2nd rant of the day

[V8 Rumbler]

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I do understand where Shaun is coming from with regards to the attitude towards 'modified' cars

Since joining the club in March I have met several Stag owners who have let their membership lapse for these very reasons.

One in particular has rebuilt his Stag himself and looking at the 'before and after photos has done a fantastic job. As a member at the time he attended an event, the so called experts gathered around to judge his results of his efforts.

Rather than congratulating him on saving a Stag from the scrap yard he was critised for using mk2 parts on a mk1 car and even fitting a CD player (how dare he)

The club and indeed the members are here to support one another and this is what happens most of the time , but it tends to be our bad experiences in life which stick in our memories.

Rant over

Darren

[grahamb]

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A couple of points:

the club have someone who is tasked with promoting modified stags and in the last 3 months, I have seen at least 2 or 3 requests for pictures and words for the magazine to promote what people have done with their cars. Have any of the lucky (in my opinion) owners of such cars, especially those who feel so agrieved, tried this route to get some form of recognition in the magazine or by the club?

Secondly, Enginuity used to own my car - it was their family car and loan car. They remembered it when I phoned them about it and sent me a big bunch of spare keys for it. I might try and take it down there and find out a bit more of the history!

[TimShoubridge]

imported post

In my opinion (humble as it is) a Stag is a Stag when you look at it's shape and form. What's under the covers is personal choice and we should all just accept that it's just that, personal choice. Frankly, I'd like the talent to do some of what I've seen to my car. I've only managed a conversion from Stromberg to Edelbrock but I'd love to do the 4 speed conversion gearbox andBMW diff. Would that make my stag soemthing different? I had 2 Rover SD1's in the 80's and I loved the engine, so I can see the attraction whena Stag engine goes awol.

If the thought process of absolute originality exists then that is a shame, I can't think of any other model where that sort of mentality exists to that degree. It's a fact of life we'll have to live with.

If the club is asking for examples then boy, give them some, because I have seen some doozies at some of the forum meets.

[grahamb]

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TimShoubridge wrote:

If the club is asking for examples then boy, give them some, because I have seen some doozies at some of the forum meets.

doozies - what one of those?

[TimShoubridge]

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grahamb wrote:

TimShoubridge wrote:

If the club is asking for examples then boy, give them some, because I have seen some doozies at some of the forum meets.

doozies - what one of those?

Great examples of what can be done.

[022Dave]

imported post

V8 Rumbler wrote:

I do understand where Shaun is coming from with regards to the attitude towards 'modified' cars

Since joining the club in March I have met several Stag owners who have let their membership lapse for these very reasons.

One in particular has rebuilt his Stag himself and looking at the 'before and after photos has done a fantastic job. As a member at the time he attended an event, the so called experts gathered around to judge his results of his efforts.

Rather than congratulating him on saving a Stag from the scrap yard he was critised for using mk2 parts on a mk1 car and even fitting a CD player (how dare he)

The club and indeed the members are here to support one another and this is what happens most of the time , but it tends to be our bad experiences in life which stick in our memories.

Rant over

Darren

Hi Darren,

I expect almost all of us have 'modified' our Stags to some degree or other; isn't a stainless exhaust, or electronic ignitiona modification over standard? Rover engines & CD playersare just an extension of that process. I think if someone enters a true concours event, then there has to be rules about originality to mark a score against. However, my experience within the Club is that there are very few members who are hung up on total originality, therefore any modifications are viewed with interest. This is why our National Days have moved towards 'Car of the Day', rather than an all-out concoursd' elegance competition. Too many friendships have been lost in these competitions! One of the areas that I'm involved with on the Committee is to get more features on modified Stags in the monthly magazine, no mater what the changes are. Did you see that fantastic blue Stag on show at National Day? It's pictured in the current magazine, and he rightly took home some well deserved silverware. The Club is a broad church, so we have to cater for all fetishes, so to speak. Even glimp suited drivers...

Dave