Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

One day in November 1996 is an experience I shall take a long time to forget.

I had just finished the restoration of my Jaguar Mark2 and although I had driven it locally, I was looking forward to good shake down run.

I stopped for petrol at our then BP service station, filled up with £30 of unleaded and went into the kiosk to pay.
On returning to the car there was a man waiting for me.

"You shouldn't be using this on a cold damp day like today."

I replied that the car was not a pampered show winner.

He then went on to point out that the wire wheels were incorrect for the year, I should have had SP41 crossplies rather than Michelin XVS, the walnut dash was bit too dark in shade, that it was "only" a 3.4 rather than a 3.8.
I listened patiently as he pointed out that the Jaguar bonnet emblem was a reproduction and he thought that cars with the handbrake to the right of the driver's seat were dangerous.
He even inserted his hand between the top of the front right tyre and the wheelarch and said the gap was too wide. (all springs were brand new)
Finally he added that he hadn't seen me adding any lead substitute to my fuel and warned me against using 20/50 multigrade oils.

The gentleman then gave me a farewell nod and drove off in a Nissan Primera.

He must have been observant, he was right in his criticisms
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[62rebel]

you should have said you'd just bought it from a doddering old pensioner for 500 quid and you knew nothing about it at all
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nothing is ever so far gone as to be unsalvageable. see this bolt?.....

[colwyn500]

Chances are that someone like that is not the go-getter that you/we are and drives a modern car and would never have the guts and ability to run an oldie
I used to get that sort of annoying comment but nowadays everyone seems to adore my car.s

[Ray White]

The only really hurtful comments that I can remember came from my own Father; now deceased. When I told him I had bought an Austin Seven Swallow, he thought I was mad. He launched into a tirade about how bad the brake design was and how hopelessly underpowered the little side valve engine was and how the world had moved on. If the comments had come from anyone else I would have dismissed them at a stroke but from Dad it hurt.

The trouble was that my old Dad, who was a highly skilled engineer, had seen first hand the development of the motor car from the days when all the average working man could afford by way of a car was an Austin Seven. He regarded the Morris 8 as a wonderful car by comparison and hoped never to look back to the dark days (as he saw it) of cable brakes etc. etc. so I thought my purchase of an "obsolete" vehicle was never going to obtain his approval.

Interestingly, when the dust had settled, I was able to get the old chap talking about his motoring past and his days at Brooklands where he raced his Norton CS1. When we got onto his MG midget he began to "get it" and wished he had kept it... Cable brakes and all !!

[Da Tow'd]

I had a old fart of guy say about my single cab VW. That I had I had done a good job of cutting up one of those hippy vans.

[Dipster]

Only when my brother and I were teenagers (quite some years ago!) We ran various 30`s cars at the time as they were cheap! We used to get lots of derogatory comments from our neighbours at the time mostly because our cars had the bad habit of marking their territory with various oils, engine, gearbox, diff, on the road outside our parent`s house. As they considered it was a posh area these dribbles were most unwelcome...

Using the cars was our priority at the time rather then too much fettling.

[Ronniej]

When offered in the correct spirit I will welcome advice and comments but every now and again you meet a self-appointed expert like the one Ellis describes.
I had just such an encounter at the Morris Rally a few years ago which I had attended with my Morris 8 Two Seater. (Having driven it from Scotland.)
He remarked (correctly) on a number of minor departures from original spec and I listened politely.
He then announced that he could see that my rear wings were glass fibre.
I replied that it was the special glass fibre that magnets were attracted to.
He did not seem to understand the sarcasm and went off to annoy other exhibitors.

[kevin2306]

I will discuss any element of my car objectively with anyone, every day is a school day after all.
I cant and wont entertain idiots however, and find myself letting them have a broadside should the conversation become a tyre kicking session.
Ellis, if that bloke had stopped to say those things to me, I doubt he would ever approach me again

kev

[Ray White]

Ronnie; that reminds me of the guy who informed me that my coach built Austin Swallow had a wooden chassis! I explained that only the body was made from Ash but the idiot insisted the chassis was wood too. He confirmed this by pointing to the wood either side of the crankcase that the bottom of the front wings are screwed to... I acted dumb and let him think he had taught me something new about my car.

With that he went away. Some people!

[Rootes75]

When I was 16-17 I wanted a small classic car to restore. I found a 1937 Ford Ten in the local paper and decided to go and look at it, it needed restoration but was a lovely project and the chap who was selling it was a really nice helpful bloke. Naturally, I bought it.

The next weekend with the assistance of my older Brother we went along with a trailer to pick the old girl up. Unfortunately my Brothers wife decided to join us. Now, I can see an end result from a project car, my Brother and his wife don't.
I was chatting to the seller when my Sister in-law said in front of him that she couldn't believe I was buying something like this and how she couldn't believe someone was prepared to sell it!
The seller was very embarrassed and so was I. I still have the car tucked away, its a very early 2 door Ford 7W and I wouldn't part with it for the world!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[lowdrag]

Many a time with the D-type and XKSS. "Plastic pig" is often heard, people feel the wings and walk away shaking their head, even though it is alloy, but most stupid of all was the comment that the headlights were wrong; they are Lucas Le Mans ones. What else should the car wear, even if they are technically illegal? No pleasing some people.

[MikeEdwards]

I tend to find I run into quite a lot of people who used to work for Vauxhall in Ellesmere Port, and that sounds like it would be quite interesting except that a lot are adamant that their poor memory is more accurate than everyone else's version of history of the car. "These had twin-cam engines" is one I've heard, and more commonly "would have had a Getrag box from new", except both refer to the HS/HSR Chevette and not my car.

More recently I've had a couple of people mention that "of course, this is Vauxhall's response to the Mk2 Escort RS2000" referring to the nosecone, though at least they didn't storm off in a huff when I mentioned the car was launched two years before the Mk2 RS, and in testing a good couple of years before that if the registrations on the test car photos are anything to go by.

Usually I don't get much trouble, sometimes it's a pity because I'm just in the mood for a good argument with someone. You have to watch how it goes, though, just in case it turns out the other person is someone who does actually know what they're talking about.

[clan chieftain]

I got them all the time with the marinas. Dont know why. .I suppose it doesnt matter what car you have ,someone will pick a fault and its usually someone who has never owned or driven one.
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The Clan Chieftain

[colwyn500]

[Ray White]