[Zmagnette] Preservation

Mon Jan 27 02:32:37 MST 2014

Steve
Get a bag of charcoal, open and put it in the car now. It should absorb the smoke smell over time. 
In some ways we are lucky our cars are not highly sought after. It makes it much easier to build and use them the way we want to. If uou can't enjoy your car, what is the point?
-- 
Sent from my Android phone with mail.com Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

Steve Kirby <skirby210 at cox.net> wrote:

I'm so torn with this same question.  I've bored most of you with the story of the orig owner, early ZA I have: "Millicent Rose".

Gosh, what I'd love to do is save the back seat and back door panels, cuz they are so darn near perfectly original, and I know the leather could be preserved with all that wonderful stuff.  Even the front door panels are very, very preservable.  The interior is that green color.  It's "sooooooooooo" 50's English Magnette, and a big part of me loves it, simply cuz it is so original.  The car is black, and again, I love the originality, but frankly, a black car and the green interior . . . . ahhhhh, truthfully, (to quote Wray Lemke) " . . . not my cuppa tea" . . . not in blazing hot weather like we have around here.  Then, there's the front seats, which are totally shredded and beyond anyone's preservation abilities.  The material is simply gone, and the insides are now outsides.  So, I suppose I could replace the front seats in matching old leather, dyed to match . . . .but alas, then it's not original anymore . . . is it?

Likewise, the carpets are history . . . they have to be replaced.  Again, then it's not original anymore.  "It's only original once", I've heard.  Then, there's the headliner.  Not a rip or tear or stain in it.  BUT . . . dear Mrs. Millicent Rose Thompson must have smoked about 85 million cases of cigarettes inside the poor thing, and I literally can not stand to even briefly sit inside of it.  So, that headliner absolutely has to go . . . and who knows what else to get rid of the wreak of cigarette smoke . . . I guess you gathered I'm a non-smoker :)))  Again, it's no longer original, and that headliner, together with the seats and carpet and "NON negotiable".

The overall black paint is pretty much in good shape . . . except for a few spots, which I suppose I could just ignore, along with dings in the front wings . . . suppose I could repair and spot paint just those?

Then, the engine . . . which was out of the car when I bought it, and obviously wasn't removed just for exercise.  The engine bay shows some "bodging".  Now we have to back up a bit too.  Prior to getting "Millicent Rose", I'd already bought 2 gals (and the hardener and the reducer) of a sort of  Midnight Blue type color paint, to paint the ZB I was originally going to restore, along with new, from Lou, macrame front door pulls, in a biscuit color . . . 'cuz that's the color we wanted for the interior of that "first" car.  Oh, and the Rivergate kit to go with the Nissan 5 speed is already sitting here, along with Allen's 1800 adapter plate.  

So, should I "eat" all that, and keep "Milicent" stock.  My unbelievable, super supportive wife even said "So, do the original car with all the upgrades, and the color we want (blue, biscuit interior), and then preserve the other one!"  Wow, some bride eh?  T'was I who actually said something like "Not gonna happen".  Takes me about 5 years to do a car.  I could be block sanding in my casket at that rate.

So thanks Steven for bringing this up.  I'm enjoying the responses so far.  My mind is made up, and I know there are others who will vehemently disagree with my decision, but in the end, ya know what?  It's our car!  I'm not doing all this to please a few folks at the next car show or GT or whatever.  We'll never make everyone happy, but if my bride likes it, I will be pleased.

#2SteveK

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Steven Trovato 

To: List for the Z Magnette Group - North America ; List for the Z Magnette Group - North America 

Cc: List for the Z Magnette Group - North America 

Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2014 6:07 PM

Subject: Re: [Zmagnette] Preservation

Phil,

Yes, I do plan to do what pleases me.  I am not a slave to the 
opinions of others, but I am interested in the thoughts of people I 
respect.  I have no plans for a full restoration at this time.  I am 
going to keep driving my car and enjoying it.  I'm not really looking 
for votes on what I should do.  I am interested in hearing what 
people think of this trend in general.  I am also interested in 
learning more techniques and strategies for owning and maintaining a 
car with a preservation attitude.

-Steve T.

At 08:53 PM 1/26/2014, mg1948 at verizon.net wrote:
>The question I think you should ask yourself is "What do I want and 
>what pleases me" or is it important what others think of your car.
>
>I've had 21 MGs & some I tried for strict originality & it was 
>important I show well & others opinions.  I would not drive in the 
>rain or 100 miles to a meet.
>
>Others, my Magnette, was not restored to that level.  It satisfied 
>my wife because of a/c, and I wanted a reliable driver and not be 
>afraid of door dings, bugs, and was a nice restoration but not a 
>trailer queen or 95+ restoration.
>
>Just my opinion.
>
>Phil

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