Perhaps the best results are obtained by an hardcase enthusiast who does
most of the work himself, having a proper workshop, tools, time, skill and
money; concours guidelines in hand, and farms out to the pros such items as
structural welding, paint and perhaps body prep and upholstery. I hope I'm
right on this, 'cause thats how I'm doing my BN2 which will be on the road
this spring. It's not for concours purposes, but on a ground-up its just as
easy to do it right, so why not. I sent the seats to Heritage for
upholstery, and I'll install their panels etc and do the rest of the trim.
I did all the body prep, then took it to a pro for paint. My prep wasn't up
to his standards, so he's spending a few hours (days) making it right,
before shooting the paint.
While on the subject of upgrades, I'm adding all the LeMans stuff....M
distributor, H6 Carbs, etc, also original period finned alloy valve cover
and Alfin brake drums. These are all original parts I have collected over
the years, but of course I'll keep the original parts so the car can easily
be put back to the as built spec.
Jim in CT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Reid Trummel" <editor_reid@hotmail.com>
To: <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 1:49 AM
Subject: Amateur vs. Professional Restoration
> My recent visit to the auctions in Arizona got me to thinking about the
> differences between an "amateur" and a "professional" restoration. I'm
> really not sure that those are meaningful distinctions.
>
> Why couldn't an amateur do every bit as good of a job as a professional?
The
> "fully restored to concours gold standards" (a truly overused phrase at
the
> auctions) Healeys in these auctions looked pretty good, but had a few
little
> things to criticize. Polished dash pots for one.
>
> Anyway, it got me to thinking, what do people think of as the difference
> between a professional and an amateur restoration? No one certifies
> "professional" Healey restorers, so I lean towards saying that it is a
> distinction without a difference. Restored is restored. Whether you've
done
> it once or a hundred times, what you have at the end is a collection of
Moss
> Motors parts, new paint and new chrome, and almost nothing remaining of
that
> which left the factory.
>
> If I screw on a bunch of Moss Motors parts, it's an amateur restoration.
If
> someone who has done it a hundred times screws them on, it's a
professional
> restoration. No diff in my book.
>
> What say you?
>
> Reid Trummel
> Portland, Oregon
> 100, 100M, Ski-Master
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