classic car lovers

countrydude

what is it with this obsecession of checking out the details of classic cars on sites like motor check and the like . since i was a child i have loved cars and still do and if i see a classic or vintage car i will admire it for what it is .its a piece of history that someone loves enough to keep going for some reason known to themselves so why then is the first thing to be commented on is it has the wrong type plate or its an elephant not thats tidy example or wow he made a great job of that. vintage and classic cars are there to be enjoyed for what they are but then again thats just my opinion and opinions are like assholes everybodys got one .maybe thats the problem and in this age of technology these plate obsessive types have an audience. remember if you claim to be a fan of classics enjoy them and not be knitpicking

Kenny Logins

That's just on here.

corktina

well it's because we don't like being screwed by people dodging tax and no one likes getting screwed over by buying a fake, after all they will maybe want to sell it again one day. If the car is kosher, then it gets due praise, if it's a ringer it gets called on it.

kev1.3s

I agree that it's fairly common to ring them but the problem I have here is normally it's a shoot first ask questions later situation.

swarlb

The OP has a perfectly valid point to make. There was a recent post on here when someone saw a Lancia Aurelia. Instead of the few following posts being about the car, and remember this is a very important model in the history of motoring, all there was, was comments about the number plate !! One poster even quoted something from the internet about the history of Belgian number plates !!!
Very few people would even have seen one of these up close, never mind outside of magazines or the internet, and even less have owned or driven one.
And before the purists are out in force, yes I know the photo I posted is of a model car, reason being it's the closest most will get to owning one !!

alastair

swarlb wrote: »

The OP has a perfectly valid point to make. There was a recent post on here when someone saw a Lancia Aurelia. Instead of the few following posts being about the car, and remember this is a very important model in the history of motoring, all there was, was comments about the number plate !! One poster even quoted something from the internet about the history of Belgian number plates !!!
Very few people would even have seen one of these up close, never mind outside of magazines or the internet, and even less have owned or driven one.
And before the purists are out in force, yes I know the photo I posted is of a model car, reason being it's the closest most will get to owning one !!

Given that the Lancia's plate had a custom number, how surprising is it that it would have attracted attention/discussion?

What skin off anyone's nose that it did?

Honestly - drumming up supposed offence from 'purists' and reg anoraks should be pretty low on anyone's priorities.

swarlb

alastair wrote: »

Given that the Lancia's plate had a custom number, how surprising is it that it would have attracted attention/discussion?

What skin off anyone's nose that it did?

Honestly - drumming up supposed offence from 'purists' and reg anoraks should be pretty low on anyone's priorities.

There you go again, how do you know it had a 'custom plate', and who cares if it did. I realise he didn't get a photo of the car, so we'll never know. There are a few Aurelias in Ireland, one I've seen around the Killiney area, a black car, and another at Terenure once.
As far as I can see, there are quite a number of 'anorak number plate' purists on here already, I'm sure they are well used to being slagged off anyway.

kev1.3s

swarlb wrote: »

There you go again, how do you know it had a 'custom plate', and who cares if it did. I realise he didn't get a photo of the car, so we'll never know. There are a few Aurelias in Ireland, one I've seen around the Killiney area, a black car, and another at Terenure once.
As far as I can see, there are quite a number of 'anorak number plate' purists on here already, I'm sure they are well used to being slagged off anyway.

There are two b20 coupes that I know of, 1 of which ( you're terenure car ) which has some UK racing Provence has had an unfortunate accident racing in Belfast and is currently undergoing a rebuild at the same place that restored the other one which is an original Irish car that lay unused for decades when the second owner layed it up, he had started a long restoration but unfortunately died before completion and it has since been finished by his son. There was a saloon bought a couple of years ago by someone in the north again this is undergoing restoration. I drew attention to the reg simply because it seemed to signify model and year, aside from that I couldn't give a toss about regestrations but I do have an interest in B20's

Basil Fawlty

One of the few reason I frequent boards is to check out the Today I spotted a classic / abandoned classic thread. It used to be a pleasure to see rare and wonderful classics on Irish roads. Now the whole forum seems to be filled with snipes from mostly the same people about number plates and originality etc. It makes for a very negative atmosphere in what was once an enthusiasts thread.

