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Posted

Lately I've been having a lot of fun restoring Other Builders' cleanly done builtups (in much the same way I "improve" distressed old promos and cheap diecasts). I'll clean them up, and generally add some paint details like chrome window trim, side marker lights, wheel detailing and so forth. I'll polish the paint if I think it can stand it, or maybe hand-brush on a coat of Future for some gloss.

But in some cases, I go a little further. Not a complete rebuild (to me, new paint makes it a "rebuild," and here I'm talking about working with fairly cleanly done if not yet shiny original paint), but I'm not exactly "restoring" it to its original condition or appearance, either. I might change the wheels/tires, the stance, the interior color, maybe even add a second two-tone color, and so forth. In other works, the Original Builder's work (and in most cases intent/vision) is still evident, but I've also visibly and significantly altered the thing to get an appearance that satisfies me.

So what should we call this kind of work? "Restify" or "restomod" (restore+modify) would be good, but it already has a specific meaning in 1:1 world (an older car that retains mainly stock bodywork appearance, but has updated, 21st Century mechanicals like engine, trans, brakes, suspension, probably wheels/tires and maybe seats). So I don't think we can use that for what I'm talking about.

I've come up with some other ideas, none of which really thrill me:

"Restoprove" --Restore+Improve

"Restograde"--Restore+Upgrade

"Restoplete"--Restore+Complete (where I'm doing things the OB should have done but didn't, like painting window trim or wheels) or "Restofinish"

"Restoptimize"--Restore+Optimize

"Restobetter"--Restore+make it Better

"Restopimp"--self-explanatory

I'll give an specific example of what I mean. I'm working on a '68 El Camino that someone laid a fairly nice coat of a pretty Royal Blue solid on (not even close to any factory color). In addition to needing the brightwork detailed, the ass-end is jacked WAY up in the air, which I'm going to be bringing down. I'll also be painting the lower body semigloss black like the real '68 SSs were, and painting the "vinyl" top black. So I can't really say I'm "restoring" the thing, because it's going to look quite a bit different when I get done with it, but I wouldn't say I'm "rebuilding" it, either, since I'm not stripping/repainting it.

I know some of you out there also enjoy doing work of this kind. Anyone have any good suggestions as to what we can call these jobs?

Discuss.

 

Posted

How about restofine (restore +refine)?

I like it! B)

But let's hear some more!

How about "Restopurpose" (Restore+Repurpose) or "Restocycle" (Restore+Recycle)?

Posted

"Snakeslap" was working for me :lol:.

You get me. You really get me. B)But I was hoping for a word that the rest of you could use, too. (I guess y'all could use Snake-slap or Snake-whip, but I imagine there are those who wouldn't want to.)

Posted

You get me. You really get me. B)But I was hoping for a word that the rest of you could use, too. (I guess y'all could use Snake-slap or Snake-whip, but I imagine there are those who wouldn't want to.)

Whatever you choose to call the process, I enjoy seeing the results. Might even try some "slapping" of my own.

'

Posted

'freshening' is how I would describe it.  I've bought a few hundred builtups that need just a bit of freshening...

That was the first thing that came to my mind.

"Refreshing".

Simple.

 

Steve

Posted

That was the first thing that came to my mind.

"Refreshing".

Simple.

 

Steve

That's not awful. And it doesn't rule out the possibility of more changes than a simple "restoration." B)

Posted

To me Freshening or Refreshening a car means cleaning and detailing versus a Restoration which is much more involved , usually disassembling and rebuilding piece by piece .  And what most of us are doing is no where near a RestoMod either .

A while back somebody here (I thought it was Snake) suggested Restoration Plus or Restoration+

Posted (edited)

Reforiginakiting (v: reforiginakite)    

Unbullotifying (v: unbullotify)  

Improvistorating (v: improvistorate)

 decrappomodding (v: decrappomod)

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
Posted (edited)

How 'bout...

Preservation - a rebuild with some new parts and upgrades that keeps the character of the original model but is not a restoration.

 

(but, I like snakeslap)

Edited by Muncie
Posted

Historic resurrection.

I like this too! In fact, "Restorection" was one of my original ideas but I forgot to put it in my post. Thanks for the reminder! B)

Or how about "Resurresto/resurrestoration"?

Posted

Reforiginakiting (v: reforiginakite)  

Unbullotifying (v: unbullotify)

Improvistorating (v: improvistorate)

 decrappomodding (v: decrappomod)

I like Improvastore! Good one!

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