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Hi Jeroen,
I would have to politely disagree with this statement, as we are actually restoring the car to be as close to its original specification as possible when it was first built and raced, although with a few additions such as the modern brake cylinders to allow it to be safe and competitive enough to race in current FIA Group 1 races.
The cars history was that it was raced by the Butch Tailors team through the first few years of its life including the Spa 24 Hour races in 1974 and 1975, and then after that seems to be handed around and raced by other various small teams in club motorsport up until the 90's and gained much of the bodged paintwork and other 'additions' during this time.
We are undoing all of the substandard work over the last 40 years to bring it back to its original Group 1 Touring Car specification.
That's exactly what I mean. The undoing. All the 70's smell is gone from that car. The three layers of paint do tell the story and the history. Restoring it to how it was new when raced first it's just becomes a track Dolomite. All the history has gone, no traces at all. Modernising to have it up to date to this era is nothing wrong with as it's another chapter of the car but erasing the past is taking the soul from that car. Classic rally and racecars tell their stories and adventures by their scars, the modifications tell the stories of their past owners. Taking those away is taking the cars identity.
Jeroen
I can see your point Jeroen, but I suspect you are in a minority of one! From appearances and pictures put up earlier, it's not only the paint that had been bodged on this car but also most of the safety critical and performance gear too! Up to a point I agree about history, but you also have to consider what it will be used for after restoration, ie things like the Goodwood festival of speed and the Spa and Silverstone classics. The owners will get a lot more invites to this sort of prestige event with the car thoroughly restored to it's original Butch livery than if it still has 3 or more coats of poorly applied, chipped and peeling paint from owners nobody has heard of! It'll actually be more competitive too.
In any case, it's not really down to us to criticize just how Wobbs spends (lots of) his hard earned dosh! I'm just grateful that this epic and famous car will still have a life and a future! I look forward to seeing it at FOS in future!
Steve