Ah... the Healey community is rarely what it seems...and the ones you've
alluded to are firmly entrenched... with sons lined up to take their place
someday.
I've never been a concours guy, but I'll bet I could put some name and faces
on the descriptions you've described. I was a club member going way back...
I still remember showing up the Chicago club's meeting in 1974 with my
California 100-6. Rust free, with really sweet 1" fender flares on it, and
Shelby aluminum slotted rims. Some a**hole comes up to me, in my face,
screaming at me..."You ruined that car... you ruined that car". Well, since
I bought it that way (in '74, as a high school senior) I wouldn't know if
the fender flare was original or not... but I liked it, still own the car,
and it's still got the flares. So I went over and looked at his car, which
had stop signs pop riveted and screwed in place to cover the rust in his
floors, and told him to kiss my a**.
Later on, I became very involved in the club, newsletter editors, regional
director, national VP, and when I saw the behind the scenes b.s. I said "f"
this, and quit.
Not all clubs are like this, but most seem to be. Perhaps I have a low b.s.
tolerance? (My recent V.S.C.D.A. experiences on the Thicko list might
indicate this is true...)
WST
----- Original Message -----
From <type79 at ix.netcom.com>
Cc: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Contemplations for a weekend (spridget related)
> Leo,
>
> I'll answer that question, at least as it relates to me personally.
>
> Even though I have a great appreciation for modified and non-original
cars,
> Originality is my primary interest. I'm fascinated by original, unrestored
cars
> and have a great respect for extensive and accurate concours restorations.
>
> Many years ago I was deeply involved in the hobby. I was one of the early
Sprite
> owners to do a ground up restoration on a Bugeye and along with several
others,
> expended great effort to research originality and collect hard-to-find
detail
> parts, and documentation.
>
> In the Eighties I owned a 1960 Bugeye that was a ground up restoration and
which
> won many Regional and National awards at Healey events. I also owned one
of the
> very original Bugeyes, a 1961 Leaf Green car that I purchased from the
original
> owner with only 24,000 miles on it. It came with the original Dunlop Gold
Seal
> tires, the original top, interior, floor mats (which the owner kept
covered by
> blankets, etc, etc, etc. Take my word for it, It was (and still is) a
drop-dead
> original car and is now owned by a friend. I also owned a 1972 Midget
> (Aqua-original and rare) on which I also completed a ground-up
restoration.
>
> During that same time period, I was very involved with Concours judging. I
> thought through that activity I was helping other owners and the hobby in
general
> to preserve original cars. How naive I was.
>
> You see, I failed to understand the politics of the Austin-Healey
enthusiast
> organizations. If anyone thinks that all of the people in a position of
authority
> in the clubs are there to unselfishly contribute, you have a lot to learn.
>
> Unknowingly, I crossed two people in influential positions of one of the
clubs
> who proceeded to not only privately slander me but also were in a position
to
> allow a slanderous letter be printed in the club publication.
>
> None of these people knew "jack" about concours, but they took it upon
themselves
> to get involved with an issue involving disgruntled concours entrants.
> Disgruntled concours entrants? Who ever heard of disgruntled concours
entrants?
> :-) Oh, by the way, one of them was his son. I guess points shouldn't have
been
> deducted for the wiring harness for the dash that was dangling/laying on
the
> floor and I guess we were supposed to judge the parts that weren't
installed but
> that he showed us in the cardboard box. Hard to believe, but true.
>
> And lest I not forget the entrant whose otherwise beautiful Iris Blue
Bugeye
> sported a red interior (?) and MkIII gauges and other Mk III parts. "They
were on
> the car when I bought it." This owner literally yelled at me with his
finger in
> my face in the lobby of the hotel for what seemed like an eternity.
>
> Soooooooooooo. I lost interest. Eventually sold all three cars and bought
me a
> Lotus 7. If this was what I was going to get from the Healey concours
community
> and their club hitmen who were there only for the prestige of their
positions, I
> didn't need that distraction to enjoy the hobby.
>
> So what used to be in my head, is now kinda fuzzy. So I can't really
readily
> respond to questions without referring to documentation. So that is one
reason
> why I don't always respond.
>
> Another reason, is that I now choose to enjoy the concours aspect of the
hobby
> personally and privately. I don't appreciate the people that brand anyone
> interested in originality or concours as snobs and the other people that
think
> that a concours restoration is something simple and by just expending the
effort
> means a high score at an event. The process is about learning about how
the cars
> left the factory and preserving that information; it isn't about just
coming home
> with a prize.
>
> I've heard enough complaints and taken enough crap from entrants and
others,
> after volunteering for entire days at Healey events that I ever care to
hear
> again. It's just not enjoyable and not worth it. After attending a
National
> Healey event at which the head judge literally begged me to judge, I have
> steadfastly refused to participate in judging and actually avoided another
Healey
> event a couple of years ago when the head judge began putting similar
pressure on
> me. I will never, ever judge at an even again. Never!
>
> I'm not the brightest light in this hobby and don't know very much about
> diagnosing problems compared to Frank, Charles, and many others, but I
know how
> to build a car and I know how to build a gold level car. Anyone who has
seen my
> cars, past and present, will attest to that.
>
> So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. :-) I enjoy the hell out of
my
> Spridgets and soon (hopefully) will be enjoying my Innocenti's as well.
>
> Jay Fishbein
> Long-winded from Innocenti Central
> Wallingford, CT
>
> Leo Speichinger wrote:
>
> > Why are concours people so afraid to answer questions and assist in
the
> > correct restoration of other peoples cars?
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