Original miles "really" matter on a restored car?

[Survivor 69/Z28]

But what about a car that has 200k miles with documentation that supports everything being original? That same car went through a nut and bolt restoration. There is no difference in that car vs. a low mile car in the same situation.

Bottom line, a car with low miles that has been ground up resotored makes me question that car. First off, why is that person making a huge deal over the miles when its been completely gone through? I see these cars that have 25-50k miles that have been totally gone through. Well, if its such a special car then why was it restored with such low miles???
I for example own a unrestored 69 Z. It now has 78k miles. I drive this thing. I would be a fool to restore it as its in extremely nice condition. Would I pay more for a 69 Z with lower miles that has been restored vs. a car with more miles that in in great shape that is unrestored? No way!

Sorry for the rant.
But while keeping up with the market. I am noticing more and more that these guys list these old cars saying " LOW MILES" and then all original. But then you dig a little deeper and find out that the so called low mile original car has been completely restored. This does not make a lot of sense to me. I know there are exceptions. But over all I think my point is very valid.

[69L78]

I have an original 29k mile JL8 that I am going to get painted and or restored and my interior is in mint condition and nothing will need to be done to the interior at all so to me as Chad stated it should reflect that. The bottom end of the engine has never been apart and has absolutely no leaks at all. The original intake and carb was repalced with a X-RAM setup in 1981 and I am not going to freshen up the bottom end.

[mockingbird812]

Jeff - your not kiddin' that interior is mint!

[m22mike]

I have had the good fortune to restore three really neat low mileage cars that were not really stored very well or had alot of rattle can blackout and chassis black applied to the undercarrage and put all of them in need of the rotiserie treetment.
One was a 11K 69 Camaro L78,a 17K mile 69 COPO Camaro, and the other was a 8K mile 69 Nova L78. None of which were still good enough to be left as survivors.
The Nove was painted whited underneath YUK !
One thing your overlooking about low mileage restored cars, at least with the three I mentioned above, is that I found all to have very little used and like new internal parts.
Like the steering box's and rear ends and Muncies, after clean up some of the stuff looked as good as NOS parts.
I remember these three 12 bolts all got there original bearings put back in.
All three had there original rear leaf springs restored and re used.
All three had there outer tie rods put back in. And the Nova went back together with the original front coils.
Same with the interior's, only the Nova got a new headliner, the L78 Camaro still has it's born with carpet.
Anyway the list goes on.
So I think it is fair to say the low milaged restored car might still be a better car in the long run.
Forgot to mention all original body panels .

Thanks Mike

[Johnny Horsepower]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that a restored car with low mileage is good to know - bec/ there is a higher probability that most of the parts are indeed original to that car. A good example would be Sandlins '68 Dana Camaro, low miles but a full resto. So, you know that the car will have the majority of it's born with, original panels, interior, undercarriage, etc...

So, low miles can support a higher price on a restored car from that perspective.

[/ QUOTE ]

If the low mileage is truly proveable/documented I find it to be important to me. The above reasons are very true.
My 70 RA III Judge was bought from the original owners with only 38k miles. I could of left it a survivor but I chose not to. The interior is orignal and still in it. everything else has been redone, but its nice to know it was a low original mileage car from the start and retains most of its original major parts due to its low mileage.
I think low documented low miles on a restored car is important. And for a few cars if you have the before/after history and photos to prove it, I think it is major!

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[RamAirDave]

I don't think it matters so much on a finished, restored car so much as it helps on a car that is going to be restored. Regardless of the mileage, the usage/storage of the car over ~40 years is more important. A 150K mile car thats been well-kept/maintained might be a better starting point as far as the body, while one with 5K miles thats been sitting in the woods since the early 70s might retain more original parts.

With lower mileage, it's more likely that many of the original mechanical parts are still intact. And if its been stored at least reasonably well, the original sheetmetal will still be in pretty good shape.

[kwhizz]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it matters so much on a finished, restored car so much as it helps on a car that is going to be restored. Regardless of the mileage, the usage/storage of the car over ~40 years is more important. A 150K mile car thats been well-kept/maintained might be a better starting point as far as the body, while one with 5K miles thats been sitting in the woods since the early 70s might retain more original parts.

With lower mileage, it's more likely that many of the original mechanical parts are still intact. And if its been stored at least reasonably well, the original sheetmetal will still be in pretty good shape.

[/ QUOTE ]



What he said!!

Ken

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it matters so much on a finished, restored car so much as it helps on a car that is going to be restored. Regardless of the mileage, the usage/storage of the car over ~40 years is more important. A 150K mile car thats been well-kept/maintained might be a better starting point as far as the body, while one with 5K miles thats been sitting in the woods since the early 70s might retain more original parts.

With lower mileage, it's more likely that many of the original mechanical parts are still intact. And if its been stored at least reasonably well, the original sheetmetal will still be in pretty good shape.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto that!!

[Steve Shauger]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it matters so much on a finished, restored car so much as it helps on a car that is going to be restored. Regardless of the mileage, the usage/storage of the car over ~40 years is more important. A 150K mile car thats been well-kept/maintained might be a better starting point as far as the body, while one with 5K miles thats been sitting in the woods since the early 70s might retain more original parts.

With lower mileage, it's more likely that many of the original mechanical parts are still intact. And if its been stored at least reasonably well, the original sheetmetal will still be in pretty good shape.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto that!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree unless you can utilize the original parts from the car interior, sheetmetal, trim, electrical & drivetrain components not much is gained.

The quality of the restoration is directly related to the quality of the components used, reconditioned original/nos vs reproduction.