What kind of frame off restoration?

[Domenic T.]

I have seen frame off restorations that were pictures of other cars (not here) in an album the guy had.

It looked like a rattle can resto on the car he said was the one in the photo's.

I also hear that some only fix what the find wrong and go on.

Then there the ones where every thing is done, or verbalized so.

What is every thing? It means EVERY thing is done. Now maybe we leave the cluster alone if it's worked well or maybe we send it out.

Should there be different grades of FRAME OFF RESTORATION?

I know if you can't do it your self it can be a high dollar job to do it all.

On the other hand if you are doing your own car in your own shop or any where where you can do most of the work, it can change to a labor of love or just a money saver.

I know that I took every thing apart from power windows to the engine and some times more on mine to remove a frame dent. I did every thing and I'm not done.

If it didn't come apart I bought it or in some cases tested a sealed temp sender that was original and used it.

There is a fine line to tote on some items but I won't go there now.

I think all rubber and items and parts that move or wear like bearings, seals, U-joints, ball joints, you name it there's not enough room to mention it all, should be replaced or inspected as new condition.

All should be done or either be taken apart, tested, and measured as new if it is a complete frame off.

Is there a way to grade a frame off? Partial, complete, like factory, you name it.

I took pics of every thing apart along with the date code, #'s or what ever while I was doing mine, But I always wanted a new C-2 and never did it so now I am building it.

Speedo? lets not go there!

I feel that there are frame off restorations and there are cars that had the body off the frame.

DOM

[Michael W.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

I'm still working out what 'numbers matching' really means.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

I'm still working out what 'numbers matching' really means.

Michael,
Original sounds better to me but I guess the #'s have to be checked.

Unfortunally on my 67 it had a CE block in early 68 and because of the first owners taste in headers I could tell the car was run hard.

My car was written off by the insurance co because it was wrecked and only worth about 1700.00.

So the first thing I did was to put one of my rebuilt muncies in it so there went the original trans.

All the rest is original other than the bolts that I am now digging for in old nuts & bolts. I replaced them with shiney back then when I worked on the car.

DOM

[Patrick N.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Claiming "frame-off" in a restoration is like claiming "finished basement" in the real-estate market. What it implies and what it actually is can be miles apart. Ultimately the work will speak for itself, regardless of what is claimed.

[Domenic T.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Claiming "frame-off" in a restoration is like claiming "finished basement" in the real-estate market. What it implies and what it actually is can be miles apart. Ultimately the work will speak for itself, regardless of what is claimed.

Patrick,
Maybe you have the answer and one really has to decide how good it is.

I would just hate to be the one that travels a long distance to find out it was just a fix it frame off.

We worked on a 68 Comero that was a frame off, it was a convertable.

The gur bought it (a lawyer) thinking it was a cherry.

The reason the frame, (well actually a 68 doesn't have one). Lets just say the body was removed, was to weld braces so you could open the doors because the car almost broke in half.

Nothing was original and the engine was a tired truck engine with the wrong bellhousing. The hole in the bellhousing was to large and the trans was not centered and the input shaft ate the main shaft bearing surface.

This guy paid 23K for the car and hired some one to buy it for him.

It was a painted pieced together junk.

He brought it in so we could clean up a few things and get it to run right. The only way it made it from the east coast to CA was because it was trailored.
It was a frame off one time screw job that someone other than a deserving lawyer could have bought.

DOM

[Terry D.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

That's why if you cannot see the car in person you hire some one who can. It has always been a buying better be prepared business. The Lawyer was well educated but with no common sense.
Terry

[Mark D.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Finished basement = Furniture has been removed, carpet has been ripped out, garage door has been installed and its ready to accept cars.

[Paul J.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

DOM, I've also noticed that the term "restoration" is used when it should'nt be. Like the car that the guy says has been "restored" when all that was done was to paint the car. True, the paint has been restored but not the car. The owner wants it to sound better for the sale.

So we start adding words to try to be more accurate, like "partial restoration", "body-on restoration", and "frame-off restoration".

The reality of it is that there is no set standard, and people will have thier own opinion of what a restoration is, regardless of what we may think. There's also the issue of the quality of work that was done. I've seen backyard and driveway restorations (see, another term) that the guy had no skill or no patience, and he should not have wasted his money.

There are definitions of what a restoration is, but until there is a real standard then all we can do is pay little attention to that term and inspect the car carefully to see what work has been done.

Paul

[Patrick N.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Finished basement = Furniture has been removed, carpet has been ripped out, garage door has been installed and its ready to accept cars.

I like the way you think

[Michael J.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

There are definitions of what a restoration is, but until there is a real standard then all we can do is pay little attention to that term and inspect the car carefully to see what work has been done.

Paul

I completely agree with this. The terms are meaningless unless you have a complete list of what was done. I am currently having a '64 1/2 Mustang convertible done for my daughter, the restorer I use doesn't even use these terms, he just wants to know what all you want replaced, rebuilt, or repaired. A detailed list is all there is, no confusing, ambiguous summary terms.

[G A.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Although he will probably excuse himself and his car from carrying the mantle, I think a job such as Alan Struck performed would make a perfect definition of "Frame Off Restoration".

Dan

[Scott O.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

I was at the Mecum Monterey Auction yesterday, and a car was advertised as being a frame off restoration. The only problem with the car was it is a Datsun 280-Z which is a Uni-body. An extreme example of the wrong use of frame off restoration.
Scott

[Michael L.]

Re: What kind of frame off restoration?

Hi All
So Many People think redoing is the same as restoration NOT !!!