I do understand some of the frustration people have with the R129 Mercedes on the wrong plate but that's the owners problem to deal with not yours. Snipes about the XR3i just posted are exactly what I'm talking about, someone posts a picture of a rare enough mint example of a hot hatch classic and people are more concerned that Michael Noonan hasn't recieved his €200 yet.

alastair

Basil Fawlty wrote: »

One of the few reason I frequent boards is to check out the Today I spotted a classic / abandoned classic thread. It used to be a pleasure to see rare and wonderful classics on Irish roads. Now the whole forum seems to be filled with snipes from mostly the same people about number plates and originality etc. It makes for a very negative atmosphere in what was once an enthusiasts thread.

I do understand some of the frustration people have with the R129 Mercedes on the wrong plate but that's the owners problem to deal with not yours. Snipes about the XR3i just posted are exactly what I'm talking about, someone posts a picture of a rare enough mint example of a hot hatch classic and people are more concerned that Michael Noonan hasn't recieved his €200 yet.

You've been bemoaning people highlighting abuses of registration in this forum for years (from your very first post in this forum no less) - let's not pretend it's a new thing. And the ringer Merc isn't 'the owner's problem to deal with' - it's a problem for the entire classic car owning community, created by those who feel it's okay to abuse the system through ringing.

Now, carry on.

johnty56

That merc isn't an abuse of the classic car tax system.. it is pure and simple fraud/ falsely identifying a vehicle and any guard worth his salt will cop it on in 5 minutes! He may as well have put completely made up plates on the car, or plates from a completely different model/make that has tax on it. The guards are not as stupid as people think... I got pulled driving an 82 UK reg car on the way back from clearing it and the guard that stopped me knew regulations inside out!

Yes it does happen, and ringing is an issue in this country but I would eat my hat if 95% of it is not ringing UK cars of the same year/make/model onto original Irish plates to satisfy the completely BS obsession with 'original Irish' cars!!! The funny thing is half the f##kwits doing it don't even bother changing the window glass ( with UK reg etched on to it) etc etc. Personally I would much rather a UK car that had been looked after and serviced as it should, driven on proper paved roads, rather than thrown around potholed boreens with a sheep in the back by a tool that wanted to see how thick he could get his engine oil to go before changing it. The salt on the roads argument really gets my goat up too... what do people think they put on the roads here back in the day? 'Sure there wasn't much salt in it, horse, and the auld Irish water is soft you know'

The guy with the Merc... if it bothers ye that much then report him.. it will be easy to find the guy, as I assume the plate he has on it belongs to a car that he also owns. I completely agree, it really is taking the piss, but the OP is right, there is too much obsession with small details on this forum, with people expressing opinions as fact that are often wrong!

Rant over

macplaxton

Basil Fawlty wrote: »

Snipes about the XR3i just posted are exactly what I'm talking about, someone posts a picture of a rare enough mint example of a hot hatch classic and people are more concerned that Michael Noonan hasn't recieved his €200 yet.

My "snipe" is surprise that given the relatively low amount of VRT involved, why evade paying it? To avoid NCT testing? Besides, if you're going to dodge round on UK plates, at least be less than obvious about it. Perhaps by having up-to-date UK paperwork for it. Keeping the triple disc holder and insurance disc off the screen and in the glove compartment. A GB sticker on the back and a pair of period reflective number plates on it would all of made it stand out far, far less.

Anyway, it looked much better on it's original (and correct for year) reflective plates.


