It seems like we pay a lot of attention on this site on how to restore a Talladega or Spoiler II back to the way the factory built the car. Such restorations take an extreme amount of knowledge, patients, technical skill and a suitcase full of greenbacks. The results can be very rewarding and we all admire such cars. However, imagine going to a car show and seeing fifteen or twenty immaculately restored Talladegas all lined up; equal numbers of each of the three colors. It would be impressive but could it also be boring?
If you go to a Ford dealer today and look at a lot full of thirty new Mustangs all in one of three colors and all with exactly the same options and tire and wheel treatments, how many would you really look at before you walked on over to look at some Ford Super Duty trucks?
I will admit I am a customizer at heart. I never like to leave a car stock the way the factory built it. This split personality of restoration vs modification is always churning in my brain over every car I own. As I have gotten older (not more mature) I still have the constant turmoil to modify or not everything I own.
Sherri Peddicord and husband Bill Harney took their Talladega for a little tip to the sign shop and did what so many of us want to but have not. They did a LeeRoy Yarbrough street driven tribute car and it is terrific. LeeRoy’s race cars were white Talladega/Spoiler II cars with the 98 numbers on them. It is one of the iconic vintage race schemes. It is simple but striking and everyone in the know knows whose race car it represents. What makes this so great is that it doesn’t require a repaint of the car.
Here are some of the photos from Sherri and Bill.
The only other candidates for such treatment I can think of would be a Cale Yarborough number 21 Spoiler/Spoiler II or a Dan Gurney number 121 Spoiler/Spoiler II. Who’s up for the challenge? Can you imagine lining up the 27 Donnie Allison orange Talladega tribute car of Wayne Perkins next to this LeeRoy car of Sherri and Bill with a Cale 21 and Gurney 121 beside those? Now that would draw some attention and no one would be bored.
I love the idea of a tribute car. I think a big Holman and moody banner across the top of the front fender would look good. I wish some one would make a H&M NASCAR style rear spoiler, I would love to put one on my Cyclone.
Restoration or to add Modifications…It does take a lot as Richard stated to restore a Muscle car in today’s world. Plus with all the new high tech bolt on’s it is hard not to add modifications…take EFI you can buy a set up and bolt it on in half a day, it tunes it self, you get away from vapor lock and many other problems you can have with a carb set up…..
I look at this way if you have a muscle car any brand and you want to add this or take away that…it is your car and it should be what you want when you take it to a show or cruise night…..I think if you have a rare car as say a Talladega you should restore the body to the way the factory did it as to sheet metal …if you want to paint it pink go for it..if you want to put in a new Ford crate motor and 5 speed auto trans do it…. thing is if you sell it, the next owner can paint it back to the original color and if they want they can find a 428 C.J. and C6 and stick them back in..I think this is why original un-restored cars bring as much and even some times more than restored cars cause all the parts are there..you can do what you want to it and still have the parts to put it back to stock.
Plus parts are a lot easy-er to get for a new motor than for a 40 year old + big block… walk in to the auto parts store and say I need a rad hose for a 1969 Talladega with 428 C.J. and the young man or girl behind the counter say’s “A what???” “man that car is not even in my book”…as you LOL !!! So in short do it as you want retaining the important parts of the body so at a later date it can be restored back to “Day One ” spec’s ….
We love them both ways….
Well said Rick!
Rick, I think you are right. Do what you want ,as long as you can put it back stock.