David Hardcastle
That’s my choice for a classic car bumper sticker. Why would any sane person
rummage in dark, oily workshops in the hope of unearthing that rare
sprocket-fangler, the only part needed to get a beloved Ford Popular back on
the road?
Stripping
down the old paint showed that 2 new wing panels and 2 door skins would have
to be made
It’s easier to understand the man with a Ferrari than the man with a Ford.
Restore a pile of broken bits (provide they have all the right numbers!)
into a sleek and rare 1960’s road racer and you will turn all heads and make
money. Maybe treble your investment! But a slow, badly-sprung family saloon
which was not actually a very good car when it was new? That is indeed
harder to understand.
I’ve always driven down the middle path, choosing cars which have been good
yet affordable, a bit sporty, reasonably good to look at but, above all, fun
to drive. My favorite classic in Europe 15 years ago was a BMW 2002 Touring,
arguably the world’s first hatchback. Then it was 18 years old, handled and
went well with spares available cheaply and easily. It never let me down and
made me some money when I sold it.
Almost
finished! Giulia sits between CL owner Khun Seeton and interpreter Khun Noy.
But have you ever noticed how elusive an item can be when you really want
it? Here in Chiang Mai, weeks of searching “used car land” near the old
sports stadium for a 2002 produced - nothing. But suddenly, there was a
different but rather handsome shape! An Alfa Romeo! A truly grand marquee!!
A 1972 Giulia Super with the optimum 1.6 liter engine. And what an engine!
Not a Nissan diesel but the real thing - and the whole top end had been
chrome plated for its first owner, a member of the Royal family! (Wow! A bit
of history like that always enhances the value).
Classics
don’t have to be sedate. You can have a lot of fun with them (Giulia took
2nd place on this recent Autotest) if they’re not too rare and don’t cost
millions.
The man wanted 100,000b for this gentleman’s sporting carriage and wouldn’t
budge. An impossible dream. But I wrote down the registration number and a
day later called at Daychar Garage just off the old Borsang Road to consult
Khun Daychar himself, fully Alfa Romeo qualified in Bangkok in the 70’s.
“Well, that’s my car and although it’s mechanically perfect, that man can’t
sell it at his price. It comes back here next week and you can have it for
65,000b” said he. Yipee! A done deal.
Giulia, my racy and thirsty Italian mistress, is indeed a joy to handle, but
tropical sun and rain had wreaked some havoc with her cosmetics and last
year came the time for a thorough bodily work out. The quote from Khun
Seeton at CL Garage, Old Lamphun Road, who restores cars for the President
of the Mercedes Benz Classic Club, was 100,000b and every satang has been
worthwhile. New floors, re-built doors and a real red paint job have added
at least 15kph to her top speed. And far more than that to her value! Why
buy new and suffer depreciation? Maybe that is indeed the best answer to the
‘why’ question?
Advice on all aspects of classic car acquisition, restoration and
maintenance comes from Classic Cars of Lanna, an enthusiast group which
holds events every month. More info from David Hardastle on e-mail:
gmorning.david@gmail.com All photos courtesy of Alex Boyesen
Chiangmai Mail - Vol. VI No. 22 - Tuesday July 24 - July 30, 2007 Sports
David Hardcastle
That’s my choice for a classic car bumper sticker. Why would any sane person
rummage in dark, oily workshops in the hope of unearthing that rare
sprocket-fangler, the only part needed to get a beloved Ford Popular back on
the road?
Stripping
down the old paint showed that 2 new wing panels and 2 door skins would have
to be made
It’s easier to understand the man with a Ferrari than the man with a Ford.
Restore a pile of broken bits (provide they have all the right numbers!)
into a sleek and rare 1960’s road racer and you will turn all heads and make
money. Maybe treble your investment! But a slow, badly-sprung family saloon
which was not actually a very good car when it was new? That is indeed
harder to understand.
I’ve always driven down the middle path, choosing cars which have been good
yet affordable, a bit sporty, reasonably good to look at but, above all, fun
to drive. My favorite classic in Europe 15 years ago was a BMW 2002 Touring,
arguably the world’s first hatchback. Then it was 18 years old, handled and
went well with spares available cheaply and easily. It never let me down and
made me some money when I sold it.
Almost
finished! Giulia sits between CL owner Khun Seeton and interpreter Khun Noy.
But have you ever noticed how elusive an item can be when you really want
it? Here in Chiang Mai, weeks of searching “used car land” near the old
sports stadium for a 2002 produced - nothing. But suddenly, there was a
different but rather handsome shape! An Alfa Romeo! A truly grand marquee!!
A 1972 Giulia Super with the optimum 1.6 liter engine. And what an engine!
Not a Nissan diesel but the real thing - and the whole top end had been
chrome plated for its first owner, a member of the Royal family! (Wow! A bit
of history like that always enhances the value).
Classics
don’t have to be sedate. You can have a lot of fun with them (Giulia took
2nd place on this recent Autotest) if they’re not too rare and don’t cost
millions.
The man wanted 100,000b for this gentleman’s sporting carriage and wouldn’t
budge. An impossible dream. But I wrote down the registration number and a
day later called at Daychar Garage just off the old Borsang Road to consult
Khun Daychar himself, fully Alfa Romeo qualified in Bangkok in the 70’s.
“Well, that’s my car and although it’s mechanically perfect, that man can’t
sell it at his price. It comes back here next week and you can have it for
65,000b” said he. Yipee! A done deal.
Giulia, my racy and thirsty Italian mistress, is indeed a joy to handle, but
tropical sun and rain had wreaked some havoc with her cosmetics and last
year came the time for a thorough bodily work out. The quote from Khun
Seeton at CL Garage, Old Lamphun Road, who restores cars for the President
of the Mercedes Benz Classic Club, was 100,000b and every satang has been
worthwhile. New floors, re-built doors and a real red paint job have added
at least 15kph to her top speed. And far more than that to her value! Why
buy new and suffer depreciation? Maybe that is indeed the best answer to the
‘why’ question?
Advice on all aspects of classic car acquisition, restoration and
maintenance comes from Classic Cars of Lanna, an enthusiast group which
holds events every month. More info from David Hardastle on e-mail:
gmorning.david@gmail.com All photos courtesy of Alex Boyesen
Stripping
down the old paint showed that 2 new wing panels and 2 door skins would have
to be made
Almost
finished! Giulia sits between CL owner Khun Seeton and interpreter Khun Noy.
Classics
don’t have to be sedate. You can have a lot of fun with them (Giulia took
2nd place on this recent Autotest) if they’re not too rare and don’t cost
millions.
