Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

[Pat M.]

I love the look of a Vette restored to NCRS standards - stock, and no worse, but no better, than factory. But I've always wondered what a stock, yet perfectly overrestored Vette would look like, with near perfect fit and finish. Anybody ever gazed at one, and if so, what did you think of it?

[Tom H.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

I've seen a few. I like them that way. Many frame off restored cars are "over" done. Many refuse to duplicate factory flaws and finishes.

When you spend two or three years restoring a car with love, it often comes out better than an assebly line built car.

[Michael H.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

I love the look of a Vette restored to NCRS standards - stock, and no worse, but no better, than factory. But I've always wondered what a stock, yet perfectly overrestored Vette would look like, with near perfect fit and finish. Anybody ever gazed at one, and if so, what did you think of it?

I've seen more way over restored Corvettes than correctly restored Corvettes. Never cared for the look, at all.
In the early/mid 70's, almost everyone tried to make their Corvette perfect, like a Rolls Royce. Took the Corvette right out of the Corvette. They're still doing it today.

Personally, I love the ripples and "character" of the fiberglass body, especially below the side body line.
I didn't want my cars to look like steel bodied cars. That's one of the things that set Corvette apart from the rest of the grocery getters.

[Bert L.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

Well said Michael, I'm in total agreement!

[Terry M.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

perfectly over-restored sounds like an oxymoron to me.

[Roy B.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

Personally, I love the ripples and "character" of the fiberglass body, especially below the side body line.
I didn't want my cars to look like steel bodied cars. That's one of the things that set Corvette apart from the rest of the grocery getters.
Darn it , that's what I have

[Edward C.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

If you block sand you have over restored it in my opinion but they sure look pretty with a perfectly straight body. My origional 71 looks like crap compated to newer cars but I will not touch it until ablolutely necessary. Still love of the near perdect cars though. Ed

[Bill B.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

A few years back, I was making a trip to my favorite Corvette restoration shop to pick up a back ordered part and was introduced to a new comer in the shop a 1957 black on black "Air Box numbers matching 100% original". Wow!!!....... I looked her over and thought the car was in the shop for detailing. "No..are you sitting down?"........The owner wanted the body 'blocked'... I thought he was pulling my leg.....'NO'.....he was serious!!! A very, very, very, good looking driver, maybe some chrome plating and paint detailing, (out the door, first place no problem). I was up set. I asked the shop owner if the Air Box owner realizes that it will cost a small fortune to do the job, and when completed will be worth much less then if he left it alone. The shop owner stated that the owner saw a blocked 1957 Corvette at a show and wanted his body without the imperfections. I was lost for words. I can see maybe a non numbers car maybe having this done, but a 57 Air Box.....That was ten years ago, and I'm still upset.
So there it is, a over restored 1957 Air Box Corvette. One of 8 or 10 made?.....

Bill

1961 Black/Silver/Red Int. 283/315 FI
power windows. Frame off 65% completed.
1989 hard top daily driver 165,000 miles

[Bill M.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

A worked with a guy who inherited an all-original yellow 1967 convertible in about 2000. This car even had the original tires with little wear. He knew I had Corvettes, so came over to ask about his car. He owns several German cars and was in the process of painting his 911. I could tell he was being careful not to offend me as he carefully approached the subject of quality. He was appalled. I had to laugh (I still do)...and assure him that they're all like that, and don't "fix" it!

[Stuart F.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

Micharl, Michael, Michael;

Your own good friend Bob B. has one of the most beautiful "over" restored 63's I have ever seen. Fact in point made in the show following the winter meet, his car won the class over 13 other C-2's including a number that received their Top Flight awards the previous day (and the judging was done by some NCRS folks and local club members). Granted, much may be due to his unique hard top (one Roy would love) as well as the storied past of the car. It has been full circle wearing the guise of a full custom, a fully restored 63 fuelie, and now personalized by him for his own wants, needs and desires, i.e. wheels that look like knock offs but are far easier to maintain, paint that is a beautiful black with depth and shine to match any steel bodied show car. He paid his fee and parked in the Sportsman lot and, I dare say, got as much or more admirers as any of the cars there for judging. The top alone is a conversation piece that could keep him talking until he would be hoarse if he didn't walk away to look at the other cars and the swap area.

Stu Fox

[Michael H.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

Micharl, Michael, Michael;

Your own good friend Bob B. has one of the most beautiful "over" restored 63's I have ever seen.

Yup, I agree. Bob's car is absolutely beautiful. We go to the local car shows here and his car grabs all the attention. (that's why I don't park my rat rod Corvette next to him)
Great story/history on the car too.

As for correct/original under the hood, it's probably closer to correct than many of the cars that were on the judging field at Kissimmee that day.

Love the hardtop.

[Chris E.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

With respect to paint and body panel gaps, I'm sure my car is going to be considered "overrestored". But, I'm 35 years old, the car has been in the family since 1973, and I plan on keeping it forever. I want a beautiful, mirror like finish. Am I going to get dinged for paint to some degree? You bet. Am I still going to try to make the rest of the car that much better so I have a chance at a Duntov award? You bet. Am I going to love the finish on the car for the other 363 days out of the year when it isn't on the judging field? You bet.

As was said earlier, most people restoring paint and body panels these days want it to look great. Only a few, in my opinion, are painting "poorly" like the factory did and leaving the panel gaps bad.

[Roy B.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

I never had a problem with some ones Corvette if they are happy , it's their Corvette, if they wont to add a diesel engine great ,who I'm I to complain, that's why many years ago I started SACE just for that reason

[Mark L.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

We have a perfectly over restored '65 roadster in the garage.

The car is 100% stock as GM built it, and as close to original as I can restore it. The only change made is the wheels and tires and we have the genuine steel wheels/goldlines/wheelcovers.

The car was black so I wanted it straight and clean and that's how I did it. I'm sure when the car is judged it will get nicked for being too shiney, but I don't care.

Here are before and after pics, many on this board (and other sites) know the history of the car and I'm sure everyone knows my attitude. I do cars to please me.

[Jaime G.]

Re: Anybody Ever Saw a Perfectly Overrestored Vette?

What is overrestoration? If you go to the trouble of doing a body off restoration to a corvette and bother to follow the proper guidelines for assembly and finishes you should shouldnt be penalized for making the paint look as good as possible. GM does not build junk and wants their cars to look as good as possible with finishes that are attractive. We have gotten too hung up on nonsense like more glue in the underhood weatherstrip or too much orange peel in the paint. I am in the process of doing a 62 right now and it will be done with correct finishes and will be judged. But the body will be blocked and the paint will be as nice as I want. If that is overrestoration, so it be. This car is so unique it deserves the best.
JG