Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Old-Nail · Guest

A recent topic regarding those that customise or badly restore old vehicles lead me to thinking about a moral dilemma and how each of us would react to it.

For those that didn't read that particular thread the jist of it was: How should a car be restored? to original spec or otherwise?

The thread ended with my rather unhappy conclusion that in the world we live in so long as you have the money you can make whatever mods you like to your cars even if they are considered outrageous vandalism by others.

Now to my moral dilemma:-

If you were the owner of an immaculate and original classic car worth say £6000, and the local wealthy oik that has just won the lottery offered you £12000 cash for it so he could go banger racing in it do you...

A: Sell and try not to think about it.

B: Refuse and try not to think about it Confused

C: Try to talk him out of banger racing!

So here it is, there's a knock at your door, he's standing there with a big floppy wad of cash that would fix that leak in the roof and more.... what do YOU do! Shocked

gillberry · Guest

All depends how much you need the money and how strong your morals are , we all have a price and a need .

buzzy bee · Guest

Hi

Depends what car you were thinking of selling aswell I supose, I would be tempted to tell him to get lost however! It is a hard one though, just hope it never happens!

Cheers

Dave

xkjaguar · Guest

its called fredom of choice old nail
personally both the merc and the jag are modified in so much as different wheels, non standard colours etc
but its how i like them and i'm the one who has to drive them

Uncle Joe · Guest

The point is, we dont really own classic cars, we merely preserve them for prosterity.

Would I sell one for destruction, no, not unless I couldn´t see another way out. If one person is willing to offer say twice market, then so is someone else.

As long as the car can be brought back to original easily enough, things like non-standard wheels and paint dont bother me, its the unchangeable mods that do!

UJ

Old-Nail · Guest

I find it interesting that some people (of which I am one) consider themselves merely custodians of an old vehicle who will then pass it to other custodians.

Others consider that any vehicle in their ownership is their exclusive property to be enjoyed as they will, (which of course it is) even to the point of destruction.

Personal choice it is Xk you're right,... can't see why the're making such a fuss about pollution or global warming then really, taking that polluting too is just personal choice... er...isn't it? Wink

Uncle Joe · Guest

On one of the other topics, I was pointed to a site called retro-rides, where youngsters were actually getting their hands dirty working on cars.

This made me think a little. Should we try to discourage them from modifying their cars and thus destroying classics? or encourage them, as they may become the next generation

Now then, its a warm sunny day here, so back to polluting the atmosphere at 8mpg!

UJ

Old-Nail · Guest

"Now then, its a warm sunny day here, so back to polluting the atmosphere at 8mpg!"

Laughing

You only live once UJ - go for it! Cool

Uncle Joe · Guest

Old-Nail, I'll probably live a lot longer now, I've just entered yet another childhood! Laughing

Whales* are fun!!!!! Laughing

*whale: slang expression for C-body Mopars!

UJ

Brian M · Guest

pigtin · Guest

What about taking the £12000 from the oik, use £6000 of it to restore a similar car and trouser the other £6000?
You may just be able to convince yourself that you have restored the 'status quo'? no? I wouldn't be convinced either.

old gto · Guest

I`m in the middle on this one. I have a couple cars that are restored to factory original, and a couple all out modified. I feel that a complete car should be kept as whole and original as possible. But I`ve also had cars that were so far gone, or missing so much, that it would be next to impossible to restore it to original. Those cars WERE brought back to life, albeit a different life.
As stated in another reply, I`d say it depends on the car itself.
The car in the original question, NO, I`d not let them butcher it at any price, but would rather encourage them to seek out a rusted hulk of similar make & model.

Uncle Joe · Guest

Last night on TV, they showed an episode of American hot Rod, where Boyd and the gang started to convert a beautiful 59 Impala into a Lowrider. Exactly the thing that we are talking about here. He bought it well over price (my opinion) simply to chop....in my view, a totally immoral thing, both from the seller, and the buyer!

Last time I watch that show......

UJ

buzzy bee · Guest

Hi

I love to watch that show, if only to laugh at what a cock up they make, there are some real silly guys in that garage! Can be carnage though!! Haven't seen it for ages though!

Cheers

Dave

Uncle Joe · Guest

Prefer American Chopper though, at least those guys create instead of destroy....

UJ