Road vehicle restoration styles
Concours d'Elegance While the event known as Concours d' Elegance is an "invitation only" show of prestigious automobiles, the term "Concours d'Elegance Ready" Automobiles refers to the highest level of auto restoration. To term a restored car a "Concours d'Elegance Ready Automobile", or, "Concours Ready" for short, doesn't necessarily mean it will be exhibited and judged in Concours d'Elegance Events. The term is rather used to provide a comprehensive understanding of what level of automobile restoration has been completed on a car, or, what level of restoration on a car is underway by a very experienced Master Craftsperson in Automobile Restoration. This highest level of Restoration is distinguished from "Traditional Restoration" because a Concours Ready Car far exceeds the quality of the original manufacturer in its original debut day, because, the high standards set by judges at Concours D'Elegance events worldwide, demand that not a scratch or nick be found on even a single nut or bolt in the car being exhibited, as one example. A Concours d'Elegance level restoration means incredible handcrafting has gone into the lengthy and detailed restorative process, using minimalist filler, as another example of what separates this Arete Level of Restoration, from Traditional Automobile Restoration. Traditional Traditional restoration is characterized as returning a vehicle back to its original condition or better "in an effort to return it to like-new or better condition ... can be refurbished using either original or reproduction parts and techniques." Muscle Car Restorations of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, also took a similar approach when performing the restoration of a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 described in an article series published in Car Craft Magazine: "While not completely unmolested, it was very close. So much so that the decision was made to preserve as much of it as possible rather than to just tear it down, strip it, and start from scratch." These levels of preservation of originality within antique vehicle restorations has proven to accrue more value than some fully restored vehicles at auction in recent years. The process of restoring some particularly rare antique vehicles back to their overall original showroom floor condition has become increasingly difficult over time due to the diminishing of resources, parts, and tools. Some parts may not be available to replace or to imitate via fabrication for some rare and antique vehicles unless proper research is performed. This is one reason why preservation has become such a primary objective in many restorations, particularly of rare antique vehicles, in order to preserve the historical aspects of the vehicle, its components, and the processes of its original assembly.