At the risk of starting a fire storm (mwahahahahahaha), I have to say
loudly and in public that I just don't buy this whole thing where cars
done by a particular restorer should be worth more than a car done to
the same standards by anyone else. The whole thing is hype, pure and
simple. With all due respect to any of the Healey experts who fetch
premiums (and I'm sure their cars are lovely), my Healey was restored by
my father (with some help from me over the years). Now, none of you
would have heard of my father, but cars from his shop have been invited
to and shown at Pebble Beach for years, and he has one numerous class
awards at Pebble, and a few years ago took the Montague Trophy (awarded
to the finest English car on the field) for a pre-war AC. His
restorations have also been nominated for special awards at the AACA
national convention (which many of you will know is not a car show) and
has won many over the years, including two special awards this year
alone (for those of you who are AACA members and get the magazine, my
old man did the '34 Lancia retractable hard top and the '09 EMF Savanah
race car, both of which are featured in the magazine). The point here
isn't to sing my father's praises (though he deserves it). The bottom
line is that one should buy a car based on what it is, and the quality
of the restoration, not the name of the cat who restored it. Oh, and my
old man hated restoring the Healey -- he said it was too modern. :o)
Let the fireworks begin! :o)
Bill S.
2005 Lotus Elise
1968 Triumph TR-250
1965 Sunbeam Tiger
1965 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III
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