In late 2014 Swellnet interviewed Central Coast board restorer Levi Jones. 'The surfboard reanimator' we called him and the tag fits perfectly 'cos Levi effectively puts life into into dead boards. Take this early-70s Jim Pollard for example: no fin, missing tail, and covered in dings from nose to tail.

Ordinarily Levi might sand it back, reglass it, and recolour it too, all the while doing his utmost to match the new work to the original - something he's very adept at.

However, the Pollard was "a little too far gone for a worthwhile conventional restoration," said Levi, so he went with something different. On goes bamboo veneer, delicate pinlines, and a brilliant glass job so it buffs up in showroom condition, plus it has a new story to tell.

The before and after photos below show Levi's talented and creative craftsmanship.

Also, if you like it so much you want to buy it, Levi is selling the board on eBay.

(Photos originally appeared on Vintage Surfboard Collectors)

Oh wow! That is a wicked restoration. Levi Jones, you are a wizard. Bet it looks even better in real life too.

Personally I don't get it, everything is new except for a stripped down blank, why not have a new blank too?

He's kept the original shape from something that was essentially a whisker away from being landfill and given it new life. I get it.

Isn't more a renovation than a restoration, looks nothing like the original.

The original would have been virtually impossible to replicate and another person might have restored/renovated it differently but I think he's done a great job with his interpretation of it.

except for the actual shape.

Amazing work, eh Zen? Restoration, renovation, derivation...all semantics. He's done some creative work on what was a lost cause.

*balsa veneer as per the description on ebay

It's a good job , I'll grant that, I just don't get it :)

This may help nihiki wan-chan (or maybe not?)

https://www.realself.com/porcelain-veneers/before-and-after-photos

Thought the same thing Hako think house rules rather than heritage listed home. Regardless there is some good workmanship and a neat end product have considered a project for home myself with an old banged up piece of shit.

Hako your not alone in your view.

While i think its amazing what they can do to me its no longer a vintage board its just a vintage looking board shaped from an old blank with an old logo, no different really to getting a new blank and shaping up a vintage looking board.

I love the before shots, what a piece of shit, so much character, so many memories, but give me the new look any day, still be a dog to surf though.

That's a great job. He's a true craftsman.

Why all the complaints? Its no different than a '38 Chev coupe being turned into a hot rod. Theres very little thats original in those restorations, sometimes even cabin is cut down, but theyre admired all around. I love "creative interpretations".

No complaint Nev, just a different point of view.

What a great bit of craftsmanship. No complaints from me.....or I know what we can do. Lets scan it, save the program. Pop out 100's of them on a machine. There is money to be made boy...LOL

How strong would the blank be after all that time, and the prior deterioration of the board? Would the restoration (and I assume heavy new glass job) compensate enough?

I don't think the original glass was stripped off, just sanded and filled, basically a massive ding repair:). I'd say it wouldn't float at all, it's just for looks. Maybe Gary g will buy it, he can put it on show with his collection of porcelain duck size horses .

It would have to be compromised somewhat but it'd be heavy and unruly anyway so the owner would have to have some gonads to paddle out in board-breaking hollow waves. Looks like a fun old pointbreak board you could enjoy some classic lines on.

Beautiful work - no reserve auction any guesses what the sale price may be ? Could have trace the outline onto a new blank added a 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee to the lam mix ...gives that old original glassed look along with a reprint of the decal.

I've heard of coffee tint but I always figured it was just a descriptor rather than putting actual coffee in a resin mix.

love the work put in but should've just made it water tight, kept the original patina and put a fin in. show the boards life as an object, rather than all the plastic surgery.

Get the wood off , we wanna see the real board sealed and on its way back in biz

Have you seen any of his other work? It's straight up amazing. That's the first time I've seen Levi use balsa veneer. Most often he's doing work with boards one step away from the garbage pile, restoring them similar to their original state - colours, materials etc. - paying great attention to detail.

This one was a bit diff, he even questioned if he'd gone too far, however I liked the creative interpretation, as someone above put it.

but you don't want them in their "original state". tidy it up, re-fin it if needed, seal it. done. let the boards life be seen. why do you want it to look new? it's not.

No but im glad to hear he does restore original look clear resin boards . Certainly a good craftsman

$1175.............Nice to see the Australian economy is still healthy.

Good on this bloke for getting a healthy profit for a good job.

The bloke who bought it has too much money, what the fuck would you do with it?

Graffiti it and store it under the bridge.!

Takedacustoms, nice restoration of a pink PT bonzer.

Not Levi, but in similar vein ... based down near Port Macquarie...

Plans to alter tropical reef hit with a Fijian sidestep.

Let's raise a glass to Seb's big arse wave.

It's the down-home surf comp where the public decides who's paddling out.

When Ash Sutton realised his seaweed had a similar texture to lolly snakes, his business mind kicked in.

When bad timing turns worse turns good.

A thought-provoking article that could possibly be well-hidden advertorial.

A celebration of the king of all seasons - autumn!

Great expectations as the CT returns to Plengkung. Steve Shearer reports on the opening day of competition.

Loosening up as Moneytrees delivers.

With no webcast to recap, Steve Shearer binges on surfing's latest effort to woo a mainstream audience.

Jungle scenes from the 1997 Quiksilver Pro courtesy of Tim Bonython.

The organisers will be calling on the magic of G'Land.

Plans to alter tropical reef hit with a Fijian sidestep.

Let's raise a glass to Seb's big arse wave.

Your browser has JavaScript disabled. Please enable it to continue.