Overhaulin' Europa

RoadRaceDart wrote:

Woody wrote: I'd like to see how they would tackle my Model A Ford...

You left it parked in East LA again didn't you....

That would be a long, long ride...

I always wondered what the cars looked like after...oh...say five years. Would all of that hurry-up work last.

Anyone know of any follow up to any cars done this way?

stan wrote: I always wondered what the cars looked like after...oh...say five years. Would all of that hurry-up work last. Anyone know of any follow up to any cars done this way?

There was a show where they got all of them together and did a drag race and some other stuff - all of it held together remarkable well.

I'd say, it appears as if they do good work.

The only thing I have against that show is that even though it's all good stuff, the average guy out there thinks the average restoration should take a week or so. It helps when you have a hundred extremely talented guys working on one car together around the clock with an unlimited budget.

It's like never hearing about sex other than porn, and then getting married.

Or never driving a car, only watching Top Fuel dragsters, and then hearing how "fast" someone's Lambo is.

I can relate, because I have done and am in the midst of restorations. Done by me. With no cash. At night. In my home garage. It's amazing to watch the skill they hit those things with.

But yeah, to the average Joe it looks like I'm not only a talentless slacker but also incredibly lazy and slow.

Well, actually...

egoman wrote: I agree that the removal of door handles is the stupidest thing you can do to a car.

I agree that being closed minded is the stupidist thing you can do to a brain.

I've shaved the handles on a lot of custom cars, including some that were daily drivers. Last one I did was my kids custom stepside truck (uses a remote control to open the doors from the outside, and the stock handles to open them from the inside):

The big clunky handles on a lot of older cars look much better when they are gone, which is why cars started to come with flush, body color door handles, or in the case of many newer cars, pillar mounted handles so the door skins are smooth and bauble free.

Nashco wrote: This proves me wrong, big time. My wife always talks about how she wants one of my cars the show, and I always laugh and say, "There's no way in hell they'd take on one of my cars. An old Volvo? A Fiero? A baja bug? Etc...no freakin' way, he'll stick to what he knows." Well, if they took on a Europa, I stand corrected. Bryce

I hear ya. I kinda hold out hope my 1800ES would "disappear" from my backyard some day...

I wish I could watch the show, but I have no TV although I should have internet at home by then.

Keith Tanner wrote:

Woody wrote: I'd like to see how they would tackle my Model A Ford...

That car has huge potential. Some might say it's nothing BUT potential. It's not like there's anything else.

I suspect that it would go something like this:

Overhaulin': Model A

Day One: Replace Frame...

tuna55 wrote: It's like never hearing about sex other than porn, and then getting married.

This is Say What worthy.....

Chris_V wrote:

egoman wrote: I agree that the removal of door handles is the stupidest thing you can do to a car.

I agree that being closed minded is the stupidist thing you can do to a brain. I've shaved the handles on a lot of custom cars, including some that were daily drivers. Last one I did was my kids custom stepside truck (uses a remote control to open the doors from the outside, and the stock handles to open them from the inside): The big clunky handles on a lot of older cars look much better when they are gone, which is why cars started to come with flush, body color door handles, or in the case of many newer cars, pillar mounted handles so the door skins are smooth and bauble free.

My brother-in-law had shaved handles on one of his trucks. He joined the service and was gone for a while. So the battery went dead. You can probably fill in the rest of the story.

Keith Tanner wrote: My brother-in-law had shaved handles on one of his trucks. He joined the service and was gone for a while. So the battery went dead. You can probably fill in the rest of the story.

Hilarious!

My first couple of sports cars didn't HAVE any door handles (MGA, TR-3). You had to reach inside to unlatch them by pulling a cable.

yamaha wrote:

tuna55 wrote: It's like never hearing about sex other than porn, and then getting married.

This is Say What worthy.....

Yeah if thats not in the say what column, I am canceling my subscription!

Also I tried searching for this episode of overhaulin and couldn't find when its supposed to show. Does anyone know when?

Thanks
Paul

paulmpetrun wrote: Also I tried searching for this episode of overhaulin and couldn't find when its supposed to show. Does anyone know when? Thanks Paul

stuart in mn wrote: The Europa episode is on Velocity channel Sunday May 26 at 7pm central time. They're having a marathon of Overhaulin' episodes all that day.

Keith Tanner wrote:

Chris_V wrote:

egoman wrote: I agree that the removal of door handles is the stupidest thing you can do to a car.

