Читать книгу AMC Javelin, AMX, and Muscle Car Restoration 1968-1974 - Scott Campbell - Страница 8
ОглавлениеFar too many automotive restoration projects are started and never finished. The unfortunate cars involved are frequently sold in boxes for pennies on the dollar, or parted out then sent to the crusher. Although usually well intentioned, many restorations are doomed from the beginning because of a serious lack of planning. For this reason this chapter may well be the most important one in the entire book!
Now that you have chosen and located a suitable AMC muscle car project, steps should be taken that will affect the final outcome of the restoration, and virtually guarantee its success—before a single bolt is removed. Perhaps the most important part of any large project is to form a game plan. This means that you must decide the scope of the project, plan your level of personal involvement, estimate the amount of time and space that is required, and set up a reasonable budget for completing the restoration to your satisfaction, and (you hope) on schedule.
Driver, Show Car or Street Machine
In the chapters that follow, choices are occasionally provided that correspond to the type of restoration that you have chosen for your particular project. The first category is daily driver, a term that is pretty much obsolete in the AMC world since most of these cars left the daily driver ranks quite some time ago. Increased collectibility and a dwindling supply of replacement body parts have elevated the status of any AMC muscle car to that of a valued collectible used only occasionally.
The 1969 Hurst SC/Rambler proved to be a formidable “swan song” offering from AMC. With a 390-ci, 4-speed transmission and 3.54 posi “Traction Lock” rear end, many a big-block foe was loaded onto the trailer when squaring off against a SC/Rambler. (Photo Courtesy Mark Fletcher Collection)
So, for the purpose of this book, a frequently driven AMC is considered a weekend driver, one you may take to cruise-ins, a local car show, or drive into town with the family to get some ice cream. These cars are generally a lot of fun to own because they are rarely trailered, and you need not consult the local five-day weather forecast before deciding if it will even leave the garage!
Next up is a show car, which, by definition, is one that is reserved for display at car shows and other similar events. These are frequently over-restored to a level that is even better than original; a show car is used sparingly and stored carefully when not being driven, if it is driven at all. These cars generally receive a more thorough restoration with the underside of the car receiving just as much attention as the top. For this reason they are generally trailered to shows because even careful driving would subject the car to stone chips and wear.
Show cars are typically too nice or too valuable to drive regularly. Many are competing to advance in concours judging, so they must be trailered to any event where they will be displayed. In years past some arena-type show cars could not even be started because they had no fluids that could leak. Today most owners and enthusiasts have gotten away from having a complete trailer queen, preferring instead a car that can at least be driven onto the show field.
A street machine can be just as nice as a stock-class show car, but without any concern for originality. Want a blower sticking through the hood? No problem! Non-stock cars are judged for execution and cleanliness only, with no deduction for incorrect parts, so anything goes. Friends who have built an AMC street machine may be a good source for rare original take-off parts that can be used for your restoration.
Restrictions set by classic vehicle insurance companies, as well as limits for use set by individual states when applying for historical or collector license plates may also determine how much you are able to drive your AMC muscle car once it is finished. If you plan to drive your car to work on a regular basis be sure to license and insure it appropriately to avoid any possible problems down the road.
The final category is street machine, which can be just as detailed as a show car, but without the concern for original, date-coded, or factory appearing components. When building a car that will not be judged in stock class competition, anything goes because the car is graded only for build quality and cleanliness. There is no need to source era-correct hose clamps or bolts with factory-correct head markings when building a street machine, and that can mean a big savings of time and money.
Deciding which type of car you want to have at the end of the project is the decision that you should make before you begin.
Complete or Partial Restoration
Another choice that is crucial to the success of your project is deciding on the level of restoration to be performed. If your project is in sound mechanical condition and your goal is a nice weekend driver, you may prefer to keep driving the car while you restore it, one system or section at a time. You may have the car painted first, then upgrade the interior, have the chrome parts replated, and so on as time and funds allow until the project is completed to your satisfaction. Most of this can be accomplished without taking the car off the road for extended periods of time, or you can do it exclusively in the off-season.
