> Few would question that the "rebuilt" car you
> describe would be a
> period-correct/authentic/genuine/real (take your
> pick) vintage race car,
> with an extensive competition history, presumably
> eligible for most any
> vintage race. But would it still be "Mark Donohue's
> first racer"? Or would
> it be a "restored Elva Courier race car with a few
> parts from Mark Donohue's
> first race car" . . .
I don't know. Call me crazy, but aren't we taking
this a little too far? I mean, the car had parts
replaced WHILE IT WAS BEING RACED by Mark Donohue!
How many hairs are we going to split? Let's not
forget that these are race cars, and race cars get
damaged and repaired and damaged again and repaired
again. The only time that doesn't happen is when they
sit in a garage somewhere, slowly going to seed, which
is the most tragic thing I can imagine.
Or, to put it another way, let's assume that Donohue
didn't die tragically and he kept racing the same car
for decades. Over the course of those decades, the
car would almost certainly be rebuilt dozens of times,
but the "clock wouldn't start ticking" on its heritage
until Mark stopped racing it, right? It all seems so
academic and stupid to me.
Granted, the incredible values of some of these cars
make this argument germane, but since I can't play in
that league, I don't have to worry about it. What I
do worry about, however, is interesting old cars -
which were made to be raced - sitting forever in
shambles because people are afraid that making them
track worthy again is somehow going to spoil the value
or heritage of the car.
I can't shake the feeling that if Mark Donohue were
around today, he wouldn't see it that way.
=====
Paul Misencik
1971 MGB Vintage Race Project
www.sopwithracing.com
Huntersville, NC USA
www.paoloroman.com
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