1982 Ford Escort XR3i Mk3 by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

mister gullible

It appears that people jump to negative conclusions on occasion without necessarily having all the facts. Example, I have an old series III Land Rover. I spent a stack of money repairing mechanically and putting back to original seats etc. I am a club member and do some runs and shows. I am properly taxed and insured as classic including 'social and domestic use'. (It is not my daily driver). I sometimes use the Land Rover as it was intended i.e. collect compost for my garden, firewood for my stove - my own domestic use.
Anyway, one day I'm collecting a few pallets locally to cut up for my stove and this guy starts talking to me. He owns a couple of classics and I'm chatting away as a fellow enthusiast but suddenly realise the pompous assh*le is lecturing me for using my classic taxed car for commercial purposes. I was too polite to rear up on him, sorry I didn't tell him to f*ck off straight away.
p.s. I am strongly against abuses with inappropriate re-bodying and fake tax book sales that are going on.

shawnee

mister gullible wrote: »

It appears that people jump to negative conclusions on occasion without necessarily having all the facts. Example, I have an old series III Land Rover. I spent a stack of money repairing mechanically and putting back to original seats etc. I am a club member and do some runs and shows. I am properly taxed and insured as classic including 'social and domestic use'. (It is not my daily driver). I sometimes use the Land Rover as it was intended i.e. collect compost for my garden, firewood for my stove - my own domestic use.
Anyway, one day I'm collecting a few pallets locally to cut up for my stove and this guy starts talking to me. He owns a couple of classics and I'm chatting away as a fellow enthusiast but suddenly realise the pompous assh*le is lecturing me for using my classic taxed car for commercial purposes. I was too polite to rear up on him, sorry I didn't tell him to f*ck off straight away.
p.s. I am strongly against abuses with inappropriate re-bodying and fake tax book sales that are going on.

I agree fully with these sentiments , lots of busy bodies with f... all else to do but looking at other's cars and finding faults. It's not really anyone's business what number is on what car or what it is being used for !! Get a life , ye bunch of anoraks......

unkel

shawnee wrote: »

lots of busy bodies with f... all else to do but looking at other's cars and finding faults. It's not really anyone's business what number is on what car or what it is being used for !! Get a life , ye bunch of anoraks......

That sure doesn't make for a positive atmosphere in here. Tone it down.

Bigus

If I had a one owner vintage car with original uk reg, I'd like to keep it original on its plate that was on it for say 40 years, just like we'd like to see something like a Pagoda on a PZO 123 reg in the uk if this was it's supplied number.

corktina

Pay the VRT and stick the original plates back on for shows

carchaeologist

Bigus wrote: »

If I had a one owner vintage car with original uk reg, I'd like to keep it original on its plate that was on it for say 40 years, just like we'd like to see something like a Pagoda on a PZO 123 reg in the uk if this was it's supplied number.

I know of a few guys that have VRT paid, and the cars registered here but display the UK reg always. No one ever seems to say anything.
Because of the ridiculous looking numbers the newer year plates and in particular the 5 number ZVs are all contributing to the Elephant crisis although it's not exclusive to this.

The 1980 NCT cut off is a major factor in late 70s early 80s crossover cars as guys attempt to dodge the test, Capris, Mantas, Chevettes et al. The rolling exemption should have stayed IMO. I do wonder if the impending NCT review is based on the fact there are so many herds of Elephants out there?

The OP mentioned that keeping a classic car is maintaining a piece of history, but if a car comes from the UK and an already used old Irish registration is put on it it's entire history is irrelevant.
If said car is sold the problem is only made worse because often the new owner has no idea what he is buying.

swarlb

carchaeologist wrote: »

I know of a few guys that have VRT paid, and the cars registered here but display the UK reg always. No one ever seems to say anything.
Because of the ridiculous looking numbers the newer year plates and in particular the 5 number ZVs are all contributing to the Elephant crisis although it's not exclusive to this.

