Summer Show Update

The show season in the local area has been a fun one so far this year. We started it off with a bang at the Automotion show in WI Dells. The 1949 Chevy Pickup 3100 made it's debut there. We have to admit that the truck was on a trailer to get to the dells and then driven onto the show grounds. Why you might ask? The truck's top speed is about 45mph and the roads to the Dells are less than smooth. The 216 and 3 speed on the column are great! The challenge is with the ruts in the roads that are barely wider than the white wall tires.

This little green truck attracts a lot of big attention. Young and old are drawn to it. Most of the trucks that are shown of this era are modified. This one however is stock. The only things that were changed: gas tank relocated to beneath the bed at the far back of the truck, conversion to disc brakes and it has seat belts(which we keep getting flack for from some of the most nostalgic viewers, but it is safer and the owner is a retired paramedic and firefighter). People seem to enjoy the time warp they experience when they admire a truck that looks like it's straight out off the 1949 showroom floor. It is just as much fun to ride in as well. "Everybody waves!" says Pat, one of the owners.

Pat and Paul Sharpe bought the truck from a little town in Northern WI because Paul always wanted a 5 window 1949 Chevy. It shares the birth year of both of it's owners, not to state their age publicly or anything but that's the honest reason they got it. It was in red primer and it did run but was in need of a whole lot of attention mechanically and cosmetically. After being trailer to the shop the dis-assembly made it look a little more challenging yet. Some of the repairs done by previous owners were using tar and newspaper to fill instead of metal. The bed was used for oily parts storage as well. All the bed boards were there and although stained with oil they appeared salvageable and Paul took them home to refinish them. They turned out beautifully. The rest of the complete frame off restoration can be viewed through our photo gallery at: http://www.drivenrestorations.com/dr-gallery.php?id=1

So far this year the truck has been to 3 shows with the following results: 
WI Dell's Automotion- Top 6 Truck, Stock (Pictured here with shop owner Steve Gursky)

Beaver Dam Swan City Car Show- Best of Class Stock Truck 1900-2012 (Pictured with truck owner Paul Sharpe)

Portage Cruizin' Car Show- Event Class Winner Stock Truck 1947-2012 (Pictured with truck owner Paul Sharpe)

Congratulations to the owners! The positive remarks from spectators and judges are too numerous to mention but one stands out: "I hope you have a room big enough for all the trophies that thing will win"- fellow car show participant.

Next one on the docket is Fox Lake on July 28th (and maybe one or two in before that if time allows).

Driven Restorations in the News!

Car restoration business helps people drive their dream

We were recently featured in the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. We are excited for the show circuit this summer and will continue the activities this Sunday at the Beaver Dam Swan City Car Show.

Thank you to all the local business's for their support and excellent service!

Steve and Molly Gursky with the recently completed 1949 Chevrolet 3100 5-window

The following was published by The Daily Citizen and was written by Amanda Lutey:

RANDOLPH — A car restoration business that prides itself on quality work has a simple goal – helping people drive their dream.

Steve Gursky Jr. and his wife, Molly, own Driven Restorations, located at their rural Randolph home.

The Gursky's moved to Randolph from northwestern Wisconsin a few years go when Molly had a job change. A graduate of Wyotech, Steve said he’s been working on cars since he was 8 or 9, and working on them professionally for about 12 years.

Driven Restorations will work on projects big and small, from a frame-off restoration to minor repairs and does almost everything in house except upholstery and machine work on engines. Driven Restoration fully document projects – including photographs and videos so the owner can see the process.

The Gursky's said they try to stay with local suppliers as much as they can.

Steve said he takes pride in his work, and considers each car he works on to be an advertisement for his business.

“People really notice the details,” he said. “It’s all about the details.”

Molly said a project can be restored back to stock, or customized with performance parts.

The Gursky's said the car scene is a lot bigger in this area than it was in northern Wisconsin. Steve had worked for an auto body shop on restoration and collision projects. He said he’s not going to get rich working on restorations through his current business.

“You have to have a passion to do it,” Steve said.

Steve restores a limited number of vehicles a year and Molly does all the bookkeeping(,customer service) and marketing.

“We do things knowing we will stand behind them,” Steve said. “All work is guaranteed.”

"We really focus on quality,” said Molly. “But we make sure we do what the customer wants.”

Current projects include a 1965 Ford Galaxie and a 1959 Dodge Sierra Spectator nine passenger wagon.

“I like old cars,” Steve said. “I could do this all day, everyday - and I do.”

Driven Restoration plans to be at the annual Swan City Car Show on Sunday in Beaver Dam, and will serve as a show sponsor for the Cruzin’ Portage Car and Truck Show on June 24.

To learn more about Driven Restorations, call (608) 609-5041, or (920)326-9314 find them on Facebook or visit their website, www.drivenrestorations.com.

alutey@capitalnewspapers.com

The Swan City Car Show will take place Sunday at Swan City Park in Beaver Dam. Admission is free for spectators. The event opens at 8 a.m. An awards presentation will begin after 3:30 p.m.

1949 Chevy Pickup Truck: Before and After

Click here to see more photos and detailed descriptions of the project

1949 Chevy- In primer as purchased

1949 Chevy completed and ready to drive

Placed in Top 6 at Automotion 2012 in Wisconsin Dells among approximately 150 trucks and 1200 vehicles

See photos of the full restoration from start to finish in our gallery 

Questions? Email us at drivenrestorations@gmail.com
Like us on Facebook to see out latest work in progress

The 1965 Ford Galaxie: parts and progress

     We are DONE with metal work on the Galaxie project. The 1965 car is being fully restored to better than new and we've gotten to the mud work in just over 7 weeks of work. The frame is done and is a roller, the metal work was extensive but now has the car free of rust, and the engine work is in progress. The products that we've used on this car to date are numerous but we did find a supplier that could meet most of our needs to date.

     Deerborn Classics has been our source for a number of items. The only body panels we bought were for the lower quarters. We discovered real quickly that to buy the quarter that is double the price of the cheaper version was well worth the money. It comes formed to the body lines and saves labor hours in forming the lines and contours around the wheel well(see picture below). For the rest of the patch panels we used plain old sheet metal from a local supplier (Al-Win) and shaped it to form. It's turned out beautifully so far and mud work is underway.

      The only thing that was difficult was the number of shipments we received from Deerborn. We ordered a large dollar amount of items and they arrived over a period of 3 weeks and ALL in separate boxes. There has got to be a better way to ship for their sake! Needless to say we weren't impressed with the scatterbrained method of delivery, however, most of the products have been up to par.