I admit I can get kind of. . .well. . .opinionated once in a while about
cars. And of course the person who spends the money should have exactly
what he wants. Of *course* it's their car. On the other hand, I'd argue
that educating oneself regarding originality, and the reasons for it, is a
worthy consideration. Furthermore, the criticism I hear on the list may be
a minority view in the overall collecting world. Why, for example, should
anyone bother to consult Piggot? Why do his books, which emphasize the most
minor and insignificant details, sell as well as they do? Why should anyone
turn their nose up at an MG TD replica with Volkswagen turn-signal lights
and a Volkswagen engine in the back. It makes the owner happy. And I'm all
for that! So why isn't such a car just as desirable as. . .what?
Okay, desirability is in the eye of the beholder, but there is a natural
human tendency to value the more genuine or sincere item. I'm not out to
have my '72 concours-judged, and I make my own compromises where I see fit,
just like anyone else, though maybe I struggle with these issues more than I
ought to. A couple of you may recall that I had a tough time trying to
decide whether to spend an extra $120 just to have an original top with
semi-ugly reflecting tape (though now I'm glad I did this for the sake of
originality---just my own irrational pride that the car is like it "ought"
to be).
My humble argument is that these cars have historic as well as personal
value. As a relative newcomer to the scene, including local club
membership, I hear proud talk of "daily drivers". That's cool. But not TR3
daily drivers. Get the point? These cars are quickly becoming history,
like it or not. The only reason we can still use our TR6s as "daily
drivers" is because of age. They are still newish insofar as collectibles
go. The number manufactured isn't that much higher than the TR3. I think
it won't be long that "weekend driver" will be about it for the TR6. Sure,
anything goes, but it seems to me that promoting the idea of originality
can't be a bad thing.
Phil Haldeman
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