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One of England's finest coachbuilders


R.White

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Stuart Roach is a regular contributor to the Austin Seven Friends forum (which is where I sneak off to when I leave here) and is very knowledgeable. As the owner of coachbuilt cars I am probably biased but I think you have to admire this workmanship even if it is not quite your cup of tea. And yes, Jason, they are in demand. There are other excellent people doing this kind of work over here and I think it adds another dimension to our hobby and keeps traditional skills alive.

P.S. Congratulations Jason on your 4000 posts!

Ray

Edited by R.White (see edit history)
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One would have to look hard over here to find a GROUP of guys working together that posses these old time sort of skills to enable them to perform repairs as they were originally accomplished on these old cars. As you say traditional skills.....lost too many of us. Thanks Ray

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I restored racing cars for years now too old. Many people taught me tricks ...... I always pass them on to others. Thank God there are more young guys working metal each day. The Hungarian's are really good. They are ten hours from me

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Interesting to see that they have taken on an Edsel. A friend of mine once bought one and we thought he was mad. You chaps probably know that it was such a flop it nearly caused Ford to go bust. I suppose today they are probably sought after. Compared to the current offerings by nearly everyone it doesn't look that bad now! He He.

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I restored racing cars for years now too old. Many people taught me tricks ...... I always pass them on to others. Thank God there are more young guys working metal each day. The Hungarian's are really good. They are ten hours from me

Say RU22

talking about Hungarians, I bet you will be watching the Hungarian Grand Prix tomorrow at the Hungaroring circuit. Just watch our Lewis Hamilton win this one - he loves this track. Again appologies to the Brotherhood for bias and non - Dodge chat but I come from Woking where McLaren are based and have followed them since a boy.

I also enjoy vintage sports car racing and appreciate the racing cars you would have worked on. Like minds I think.

Ray.

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Yes, Mike but the cost is high as you might expect. I would guess a coachbuilt body for a small (by our standards that is small!)car will set you back around £10,000. For historic race cars, Rolls Royce, Bentley, etc. the sky is the limit. Then I suppose if you can afford, say, a Bugatti then you are probably not short of a bob or two!

Ray.

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It's not about price...... it's about saving history. You must do what the car needs ....... This is why I stopped working on some cars. The owners just wanted the cheapest job so their profit was as high as possable. The job suffers and results, in terms of racing cars, are dangerous and substandard.

Right now my magic Hungarians are doing a 1936 Diamond T Model 80 Deluxe Panel truck. All the wood was garbage. Some they have remade but in the doors, jams and rear box the wood is replaced with steel. When done you'll never see it but chances are the D-T will never be a rotten mess again. :cool:

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