Reid
The cars you saw sold last week all lacked the "concours gold" attention to
detail you refer to. The photos from the online catalog revealed many
deviations from this "standard" to the casual observer without seeing the
actual car. Who knows what other deviations lurk in other hidden and not so
hidden locations on these cars.
A restoration by the devoted amateur who has obtained a concours gold level
certification should be the definition of "Fully Restored to Healey Concours
Gold Standards". The "resto-sellers" can't afford the time and patience it
takes to pull this level off. Someone should have a talk with the usual
suspects to clarify this misleading terminology.
Maybe next year the concours committee should hold impromptu concours judging
in the parking lot and reveal to everyone the level to which those cars are
really restored. That sword should cut both ways.
Richard Bittmann BJ7 Ticked Off in Tacoma
----- Original Message -----
From: "Reid Trummel" <editor_reid@hotmail.com>
To: <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 10:49 PM
Subject: Amateur vs. Professional Restoration
> My recent visit to the auctions in Arizona got me to thinking about the
> differences between an "amateur" and a "professional" restoration. I'm
> really not sure that those are meaningful distinctions.
>
> Why couldn't an amateur do every bit as good of a job as a professional? The
> "fully restored to concours gold standards" (a truly overused phrase at the
> auctions) Healeys in these auctions looked pretty good, but had a few little
> things to criticize. Polished dash pots for one.
>
> Anyway, it got me to thinking, what do people think of as the difference
> between a professional and an amateur restoration? No one certifies
> "professional" Healey restorers, so I lean towards saying that it is a
> distinction without a difference. Restored is restored. Whether you've done
> it once or a hundred times, what you have at the end is a collection of Moss
> Motors parts, new paint and new chrome, and almost nothing remaining of that
> which left the factory.
>
> If I screw on a bunch of Moss Motors parts, it's an amateur restoration. If
> someone who has done it a hundred times screws them on, it's a professional
> restoration. No diff in my book.
>
> What say you?
>
> Reid Trummel
> Portland, Oregon
> 100, 100M, Ski-Master
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