is a plan! Thanks for the inspiration.
... |
Plus if you repaint your existing doors, the signwriting can only be recreated using drawings and measurements. If you have the original doors alongside the new, you'll probably end up with a much better match, and still have the originals to display with it Best of both worlds.
I did that with my truck, although in my case the originals were way too ropey to re-use in any way, but I kept them for display.
R |
I go with Rick on this one. The truck is just another example of this particular model, however, the history of the vehicle is well documented by way of the original owner.
Restore it to its former glory complete with tools etc of the trade, write up the history, with images of where it spent its working days and exhibit it all together, including the doors. It becomes a piece of motoring and social history.
If the owner still has business documents etc, then you have a "one off" exhibit that will interest many people. |
Thanks Peter, me too, I'd love to think that I'd have been able to run an oily rag over this truck and use it however as usual something that looks so solid still needs a lot of work and a call has to be made to restore it which is what I'm doing.
A few years down the line because I use my vehicles very often on road runs and in general (They are certainly not museum pieces!) it will develop a nice used Patina all of its own. This along with the original door or doors displayed on the pick up bed and all of the artifacts that came with it will as you say form a little bit of history. In the cab were plans, letters, receipts brick samples, tools, cigarette packets and even his old flat cap! All of which I've kept for this reason. One thing I couldn't keep were his "workings out" written all over the inside of the cab but I do have photo's. Paper shortage maybe?
Last edited by stryrus on Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:54 am; edited 2 times in total |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:40 pm Post subject: E83w wooden back body design, help needed please |
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Hello, sorry for the lack of posts recently but I've been spending all my spare time in the workshop.
I was wondering if anyone had the dimensions, or a plan with the sizes of the timbers which form the back body of the E83w pick up? A good photo of an original would be a help also.
Cheers Russell |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 5:49 pm Post subject: E83W builders truck back body |
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Ah Rick, I should have known that you would have something! Dimensions as well, thanks again.
I'l post some pictures of the progress soon, I feel like I'm getting nowhere until I look at the original photos!
Cheers Russell |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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Now the dark nights are here I thought I'd post some photo's of the progress
total stripdown...
... followed by an initial blast
This is a solid little truck, only the sills and wing mounting points needed fresh steel
After painting the underside...
... it's time to get the cab back where it belongs
now time to sort some important bits
On its way in
Job done.
Last edited by stryrus on Mon Sep 18, 2017 4:57 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:26 pm Post subject: My E83W Builders "Truckette" |
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Fabricating the sills
Last edited by stryrus on Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:58 am; edited 3 times in total |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3831 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I like your workshop. Restoration work looks great, very impressive. |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | Brilliant to see the E83W coming together like that, such a sound starting point too with the cab.
RJ |
Thanks Rick, I'll try and keep them coming |
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stryrus
Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Co. Durham
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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Rootes75 wrote: | I like your workshop. Restoration work looks great, very impressive. |
Thank you Rootes 75, nice of you to comment. |
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D4B
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK
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Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Some fantastic fabrication work ~ nice one |
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