Reading about people modifying their cars got me thinking.

If you had a 1952 Ferrari that had been wrapped in cotton wool since coming out of the factory, and only taken out once a year for preservation maintenance, would it be 'better' than the same car that had lived a careful used life, withe some miles and patina ?

I was at a Motor Show one year, and an owner was displaying his 1940s black Austin. It was his pride and joy, although a little shabby. He maintained it himself where he could.
He wanted it to look 'new' by having a respray.

The rest of the Austin owners around him were being a bit heavy, in poo pooing the idea, saying that is car was relatively genuine and displayed patina.

My view is that he lives with it. He pays for it and he wants to enjoy it.

There's a mad guy with fluorescent green coupe in North Yorkshire. Not for me, but he enjoys it.

Discuss !

Pays ya money and take your choice. Personally I think cars are for driving but one debate I've been having lately is the usability of classics. Simply put an 80s hot hatch is outpaced by even a modest family car these days. So if you want one it's likely relegated to special occasion. Which brings me to, I think my point.

I think it depends more about why you bought the car and it's value. Using your example, most people couldn't afford to own it and even less to replace it. Naturally that gives rise to the museum spec car as people want to maintain it's value. In theory if it's as good at the the end of your tenure as when you got it you shouldn't lose out. As for better, I'm not sure as officially I'd like a factory fresh version I drove daily. In the case of the Austin they seem to value originality.

Up to the owner. Others don't have to like what's done to it, that's their prerogative; different though to telling someone else they're 'wrong'.

If Chris Bangle designed something it is very likely to work not just for him but for many others, but if an owner wants their own rear lights for example it's only 'better' or 'worse' as an opinion rather than right or wrong - it's just 'different'.

IMHO

I have a foot in both camps.

My coupe I have kept as original as possible. It has lacquer peel in a couple of places and paint only done where there was rusty bits. I have changed discs for cross drilled, lowered 30mm, changed the wheel colour to black and an exhaust with centre box removed. All things are reversible if someone wanted to.

In my little collection I have an XJS convertible which is immaculate low mileage but once again some mechanical have been upgraded to improve the driving such as polybushed when one goes and fitted a rear anti roll bar which was an option when new. Adjustable shock absorbers and 16" lattice alloys. Once again reversible.

Lastly I have another XJS. The holy trail is a pre HE factory manual which Jaguar built to use up the last of the E type gearboxes. Only 320ish were made. How many survive? Heavily modified in the 80s which can never be original again.

My choices

I'm surprised more people haven't bitten. It's quite a divisive topic.

For example when does shabby become patina? Age, rarity, value?

My wife would describe me as shabby.