[sixseven]

Please advise: Past post with this answer or this is a new thread.

How much trim and other body parts should I replace versus just keeping the old that is not restorable? For instance, door handles are not pitted, but they have a worn appearance, wheel well trim has a small dent or two, dash pad is not cracked but has some slight warping and discoloration and rear tail light lens chrome has small pits, among other things.

I am about to send my old mustang to the shop for a restoration. This shop has a good reputation for mustang restoration in the Atlanta, GA area. I am restoring a weekend driver, not a concourse car. During the restoration they are suggesting replacement rather than restore for cost effectiveness for several of the trim items such as mentioned above. Not for consideration of cost, but are the older slightly worn less shiny parts of sufficiently better quality than reproduction parts that I am better off keeping the original?

I see many older post bemoaning the quality of reproduction parts and am also reminded by this shop that these cars were thrown together as they were a low cost car. Perfection is not required, dependability is. Thoughts?

 

[66DavesGT]

There are indeed some repro parts that don't have the best fit. Some repro sheetmetal fit leaves a lot to be desired...same with trim...way too flimsy. I would think if the shop you are taking it to is known for good Mustang restorations I'm sure they know what works and what doesn't. I purchased as much NOS parts as I could afford and replated many of the originals due to poor repro part quality and fit. I'm not so sure I'd have done the same for a daily driver.

 

[slim]

Welcome to VMF. I'd be concerned with a resto shop that says "these cars were thrown together". Sounds like a pre excuse. The blue 64 1/2 vert with the blue top is right off the car carrier from Dearborn. The parts were tooled right. Unless welded wrong they can be adjusted.

Todays car are mostly assembeled robotically using fixtures and painted robotically. IMO an identical 65 Mustang made todays way would be cheaper and they'd all be the same.


Slim

 

[jevchance]

Most repro parts like door handles should be fine for a driver, but you might be surprised how good worn OEM pieces can look with a good polishing. I'd recommend starting there and replace sparingly, as necessary.

 

[TheDude]

Pay attention to rubber parts. Hoses, belts, bushing, etc will need to be replaced over time. It's up to you. You can go through it and replace only what is necessary and live with parts that show some age or you can replace anything you want. I like to save whatever I can because those parts are only original once.

 

[09Frank65]

The answer lies in what you are looking for. If you want a concours restoration then rechrome your original chrome parts, massage/polish the SS trim parts, etc.

If you are restomodding or just want it to look better, then most of the repro stuff isn't bad, outside of the body panels, doors, etc.

At this point, I think the only original, unrepaired parts left on my car are the roof, trunk deck and filler panel frame rails, radiator support and 3/4 of the inner fenders! Everything else has been replaced, patched, repaired or replaced.

The vast majority of what was replaced was not OEM.

 

[Leon Narozny]

I have done plenty of both. I had repro bumpers that looked great but fit lousy and were thinner than originals. I lucked into a pair of originals, buffed them out myself and they look WAY better than the repops. They are not MIRROR BRIGHTchrome
but, neither were the originals! I have also replaced a LOT of items on the car, door
handles and window cranks, the rear view mirror,both outside mirrors, and all this stuff
looks great, and makes the car look great. I had alot of "buggered" parts, where
the screws were too big, cracked castings (convert top latches) and when these
were replaced, the car really took on a like new appearance. I made a point of getting the correct screws and making sure they were installed properly.Lot of work, but
it pays off when you are out driving around. A lot of the parts I replaced were
from Scott Drake, I think their quality is superb, my.02 worth.

 

[GT350R Klone]

Go original or go home.

 

[Smitten]

It's a mixed bag for sure. Replace any worn soft parts, keep as much as you can of the chrome pieces if not pitted. Some will buff up okay, some can't be saved without replating. I found one set of repro trunk weatherstripping impossible to get the trunk to fit right, had to replace that with a different brand. Some parts are fine, others not so good. I just had to keep repeating to myself, 'nothing fits without some effort'. Soft low grade metal on some parts just makes it painful. The rear quarter window cranks had slots in the screws (instead of allen heads like the originals), which promptly broke off when you tighten them. I could go on but you get the idea.

