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Sorry, but I have to comment (TAC)

To: <tigers@autox.team.net>
Subject: Sorry, but I have to comment (TAC)
From: "Tom Witt" <wittsend@jps.net>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 21:34:52 -0800
>>Tom, you're exactly proving why Mayf would have a big issue with TAC. <<

Theo,
 Two and a half years ago I bought my Tiger and until now I have only heard
encouragement to TAC my car, both to my advantage and the greater Tiger
community as well. Now without an understandable explanation until last
night it left me baffled about Mayf's position and others.
  I hope you will see after my explanation why I took the stance I did. When
I bought my car I had very little to spend (and I still do). My car was
stored at Smitty's and when I looked it over I asked him if it was a real
Tiger to which he replied "yes." The day after I purchased it I contacted
Norm Miller because the car was Calif. registered under the JAL #.
Fortunately Norm was familar with my car and confirmed it was a real Tiger
too.
  Regardless of their backround all I could ever support my Tiger's heritage
with was "well Smitty said...........," and "Norm Miller said............."
There is no known history of my car past 1978 with many previous owners that
are three states away. There is no original paper work. Thus, for me, TAC is
the verification beyond my abilities that the hundreds of hours I have spent
(and hundreds more to go) that that time working on my Tiger is not wasted.
For me TAC is as good as it gets. My Tiger can not stand on my word as I did
not buy it new, I do not have a lifetime of documentation and though I have
a fair indication of what makes a Tiger a "Tiger" I do not know as much as
others and to any skeptic my "opinion" carries little value.
  Now I want to be straight and say no one ever said the word, but with some
of the comments made about all that encompasses TAC it implies that I would
be an ASSHOLE to be duped into entering such a foolish process. And where
does that leave me? On one side I have those encouraging me to TAC my car to
my and the Tiger communities advantage. On the other side I have those
telling me it is a valueless process run by arrogant, self appointed
individuals of limited knowledge. With a car of my backround and extensive
labor involved what position is to my benefit??? Basically this discussion
took the wind out of my sails. If TAC really is valueless then what is left
to be said about my car? What do I have left to motivate me if I tie up
years of my life and my limited funds on something it might not be?
  To many it seems TAC is an insult, but to me if it is what it claims to be
then it is the motivating presence to move forward with my small part in
keeping one less decrepite Tiger from not existing. My questions posed to
Mayf were based on an understanding that TAC was universally accepted in the
Tiger community. He was the first I knew to disagree differently. In the end
it is an emotional issue for both of us.  However, if TAC is of no value
then neither is my car and the significant efforts I will invest because I
don't have what he has to stand behind his car. On the other hand $10 and 20
minutes to have his car looked over and support of such a cause would be
extremely charitable to one (such as myself) of significantly lesser means
and the support it gives me.
  For what it is worth many have pointed out holes in TAC that should be
addressed. Also if you view my past posts I have supported the Alger builder
as long as they are up front about their car. I make mention of this since
these were points that were also bought up in this greater discussion.

 Tom Witt B9470101



----- Original Message -----
From: "Theo Smit" <tsmit@shaw.ca>
Cc: <tigers@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2002 11:00 PM
Subject: Re: Closing thoughts: RE: TACvs Commonsense


> I should have stayed out of this one...
>
> Tom, you're exactly proving why Mayf would have a big issue with TAC. He's
got a
> car that is the genuine article. 20 years after he bought the car, some
> organization starts itself up, pronounces itself the "experts", and in the
> process puts all the car owners in the position of having to possibly
account
> for the car's pedigree, or at least having to justify to every stranger on
the
> street why his car doesn't have a TAC sticker. As a result of TAC, a lot
of
> Tigers and their owners are now somehow relegated to second-class status
by a
> lot of people, and that is an unnecessary slight.
>
> If anyone says to me their car is the real thing, TAC sticker or no, I'll
take
> their word. If anyone else asked me about that car, I'd say "The owner
says it's
> real", and leave it up to them to sort out the details. I don't have the
right
> to go crawling under any car unless I'm invited to by the owner, and I
certainly
> don't have the right to say "Well, he says it's real but he doesn't have a
TAC
> sticker so...".
>
> My opinion is that authentication programs, as well as the Tiger registry,
are a
> valuable asset to the Tiger community, just like this mailing list is.
However,
> just as there are a lot of people that own Tigers that don't or won't
> participate on this mailing list, there are people that will not have
their car
> authenticated. Give them the respect and freedom to make their choice and
quit
> questioning their motives already.
>
> Theo

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