The 1980 NCT cut off is a major factor in late 70s early 80s crossover cars as guys attempt to dodge the test, Capris, Mantas, Chevettes et al. The rolling exemption should have stayed IMO. I do wonder if the impending NCT review is based on the fact there are so many herds of Elephants out there?

The OP mentioned that keeping a classic car is maintaining a piece of history, but if a car comes from the UK and an already used old Irish registration is put on it it's entire history is irrelevant.
If said car is sold the problem is only made worse because often the new owner has no idea what he is buying.

The car is what is important, not the plate, and not the country it was originally registered in.
There was a car that surfaced recently, an Italian car, originally sold and registered in Italy. Within a few days of its registration it competed in a race, where it finished 2nd, over the next year it was campaigned in other important races of the period (50's), where it either won, or was well placed.
It then travelled to South America where it continued to race, and do well, finally ending its days in the USA where it lay for decades, before being sent to the UK where it underwent a long and expensive restoration.
It featured recently at Pebble Beach. An important car in many ways, because of it's make, and its sporting history.
It does not matter who own it, or what country it is registered in, it's the car that carries the history.
All a plate is, is a legal requirement to use a car on a public road, and while it's nice to have a 'period plate' on a car, it simply does not matter.
Take that Aurelia is a previous post with the plate that someone said was Australian. Lancias of that period were very rarely exported, and so that car would probably have started life with an Italian plate, so what it bears now, simply does not matter.

countrydude

carchaeologist wrote: »

I know of a few guys that have VRT paid, and the cars registered here but display the UK reg always. No one ever seems to say anything.
Because of the ridiculous looking numbers the newer year plates and in particular the 5 number ZVs are all contributing to the Elephant crisis although it's not exclusive to this.

The 1980 NCT cut off is a major factor in late 70s early 80s crossover cars as guys attempt to dodge the test, Capris, Mantas, Chevettes et al. The rolling exemption should have stayed IMO. I do wonder if the impending NCT review is based on the fact there are so many herds of Elephants out there?

The OP mentioned that keeping a classic car is maintaining a piece of history, but if a car comes from the UK and an already used old Irish registration is put on it it's entire history is irrelevant.
If said car is sold the problem is only made worse because often the new owner has no idea what he is buying.

what i meant was the car is a piece of history from someones life and it doesnt matter where the car comes from. my dad bought a new ford escort in 1970 and just out of sentiment i bought one a few years back.it didnt matter to me what its past life was or where it came from because i knew that his old one was wreaked years ago . i just wanted a mk 1 to remind me of my childhood and dad and everytime i drive it thats what i think of. the number plate is irevelant in my momeries and it sure as hell dont make the car less enjoyable to me or my 2 boys when we take it for a spin

countrydude

carchaeologist wrote: »

I know of a few guys that have VRT paid, and the cars registered here but display the UK reg always. No one ever seems to say anything.
Because of the ridiculous looking numbers the newer year plates and in particular the 5 number ZVs are all contributing to the Elephant crisis although it's not exclusive to this.

The 1980 NCT cut off is a major factor in late 70s early 80s crossover cars as guys attempt to dodge the test, Capris, Mantas, Chevettes et al. The rolling exemption should have stayed IMO. I do wonder if the impending NCT review is based on the fact there are so many herds of Elephants out there?

The OP mentioned that keeping a classic car is maintaining a piece of history, but if a car comes from the UK and an already used old Irish registration is put on it it's entire history is irrelevant.
If said car is sold the problem is only made worse because often the new owner has no idea what he is buying.

what i meant was the car is a piece of history from someones life and it doesnt matter where the car comes from. my dad bought a new ford escort in 1970 and just out of sentiment i bought one a few years back.it didnt matter to me what its past life was or where it came from because i knew that his old one was wreaked years ago . i just wanted a mk 1 to remind me of my childhood and dad and everytime i drive it thats what i think of. the number plate is irrelevant in my momeries and it sure as hell dont make the car less enjoyable to me or my 2 boys when we take it for a spin