[Hydroglen]

Thank you Philippa a valid point for many.......but I would go the other
route. If I bought a privately restored car, I would have met the owner
who could well be a well known entity. This may prove to be a higher
rating than a professional.
It would be a "personal" thing, that would mean more to me than a so called
professional. I am very much a "hands on" person, so being able to talk face
to face with the restorer and how he did certain items would be very
important. I might also have paid less, as the private restoration did not
have to make a profit or pay wages and overhead. Therefore "the guy who
buys" it from me ( If I ever sold it ) would have in turn paid less and
hence less "conversation".
But then again we all paddle our respective canoes differently.

I have been VERY fortunate over the years in meeting some great people
whom I searched out during or prior to a mechanical rebuild.
This was pre-internet days but via some luck, connections and research I was
fortunate to meet Larry Bowden, who as a young man worked at Lagonda. He had
actually been part (documented in Lagonda archives and signed by WO ) of the
crew that built the engine on my car in 1929. In 1982 the two of us rebuilt
that same 2 lit Lagonda engine!
Fusi and Sanesi (respectively designer and tester/Gran Prix driver Alfa 159)
from Alfa Romeo would periodically visit me whilst I worked on one of my 6C
cars. They would invariably provide sound advice. B Siegfried who worked on
and raced my Indy car in the 30s from whom I have many letters working me
through the intricacies of setting up an engine for which no manuals were
written. He basically wrote them for me left handed after having suffered a
stroke and lost the use of his right hand. These people became friends,
helpers and mentors, whilst at the same time telling me all the interesting
stories of the "behind the scenes" of some premier car manufacturers. When
I started racing my Indy car, Siegried wanted to know my results, and I was
gently "chided" for not doing better. After every race I would feel like a
schoolboy whose homework was not up to scratch! I was given pointers on
tricks to use on the track and a request to report back after the next
event. Talk about pressure! Eventually I was finishing in the top 4 and the
pressure was off a little.
Then of course there are "professionally" restored race cars for
sale........
I am sure there are many others who have been equally fortunate to have had
that "personal" assistance. To me it is priceless, and if down the road this
means little to a potential new owner then he definitely does NOT deserve
that car.
As Peter pointed out in an earlier post, part of the collecting fun is the
interest. I would ad that it is also the people you meet and this site is a
good example.
I would definitely NOT find it interesting to want to convince a potential
buyer of anything. People who need convincing are better suited to other
endevours.........
Cheers
Dorien