This is a continuation of the locked thread, 'Another GT appears'.
Following the below comment by Rizzo, club chairman Fred Dukes locked that thread because it had become too emotive. However a further polite response is necessary.
Re: Another GT appears
by rizzo » Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:56 pm
Rizzo writes,
'Personally i think this has gone far enough, and I'm surprised the club is letting this run, ref the forum rules stated above, this is clearly becoming personal issue! this guy has a rare car, and is planning some changes which will secure its future on the road, if its classic or modern does it really matter on the grand scheme of things, seriously people are dying in the world, can we move on now?'
Response to the above comment:
Rizzo is right in that it doesn't matter much in the scheme of things and of course we are currently facing far more serious problems than the preservation or otherwise of a few rare cars. However this is a classic car forum and that is the subject the forum.
I can only again re-emphasise that this post is NOT intended to be personally hostile towards anyone.
This is actually about our club's apparent lack of interest in the preservation of extremely rare historic cars. It is wrong to try to shut down debate around that issue.
The changes planned for JDC1's exceptionally rare Canadian Viva GT will not, as Rizzo says, 'secure its future on the road'. The changes will actually only reduce the car's historic value to that of just another customised classic / modern hybrid bearing little resemblance to the original car.
Like many other now extremely rare Vauxhalls this car will have been changed into something else. With cars of this extreme rarity it is clearly wrong to continue to encourage irreversible alteration like this.
It may not apply to this Canadian GT but there is a good reason why the UK government has effectively outlawed the significant alteration of historic vehicles by removing Historic vehicle tax exemption and making them subject to Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). In addition to safety issues it is to try to stop the continuing destruction of historic vehicles.
Stripping an exceptionally rare historic car of its original engine, running gear and interior and replacing those items with modern components from other makes - under a pretence of necessity to 'keep a classic on the road' - restores nothing and preserves nothing. It is just another form of destruction.
Common sense should see the club now promoting and encouraging the historic preservation of rare cars, but the accompanying thread seems to suggest that a majority of our membership would still prefer to see the irreversible alteration of even the rarest cars. No other classic car club would encourage destruction like this. This issue has led me to question my continuing club membership.
Obviously only the owner has control over the car's fate. I can only try to persuade him to re-think his plans. The club should be doing the same.
Fred,
I don't intend to make further comment around this issue. I have no objection if you wish to also lock this thread.
Best wishes,
Colin