When is that Corvette beyond restoration?
While thoughts of finding a long-neglected 'Vette for a bargain price may keep legions of enthusiasts awake at night, making that car whole might cause nightmares. Should it be restored to factory-original spec or turned into a nice weekend driver - or perhaps given a restomod makeover?
The solution to that multi-dimensional puzzle depends on many factors. Condition is a primary concern, including how much of the original equipment, perhaps now rare and costly, remains. The finished car's potential value bears consideration too.
Werner Meier, of Masterworks Automotive in Madison Heights, Mich., is attuned to the tradeoffs involved. Having resuscitated countless Chevy Corvettes, Meier has a dozen or more restoration projects underway in his shop on any given day. He has hard-earned and well-informed opinions when it comes to making an old 'Vette whole again.
"You will usually do best by going back to stock," Meier said. "If you put a crate motor and aftermarket wheels in a classic Vette, it will be worth less to the purist."
Meier notes that prices paid for restomods - customized and hot-rodded cars with visual appeal - can be misleading. "Restomods that sell for $200,000 may be the result of a $400,000 investment," he said.
But that doesn't mean that a concours restoration is the only solution, Meier added. Often, a completed car's finished value doesn't justify the work's price, and a well-worn Corvette can often be resurrected as a stylish cruiser for far less than the cost of a full restoration.
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Source: Paul Stenquist - Hagerty