Today I was on the phone with a friend who just purchased a new body for his
MGB. His original '64 had had it, and cost to repair would be at least twice
the cost of the new shell. He is swapping all the original stuff over to the
new body in about half the time. It got me thinking about bodies for Tigers,
and the temptation to "rebody" instead of restore whatever it is you have to
work with. At what point does it become a rebody.....over 50% replaced?
Should he just let it go, and send to the CA. crusher program? What if a nice
Tiger is whacked in the front end and it is replaced with a Alpine nose, as
is the case with so many "original Tigers"....is that kinda a rebody? When
your pocket book and brain says yes, but someone else tells you NO, where do
you draw the line? My buddy's MGB won't be original anymore, but to restore
the original by patching all the pieces in isn't original either, is it? New
sheet metal (i.e. other than original)is new sheet metal right? I said "what
the heck you want to keep the car and drive it dont ya?"
Now apply this theory to the Tiger. If you have a mess of a rust bucket,
unsafe, and insane to drive, when does it become a "crusher" over a
conversion, or a wreck over a rebody? Replacing a tag onto another body is
against the law, but what if you weld a hole section on without ever removing
or replacing the tag. A lot of aftermarket parts we use on our cars are also
deemed illegal...so is spitting and speeding in most public places, and I
have done both. So, where does one make the decision???? Stop speeding,
spitting, and start crushing to preserve the fabric of a pedigree, when
actually Tigers are basically a MUTT? Are Tigers purebred?Are they like some
others, or are they built by , and for, those who like the lines crossed
every once in a while, creating a hybrid that never could be considered pure
in automotive snobbery circles???........I ask the distinguished panel for
answers. And I know many out there are in need (at this moment)as to which
direction to go.
HW
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