In a message dated 98-08-17 13:36:45 EDT, you write:
<< .the car was quickly bid up to $29,000. In addition, the
>buyer must pay a 7% "buyers premium". The total purchase price is
>$31,030, excluding tax and license.
>
Sadly, even though this counterfeit MK II is listed in my book as a
conversion, someone has just taken big time. >>
After following this story for the last couple of days, I feel compelled to
express my thoughts on the issue.
First, I think this makes it clear that TAC has a ways to go as far as
acknowledgement as a standard in the car collecting world. How many in
attendance at the mentioned auction do you think knew:
1. that Tigers are counterfeited
2. of the existence of an authentication process
3. that there is an accepted registry of Tigers
I think it is important that the various Tiger clubs pull together in
publicizing the TAC program and the behavior which led to its formation.
Perhaps some well chosen lobbying could result in this issue being published
in some of the more widely followed auto enthusiast publications? Maybe some
well placed ads in publications such as Hemmings? Not neccesarily, "Hey, have
your Tiger TAC'ed", but more along the lines of, "Considering buying a Tiger?
did you know..."
Second, in this particular instance, I would tend to think that if the
auctioneers were in any way reputable, they would bust the deal. The premium
on a $29k transaction, during one of their bigger events, is not going to make
or break the weekend. A number of letters to Automobile, Road&Track, Autoweek
etc. condemning the actions of the seller and auction house would cause a more
severe strain on their revenue stream.
Third, there is a downside in making the auto enthusiast world more aware of
the Alger issue: Some who might think of buying a Tiger could be scared off by
the risk of buying a fake and decide its not worth the aggravation. However,
the net result would increase Tiger values with a premium being attached to
undoubted authenticity. This leads to a point made by Jan, which is that
providing all Tiger owners with the opportunity to have their cars certified
increases in importance.
While TAC is expanding at a good clip nationally, with training completed in
the PacNorthwest and soon to be completed on the East Coast, it will take time
for it to radiate to many places. However, if you look at the Shelby club
example, which in many ways was the prototype for TAC, you see that with a
focussed, coordinated effort, it will happen and sad events such as what
transpired this last weekend will seldom occur.
The biggest obstacle to any of the above being of any significance is the
Tiger's relative obscurity and place on the collector's "food chain". Tigers
aren't worth a bunch and haven't ever caught on with the mainstream
enthusiast. For all any of us know, this Alger MkII might have been bought on
a whim by some wealthy guy for his wife or girlfriend, who thought it was
"cute", and $30k represents small change.
Mike Wood
B382002273
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