Newsletter Highway 1

UNRESTORED ORIGINALS THE BEAUTY OF OLD CARS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE, WARTS AND ALL

In the pursuit of perfection, in the quest to restore collector cars to the absolute finest condition possible, the integrity of the automobile manufacturer’s construction methods and all of the unique characteristics associated with the car’s manufacture get tossed out the window, never to be seen and appreciated again. Significant information that future car enthusiasts will not be able to access in order to restore cars-cars that are too far gone to be worthy of being preserved as is-to their factory correct state will be discarded like yesterday’s trash. How sad.

As much as we all appreciate the hard work and talent required to restore an old car to standards equal to a Concours winning Classic, there’s something special about an original car. Unrestored original cars are honest and real, not replicas of their former selves-which is essentially what they become once they are restored.

We use the term "unrestored originals" in order to drive home the point. Many people falsely believe that cars that have been restored to factory correct specifications are considered original. But how can that be if the new paint they’re now wearing wasn’t applied by the car’s manufacturer, the upholstery doesn’t feature the same grain pattern as the original fabric, or that the new reproduction bumper and floor pan were made overseas? These restored cars are truly correct reproductions, but in no way can they be considered factory-made originals.

Original cars are desirable for more than their simple existence. Professional and amateur restorers alike rely on original cars as reference material, so they can see how they were really painted at the factory, how the seats were upholstered and stitched, seam sealer was applied, decals and stickers were placed, electrical connections were wired, and how hinges and other hardware were finished.

Most importantly-and this is something that is often done incorrectly on restored cars-is knowing when certain components were bolted in place. Were the brackets, braces, filler panels and fender bolts installed after the surrounding area was painted body color, or were they installed first, then subjected to overspray during the painting process? Having the ability to access this type of critical reference material for little things such as these is what makes certain restorations truly authentic. And if it weren’t for the well preserved originality of unrestored cars, we would not have this significant information.

With each passing day, chances are great that we lose another original collector car to a restorer’s dream of building the perfect concours car. This is why we need to educate our fellow car enthusiasts, as well as every old car owner we come in contact with, about the importance of keeping original cars original. After all, they’re only original once.

MAIL ORDERING MOTORING SEARS MOTOR BUGGY PUT FOLKS ON WHEELS FOR $395

Imagine how few new cars would be sold if straight talk like this was printed on the bottom of every ad:

"Our only terms are cash; we do not sell on installments or extend credit. Send us your order and enclose our price in the form of a post office money order; express money order; bank draft; or check."

It sounds more like a ransom demand than a sales pitch, but if you wanted to buy a Sears Motor Buggy out of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog, circa 1909, those were the terms.

The upshot however, was that the Sears Motor Buggy was inexpensive: just $395, shipped with a gallon of oil but no gasoline. By comparison, a Ford Model T cost $850 in 1909 (though it had seating for five), while a Buick Model 10 cost approximately $950 in 1910. (In today’s dollars, that equates to about $8,500 for a Sears Motor Buggy versus $18,000 for the Model T.)

"Speedy, economical, noiseless, durable and safe. A child can run it." Sears went on to describe its mail order Motor Buggy, which was not meant to be a full-on automobile like the T. Rather; the buggy was a inexpensive way to leave your hay burner in the barn and still get from place to place without wearing out a lot of shoe leather-sort of an early 20th century Smart for two or Tata Nano. The buggy’s top speed from its 10 hp (later increased to 14 hp) engine and friction transmission was 25 mph, a fact that Sears advertising writers actually tried to turn into a selling point.

"We do not believe that the average man desires to go whirling through the country at 40 to 50 miles an hour. We furnish in our Sears Motor Buggy a practical car for use every day in the year for rural or city roads."

Production lasted from late 1908 until 1912, with a total run of approximately 3,500 buggies. The venture was a financial failure for Sears, though apparently not for a lack of a strong sales pitch.