"Restored" vrs "Original" as a price Premium ?

[ws23rt]

How does one know for sure if they got a nicely restored car or a poorly restored car if the both look the same. The differance will show in 10 years down the road when 1 is still nice & the other one has fallen apart. But how do you know which one is which now? Anybody got a answer? LEON.

Wow that's a big question.  The short answer is if a poorly restored car looks the same as a nicely restored car than the poorly restored car is not so poor.
To ask about good or bad has to be referenced to something.  From a rust pile their are only degrees of better.

Sorta like hot and cold----there is no such thing as cold.  It's a matter of how much heat it there---more or less.

Of course the question is asking about hidden issues but if there is little or no visible problems on an overall close look than what may be hidden most likely is not a big deal.

[TUFCAT]

I'd say it boils down to having pictures of the car before and during the restoration process.  Talking to the restorer/owner would also be great.  But none of this means shit if the seller can't be trusted, or the shop has a horrible reputation.

I'd also like to have receipts for all this "supposed stuff" that went into the car that can't be seen upon visual inspection.  That's also where pictures come in handy.

[hemi-hampton]

Lets say you got 2 70 Chargers with 2 rusty 1/4's. On 1 you buy 2 NOS 1/4's at $5,000 a pop= $10,000 & on the other you just stick a old sock & some of that thin aluminum 2 way sticky tape (some of you know what i'm talking about here) & maybe some old newspaper & house aluminum siding in some other rust holes, you bondo it up. & when your done Joe Average can not tell the differance. People buy cars like these all the time not knowing the differance. LEON.

[TUFCAT]

That's called a "Han's Special".... We know all about those!

[hemi-hampton]

Lots of people have fell for the Hans Special & look at that other guy with the 200 page thread that fell for that DOH heap in Texas. Easy to do, easy to fool.

[ws23rt]

Lets say you got 2 70 Chargers with 2 rusty 1/4's. On 1 you buy 2 NOS 1/4's at $5,000 a pop= $10,000 & on the other you just stick a old sock & some of that thin aluminum 2 way sticky tape (some of you know what i'm talking about here) & maybe some old newspaper & house aluminum siding in some other rust holes, you bondo it up. & when your done Joe Average can not tell the differance. People buy cars like these all the time not knowing the differance. LEON.

This brings an interesting thought to mind which is the craftsmanship of the repair.   A butt welded patch that is hammered to shape and blended is as good as it can get.  Or is it?    What of a carbon fiber laminate blended to make the same patch?  The carbon fiber patch will out last the original metal.

Is it not true that the question is not how the restoration was done but how well was it done.

If the two way sticky tape/old newspaper/aluminum siding approach was done properly it could very well last as long as a carbon steel panel which was not a long lasting material to start with.  

I get your question---an informed buyer is better off.  If this kind of question should come up get a proper inspection before the deal is done.

[six-tee-nine]

Lets say you got 2 70 Chargers with 2 rusty 1/4's. On 1 you buy 2 NOS 1/4's at $5,000 a pop= $10,000 & on the other you just stick a old sock & some of that thin aluminum 2 way sticky tape (some of you know what i'm talking about here) & maybe some old newspaper & house aluminum siding in some other rust holes, you bondo it up. & when your done Joe Average can not tell the differance. People buy cars like these all the time not knowing the differance. LEON.

Well what I meant with not a factory restorarion is in between the 2 examples you gave.

My quartes are good except for the outer lower part where they meet the trunk extensions. Instead of replacing the whole quarter wich I know is the only 100% correct way to restore that part, I used the AMD lower patches. I have put them in place nicely, grinded the welds down carefully.
Of course this seam will need minimal filler.
Second, I used an old style 2 piece trunk floor That I got for free with the car. I could have trown that away and buy a complete new one piece floor because its the way they should be.....
So Maybe i'm not doing a restoration to the detail as it should, but I dont consider my restoration "poor"

[Dreamcar]

Lets say you got 2 70 Chargers with 2 rusty 1/4's. On 1 you buy 2 NOS 1/4's at $5,000 a pop= $10,000 & on the other you just stick a old sock & some of that thin aluminum 2 way sticky tape (some of you know what i'm talking about here) & maybe some old newspaper & house aluminum siding in some other rust holes, you bondo it up. & when your done Joe Average can not tell the differance. People buy cars like these all the time not knowing the differance. LEON.

Well what I meant with not a factory restorarion is in between the 2 examples you gave.

My quartes are good except for the outer lower part where they meet the trunk extensions. Instead of replacing the whole quarter wich I know is the only 100% correct way to restore that part, I used the AMD lower patches. I have put them in place nicely, grinded the welds down carefully.
Of course this seam will need minimal filler.
Second, I used an old style 2 piece trunk floor That I got for free with the car. I could have trown that away and buy a complete new one piece floor because its the way they should be.....
So Maybe i'm not doing a restoration to the detail as it should, but I dont consider my restoration "poor"

I agree. There are many ways to properly fix things. Some purists will find that patch, but more poeple want a well repaired Charger that drives nice vs people who want the concourse resto imo.

One thing about these cars I find is that they are somewhat simple to inspect if you ate willing to crawl on the ground and trunk and really look carefully.