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Re: Vintage Eligibility

To: Derek Harling <derek.lola@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: Vintage Eligibility
From: Simon Favre <simon@mondes.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2000 13:50:47 -0700
I especially like the part about being on both sides of nearly every issue. 
;=)

As long as we're on the 7/8ths Camaro and the like, here's another case for
the learned experts out there. A few years ago, a friend acquired a fairly 
well known lightweight Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce. It had been 
campaigned extensively by a well known west coast racer. At some point in the 
very distant past, it had its fenders flared, presumably for running in SCCA
Production classes. Because the car dated from '58, but the flares dated from
1970, or so, the local vintage club made him go to great pains to de-flare
the car. Was this right? That was the way the car was raced in its last 
attempt at staying current. If the mods were 25-30 years old, don't they have
their own vintage status? He enjoys the car just as much now, with normal
fenders, so they were no great loss in this case. It's just that he had to go
to considerable trouble and expense to have 30-year old mods undone.

OK, OK, I know fender flares are the toe in the door that leads to roller 
rockers, NASCAR motors and other evils. ;=) Here's another case. There is 
another car, well known in local circles, that had a complete rebody at some
point in time. It was also a plain Giulietta Spider Veloce originally, but it
was completely cut up and rebodied to resemble a small sports racer, kind of
like a 7/8 scale Can-Am car. ;=) This car isn't currently active, but I can
just see it coming out one of these days with howls of protest over the wide
wheels, Aluminum fenders, and un-Alfa like appearance. This car even has a
name, for crying out loud. What's right? Is the former car evil because only
the fenders were flared and they didn't go all the way to a complete rebody,
or will the rebodied car have to go back to being a Giulietta Spider and lose
its particular identity and its unique history?

Is this distinction because former SCCA Production cars are considered evil 
in some circles?

Derek Harling wrote:
> 
> Probably the best two paragraphs ever written on the subject. Suggest 
>everybody
> reads them again. Thank  you Jack.
> 
> JWoesvra@aol.com wrote:
> 
> > I have spent the last 25 years debating the value of originality. I have 
>been
> > on both sides of nearly every issue. I believe I have directed SVRA to a
> > position of stability and sanity concerning rules and regulations. What we
> > will let you do we have put in writing and made the documents available to
> > anyone who asks for them. Each race organization has reasons for their
> > position on these issues. I hope they all have arrived at their at their
> > conclusions with as much research and dedication as we have.
> >
> > Race with your conscience. Don't go where you don't agree with what they are
> > doing. I hope you choose our way, but I completely understand if you find
> > another way that pleases you.
> >
> > Jack Woehrle

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