I agree that being closed minded is the stupidist thing you can do to a brain. I've shaved the handles on a lot of custom cars, including some that were daily drivers. Last one I did was my kids custom stepside truck (uses a remote control to open the doors from the outside, and the stock handles to open them from the inside): The big clunky handles on a lot of older cars look much better when they are gone, which is why cars started to come with flush, body color door handles, or in the case of many newer cars, pillar mounted handles so the door skins are smooth and bauble free.

My brother-in-law had shaved handles on one of his trucks. He joined the service and was gone for a while. So the battery went dead. You can probably fill in the rest of the story.

I usually have mechanical means to get in. AND, you can usually open the hoods of most of those early cars without getting IN the car, so it's easy to jump the battery. Had to do it with my kid's truck as he's in the navy and usually gone for quite a while. The hood, in stock form, opens from the grille, not from inside the truck. So jumping the battery is easy (and you coun't do anything with the truck even if it was STOCK and the battery was dead until you charged it back up or jumped it)

Seriously, I've done this to dozens of cars and it's never been an issue.

Sure, on one of that era. But his wasn't that old, and you had to pop the hood from inside. A mechanical backup OR some way to get to the battery should definitely be considered if you want to shave the handles, even if it is a way to get jumper cables on the starter posts to get some juice into the vehicle.

Probably would fail state safety inspection here. Not saying that's logical or justified, just saying.

"INSPECT DOORS AT THE RIGHT & LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER’S SEAT FOR:

Handle or opening device which will permit opening the door from the outside and inside of the vehicle.

Latching system which will hold door in its proper closed position."

Keith Tanner wrote: Sure, on one of that era. But his wasn't that old, and you had to pop the hood from inside. A mechanical backup OR some way to get to the battery should definitely be considered if you want to shave the handles, even if it is a way to get jumper cables on the starter posts to get some juice into the vehicle.

So, you're saying common sense is recommended?

Bryce

bludroptop wrote: Probably would fail state safety inspection here. Not saying that's logical or justified, just saying. "INSPECT DOORS AT THE RIGHT & LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER’S SEAT FOR: Handle or opening device which will permit opening the door from the outside and inside of the vehicle. Latching system which will hold door in its proper closed position."

Opening device = remote control. Inside = stock handle. And a latching system is stock. BTDT. And yes, I have had occasion to discuss it with police officers and safety inspectors.

This is a common mod for street rods and '50s/60 customs and trucks. And it's simply not a problem. And most certainly not the stupidest thing you can do to a car, as I was responding to.

Keith Tanner wrote:

Chris_V wrote:

egoman wrote: I agree that the removal of door handles is the stupidest thing you can do to a car.

I agree that being closed minded is the stupidist thing you can do to a brain. I've shaved the handles on a lot of custom cars, including some that were daily drivers. Last one I did was my kids custom stepside truck (uses a remote control to open the doors from the outside, and the stock handles to open them from the inside): The big clunky handles on a lot of older cars look much better when they are gone, which is why cars started to come with flush, body color door handles, or in the case of many newer cars, pillar mounted handles so the door skins are smooth and bauble free.

My brother-in-law had shaved handles on one of his trucks. He joined the service and was gone for a while. So the battery went dead. You can probably fill in the rest of the story.

I hate to say it but did it seem REALLY stupid at that point.

I like cars that have the world's best door handles, so...

Woody wrote:

RoadRaceDart wrote:

Woody wrote: I'd like to see how they would tackle my Model A Ford...

You left it parked in East LA again didn't you....

That would be a long, long ride...

Bridgeport? New Haven? Waterbury?

I think the "big, clunky" door handles match the vehicles pretty well. The chrome door handles with the big push button are one of my favorite parts of 60's cars and trucks. I'm not going to bag on a custom for having shaved door handles, but I would never do it to my own car.

I think shaved door handles are stupid. That's my opinion, shared by some but not others. Huge negative if I'm shopping for a vehicle. I feel the same way about chopped roofs. I'm just not that much of a hot rodder.

I don't care for irreversible modifications to car bodies. Stuff you can unbolt, fine. Anything that requires cutting and welding to correct, not-so-much. Hate louvers too.

I'm just a big, meanie hater.

But if someone likes them, fine. Their ride; they can do what they want.

car39 wrote:

Woody wrote:

RoadRaceDart wrote:

Woody wrote: I'd like to see how they would tackle my Model A Ford...

You left it parked in East LA again didn't you....

That would be a long, long ride...

Bridgeport? New Haven? Waterbury?

Yeah, any of those would work.

Javelin wrote: I like cars that have the world's best door handles, so...

I actually like these instead.

In reply to Ranger50:

The difference is the AMC's are actually functional for an adult.

That show is still on?