Restoring a classic: what to fix, replace, or leave alone

Hey folks! This is Mike and Tom from Pacific One Collision and Restoration.

Welcome to another Q&A session where I answer questions from you all on the internet.

Today's question is:

"Restoring a classic: what to fix, replace, or leave alone"

Summary:

Mike explains that when a customer brings in a classic that's been sitting for a very long time, the shop starts by consulting with the customer to learn their end game and budget. He notes there are many ways to restore a car, and while some owners will spend two or three hundred thousand dollars on a car worth five or six thousand because of sentimental value, Pacific One doesn't take on those frame-off, rotisserie builds, since that's not their target. Instead, they specialize in good, clean drivers, working with the customer on how the vehicle will be used, whether for car shows or hauling loads to Home Depot on weekends. From there they determine what the car actually needs, such as mechanical work for safe driving or whether the owner wants 100 percent original OEM parts, and they have a frank conversation about rust and rot. Mike emphasizes taking the time to show the customer everything the vehicle needs so the shop can stand behind it and the owner is proud to drive it.

Answer:

When a customer brings us a classic car that's been sitting for a very long time, what we try to do is consult with the customer to find out their end game and their budget. There are all different kinds of ways to restore cars. There are guys out there who'll spend two or three hundred thousand dollars on a car you could normally buy off a marketplace for five or six thousand, but the car has sentimental value. We don't do those types of restorations here; those are frame-off, rotisserie restorations, and that's not our target for what we're looking for. What we do here is good, clean drivers. We work with the customers on their end game: do they want a car they're going to drive to car shows, or if it's a truck, do they want to take it to Home Depot on the weekends and grab a load of plants and a couple shovels? We work with our customer, find out their needs, and then determine what the car needs. Does the car need mechanical work to drive safely on the road? Is the customer looking for 100 percent all-original OEM parts? So we ask the customer what they're looking for, what kind of budget they have, and really what the end game is. We need to have a conversation if the truck has a lot of rust and rot and how to address those problems. We pride ourselves on taking the time with the customer to show them everything we feel the car or truck needs, so that we can stand behind it and that customer is proud to drive it on the road.