The Initial Freshening
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 Amelia Earhart's Kissel Speedster, before restoration, as found in a field in Lincoln, Massachusetts |
From a short distance, Bugsby looks pretty sharp, but closer inspection reveals that a large number of items need attention. Starting in late July 2005, Lynn spends the next five of months going through all the mechanical systems of the car, cleaning and lubricating and making note of items needing more attention. Lynn thinks that he might be doing what he's heard of as "freshening" of an older restoration, or maybe this is what some have called a "sympathetic" restoration.
The list of items needing attention is quite long as you will note below. Some of the items represent major commitments of time and/or money. How long do you think it will take Lynn to complete a majority of the items? Lynn thinks it will take several years or more before he's satisfied with the condition of the car.
His goal is to produce a car that is competitive at Concours d'Elegance car shows. A longer term goal (or maybe its more of a fantasy) is to participate in the grand daddy of shows, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, held annually in and around the California Monterey Peninsula in August. Lynn has heard Jay Leno, a noted car buff and famous comedian, say something along the lines that he's proven that a mere millionaire can compete with the billionaires at Pebble Beach. Lynn hope that a humble (or not so humble) thousandaire can participate at Pebble Beach along with all the millionaires and billionaires without undue embarrassment.
This page summarizes Lynn's earliest efforts with Bugsby. Where ever possible, Lynn saves the old piece that's being repaired or replaced so that it can be put back later if Lynn's repairs prove to destroy some historical feature of the car. One useful product of the effort is this inventory of items that need more extensive repair or restoration. It is expected that these pages will be updated with descriptions or links to the repairs as they are made.
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with your comments or questionsCopyright © 2018 Lynn Kissel
Last updated: May 24, 2009