The statement that many of these very nice original cars were restored many years ago is so true. Car shows through the '80s & '90s (and a lot still today) never had a class for unrestored vehicles. Just a "Stock" class, which was filled with restored cars. Many owners of nice original cars who wanted to take them to a show had to enter them in a stock class where they'd fail to earn an award. So for the sake of a $10. trophy, the cars got new interiors, new paint, detailed engine compartments, etc.
Our club was one of the first to have an Original Unrestored class at the shows we hosted all through the '90s. The class proved to be very popular and hopefully, as a result, some cars were saved in their original condition.
I couldn't be more happy that the hobby has now come to value those cars so much.
History can only be preserved or destroyed; it can't be re-created.
Verne