A show-quality restoration is best accomplished all at once so everything is fresh and new at the same time. For this reason a show car generally requires a larger investment, and a minimum of one year in the shop instead of on the road. Once finished, a show car also requires special handling and storage procedures to maintain its “just finished” appearance.
Yet another choice is a partial restoration, the perfect solution for a clean, original car that doesn’t require an extensive amount of work. A car like this may only need underhood detailing, some paint touch-up, or upholstery work.
Factory original cars are a treasure, so be sure to examine your project carefully and consider all of your options before deciding on a complete restoration.
Don’t believe what you see on those automotive reality television shows. Even a partial restoration can take months or even years depending on the amount of time dedicated to it. With only evenings and weekends to work on your project, some months pass with little progress to show for the hours spent working on the car. Don’t become discouraged after setting an unrealistic deadline for completing your restoration, and don’t cut corners just to finish it on time. There will still be car shows and cruise-ins when your project is finished regardless of when that happens to be!
Having adequate room to work is another important factor in the success of your project. A disassembled car takes two to three times more space than an assembled one, and that doesn’t include the workspace. A minimum requirement for any restoration is a two-car garage, assuming that there is additional indoor space available elsewhere for parts storage.
Renting additional space for storing parts, or even to house the car once it’s finished may be a workable solution for someone without enough garage space. However, expect to pay well over $100 per month for only enough space to park one car, and that gets you only a concrete floor and a door. Liability concerns generally preclude any repairs or restoration work from being performed at a rented storage facility. Also be sure that any cars or valuable parts stored in other locations are insured against theft, fire, and other loss, just as they should be when stored at home.
After deciding on the type and level of restoration best suited to your particular situation, the next step is to form a realistic budget for successfully completing the project in the time allowed. Your budget needs to include the car itself if you don’t already own it, storage or workspace if you are planning to rent it, tools and equipment that need to be purchased, all parts and supplies, plus any labor for work that is done by others.
Start by checking current prices online for the equipment and parts that you know will be needed. Fulltime AMC vendors such as American Parts Depot and Kennedy American have online catalogs that can be used to check pricing for reproduction parts. Don’t forget to include shipping charges and state sales tax if applicable. Check eBay or the AMC forums to get an idea of pricing for some of the obsolete parts that are not being reproduced.
Pricing for used parts varies greatly even within the same AMC show or swap meet. Although the going price for a solid front fender may appear to be $250, keep looking for a better price; you can generally go back and purchase the more expensive one later if needed. However, you won’t be able to return it if you find a less expensive one. For the purpose of making your budget, estimate high for any used parts just in case bargains never appear.
Ask friends or fellow club members with similar cars how much you can expect to spend for some of the hard-to-find parts, bodywork, paint, chrome plating, and so on. Call a machine shop, and visit some local body shops if your car will be going to one. If possible drive the car or take it on a trailer to get actual estimates. But don’t be surprised if more than one body shop shows little or no interest in working on an older collector car. Most body shop work schedules are dictated by the insurance companies, so late-model collision work always comes first. Be sure to ask for referrals when networking with other local car guys.
Budget high for everything, total it up, and then add 50 percent as a cushion. With this number in hand you may now decide how to disburse the funds for the restoration. It may not be practical to allocate a set amount per month for completing the project, because some aspects of the restoration will cost much more than others. Engine rebuilding or bodywork and paint require a much larger percentage of the total budget, and generally must be paid for all at once.
With some careful planning, a bit of luck, and the information in this book, you may complete your project on time and under budget, or at least not too far over it!
Maintain a comprehensive file for every collector car that you own. Include receipts for any service that you have done, as well as for all parts purchased for the project. Many replacement parts carry a lifetime warranty, so keeping all of your receipts together and in order by date may pay off in the future. Your receipt file also becomes a running total of roughly how much you have invested in the project to date.
