Hey guys, here is the deal. I think I am at a cross-road with my SS. It is a numbers matching car. The interior is original and so is mostly the paint. However, the seats and soft trim are really starting to show their age and the paint is starting to fail. The paint has quite a few cracks, chips and spider webs and the surface is a little rough on the roof and trunk.

Everytime I drive it I seem to get another nick or two in the fragile paint. It must have 3 bottles of touch-up paint on it since I owned it. Thank goodness dover white is fairly easy to match. The rear bumper is a little rough in spots. The original windshield is scratched and has a decent chip that cannot be repaired.

I would descibe the car as a "two footer". A coat of Carnuba and polish still makes it shine. It took a 3rd in its class at the ACA Nationals last month but it has the potential to do better.

Here is what I am thinking. This car will stay a driver for me, however, I want the car to look good closer than "two feet". I am not thinking a total body off restoration. My body guy will disassemble the panels, repaint them and then reassemble the car. Then paint on the hockey stripe. Replace all the emblems and exteior trim that cannot be restored. Replace the windshield with a correct date coded one. I could get the seats, carpet and soft trim replaced or restored which will take care of the interior.

Opinions? Thanks.

My opinion is just my opinion and what is important is your opinion and what makes you happy! :) Really the only question is if you have factored in all the costs and timing to start/finish. I personally do not believe from your description that it would maintain more value letting the car maintain it's current state and it would appreciate with the value you added. Make that rascal have the look you want and only remember that is what makes this hobby so great, along with having diversity which we can safely say we have.
Good luck whichever way you go.......

Restore it correctly.............but remove frame and paint and CLEAN bottom of Car/Original Paint.............and clean , restore, all undercar parts

JMO, but it's only original once!! I believe the next wave of quickly appreciating cars will be the unrestored "survivors".

If you can stand it, clean it, polish it, but don't restore it. Especially a numbers matching b/b. If you want to drive it, and the seats are getting worn, consider buying a second set of seats and recovering them for your daily use. Then bolt in the originals for top shows. Same goes for the bumper...it's just a bolton piece.

My 67 has dents and quarter ripples everywhere. I got it when I was 15 and drove it daily till I was 22 and got a old VW. It even sat stored for the last 14 years. Last month my 16 year old son got it running and is now driving on the street. I probably could not let him make his mark in the world if I had done a total restoration at this time. Hopefully , if he does not smack it up to bad , we will restore her at a later time. Even beat as she is, she is all original and will only be that way once. She is in a class of her own............just my 2cents worth.......J