The parallels between marine archaeology and carchaeology never cease to amaze me. One of them is the powerful natural inclination car people have to interpret the word "restoration" to mean "better than new."
A number of years ago I was asked to look at a small bronze cannon sitting on the front porch of the Governor's House on the island of Grand Turk. It was serving as a decoration rather than representing part of history. Cleaned and polished brutally for the last 200 years, its raised decorations and stampings were disappearing. And not only that: although the cannon was intended to be a field piece mounted on a carriage between two large wagon-wheels, it was incorrectly mounted on a faux marine carriage.
To the cannon's caretakers what mattered was its shininess, not the preservation of its historical importance.
I just read an article in Octane titled Polishing Away the Past. In it the British author, a long-serving concours judge, laments the common phenomenon of over-restoration: the paint too shiny, the glass too clear, the leather too tight, the engine compartment cleaner than an operating room. The example he gave was the sight of a man at the Pebble Beach Concours with an air cannister blowing dust off the grommets between the body and bumper of the car he was preparing. This, he thought, was excessive.
He says the people who designed and built the cars that win in concours events today can hardly recognize them following restoration. And when restorers look at the build quality of original cars they say things like "My craftsmen can't do work that sloppy."
In the next issue there was a letter to the editor by an American restorer who both lamented the practice of over-restoration--and admitted to helping create it. It seems that there are other trends as well, such as "patinisation"--the faking of wear and usage. He writes,
The bottom line is Keep the Client Happy. I know this from personal experience, now that I am a client making decisions for The Alfatross. As nearly as I can tell, the individuals and teams now working on The Alfatross are keeping me happy.
The Alfatross will not be a trailer queen. Tim Marinos is responsible for the steel chassis and aluminum body. The chassis will be sound. The paint will be as original.
The Alfatross will be mechanically strong. The engine has been thoroughly assessed by DeWayne Samuels and Roger Lorton. Original parts that were worn out have been replaced. Weaknesses in engine design such as oil supply have been addressed. Other than two new universal joints the drive train is original.
The Alfatross' interior will be as original, with original materials being re-used where possible, and new materials sourced to match the originals as closely as possible. According to Derrick Dunbar, the trimmer at Paul Russel and Company doing the work, the original carpet was prone to tearing and will probably be replaced with a look-alike with much greater durability.
I think we are all pulling in the same direction--one that will, in the fullness of time, return the Alfatross to its former glory and drive-ability.
A number of years ago I was asked to look at a small bronze cannon sitting on the front porch of the Governor's House on the island of Grand Turk. It was serving as a decoration rather than representing part of history. Cleaned and polished brutally for the last 200 years, its raised decorations and stampings were disappearing. And not only that: although the cannon was intended to be a field piece mounted on a carriage between two large wagon-wheels, it was incorrectly mounted on a faux marine carriage.
To the cannon's caretakers what mattered was its shininess, not the preservation of its historical importance.
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| The bronze "Governor's Cannon" on Grand Turk. Cast in 1761 by gunfounder Richard Gilpin and polished to a fare-thee-well for centuries, nearly obliterating the markings that identify where, when, and by whom it was made as well as its caliber and weight. |
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| The date that the cannon was cast and the name of the gunfounder were cast in high relief around the cannon's breech ring. After thousands of polishings they are now almost invisible. |
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| These markings identify the cannon as having been cast during the reign of King George III and property of the Crown. |
I just read an article in Octane titled Polishing Away the Past. In it the British author, a long-serving concours judge, laments the common phenomenon of over-restoration: the paint too shiny, the glass too clear, the leather too tight, the engine compartment cleaner than an operating room. The example he gave was the sight of a man at the Pebble Beach Concours with an air cannister blowing dust off the grommets between the body and bumper of the car he was preparing. This, he thought, was excessive.
He says the people who designed and built the cars that win in concours events today can hardly recognize them following restoration. And when restorers look at the build quality of original cars they say things like "My craftsmen can't do work that sloppy."
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| Perhaps a bit over-restored? National Car Museum. |
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| A beautifully restored Austin Healey engine room at the Santa Fe Concorso. |
In the next issue there was a letter to the editor by an American restorer who both lamented the practice of over-restoration--and admitted to helping create it. It seems that there are other trends as well, such as "patinisation"--the faking of wear and usage. He writes,
"This is a strange world that we as judges, restorers and detailers have created. Cars that are barn finds that no one gave a crap about for 20, 30, 40 years are now being uncovered and cleaned, then "re-dirtied" to give them the feel of the original . . . . No preservation here, just fakes. Ouch."
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| New York to Paris the hard way. Original 1908 dirt? Really? National Car Museum. |
The bottom line is Keep the Client Happy. I know this from personal experience, now that I am a client making decisions for The Alfatross. As nearly as I can tell, the individuals and teams now working on The Alfatross are keeping me happy.
 |
| Tim Marinos examines one of the entries in the Santa Fe Concorso. |
The Alfatross will be mechanically strong. The engine has been thoroughly assessed by DeWayne Samuels and Roger Lorton. Original parts that were worn out have been replaced. Weaknesses in engine design such as oil supply have been addressed. Other than two new universal joints the drive train is original.
The Alfatross' interior will be as original, with original materials being re-used where possible, and new materials sourced to match the originals as closely as possible. According to Derrick Dunbar, the trimmer at Paul Russel and Company doing the work, the original carpet was prone to tearing and will probably be replaced with a look-alike with much greater durability.
I think we are all pulling in the same direction--one that will, in the fullness of time, return the Alfatross to its former glory and drive-ability.
