At 08:57 PM 9/3/98 -0400, Chris Richard's wrote:
>Oh boy! This is great! Now people can bid and buy sight unseen an
>Alg....er Tiger. =20
>
Not much different than the "head-in-the-sand" approach seemingly used with
abandon these days.
Updating the Monterey episode might be a little overdue, so here goes.
1. Last week the shop answering machine regurgitated an out-of-the-blue
message from Dale A. Now this is not a guy I would not hear from on a
normal basis, so one ponders the intent of such a call. The short of it
was a statement that our errant MK II (B382100523) had been sold by its
previous owners, the Nasser contingent (I think Phil, even though the
"Registry" lists Jim) a full year ago to the owner of the auction company -
$18,000 was the reported exchange rate. Looking back to the "Harde
Chronicles", finds dates of October '97 and the "for-sale" ad in Hemmings
($19,500) confirms the approximate timeline. I guess that might mean the
"nads" are somewhat smaller than first thought, but beyond that it seems
the banditos are still banditos - dah.
2. Then we have an e-mail response (Sept. 1) from the auction house
indicating an "as is" policy concerning the sale of contraband (sorry
couldn't resist), followed by an unusually informed understanding of the
"Alger" definition.
>=85We do not normally undertake in-depth research on relatively inexpensive
>cars, because as the value of a car decreases, condition becomes more
>important than provenance as a factor in determining value. (A concours
>but non-correct example can bring more than a correct but cosmetically weak
>example). This is even true of big block Corvettes, where concern for
>authenticity has been taken to extremes.
>
>If an owner discloses to us that a car is incorrect, then of course we will
>pass on that information. If he does not - or does not know - then our
>policy is to make no comment as regards authenticity. So many combinations
>of original, reproduction, and replacement parts are possible that the
>issue is seldom black and white. Our sales are conducted on an as-is
basis, and
>those who consider such verification important are advised to arrange their
>own.
>
>Standards also vary. Many incorrect Tigers involve the use of a rust free
>Alpine and a rusty Tiger donor car, for example. While the Sunbeam club
>frowns on such restorations, in other marques it is quite acceptable, and
>in many clubs will certify such a car - including the Duesenberg club,=
which
>will issue a level one certification of a car as long as it contains no
>major non-Duesenberg parts.
>
>Should such verification become important and widespread, then sellers will
>tend to arrange it themselves, and buyers will become wary of those who
>don't. This is the case today with many cars, including Duesenbergs and
>Ferraris, although as I have said, standards for such certification vary.
>
>Nonetheless, I do appreciate the contact you have provided, and I will make
>use of them=85.
3. As a rejoinder to the above, "men-in-blue" are running the numbers (as
they say). I await the churning of computers with baited breath - next!
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