Vehicle condition?
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:36 pm
What's the general consensus on vehicle condition? Some time ago, "Practical Classic" used to rate cars on condition: "A" being showroom, "B" driveable,fair condition, etc etc.
Sellers and buyers have different interpretations as to which condition category vehicles fall into, I have found over the years.
Vehicles I have restored and used for a few years then sold on to fund another project have fell into these categories.
Concourse condition.
Very few vehicles on the open market properly fall into this category.
You need to see evidence of concourse judging documents by club officials stating the points scored in a properly organised event. It is no good the owner stating their vehicle won a trophy at a local village fete.
Enthusiasts normally hang onto these vehicles for many years.
The only time they come onto the market is through someone passing away, retiring from the show scene or for funding another concourse project.
Most concourse winning vehicles have a waiting list of protential purchasers.
The price asked for these type of vehicles and the price you are willing to pay should bear in mind the years of work gone into building such a vehicle and the cash outlay made.
Condition 1. As per photo of Smoke Grey Morris Minor Traveller.
Anything less well presented is condition 2 in my opinion.
Condition 2. Most well presented vehicles fall into this category.
They can be recently restored or older restored examples but fall short of a professional finish to all manner of finishes.
They may look good to the untrained eye but issues will rear up to bite you after a few months of ownership.
The Sunbeam Rapier as an example.
On close inspection the work carried out was average.
Condition 3. A running and driving vehicle that could scrape through an MOT test after much work has been carried out to rectify past repairs.
This Austin A35 fell into this category.
The braking system required renewing.
The paint was crazed on close inspection.
The headlining needed replacing ( missing).
New carpets required.
Door cards required.
Mechanicals needed a good checking over.
Garage stored for a number of years and no MOT.
etc etc.
Condition 4. Total barn, garage or warehouse finds, sometimes rusty wrecks requiring a few years of your time and hard earned cash to fully restore.
As long as they have been untouched by anyone else and have all their original fittings present and correct these are my sort of project car.
The Austin A30 on the trailer.
Totally original vehicle.
Been stored in a garage since 1981.
Good example to spend time on restoring to road worthy condition again.
G.F.
etc etc. Should be able to add a picture soon.
