The Oldtimer Restoration

“Old love never rusts,” at least according to an old German saying. Owners of classic cars know that this is not necessarily true, especially when it comes to motorized garage loves. But what is to be done when the passage of time leaves its mark in the form of rust, defects, and heavy wear-and-tear yet you are not ready to simply say farewell? In this case there are several options that we will explain to you as well as we can in the following. First of all, it is important to understand that the full restoration of a classic car is a far-reaching decision because it is generally very time-intensive and can become costly. A full restoration is between 800 and 1200 working hours, depending on the condition of the car. This is not a surprise because depending on the scope of the restoration, you are practically creating a new vehicle you and along with subsequent generations will continue to admire and use. What could be nicer than owning a well-maintained, functioning classic car that fills you with pride every time you go for a ride and draws appreciative glances from others? This feeling helps the stress of a restoration to quickly fade. The only thing remaining is the certainty that you have something very special to call your own.

Nothing is as critical in determining the value and appreciation of a classic car as the type and quality of a completed restoration. In our opinion, and after observing the market in recent years, we have come to the conclusion that there will only be two main groups of classic cars in the foreseeable future. There will be cars that have a certain history and for which a high-quality restoration has been done. High-quality means completely and clearly documented. This is because the only way to prove that work was really performed, and how it was performed, is with detailed documentation. Because there are so-called restorations offered on the market again and again that in no way merit this designation, trust is good but verifiable facts are even better. Especially in the US, but also in Europe, the work completed often does not meet the necessary standard and thus a once highly-sought vehicle can easily be turned into a substandard everyday car. This is understandable because the profession of auto body builder is not a skilled trade in other places like it is in Germany. “Made in Germany” can be considered a mark of quality even for classic car restoration. From an economic viewpoint, a good and faithfully restored vehicle will see an above-average increase in value in the future based solely on the fact that such cars will become increasingly difficult to find on the market. Already today you can see how the market is trending. You can purchase a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback with big block engine in unrestored and damaged condition for about EUR 30,000 to 40,000, whereas a completely restored model can command a price of EUR 100,000 and up – the prices are trending upward. Cars that do not meet the above-mentioned requirements will trend below average because there will be no increased demand over the long term. Of course there are exceptions, such as if the relevant vehicle was only built in very low quantities, if a special model is involved, or if it is still completely unwelded and unmodified from the original condition. A classic car known colloquially as a daily driver of course has its own reasons for existence because not every owner is aware of the economic factors and considers his car as “usable” investment. Very often the fun and enjoyment of owning an old car are the motives for buying such a vehicle. Smaller repairs and adjustments are often enough to be able to enjoy that “old time” feeling to the fullest.

Based on our years of experience in this area and with the use of both modern and traditional technology, we can offer you professional restoration that always meets your expectations or even exceeds them. For us, authenticity and attention to detail are always at the forefront. Our goal for every restoration is to maintain as many original parts as possible and later attain a result that is both technically and visually as close as possible to the original delivered condition from the corresponding model year. With the customer’s agreement, useful improvements are possible. All restorations are performed by us on site in our own facilities by our specially trained personnel. We mainly differentiate between two types of restorations: one is a specific partial restoration, and the other is a complete full restoration. You can find out more about the exact differences between the two on the following pages.

You can find more information here:		Partial-Restoration
		Full-Restoration