In a message dated 1/24/06 11:54:41 PM, owner-healeys-digest@autox.team.net
writes:
> 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.
>
Here's a thought. Restorers like Kurt Tanner have done numerous Healeys, so
you have to believe they got the experience to avoid screwing up the things
where you generally screw up the first two or three until you learn how to do
it
right (like last week's question, "How do I get the leatherette to look good
on my dash?"). Following concours standards (e.g. not overpolishing dash pots)
is something an amateur can do, and the research and time it takes to find all
the right original parts, etc. is something no professional shop can afford
to do.
For example, Reid Trummel would for sure know exactly what the original plate
should look like on the original 100M cold air boxes that had the plates, and
have the time to find an exact original plate, rather than one of the
almost-correct repops. But I defy him to do body work to the quality that Kurt
Tanner's father can do.
So I'd be much happier buying a car that was a "concours restoration done to
professional standards" rather than a "professional restoration done to
concours standards." In fact, I'd argue that the second is an oxymoron.
Cheers
Gary
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