Restoring an antique

I am just learning about cars, so there is a lot I
don't know.
If I weld the frame to my 1975 Cadillac can I still
consider
it an antique?
I have to replace all line and do a lot of work to it,
but it will
be worth it, especially if it doesn't lose it's antique
status.

B_Bop_Girl wrote:
> I am just learning about cars, so there is a lot I don't know.
> If I weld the frame to my 1975 Cadillac can I still consider
> it an antique?
> I have to replace all line and do a lot of work to it, but it will
> be worth it, especially if it doesn't lose it's antique status.

You're just repairing the original frame, right? If so, yes, it retains its
status. You can repair any original part or replace it with an identical one and
nobody would argue that it's no longer an antique. Some people will value a car
that has the original engine and running gear (this is referred to as "matching
numbers") more than one that has had to have a major part replaced.

Where you start to get out of antique/classic status and into "street rod"
status is when you start to replace items with things that were not offered by
the factory. Slap a 327 Chevy V8 into a 1940 Ford, and most people will say
that's not a true antique car anymore.

On the other hand, if you're talking about the "historic vehicle" status as far
as the DMV is concerned, you can do anything you want to it and still get
classic car plates.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.