Restomod. These cars sucked when they were new. Why would I want to duplicate that???? LOL...

To me a true "purist" should be "restoring" these cars, warts and all...uneven panel gaps, unprotected bare metal undercarriages and suspension parts, missed gaps in seamsealer, an errant cigarette butt tossed onto the floor before installing the rear seat...etc etc. So a "purist" car should be restored exactly to those types of factory specs, ready to completely rust out in 2 to 3 years, just as they did from the factory...

But that never happens. So I say there is NO such thing as a "purist." What most call purists, I call over-restorers. Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with that.

And then after the over-restoration is complete, you gotta leave it sit in a garage or enclosed trailer like a piece of art? Or drive it only on perfect days, scared to death at the sight of a pop-up t-storm, or an errant rock thrown from a semi, or a short stretch of gravel road you gotta traverse?

No thanks. Not for ME. But perfectly fine for whoever did it...and that's cool and I respect it. But when I hit that gravel road I'm gonna do a big ol' Dukes of Hazzard fishtail and hammer thru it, raining or not, making the wife or friend in the passenger seat smile and giggle. And yeah I might get a few paint chips and it'll get dirty. But it was FUN and we LAUGHED! Then later in a week or two I'll clean it and fix it.

But I say if 45 years of forward technology and knowledge now allows it to be built better than ever, then by all means it should be built better...faster...stronger...quieter...stiffer...softer...louder...better sounding...better smelling...longer lasting...whatever the builder/modder/owner desires.

So that's my take. I also respect individual choices. So if someone else likes to build trailer queens for a hobby, by all means I fully respect that person's choice of a hobby...though I'd never do it myself. I respect that person just as much as I'd hope they'd respect my choice of hobby...mod 'em and beat the snot outta 'em!

I equally respect the snot-nosed low-pants teenager who converted his 20 year old Civic into a 7 color metallic low-rider hoopdie with frog-wheel stance and a fart can that rips nasty noises as he booms down the road with a dozen subwoofers. I wouldn't be caught dead owning/building something like that myself, but again that's HIS car hobby and not mine...he's happy and lovin' his life just like I am in only a very SLIGHTLY different way...and I say that's totally cool. I always give those dudes thumbs up because they have just as much pride in what they've built as I do in what I've built...and they return the thumbs up to me without exception...probably becuase they've NEVER received a genuine thumbs up from a old guy in an awesome classic before...and in return they're genuinely grateful for it. Mutual respect among EVERYONE makes the world a better place.

EVERYTHING can be fixed or improved. So I will always build it the best I can to MY personal tastes and drive it as hard and often as I please in all kinds of crappy conditions until it breaks or wrecks or rusts. Then fix or improve it again. That's what cars and mechanics and owners have always done...and will always do.

100% of cars and humans will turn back into dust someday...so enjoy both today...