A arms done - what do you think?

[Patrick H.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

Ridge,

I'm not Lyle but may I put in my 2 cents?

As Terry McM always has said, a car has to "flow" when it judges. So, to find a perfectly restored paint job and interior with a crusty chassis just doesn't fit. In a similar way seeing parts of a chassis restored and parts not flows even less well.

On a car intended to be a good original - even if not a Bowtie type car - I'd expect to see the originals even if a bit crusty. Sure it may be a Second Flight, but such is life. I'm working on a car like this right now. It's very original but not really a Bowtie car. I'm cleaning and detailing it when possible but the crusty parts will remain for now.

On a restored car, it's really up to you.
If on your own personal "points per dollar" meter the NOS A-arms are worth it to you then by all means go ahead and use them. It's your money and your choice. Sure they're neat to see, but only you can determine if it's worth the money above a restored A-arm for the 3 (?) extra points you might garner.

Does that make sense?

Remember, once you get your awards and drive it "all the time" as you've mentioned, no one will care if your A-arms are NOS or restored originals.

Patrick

[Ridge K.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

Thank you Patrick, for the excellent advice.
I think you've hit the nail on the head.
Ridge

[Harmon C.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

The rusty A-arms in your pictures are way beyond somewhat rusty. It's very hard to cover up the pits from the rust to make that as new finish. I probably would not know an NOS arm as it makes no difference you just judge what you see and where it came from you do not need to know.
Good luck with your restoration

[Chris E.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

Chris
A good chassis judge is going to find problems with the finish on lots of parts if he has seen 50 Bowtie cars and has an idea how the factory finished parts for the model year he is judging. I call it overdone.I usally tell an owner from my own cars being judged that a rusty low milage Bowtie car will score the same as a pretty restored chassis that is not the way the factory built cars. I will say I see a problem in the amount of paint and the surface of the A-Arm has that was rusted at one time,(not smooth like just coming out of the punch press). I judge other years but the cross shaft and the bushings and the bolts and washers all the same paint is questionable to me. The cast blast is easy to see. You have the right idea in your coments to others that you don't want the parts to rust so be ready for the hit you take. I hope this is not too harsh but my deduction on a somewhat rusty original arm would be the same as your restored parts.

Lyle, I understand what you're saying. I'm going to get a lot of little nicks taken off in judging for "finish" issues. That's just the way of it. I don't want to live for the next 35 years with a car that is MORE correct now but needs to be refreshed every few years. (the example of the rear diff being raw is the one I keep coming back to) I'm building up my car to get as many points as possible in judging, but then last as long as possible in MN. Certainly, I'm not going to drive it in the winters, but we have an over 100 degree temp swing each year. That is a tough environment for anything to live in.

Thanks for the commentary.

Chris

[Ridge K.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

The rusty A-arms in your pictures are way beyond somewhat rusty. It's very hard to cover up the pits from the rust to make that as new finish. I probably would not know an NOS arm as it makes no difference you just judge what you see and where it came from you do not need to know.
Good luck with your restoration

Thanks Lyle for the comments.
I always apprecate your advice and commentary.
Ridge.

[Harmon C.]

Re: A arms done - what do you think?

Ridge
I worked at a Chrysler parts plant. Almost all service replacement parts were made from rejects the first time through the line. We made thousands of torque converters each day and the regular flow of OK parts went to the assembly plants.
When a transmission failed in the field and was changed you got a replacement torque converter also. Thease parts found their way back to our plant by the skid load and were cut apart,components inspected,welded back together,tested and sent out again in boxes as service replacements.
The bottom line was you only got a new off the line part when you first bought the car. The day after you buy a new car all the parts are used and a replacement may also have been used when you get it and consider it new in the box.