Custom Car Magazine Custom Car June 2013 Back Issue

I’ve just been reading a forum thread that I felt
raises an interesting, and very pertinent, question.
It’s about a barn find Model T built by Dan Woods
that has recently been purchased at an auction in
the USA. As it stands now, the car is a shadow of
its former self, but it evidently does still run.
The question raised was should the new owner simply
make it driveable and leave it just as it is, or restore the T to
its former glory? There is no right answer, of course, and the
new owner is free to do exactly what he likes with the car
he’s just bought, but naturally everyone has an opinion.
Leaving it as it is now is obviously the easiest option, especially
when you take into account the debates that are now ensuing as
to what the car actually looked like when it was first built. At the
time of writing, no one had been able to come up with a picture of
the car to show what it actually looked like when it was first built,
although its authenticity has been confirmed by someone who
worked with Dan Woods at the time. However, I’ve read comments
that say Dan never fitted Chevy engines (yet there’s one fitted in
this particular Model T), and always fitted one of his trademark
hand-crafted steering wheels (but there isn’t one present).
So, whilst it’s high unlikely it will ever happen, what would
you do if you became the owner of a fresh barn find? [Er, I’ve got
exactly what you’re talking about in my garage Dave, and am
struggling with the same dilemma – Mike] Whatever path you may
take you will please some, yet offend others, but do remember
to let us know your decision.