[ROVERNET - UK] "Restoring" Rovers, Market Value, et cetera
Kent Kinard
kkinard at wcc.net
Fri Jul 28 04:27:47 BST 2006
Hi Netters,
I shall unlimber my fingers and weigh in on this one.
Most of the cars I start with are junk. I am compulsive
about "rescuing" them to drivable condition or parting
them to benefit others. If I were to take one of my cars
as a starting point for a restoration, I would see no
problem with doing a ground up, nuts and bolts, better
than original number on it. I won't do it because I don't
have that kind of money and that's not what gives me my
kicks, but I can understand someone doing exactly that. I
have had two show cars that ate my lunch and I'm not about
to do that again.
What does bother me is the fellow who takes a nice
original car that is functional and presentable and takes
it down to a bucket of bolts and bare metal. He has
destroyed the character of a unique machine. It is his
and he has a right to do as he pleases, but I cry when I
see this done. I have a friend who has done exactly that
with both a Jag and a Triumph. He is compulsive that way
and I forgive him even as I cry. His work is more art
than history. Not my choice, but we are still friends. I
met a gent at Bellevue who brought one of a handful of '82
TR8's and is struggling to keep it original and running.
I congratulated him on his quest and wished him the best.
He is losing the battle slowly, but the car is unique
(one of two TR8's I have ever seen with no AC from the
factory).
On the other hand, my P5B Coupe is rather unusual over
here, though not scarce worldwide. I will not do a
complete nuts and bolts teardown on it, but what I do will
be done the best I can and the modifications I make will
not be irreversible (unless I give up on this infernal
wiring harness.) Whoever gets it when I die can do what
they wish or can afford. I only hope they enjoy Rovers as
much as I have.
Roverunderestoredly,
Kent K.
On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 19:20:38 -0700
"Aidrian Bridgeman-Sutton" <smokeandsteam at san.rr.com>
wrote:
>
>>>Not only that, but cars that have been "restored" to this
>>>degree turn my
> stomach. The car may have all of the right bits bolted
>together, and it
> might even have similar carpet, but it is in no way
>ORIGINAL. It was not
> assembled by Rover craftsmen using the materials and
>techniques used by
> the Rover Company. It does NOT represent the typical
>condition or
> quality of the car when it left the factory in Solihull.
><<
>
> I agree, though not to the point of an upset digestive
>system.
>
> Perhaps my having worked for a summer or three in a
>museum workshop has
> conditioned my thinking, but to my mind the restoration
>process should be to
> conserve as much as possible of the original using, as
>far as possible,
> materials and techniques which would have been used by
>the builder. In this
> sort of restoration you save everything original that
>you can even if it is
> not in perfect condition. Consumables and repairable
>parts can be replaced
> or reconditioned as required - basically anything that a
>workshop might have
> done to keep a car on the road and looking presentable
>is fair game.
>
> The intended use will naturally make a difference to
>what gets saved and
> what gets replaced - but you don't deviate from or
>improve upon the factory
> specification except perhaps for reasons of safety; I
>really wouldn't want
> to fly a Sopwith Camel with all the original wood,
>fabric and dope still in
> place.
>
> Obviously there are as many degrees and divergent
>opinions as there are old
> cars, and building something special from an old car is
>a pursuit with a
> long tradition. However what we see in too many cases
>are "restored" cars
> built to win car shows which is not, IMHO, a process of
>"restoration", but a
> special type of custom building. Much of this might be
>due to the philosophy
> that judges a restoration on perfection of detail rather
>than fidelity to
> the original.
>
> That said I don't have a particular issue with the owner
>who decides his
> classic car needs to be personalized with an up-rated
>engine, a more modern
> transmission, metallic paint and alloys, made into a
>convertible or what
> have you - provided it's not something especially rare
>or desirable that
> really should be kept original and that it's not passed
>off as a restored
> car.
>
> Aidrian
>
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