neil.cairns@virgin.net wrote:
> And, I went to GAYDON today, the BMHIT Rover MG gathering. It was
> superb. However, I found a chap of a type I did not know existed. He
> told me of the rebuild of his immaculate 1966 red MGB Roadster. It did
> not take long to realise he had farmed out EVERYTHING, simply writing a
> cheque for each task. <snip>
> Has anyone coined the phrase " cheque-book-restoration" yet, or can I
> register it?
Hey Neil, what's you point?
I love guys who do check book restorations. Those are the sources for my
'drivers' a half dozen years later. I used to get a little uppity about the
folks whose involvement was merely monetary but now I thank them for their
involvement.
Through them we get a lot of leads on vendors and craftsman that we can use
every once in awhile. Also, these guys keep the aforementioned in business.
There is no way I will consider a rusty car for a driver but, occasionally,
one of the moneyed folks do and put a junk-yard car back in circulation.
I tend to do all my own work on my cars. That is why I call it a hobby. I
would like to have a really nice car and a lot of the people I run with do.
But the average guy can't do a first class paint job or afford a lot of
chrome restoration, leather interiors, etc. And if we have enough money we
never seem to have enough time. Wouldn't it be cool if your only involvement
in the hobby was minor tune-ups and seat time going to and from events?
For those who have the desire to own a nice old car and don't have the time,
inclination, or desire to tackle the job themselves, then, by all means,
drop the heap off at a restorer and trailer it to the show for a year or two
until they get bored. I'd be more than happy to make you a DPO!
The more people into the old car hobby, especially those spending money, the
more cars and parts sources are available for the rest of us. The only
downside is that gatherings can attract a disproportionate number of
lawyers, doctors, and CEO types.
So the next time you see one of these checkbook restorations, stiffen the
spine a little and, as long as you can stand it, question the fellow on
parts sources, painters, interior workers, etc. You can learn quite a bit
and he might think of you when his interests move on!
Bob Allen, Kansas City, '69CGT, '75TR6, '61Elva (the good one is a #3)
"To make a small fortune in collectable cars, it is best to start with a
large one."
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