 

[Leon Narozny]

GT350R KLONE California snob. I bet you have a lot of friends. NOT

 

[GT350R Klone]

GT350R KLONE California snob. I bet you have a lot of friends. NOT

No snob, just appreciate vintage items, originally made in the USA, vs. today's reproduction items that are typically of inferior quality and made in China.

p.s. who says "....not" anymore?

 

[ToneMT]

I literally replaced all the chrome save the window chrome which I found driver quality parts (sticker shock for new windows), plus replaced the dash and bumpers. My general rule was if I couldnt buff it out to a respectable mirror shine (no pits), the chrome pieces got replaced. If the vinyl was just worn but workable and not exposed to constant rubbing (like the pillar pads), they got prepped and redyed. The problem areas that popped up were the dash didnt sit correctly and would push out the middle dash trim piece because the instrument panel was displaced by the dash...that took some work to make them all flush. Most all OEM parts fit fine Except the front bumper which required a bit of shimming all to find that one side was 1/2 inch longer than the other. Talk about wasting time...so on the big stuff where alignment and fit need to be right....dont skimp...if you do either stay calm and or have a drink...

It sounds if though your not doing the work...so it might be better (cashwise), to replace vs having the shop do the attempted rebuffing/redying...you might not like the look, still have to pay for their time, and still buy a replacement. If you can do some of the work...itll shave 50-75/hr for your effort, might save an original piece, & might save buying replacements...good luck

 

[TheDude]

Go original or go home.

Says the guy with the clone.

 

[md02geist]

Says the guy with the clone.

lol okay I laughed at that comment.




Regarding the original poster, I'm still relatively new to the restoration scene but what I've been doing thus far is taking what I could and trying to polish it up and clean it up. Even chrome with some small bubbles or pits still looks pretty darn good if you polish it up well, and in my opinion it gives it a little character to have some wear on it. I'm not big on trying to make an old car look like a new one -- it's not a new one! I feel like by replacing stuff left and right willy nilly you get rid of some of the character of the car. Your mileage may vary, of course.

I like to keep what I can and replace what is just junked. For instance my rearview mirror was junked, so I pitched it and replaced it with a nice repro. The visor rails however were doing okay despite some rusting, so I polished em up nice and now they look great. Etc.


I just love the idea of keeping it as vintage as possible. The smell, the spirit, the FEEL of a car that is nearing 50 years old...just awesome.

 

[GT350R Klone]

Says the guy with the clone.

Lol, that is funny. I didn't use any original, Shelby unique pieces to build my clone. Where I could, I used original Mustang parts, which involved a lot of hunting, scraping, polishing, repainting...but isn't that the fun part of the hobby? I understand that there are times where repo is the way to go, but for me, it is the last choice.

 

[TheDude]

I agree. I would much rather use an original part when possible, even if it may be dented or scratched. You can't beat something that may have been originally attached to your car at the assembly line or at least another vintage Mustang. I like the interior of my car. The dash and corresponding parts look very original. The paint has scratches and the gauge cluster shows its age, but that's what I like. The same goes for the interior door and door panels, rear seat, and interior quarter panels. They all appear original and unrestored. That's the character of a car that is closing in on its 50th anniversary.

As for the suspension, I plan to rebuild all of it and upgrade to a V8, but that will most likely be all new parts. I will look for American-made as much as I can. I'd like to find a 289 to go with my 4 speed toploader.

 

[Woodchuck]

My turn.....

Please advise: Past post with this answer or this is a new thread.

How much trim and other body parts should I replace versus just keeping the old that is not restorable? For instance, door handles are not pitted, but they have a worn appearance, wheel well trim has a small dent or two, dash pad is not cracked but has some slight warping and discoloration and rear tail light lens chrome has small pits, among other things.

Stainless trim that is not too bunged up can (and should) be straightened and will polish up like new. If it's too crappy then search for OE stainless that CAN be fixed (if it even has to be). The repro stuff is an inferior gauge and finish. Chrome that is pitted or scratched but otherwise in good condition CAN be rechromed, and if you have a car's worth you may get a good deal vs. buying NOS or repro. Nothing looks worse than a nice new paint job and pitted vent window frames or bumpers. The "Original Tooling" stuff is pretty decent and I'd use it to replace things like your dashpad, etc. If you're going to do a thorough job it all has to come off anyhow. Why put it back on if it looks crappy?

