Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[smiffy220]

I went over to a breakfast club morning at JD Classics on Sunday morning last, and what a place that is, and right on my doorstep in Maldon. There were all sorts in there, including I counted 5 x Jag SS100's in various stages of restoration! Anyway, here are just a few pics taken, hope you enjoy:-























Ok, figured that gives you an idea. Some of these cars are worth figures I can't even imagine. For instance, that VW Camper in pink, will be costing upwards of £400k to build once finished according to the guy there who has been working on it. This is an amazing place, and cars from all over the world in various stages of restoration. I will be going back in August hopefully!

Dave
_________________
Born to rally, forced to work!

1980 Opel Manta 2.0 SR Berlinetta
1934 Morris Cowley Four (my late fathers)

[Richard H]

Some very expensive kit there Dave, but I'd still rather have the humble MK3 Zephyr

Excellent pictures!

[3xpendable]

Very nice pics, thanks for sharing them.

However, this raises an issue that's been bugging me of late. The costs of certain classics. HOW can you spend £400k on a VW camper?? Just how?

I understand certain rare and exotic cars that were expensive when new being procey due to thair rarity, heritage etc but i'm dumbfounded at how seemingly 'run of the mill' classics are now getting so expensive that its making many cars out of reach. I used to be in the Ford scene with Capri's and most people know the ridiculous money things like Escorts are going for. I'm sorry, I love my classics but at they end of the day they are lumps of metal, rubber and plastic and so can only be worth a certain amount, not 400K for gods sake, you could by a very decent family home with stables and 5 bay garage for that!

I know with completed cars they are worth what the market will pay but like I say, please someone show me how £400k is justified on a car? No one is spending 16,000 hours on that thing (@£25 an hour) and materials used in most cars (not including gold leaf, carbon fibre etc) don't cost THAT much...so how can you physically spend that much?

I could never enjoy a run of the mill classic knowing it had cost me that much. I like minted cars, but they also have to have some history and character to them.
_________________
2013 Dodge Durango R/T Hemi
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (LHD)
1964 Ford Anglia 105E 1500 GT (Dad)
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa (Uncle)
1971 MGB GT (V8 project) -SOLD 2016
2005 MINI Cooper S JCW - SOLD 2016

[nqtraderman]

I'm guessing it was a typo and he meant £40,000. Not being knowledgeable on camper vans I would have thought even that would be spending more on it than the finished item would be worth in the open market. But I don't know what a good one sells for.
_________________
Owner of a 1953 Sunbeam Alpine

[smiffy220]

[3xpendable]

I see your point Smiffy but our world and their world still doest justify the cost. So just because i'm not famous my Enzo would be worth £xxxx less than one owned by an F1 driver? That shows how idiotic the world is and some people have far too much money.

I have experienced 'their world' having raced myself for many years (still do) having worked for Mclaren F1 team and apart from some of the exotic materials used nothing esle justifies the cost. Staff there admitted themselves that suppliers double the quotes for work and components when they hear its an F1 team 'Just because that can'.

Flavio Briatore once said if a team was given £180 million a year to race wooden shopping carts, it would cost £180 million a year to race them. Now I spend a tenth of what some people are spending to race yet I have still won national championships...does that mean my superkart is not as well built as theirs just because they spend £110 a piece for rose joints that I get for £40 (same spec)? No, of course not.

When I was working at Mclaren I priced up some bits of the same quality from reputable suppliers and they were pittance compared to what was being paid (£200 for a 8 port connector) and apart from the carbon fibe and some complex wiring, the steering wheels were not 'that' complex for what they cost (£60,000).

At the end of the day I agree there is some exotic metal there, but i'd like to see how the components and labour for the interior justifiably totalled £19,000. My father runs a restoration business and I know he could do just a good a job, but wouldnt charge £19,000 for it.

Just my two cents
_________________
2013 Dodge Durango R/T Hemi
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (LHD)
1964 Ford Anglia 105E 1500 GT (Dad)
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa (Uncle)
1971 MGB GT (V8 project) -SOLD 2016
2005 MINI Cooper S JCW - SOLD 2016

[smiffy220]

Richard H - re that Zephyr mate, had to take a pic of the steering wheel, as that is a work of art in itself:-



Welshie, you raise some good points there mate. I've raced too in National B rallying, and have beaten some much more expensive machinery in my slightly knackered old Talbot Sunbeam when I had it, but that we like to think comes down to driving skills then I guess.

I'm not defending the amounts of money spent on these cars in JD Classics, but it was nearby and I saw some stunning machinery there which the likes of me would not normally see out on the road or at the local school fete or classic car show, so was just lovely to see them and for free!

If I had millions and was into VW campers (which I'm not) I guess it's not inconceivable that with nothing else to do with my money, I might well too want a very special camper van. (But would prefer the Jag SS100 I think!).
Dave
_________________
Born to rally, forced to work!

1980 Opel Manta 2.0 SR Berlinetta
1934 Morris Cowley Four (my late fathers)

[Richard H]

That steering wheel looks almost identical to the FB Victor one.



I wonder who came up with the design first?

[Roger-hatchy]

Thanks for sharing those Dave
Was sorry I couldn't make it this time, You know the reason, will HAVE to make the next one.

Was Clarke Gable's XK 120 still there, was bare metal last time I saw it.

A morning is too short a time to see everything properly.
And to think just next door a one country exotic renovations take place.
Last time I went in there, next door and saw Terry, one car was insured for £10,000,000.
As you say another world on that estate.

Roger

[3xpendable]

What like this:



I agree with you there Smiffy, just so we're on the same lines

Some nice cars there, i'd rather the handbuilt DB5/6 though
_________________
2013 Dodge Durango R/T Hemi
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (LHD)
1964 Ford Anglia 105E 1500 GT (Dad)
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa (Uncle)
1971 MGB GT (V8 project) -SOLD 2016
2005 MINI Cooper S JCW - SOLD 2016

[alan 869]

[Richard H]

Not mine, just a picture I nicked from Google images. Mine (my dad's) is a London registered RHD example, but it does have the same colour interior.

[Geoffp]

Some fabulous cars there, thanks for posting On the other hand I would expect bigger wheels than this for £400k



Was the Cortina estate a Savage, it looks like one?

Geoff

[alan 869]

[baconsdozen]

The camper is all very nice but I can think of better ways to spend nearly half a million quid.
What can you do with it when its finished,just hope no one touches it i suppose,I'd rather have something I can use.
_________________
Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).