Checking in to see how you're all doing...

PaulK_CCI

It's been ages since I visited these pages, as my life has been taking quite a different direction over the last 10 years or so. Never left the classic car scene completely, but after the crisis things went a bit too quiet for me and I only managed to sell the occassional "classic" into Ireland.
Great to see there are still some familiar names kicking about in here, and when I look at the content of the threads, the Classic Scene in Ireland doesn't seem to have changed a huge amount . New legislation, nasty governement bodies, strict testing, tricky insurance, overpriced rust buckets and spiraling costs for some makes... but I guess that's an issue for almost any country in the world. 
Anyway, after having spent a bit of time back in Ireland again over the last months, and with a bit of time on my hands in the next couple of months, I thought I'd better warn you all that you might see a post of mine popping up in the various threads.

unkel

Great to hear from you Paul, welcome back

kev1.3s

You know I was going through some old threads a couple of days ago and noticed some users I hadn't heard of in a while and you're profile was one I looked at.
Welcome back this place could do with a little livening up.

carlosfandango

Hey Paul,
Good to hear from you. While I'm not around these parts too much these days myself, I still have a poke about occasionally. I hope that the classics business gets better for you. You always had lovely stock!

CFD

Dades

Always did enjoy browsing your site, Paul! Seems like 100 years ago.

TigerTim

Welcome back, Paul

Great to see you back

Silvera

Good to have you back Paul!

Your knowledge of classics and your news from Holland means your posts always make for interesting reading!

PaulK_CCI

Thanks for all the warm 'welcomes', it's almost like I've never been away. 
Make sure to warn me though if I keep banging on too much about Holland :angel: or if my posts are starting to become a nuissance 8-)
Regarding my website, I guess I should really start updating that a bit more frequent, but that takes time... which is something I have a bit more of over the coming months, so watch this space, although this is of course a neutral forum and not "donedeal2"

MercMad

Hi Paul, nice to hear you are still in the scene, perhaps we will meet again in the coming months !

carchaeologist

Hello Paul, it does seem like it's an 'old stock' reunion of sorts on this thread.
I rarely post here now too. But it's almost 10 years since I joined...

Seweryn

Hi Paul,

Welcome back and enjoy yourself .

unkel

Blast from the past, article from the Irish Times from 2001. I'm sure you remember being interviewed, Paul

Classic car tax £27, VRT £40

Linky

PaulK_CCI

Wow, that is a blast from the past!! Great link, forgot all about that but it's coming back.
I was interested to read this line:
[font=Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif] to £13,000 for a decent early Porsche 911.[/font]
15 years ago, you could get them for around that sort for money, now you won't get much change out of 50.000-60.000 for an early T...  :'(

unkel

Had my 986 serviced by Ken Bolger a few months ago and he had several air cooled cars hanging from the ceiling. Probably worth only a few grand when they were put up. Worth a lot more now!

PaulK_CCI

Yes, I would say so. Nowadays even absolute junkers are worth at least 10k plus... (a bubble waiting to burst, but as of yet no immediate signs...)
On another note, the article also mentions Reg Plunket from the IVVCC and was wondering if he is still amongst us? I had the pleasure of meeting him several times in the early days and also visited his workshop a few times. Whenever I met him on any of the Classic Car shows he was always there with his 1899 Sperry Electric car!!

Zoo4m8

Just to say Reg is still very much with us, was talking to him at an event yesterday where he was the Motorsport Ireland steward for the day. Still the gentleman he always was...
I seem to remember he sold the Sperry in the UK a couple of years ago..

PaulK_CCI

Thanks for that, great to hear he's doing well!! Absolute gentleman. 

Shame that car went to the UK, should have been kept in Ireland.