I am about to send my old mustang to the shop for a restoration. This shop has a good reputation for mustang restoration in the Atlanta, GA area. I am restoring a weekend driver, not a concourse car. During the restoration they are suggesting replacement rather than restore for cost effectiveness for several of the trim items such as mentioned above. Not for consideration of cost, but are the older slightly worn less shiny parts of sufficiently better quality than reproduction parts that I am better off keeping the original?

It depends on the item but, like I said above, I'd do whatever I could to keep OE Stainless. My experience, in the past, has been that chrome plated stuff from overseas doesn't always last.

I see many older post bemoaning the quality of reproduction parts and am also reminded by this shop that these cars were thrown together as they were a low cost car. Perfection is not required, dependability is. Thoughts?

Most of the issues on repro parts has mainly to do with sheet metal, although some other stuff is also junk, like the cheap sill plates. If you need to have sheet metal replaced then try to find good OEM first, OE Tooling second, and repro third. The extra you spend on OE stuff will be offset by the savings in labor by trying to get it to fit right....provided your shop even TRIES. With the attitude they seem to have about "throwing them together" can you be sure that they will have the attention to detail to do things right, like door gaps, etc.? I had a friend that had his GT-500 clone done by a shop that put replacement doors on it and the gaps were SO large at the front I could put my PALM through them. Totally unacceptable.Why they even shot paint on it is beyond me.

 

[sixseven]

Galloping thanks

Thank you all for your input on this discussion. It is true that I am going to have professional help on the restoration. I am the only person that has worked on this car in the last 27 years aside from my very reliable and knowledgeable machine shop who did all the machine work and procured the most reliable replacement parts for me. The goal on this phase of ownership is to get the car to look great. For that I am turning to the pro. I have already done all the mechanical from drive train to suspension.

I surmise that body parts are the most unreliable, as such I have procured an NOS trunk lid and used original hood. I will strive to repair and buff all stainless and formed aluminum trim pieces. The chrome, well I will try to buff some of it, but the bumpers just haven't held up. As Tom McCahill once said (in about 1957) modern chrome ain't what it used to be. I will have to replace the bumpers. Fortunately the car is stored indoors which will help prolong the life of the repro chrome. I wonder if my living room floor will hold the weight of the car, it's nice and warm there. More importantly, I wonder if my wife will object!

With all the hobby restoration that I have done over my life, I never used to consider that each restoration would have a finite life. I am still amazed to hear of cars found that are absolutely original and pristine. It happens, but I hear more of cars that are in great shape, but the older restoration needs to be reworked.

Thanks again for all the input. I am amazed at all the activity on this forum, too.

 

[jevchance]

Lol, that is funny. I didn't use any original, Shelby unique pieces to build my clone. Where I could, I used original Mustang parts, which involved a lot of hunting, scraping, polishing, repainting...but isn't that the fun part of the hobby? I understand that there are times where repo is the way to go, but for me, it is the last choice.

Perhaps next time you could lead off with constructive comments like this. Your first post was pretty abrasive, thus the flack.

 

[GT350R Klone]

Perhaps next time you could lead off with constructive comments like this. Your first post was pretty abrasive, thus the flack.

No worries. I think that a lot of people restoring these cars go the quick and easy route of picking up the thick catalog or clicking on the favorite mustang parts site and starts ordering away. Personally, I would rather see a pitted original bumper than a Chineese repop. Yes, I am a hypocrite, but getting back to the original poster and his interest in input on parts he should replace vs. by repops.

I guess it depends on your philisophical approach to the restoration. Is having a 40+ year old gear shift knob that has shifted the car thousands and thousands of time over decades and multiple owners important to stay on the car? Or are you ok with tossing it in the trash and replace it with one made in Shanghai in 2012? Or if the one you have is not serviceable, can it be restored, or is there a suitable one that started its life on another car that will now join the ongoing journey of preserving and enjoying something from the past.