Just curious, has anyone ever done a video or picture book of their restoration? I am hoping to this with my slap side 1912 touring - some day.
Right now I am so frustrated with the restoration process I almost put it up for sale!
I am putting it all back together now. Will run it around to break it in, then take it apart with pictures. Then paint it etc.. and put it back together, hopefully with video and a pictures book.
I put together a picture book of the restoration of my 1971 Plymouth GTX that I display with the car at shows. Spectators enjoy flipping through the pics showing what the car looked like when I bought it and the restoration process.
I don't have a similar book for my T yet, but I could put one together. Most of the restoration was done for the previous owner by a shop in Northern Illinois. The shop did take a few before and progress pictures and the previous owner was kind enough to give them to me with the car when I bought it.
I've taken lots of pictures and some videos, but I haven't assembled a magnum opus showing all of it together. I'm up to my hips in things to do, so bits and pieces may be all you'll ever see from me. Here are three bits.
Steve your pix and videos are great. It would be good to put them all on one dvd with headings of what is on the dvd so people can go right to that section.
We documented everything we did when we took our '38 pickup from a rusted pile of sheet metal and rotted tires to a show truck that took a lot of trophies at a lot of different shows. The book we put together was a big hit and always impressed anyone who looked at the truck.
Not O.T. at all Robert. Indeed, it gave me an idea that should greatly publicize the club and make money too. We watch the Velocity Channel (246 on the Dish Network) and see hot rodders chopping '36 coupes and fashioning hot rods and Wayne Carini chasing Classic Cars all over. We also watch Iowa pickers in their incredible 'honey holes' on the History Channel. Certainly there are many other motorcycle and hot rod series available too. With our huge surplus in the operating budget, wouldn't it be wonderful if the MTFCA could get a Velocity Channel contract to broadcast tours, MTFCI Stynoski judging and maybe some private garages/collections?
That is a good idea George. There is a lot that the public would like to see, form the take apart car to the many uses of the model T in its fay, like the belt the ran the machine to chop wood, etc.. or ladies panty hose as a make shift fan belt.......
Its pretty simple to do without a hefty budget. Find a worthy candidate for a full restoration. Line up a bunch of guys willing to be on camera. Have the parts and resources ready to go to start and finish the restoration in a matter of weeks. Start the restoration, film everything with HD with multiple cameras. Edit it into a final project using Final Cut Pro X on an iMac. Submit it to several channels as a pilot, see if the channel wants to pick it up. That being said, some of the "acting" or restoration situations has to be subtlety scripted to make it watchable, or it will fall flat. Chasing Classic Cars is an example of the quality/editing that is required. I always wanted to see a show like "overhauling", but where they restore cars perfectly instead of hotrodding them. Most of the current shows pilots or first episodes are pretty good and start honestly, but they soon get "honey boo booed" into corny land pretty fast.
Or you can film big sections of the work and then play them back at warp speed like these guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWsVQags8UI
I made a DVD of the restore on the '27 Fordor of mine. I quickly learned that a man with my looks and figure don't belong on video. It is really hard to pack a years worth of work in to 30 minutes or so. The other thing to consider is whether or not your way of restoring a car is the same as what the purists would do. It can open you up to some sharp criticism rather quickly. Hap Tucker has a copy of it for archiving but I don't know if I would want it broadcast. You will quickly realize that you can't go in to detail without making a epic movie out of it. It is fun to do though...
Be careful what you wish for ....I have hundred's
of pictures
and that is of just this car !!!
I had it together and apart at least 50 times to get it straight
When my father and I were restoring my grandpa's ' 23 Roadster, I got kind of crabby with him for stopping to take pictures all the time. After the car was completed, my wife used her scrapbooking talent to make a wonderful album of the photos that dad took. Now that dad went and died on me and all I have left is the car and a few hundred photos, I'm damned glad he documented the memories for us. I look through that book and smile about the great relationship that we shared.
Eric
I did this car with my father, he had been ill,
and I really never thought he would be around to see it done ,
every time I got a anther piece done , he would "test drive " it,
when it was done , he would not drive it , because it was "to nice"
thanks to some amazing doctors , he is still here
and now he drives it ,
we fixed it once ,...we can fix it again
but we are on to the next one
If anyone has, maybe its Dan Trease.
I put this together to show the 32 year restoration on my 25 Indiana Truck. I admit I am not the best with the video but the story is what was important to me. I plan to redo it "someday"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb12tq3Xnaw
Bob,
That was special! You started out with just pieces and parts.....not even a complete frame and did a great restoration. You never gave up! You have my respect.