Re: Packard wins Best of Show at Pebble Beach

Posted by Jeremy Adams On 2013/8/20 14:57:45

MrBumble: You're correct on your assumptions about restorations. In most cases, restorations cost far more than the cars restored are worth.

A good number of the cars we restored fall into this category. The owners chose to restore them out of sheer love of the cars, guys like Tom Lester, Ken Wessel and Len Immke.

It's the rare car that comes along, namely custom Packard twelves like this, and Duesenbergs and the like, that is worth more than the restorations themselves. A full restoration on a car usually averages around 4000-6000 man hours. Some cars, such as the one this thread is about, take far more. This car was byfar the most difficult one Dale ever restored.

Restoration is an art of love for the cars.

However, the pontoon fenders on this car are the originals - from the factory, if you can believe it. It was a show car. You can see photos on the gallery I posted above.

One more thing from Dale: "If money is the only measure of our work, then we are complete failures."