Cosmetically original condition, i.e. unrestored, early cars (up to +/- 1960 ?)...

Twenty years ago...sorry, twenty one years ago at the “Ferrari at 50” display at the Peterson Automotive Museum there was an unrestored car with seriously checking paint. I can’t remember the model (I want to guess 330GTC, but it was 21 years ago)...it was at the museum because of its ownership history, not its rarity. The story at the time was that it was going to get a sympathetic mechanical refurbishment, but the cosmetics were going to stay the same...

I’ve often wondered what has happened to it...my pessimistic guess is that it has been over restored at least once or twice.

I love old survivor cars and motorcycles...patina is beautiful. I have a BMW R51/3 (motorcycle) that is getting a sympathetic mechanical refurbishment, but the cosmetics are staying the same. It’s okay to look old when you are old.

 

Didn't the lacquer paints used on cars in the 1950s and 60s have a pretty short lifespan? It seems like it was not uncommon to see ads for cars only a few years old which had already been repainted once.

 

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Timo I think this comes close
66 Australian delivery - a little outside your parameter.
As far as we can see never repainted or upholstered (but looking a little tired) Am just trying to keep it clean and original as possible but new exhaust was neccesary.

 

I know, I know, rear speakers wrong

 

It was also really inexpensive to repaint a car back in the good old days.

My ‘67 330 GT left the factory in white but was repainted silver just a couple of years later.

Matt

 

Why is it IMPOSSIBLE to post multiple photos without duplications.
I notice I am not the only one with this problem

 

Very nice car. Can you please post some more pics, e.g. engine bay, carpets, etc. Details of engine bay would be great for reference if original, e.g. where were Cheney clamps used, etc.

Thanks a lot
Chris

 

Looks like some real Australian dust in the trunk!!!

Great shots and nice orig car for sure!

 

Wonderful car Howard - great to see that you are enabling Australian delivered cars to stay in Australia, and that you are keeping it in such fine condition.

 

You're Right.

 

Italians used resin filled (acrilico) and also physically cured (sint.) paints in 50's and early 60's already. These behave very differently compared with cellulose filled paints widely used in UK at that time, which tend to shrink like hell. 5% shrinkage would equal to a 1mm wide crack every 20mms - roughly an inch. The use of new paint technology was absolutely necessary as expensive cars were almost painted with metallic colors. I am quite sceptic about any claim of original paintwork on a 50-year-old car as materials tend to evaporate slowly and a after all those years a coat of paint would besides being full of dents and scratches also be so thin that it would likely fall off as everything keeping it together has already gone into the air. As a result I am quite sure that most if not all of the cars that claim to carry original paintwork have been repainted, often several times when still relatively new. Increasing the amount of layers helps to keep the paint together and as a result we may have an old car with a nicely patinated old coat of paint that holds together because it is two or three times thicker than it would be compared to a flaking "factory original".