Posted 8 years ago
pedalracer
(5 items)
was just given this pedal car by a friend that didnt want to mess with it. Looked it up, looks like a 40's Chrysler. Pretty solid but the paint is gone. Is it bad to restore these? I could do a pretty nice job, kids want to help out so i thought it would be fun. Dont want to ruin the car though....
If you don't want to ruin the car, keep the kids away ! LOL !!
I figured if they help restore it they may take some care of it. Then maybe they will take car of real cars in the future. I'll make them sand, help paint and assemble then make them wax it. If it gets Alittle beat up it's still nicer than it is now. If it was mint then yes it would go up on a shelf.
I think I would get the kids to help with it. As you say they will love it more and probably play with it more too. Put a new level of love and patina on it!
I know keeping age patina is the go these days but in this case I wouldn't worry about it.
Agree with BB2. Restoring will lower the value and get the kids something else to play with.
Really not too worried about the value but I'm sure a restore on this one would make it worth more. Maybe when the kids are grown it'll get a full restoration
I am also a proponent of keeping the patina of of original antiques, but a bigger proponent of enjoying and using your antiques. In this case the lesson's and joy the kids could have restoring win out.
Make sure nothing else is close when they paint ! LOL !!
it will be sprayed in a paint booth with automotive eurethane and clearcoat so no the kids wont be doing that. Im thinking now about going a different color besides the green. Also, not sure, it looks like these cars had most the trim painted silver instead of chrome but the Pontiac had chrome maybe? Most of this will be silver, i'll buy a couple little repop pieces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sUIA0Rnz4
episode one of six on our restoration.
well after the car was done the girls drove it around at a cruise in night and it was a big hit. After that its pretty much been up on a shelf in the garage. I asked the girls if they wanted to enter it in the big carshow downtown this weekend at the convention center and they were excited to do so. Put the car down there is a display that a buddy had and entered it for competition. Got 2nd place pedal car, beat only by a custom shop that did one all fixed up with candy paint etc. Girls are pumped about the trophy and now asking to do more projects...uh oh.
What do you mean uh oh, I think that's awesome! :) Nice job on the resto!