Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Refurbishment/Restoration/Patina - The Debate?

I'd have a 328 if offered but it's not a car to get too precious about, there aren't many cheaper cars bearing the prancing horse (perhaps you told him that JTL).

On the other hand, I saw this gorgeous 330GT in my local high street this morning. I hung around awhile hoping to meet the owner but he spent a long time in the 99p Shop.






To answer the original post, it's definitely patina for me.

~iw

Old Ferrari's are fantastic. Pity they are not affordable to Jo average.
Patina? depends on the car. Pre-war definately - eg Bentley, Bugatti or MGJ or K type plus many others.
Post war not so sure. I like my cars 'nice' so patina gets in the way.

WOW! Nice......

Patina if its not rotten....Can't be dealing with rot, rot means shot and a full restoration is required.

I love to see a dirty used high end classic on the road being used.

I want to be using a classic daily but I just can't bring myself to do so

I saw an MGTC in daily use a few years ago. Not a scrap of paint left on it, it was a complete shed to look at but in daily use by the look. Fantastic. There's also a green Porsche 912 in daily use in Sheffield. In excellent condition - rubber mats and no fripparies. I also once saw an Aston DB2/4 - that would make a great daily classic.

My 3p.

Personally a car is meant to be driven what ever age... now if you are going to take the wheels off every time you drive it to clean the wheel cylinders and then get a tooth brush stuck up your exhaust pipe to clean out the burnt carbon, so be it, its your choice but to me a waste of time. I would rather be driving!

So I dont personally like concours. Ie trailored to just outside of meets and then driven the last 200 yards... oh yes Mr Judge I drove it to the show... big fat dangly bits to that I say.

A car is a mobile piece of art and comes in different shapes and sizes to match everyones taste, so even a Hillman Hunter can be appreciated (local guy has one, its so polished in places the paint has been polished through to the primer)BUT it has to be used. Stone chips are a mark of honour, the odd ding in the door means yes I take it to the local supermarket (although I would kill the b**tard who did it) the scuff mark in the leather, yes I did use it in the rain and caught my brollie on the seat as I shoved it in the back.

Each mark means something to me,a memory of my life with my car. If it were pristine and concours it would be sterile, lifeless and cold.

bring on the patina, and if that means driving 75mph in a 1935 Triumph Gloria with the car freek next to me saying you cant do that its too fast for the old girl, I do it and increase the speed to 80 (that was too fast it made the rear view mirror fall off.

My opinion use it, it ceases being a car if you dont.

oops forgot, the Gloria was a barn find in the late 60's restored by a man who worked for Austin Morris at the time using up the Ash frames from Morris Minors to repair the body work. The wings are not original to the car but are correct for the year, as the car is a one off no one is really sure what the interior would have looked like. So its not original.... but show me someone who an tell me its not, so as far as I am concerned it is original and as she is not for sale (£250k might change my mind) who cares.

I'm with you

Someone once questioned me about riding a vintage bike at about 110 kph on the expressway. The bike had probably done well over 100,000 km in its life before mechanical restoration which, in my opinion made it good for at least another 100K. My response "It's a bike. I ride it, and if something breaks I fix it."

PS. It won the "People's Choice" trophy at that meet despite being far from "concourse" and well patinated. It was a ride of about 100 km each way.

I have an acquaintance with a Gloria in Wiltshire. Fantastic car - like a mini Bentley.

For the London to Brighton run my great uncle Roger used to drive down to London from near King's Lynn in his 1903 de Dion Bouton. He always considered the run itself to be a trifle & was always rather dismissive of the cars that arrived on trailers. One time, when driving from London back up to Norfolk in it he was stopped by a police roadblock. When he asked one of the plods what they were looking for, the reply was a cheery "Don't you worry about that sir - we're looking for a murderer, not a lunatic".