Advice please - Restore to COA or not?

[DRT]

I'm having a 1972 targa restored and the COA says it had leatherette seats. I would really like to add the pepita/houndstooth inserts and maybe use leather instead of leatherette but I'm struggling with whether I should stray from the COA or not. I plan to keep the car, drive it on sunny days and maybe show it and the odd show. Will I decrease the value of it by straying from the COA? Both changes will actually be an upgrade as pepita/houndstooth and leather were options for the seats in 1972 so it will still be period correct. Advice please.

[72targa]

If you'd like an opinion of one, do what you like. Sounds like you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you just plan on rebuilding and selling, currently, matching the COA would be best. Hope to see some pictures.

[a356kid]

I would do it; and unless you choose purple pepita it should not hurt the value of the car should you need to sell it in the future. I changed/altered from the COA on this 1962 from all Black vinyl to all Green leather along with green carpets. I did it for my dad. He loved it. When he decided to sell the car it did not hurt the value of the car at all.

[Richardnew]

A lot depends on the condition of the car and what you want to do with the car.

The first decision is the restoration. It might be that a restoration will lower the value of the car. On the other hand you may not care.

It could be that the car is so far gone that a restoration is the only hope.

You have three choices with old cars.

Preservation: The essence of preservation is stabilization. Preservation is an effort to decrease the rate of deterioration. It involves maintaining the condition of the car.

Conservation: Conservation is an intervention to protect what’s there. Conservation is an attempt to manage, or at least reduce, the effects of decay that takes place on a daily basis. This is very similar to preservation except that conservation involves some type of active intervention.

Restoration: A restoration is an intervention that permanently changes the car. It’s an attempt to return the car to some previous state. In some cases this may be a state that never actually existed. (which is what you're thinking of doing)

If value is a concern then the COA will be your guide.

If you have no interest in selling the car or could care less about the value of the car just do what you want.

Richard Newton
Historic Racing Images

[raspritz]

It's your car and your money. Do what will make you happy.

Rich

[tcsracing1]

I too have struggled with switching over to houndstooth when it is not on the COA.
I really like it and it can make for more visual enjoyment of the vehicle restoration.
But if my car did not come with it, then it might hurt resale for that buyer looking for a correct car.

IMO It is correct for that year so it is not like you are doing something crazy.
Since a seat can be re skinned, it is not a deal breaker for somebody that just has to have a concours 72 targa.

If you really were doing a rare concours car then perhaps it wouldnt be worth doing. Say 73RS, 67S etc.
But if you are doing a numbers matching restoration to enjoy and drive, then i would do it.

[rower]

Changing from vinyl to leather, assuming the original vinyl isn't able to be preserved, won't change the value at all, nor will having pepita.
Seats are easily and inexpensively able to be changed. I wouldn't hesitate, especially in going with leather.

A color change car is much tougher.