Resto's: Your thought's??

I like resto's think there needs to be ID marks on them. I really like what I do which I call restums. The ability, knowledge and stuff is out there to make these cars much nicer than they were originally so I really like doing this in colors that were not original and I have cars that make people stop in thier tracks but also can avoid the headaches of doing a resto. I also think there is a HUGE difference between those that resto for themselves mainly and those that resto mostly to make money. While both are certainly OK in my book those that do it for money really need to mark their work not only to protect others but to protect themselves as well. Here is a restum for robin because you are my vintage board bud and love ferraris (and yes the doors open )

Robin (or is it Rob? sorry if I have been using the wrong name this whole time) thanks the compliment that is the first time one of my cars did that to someone :lol:


Markos it is real easy why people get upset over restos. It is all about money. If these cars were only worth a few dollars then no one would probably care but they are worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars now. The explosion (recent controversy aside) of redlines in value makes MANY and rightfully so almost paranoid. Even just a few years ago rarely was a redline (I am using redlines since they have the most history and value it seems. I do not know matchbox cars well so they might be a better example) over $1000 now there are usually several WEEKLY on ebay that well for $1000+. When someone is going to drop big cash they want to make sure the car is 100% original. I will not argue that spending crazy money on cars seems silly after all I always tease people that is a lot to spend on paint after all that is what the extra value is in paint coverage and color. So while I may not understand why people pay so much I certainly can understand their concerns. Also 99.9% of the people do not have a problem with doing stuff as long as it is disclosed. The problem, as illustrated by the current controversy rocking the redline world, is when a car is resold several times and somewhere in the chain the knowledge that is it a resto or touched up is lost and the car is bought as real. Again I just like to make better than original then I do not have worry about it. I can even have smokin redlines that never existed.

anyone ever try this? had an old beater....well basically trashed redline Camaro with most paint gone and roof broken off, but a nice base.... still working on trying to get the body lower, the body is from the newer 67 Camaro, the base is the old redline base...takes lots of filing and tweaking... sorry, bad pic...

Here are some old Matchbox models I repainted. I am a beginner at best. It seems to be much more acceptable in collectors of Dinky and Corgi models to have restored models than in Matchbox collectors opinions. There are many many parts being made for old English diecast that it boggles the mind. There are even conversion kits to make different models for original parts.

I did mainly because it was fun and cheap. Every collector that has a few years under his belt probably has a junk box that came as they replaced early models with better examples. Take some junk and have some fun.

tom larson

Retro Resto

I've been taking beat up HW's and Matchbox LeMans Protos, Formulas, and Can Am's and bring them back to race specs. This includes going in from the underside and Dremeling out the vents and ports, painting the interiors, wiring the engines, lowering the suspensions and going back to historical team racing colors. I understand "I've totally ruined the value of the cars!!!!" But when I do this to Red Lines or other "collectables" I only use cars that are badly chipped or damaged and wouldn't be worth anything anyway. I have built one of the Cunninghams into a Coupe to compliment the #1 and #3 roadsters, three of the 100/4 Healey's into a 100/M and the two #33 and #34 Le Mans entry's. I've also built the Ford GT MkIV #1 LeMans car, the Lola GT70 of Surtees', the Ford J Car, the Chaparral 2,2D and 2G the McLaren and the #97 Sebring Cobra Roadster. All of these are now historically correct.

I've found J&B Weld works great for filler. It forms well, can be filed and sanded, takes the heat when I bake the enamel and if I screw up; will withstand aircraft paint stripper.

I tried to attach a pic of some of them.