'59 Jaguar restoration: go all out?

[Cranky Chain Cycles]

Torn. Should I go all out on the restoration or keep the patina? I'm getting a lot of pressure from my mechanic father-in-law to do an all-out resto. New chrome, paint, etc etc. He could care less about keeping it original; he insists on showroom condition. Me, if the decals are good they stay. The decal on the chainguard is in good shape. All other decals are pretty meh. The problem is having part of the bike looking new and other parts are used but fixed.

The chain is stiffer than a ministers pecker. Rust has destroyed the stem and handlebars. I don't know if the rims are salvageable. The fenders needs serious help or replacement.

 

[phantom]

If it's your bike I would say do whatever you want to. If it's your father in laws then he is in the drivers seat. If it was mine I would clean the begeezus out of it and hope for the best. If you don't like the results you can always go a different direction.

 

[Cranky Chain Cycles]

Its mine. Ill start with an oxy bath and see what it yields. The problem with chrome replating is it’s all or nothing. I have some 3M compound and polish to see how good the paint is. Parts like the stem and handlebars can be replaced.


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[Freqman1]

I’d say that’s at least a $1000 chrome bill. Unless money is no object I clean, service, and call it a day!

 

[Cranky Chain Cycles]

I’d say that’s at least a $1000 chrome bill. Unless money is no object I clean, service, and call it a day!

Exactly. I’ve never replated but he covered the bill for replating on a Columbia. It was well over $800. I didn’t care how the the tank doesn’t look original because he didn’t bother to repaint sections. He slapped on a decal and called it good.

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[Oilit]

I say keep the patina. Schwinn chrome often cleans up better than you would think. And the fenders are stainless, so if you can get the dents rolled out, they should be good as new.