- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
Being an avid fan of classic vehicle restorations, be it car or truck, especially when done by the average Joe has always fascinated me. To be able to bring back something from nothing, be it by pulling it out of the weeds or fixing salt damage and rust with fresh steel, or getting satisfaction from finally finding that one hard to get part everyone wants, is very satisfying.
These days there is so much on the market that you take a bare chassis, even from scratch, and build a brand new car however you want.
What's appealing about this is how easy it is to do. Anyone with basic mechanical knowledge can build an old carbureted car.
What scares me in the future, and for the future of restorations is how complex modern vehicles are becoming. There have always been trade ins, and the mentality that are car is meant to be used and replaced like an appliance and that will never go away...which is why restoring an old car is fun.
But what happens when cars being released now become 40 years old. When electrical work becomes too complicated for the average person. When the computers inevitably quit working. Wiring harness and parts become scarce. When that 2016 Camaros ends up in someone's bushes. It's hard enough finding things like that for say, a late 80s pickup. There were millions and millions made yet parts availability for some things is scarce.
There will be people who try to fix them no doubt. But I feel that the days of restorations on anything newer than 1995 are numbered, greatly. Thoughts?
These days there is so much on the market that you take a bare chassis, even from scratch, and build a brand new car however you want.
What's appealing about this is how easy it is to do. Anyone with basic mechanical knowledge can build an old carbureted car.
What scares me in the future, and for the future of restorations is how complex modern vehicles are becoming. There have always been trade ins, and the mentality that are car is meant to be used and replaced like an appliance and that will never go away...which is why restoring an old car is fun.
But what happens when cars being released now become 40 years old. When electrical work becomes too complicated for the average person. When the computers inevitably quit working. Wiring harness and parts become scarce. When that 2016 Camaros ends up in someone's bushes. It's hard enough finding things like that for say, a late 80s pickup. There were millions and millions made yet parts availability for some things is scarce.
There will be people who try to fix them no doubt. But I feel that the days of restorations on anything newer than 1995 are numbered, greatly. Thoughts?