Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

There are now many classic car and classic car restoration programmes on Sky these days. Some excellent, some good and others - ah well.

Probably one of other better ones is the Amewrican Wrecks to Riches with Barry White and Co where they transform basic American cars into top of the range models.
One example was turning a 1970 Pontiac Le Mans into a GTO and adding the decals SMC (Super Muscle Car.

The work is examined in detail and the final result is usually superb BUT the car is a conversion and not original. It's like buying a basic Mini 850 and converting it to a 1275 Cooper S.

Entertaining yes, but to me, wrong.

The closest on British TV was in Wheeler Dealers when Mike and Ed, Ed really, created a Mk 1 Mexico lookalike from a basic Mk 1 Escort in the last series.

Are such conversions justifed? Remember the Ford Mustang "Eleanor" from the 2000 film Gone in 60 Seconds?
If your pockets are deep enough an "Eleanor" can be built for you in the USA.

Is it right though?
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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

[Riley Blue]

A recreation is perfectly acceptable - didn't VW do it with the prototype Beetle? Passing it off as the original is when it becomes wrong.