Jay, BTDT - The worst example was in a Jag 1993 JCNA sanctioned
concours, where an amateur repainted crooked body, sand and dirt
in the head, original but very tatty interior Etype took first
place and beat a professional restoration new black beauty from
Montreal. I saw the score sheets later, and they were seriously
doctored up on the most subjective sheet - the body paint and
finish.
When I asked the Club Pres wassup?, he said, Mike don't you have
enough silver on your shelf already ? - and besides this guy came
600 miles all the way from the States.
I quit the club, advised the Montrealer to sue (he did), and could
never get my son to spend 3 days doing the chrome wheels again.
I found the Lancaster Encounter experience last year, much more
professionally run, George M and boys.
Mike L
60A,67E,59Bug
----- Original Message -----
From <type79 at ix.netcom.com>
> I'll answer that question, at least as it relates to me
personally.
>
> Even though I have a great appreciation for modified and
non-original cars,
> Originality is my primary interest. I'm fascinated by original,
unrestored cars
> and have a great respect for extensive and accurate concours
restorations.
>
> Many years ago I was deeply involved in the hobby. I was one of
the early Sprite
> owners to do a ground up restoration on a Bugeye and along with
several others,
> expended great effort to research originality and collect
hard-to-find detail
> parts, and documentation.
>
> In the Eighties I owned a 1960 Bugeye that was a ground up
restoration and which
> won many Regional and National awards at Healey events. I also
owned one of the
> very original Bugeyes, a 1961 Leaf Green car that I purchased
from the original
> owner with only 24,000 miles on it. It came with the original
Dunlop Gold Seal
> tires, the original top, interior, floor mats (which the owner
kept covered by
> blankets, etc, etc, etc. Take my word for it, It was (and still
is) a drop-dead
> original car and is now owned by a friend. I also owned a 1972
Midget
> (Aqua-original and rare) on which I also completed a ground-up
restoration.
>
> During that same time period, I was very involved with Concours
judging. I
> thought through that activity I was helping other owners and the
hobby in general
> to preserve original cars. How naive I was.
>
> You see, I failed to understand the politics of the
Austin-Healey enthusiast
> organizations. If anyone thinks that all of the people in a
position of authority
> in the clubs are there to unselfishly contribute, you have a lot
to learn.
>
> Unknowingly, I crossed two people in influential positions of
one of the clubs
> who proceeded to not only privately slander me but also were in
a position to
> allow a slanderous letter be printed in the club publication.
>
> None of these people knew "jack" about concours, but they took
it upon themselves
> to get involved with an issue involving disgruntled concours
entrants.
> Disgruntled concours entrants? Who ever heard of disgruntled
concours entrants?
> :-) Oh, by the way, one of them was his son. I guess points
shouldn't have been
> deducted for the wiring harness for the dash that was
dangling/laying on the
> floor and I guess we were supposed to judge the parts that
weren't installed but
> that he showed us in the cardboard box. Hard to believe, but
true.
>
> And lest I not forget the entrant whose otherwise beautiful Iris
Blue Bugeye
> sported a red interior (?) and MkIII gauges and other Mk III
parts. "They were on
> the car when I bought it." This owner literally yelled at me
with his finger in
> my face in the lobby of the hotel for what seemed like an
eternity.
>
> Soooooooooooo. I lost interest. Eventually sold all three cars
and bought me a
> Lotus 7. If this was what I was going to get from the Healey
concours community
> and their club hitmen who were there only for the prestige of
their positions, I
> didn't need that distraction to enjoy the hobby.
>
> So what used to be in my head, is now kinda fuzzy. So I can't
really readily
> respond to questions without referring to documentation. So that
is one reason
> why I don't always respond.
>
> Another reason, is that I now choose to enjoy the concours
aspect of the hobby
> personally and privately. I don't appreciate the people that
brand anyone
> interested in originality or concours as snobs and the other
people that think
> that a concours restoration is something simple and by just
expending the effort
> means a high score at an event. The process is about learning
about how the cars
> left the factory and preserving that information; it isn't about
just coming home
> with a prize.
>
> I've heard enough complaints and taken enough crap from entrants
and others,
> after volunteering for entire days at Healey events that I ever
care to hear
> again. It's just not enjoyable and not worth it. After attending
a National
> Healey event at which the head judge literally begged me to
judge, I have
> steadfastly refused to participate in judging and actually
avoided another Healey
> event a couple of years ago when the head judge began putting
similar pressure on
> me. I will never, ever judge at an even again. Never!
>
> I'm not the brightest light in this hobby and don't know very
much about
> diagnosing problems compared to Frank, Charles, and many others,
but I know how
> to build a car and I know how to build a gold level car. Anyone
who has seen my
> cars, past and present, will attest to that.
>
> So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. :-) I enjoy the
hell out of my
> Spridgets and soon (hopefully) will be enjoying my Innocenti's
as well.
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/spridgets
|