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Re: [Tigers] Book of Norman

To: "Smit, Theo" <Theo.Smit@dynastream.com>, "tigers@autox.team.net"
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Book of Norman
From: Marc James Small <marcsmall@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:16:58 -0400
At 06:00 PM 3/24/2010, Smit, Theo wrote:
 >So these would then be the "continuation series" BON?
 >
 >Trying to not draw too fine a parallel here... ;)
 >
 >
 >I think it would be more interesting to do a new book that looks at the
 >Tiger's current popularity, such as it is, the amazing amount of
reproduction
 >and remanufactured parts available for the car, and what that says about
the
 >ownership. Do some profiles of the different types of Tigers and their
 >owners:
 >- the unrestored but well-maintained survivor
 >- the resto-mod
 >- the basket case to concours winner
 >- the autocross and/or track-day special
 >- the barn find
 >
 >An appendix with an updated print registry, and a listing of current clubs
 >would round it out pretty well.
 >Obviously, the above information can already be distilled from a detailed
 >compilation of Internet information, but having it all together in one
place
 >would be helpful and having it in print is more palatable to a lot of
folks.

You raise some excellent points.  I was looking
at the issue from just two angles -- the need for
raw information to the Sunbeam community and the
need to enhance Norman's exchequer.  (e-Bay is an
oddball forum.  One of my books is, quite
illegally, still in print and available for $40
or so, but copies routinely sell on e-Bay for
$100 or more, generally with statements that I am
dead.  I am not, incidentally!)

To revise the BON would task Norm or someone else
to do a LOT of work.  This would be a worthy
enterprise but would not provide a proper return
on investment -- I write books on collector
cameras, and spend years of research and writing
for a world-wide market of 2.000 folks or so,
most of whom I already know.  So, a rewrite and
expansion of the BON would require a given number
of hours of work -- 1,000 would probably be
conservative -- not to mention the effort in
layout and the like.  The market is just not
large enough to ensure a return on investment.

So I went the lowball route.  Just scan and
reprint the original BON.  Hell, I would buy a
reprint at $100, and I do not even own a Tiger
and really have little interest in ever owning
such a hog.  <he grins>  That would put the
information out to the community and would put a
steady pile of bucks, small but steady, into
Norm's checking account.  I do not know the lad,
but I suspect that he has a need for money, as is the case with the rest of
us.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Marc


msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b`s fir gun ghr`s fir!
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