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Show 1 A. a brochure from Chrysler, showing ' U uilltH ts antique tars !y bn ott tus rotRer, says George s, Ts A . ibXis., Bountiful, who is 'r f a t uia tor and has two completed - 'n ' t iht garage and one being ' ' 'ti, garage basement. v s a j ' t 1 frN . ' t i i . iM.i n ' 0 t !'f . ,r t i ! . 1 G 1 i THE BUMPER guard for the old automobile couldnt be purchased so George made one out of solid steel with a hack saw and a file. It took several tries to accomplish that project, he said. The mascot, a gazelle, was one of the last touches. These hood ornaments also serve as radiator caps in the old cars. Sip, he hdi asked himself the Hurt i" many old cars does one rev t. .11." Ho said his hobby reached leri. several years ago that he ..11 o r ,, eai out from his renovation ' a I a f, iHtgt So house his old cars. i IKREE ordinary modern r. t "v or !; so t i t 1 au- - will'd b tht family, sit outside covered carport. We cant af-o our new cars in the garage," f r- -t became interested in old u !,. saw some that had been i he Ilah Valley Old Car Club tour. Also one of his friends in old ears. e f t, .O' v i it-- ; w While George Hawkins was still renovating the Chrysler, a 1950 Oldsmobile, one like a car that they had owned in 1954 and had taken on their honeymoon, became available for sale. We were building the garage and were broke and so we decided not to buy it, George said. BUT GEORGE couldnt stop thinking about the car and Merial dreamed about it one night and so they decided to buy the Oldsmobile convertible. That car, which had sentimenal value to the Hawkins, has been renovated, but not restored. The Hawkins children especially like to drive in the 1950 car. George said he is still undecided about whether to finish his current project. Just how many cars does one guy need? he asked. Then we need a variety of clothes to match the cars. That is another J s iil I, to buy a 1931 Chrysler Ntv. and that was his firs! , , hi a tar. He spent six or seven s , iii sating 'he car, although about i i ' is t ht usual time needed. At the i lie nicked up the old car it was run- own power, but he brought , on a trailer. it S'out he said now the sedan has been (' ptetelv rebuilt. Every nut and bolt has V . It's in good enough shape nanged. t we could drive it to New York and Hut George says the family has not ii k . on such long tours as that. The :.,-Motor Car Club of America oi nis.iis six tours a year. The whole Hawkins family took one tour to Ophir, Chili, a ghost town. M (l i in f ( hame , , disssp NINETEEN year old Susan drove the Cod Oldsmobile, which has been m paired, taking part of the family, while other family members rode in the five . si nger ( hrysler. Inn Chrysler was the first car that George renovated, laboring after work .i i j and on weekends. Parts for the i isit-renovation have come from over "i states. The hub caps came fiom New Jersey. Pieces such as a rear bumper, door handles, cowl lights, headlight lenses, dome lights and window frames all were discovered through placing and wi ; ring ads for car parts. : i r GEORGE HAS subscribed to Hem-ing's Motor News, an antique car dealer's magazine which provides 400 s ; ,i of news and advertising about old I answered the other ads and found r s ms i needed to repair the Chrysler, Gn.ige said. When the automobile was almost finished, he found books were nv liable showing the colors that the 1931 l bryslers were originally painted. All those colors-blac- k, blue, green and maroon were very dark, almost black, and so George decided on a light gray i oior with black fenders. Many of the he said. original cars were Then he had seen an old original sales n -- two-ton- e, s V A fN "I SB w ?. w y" - sf t, J, 1 .W?? , V T V I' ' ' - ; . V hY' '' A 1931 Chrysler whuh has h ui restored by George Hawkins. Bountiful took ( mtd.lion to wi.cn it complete. But when finished it was in corn parable runmi) m or se hit tiro -- ri !.owroo:,i to 4. )ears ago. 11 TO George one of the cars over the years is in changes biggest the absence of running boards. About 1940 the running boards came off. The old cars are of higher quality in many senses since the metal is much heavier. In those days people didnt trade in their cars every two years and so they had to last longer, George said. But he said that modern cars are much better engineered. Really its about a tradeoff. Most cars built before i : ' aV ACCORDING , , N. V original. George purchased the uphol-- ' stery materia! from a company in Massachusetts which specializes in that production. Merial Hawkins, who also makes period clothes for the family to wear while riding in the car, reupholstered the inside of the automobile. ORGI- - tsn t sure what to do about u ) Hie renovation of the third car . in ha already restored a 1931 r " d is and has renovated a 1950 1 t . f jdu-- using for parts, he to re are pans for a 1934 to niihit Altnough the Chrysler .iife snular to the Plymouth, jiiii exact. In the course of bar-- ' hu- an offer to sell his .'1 i n.is-itti d man in Indiana. 'i."' i 'i c ' u I er n .ugh ' & Hawkins family THE ElGHT-membhas put over 5,000 miles on the old car since the renovation was complete. He said the five passenger sedan is comfortable inside since it has more leg room than modem cars. But you don't get as smooth a ride. Theyve learned a lot about cars since then. Since many of the engine parts cannot be renovated, George said that some companies had adapted to making engine parts for old cars. Others make uphol-- ' sterv materials that are similar to the George knows that t fs tie his weakness, he can't G ' Presently he is working on .ii, in of a 1934 Plymouth coupe i ini responding with other c r huffs m ail parts of the 1 f.'id parts he needs to resiote i I old-siz- i t iT covertible with yellow wheels. So the wheels were painted yellow. He said e tires several firms reproduce the to fit the renovated cars. 1935 had wood-fram- e undertaken by Reupholstering the interior of the Chrysler was a job was for Fabric the Merial Hawkins. purchased from a firm in upholstery Massachusetts. bodies. George has been restoring old cars since 1967. He says most of the time he is so busy with the old cars that he doesnt have time to repair the three other vehicles that the family owns. George did work with his son John on a 1963 Buick last winter so that it could be placed in running order. John is into the car thing a little," he said. WHILE George decides on his next project, the chassis of the 1934 Plymouth coupe sets on blocks in the basement of his garage. He brought the old car home from West Texas where he found it while attending a school in connection with, his work with the Federal Aviation Administration. He could keep trying to find parts to restore that car or could buy a 1934 Chryster sedan that he has found is available in Bluebell, Utah. Old cars are a kirtd of disease. Ips incurable, George said. But Im getting a little more rational. Hes not sure that he wants to begin on another project as time consuming as the Chrysler renovation which was rebuilt down to every nut and' bolt. Im not immortal. I dont know whether 1 can live long enough to restore another car like that one. , PHOTOS By KIM MORRIS The license plate indicates that George Hawkins is only one of the many people who restore old care. The Veteran Motor Car Club of America sponsors six old car tours every year. serves as a hood ornament as well as a radiator cap. The mascot of the 1931 Chrysler, a gazelle, tires to fit the renovated cars. The Several firms now make of are the tires painted yellow similar to a convertible that Mr. spokes Hawkins saw on a brochure. old-size- d rebuilt. Parts for the cars are cnassis ot the 1934 Plymouth Coupe is the current project being found through advertising in Hemmings Motor News, an antique car dealer s magazine. me |
