Only for those with deep pockets

[Ian Williams]

Yes but the problem I have encountered Tony is that these days a lot charge for hitting it without having the first idea where.

[Tony Griffiths]

Yes but the problem I have encountered Tony is that these days a lot charge for hitting it without having the first idea where.

So true; and its glitz merchants with their posh advertisements and deep-pile carpets to watch out for too. Around 25 years ago, a well-known tuner and modifier of Range Rovers was charging £750 for a long-range fuel tank. I tracked down the tank maker and bought one - £80. My local Land Rover "independent" fitted it - £90. Total expenditure £170. I wrote the experience up in a Land Rover fan magazine (payment £70) only to have said firm complain that the £750 was incorrect (it was, the actual priced £749) and that it took their "experts" a day to fit, their tank was different (it wasn't) and anybody else attempting the job would not know what they were doing and cause "irreparable damage". I showed the letter to the fitter at the garage, who collapsed in laughter and said if it had taken him a day, he'd have been fired on the spot. Start to finish time was less than two hours.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

There is of course a flip side to this.

I regularly use the services of highly skilled engineers, woodworkers, sheet metal workers and upholsterers - who all charge less than the figure quoted above per hour, and produce exceptional work that I am delighted with.

[Duncan Grimmond]

If you read my piece again you will see the qualification I mentioned
"To suggest that someone could build it for £15k is fatuous nonsense IMHO, ---unless they have a private income or are prepared to work for nothing and have a fully equipped professional workshop at their disposal.--- "

Having seen the car I would guess that there was not a nut, bolt or washer that was nor new, nor a part left unfinished or un-plated or uncoated or replaced as new.

I was not suggesting that the forum readers don't have the skills, I'm continually impressed by some of the work I see but the majority of us would not live long enough to complete the job to the same standard if we were doing it as a hobby.

The discussion was around the price of the vehicle, not the value and I stand by my assertion.

[Ian Williams]

"To suggest that someone could build it for £15k is fatuous nonsense IMHO, ---unless they have a private income or are prepared to work for nothing and have a fully equipped professional workshop at their disposal.--- "

That is exactly what I am saying, it would not be difficult for a number of people that I know to build a similar quality car using little more than hand tools in their home workshops on modest budgets, certainly less than 15K. We are also taking about an existing design so no prototyping or design development is required, you simply have to build the dam thing. The problem I have with comments like this on the forum being that it discourages people from trying and learning skills, at the same time as setting them selves high standards. I am saying that you do not need to have professional workshop, have huge budgets to achieve a quality build, if you get the basics right look at how austin did things and detail correctly, none of this is expensive, it involves research, learning skills and having a modicum of vision.

[Mike Costigan]

I suspect Tom Abernethy didn't have a fully equipped professional workshop when he built the car originally. The present standard of presentation has surely been achieved by patience and hard graft rather than with any particularly high skills.

[Duncan Grimmond]

We're obviously shouting "I agree" so loudly that we can't hear each other...

[Mike Costigan]

I AGREE!

[AllAlloyCup]

Another Alloy car , Scotchbrited and Nyaliced!


  EE48ECA1-D0F2-4EC6-A0F0-A91584176DC2.jpeg (Size: 98.52 KB / Downloads: 147)
Hi Ruairidh 

I knew I’d seen that XX number before on the Brooklands hill photo!
I must have googled the number and it came up on MS?

This GE Brooklands SS was built by Tom, was a set of cardboard shapes in his conservatory when
I first saw, it in the late 60’s.

The guy who has it now was interesting to chat to at Guildtown

His campervan was if anything even more impressive! Plus he has great
taste  in Cars IMO having also a Glas1300 and a Honda S800 coupe.

Some people like shiny paint of various hues, some like Rexine, others
Oily rag, I’m a scuffed alloy person myself so people
Who drive Alloy cars can’t criticise other folks predilections.

However a Cup is more practical than a Brooklands and arguably 
could be made to go as fast as one?

My “Cup” was made from the chassis of a bodged trials car, with
no competition history so I’m on safe ground, or am I! I have not been keeping a tally of my “ Grand Design” but it must be between £12k and £15k spread over 4 years.
That’s with me doing all the woodwork and bodywork, except for louvres and the tail cover.

It was a great project to start my retirement and I’ve something to show for my time building it,
Inc nearly 90,000 views on the Forum following it’s steady progress.

I hope he gets his price as I’m sure it will go towards an interesting car!

Regards

Bill G
Aka AllAlloyCup