Spend more buy less part 2

They did finally dry out

The Goodwood Revival, the annual festival of the halcyon days of racing, fashion and glamour is well and truly over for another year. I've been lucky to go to Revival on a few occasions. Unfortunately, the majority of last year's Revival was a wash out. Those of us under canvas suffered from very poor facilities. The Duke of Richmond obviously can't control the weather, but most of us came to the conclusion that his team could have worked harder prior to and during the Revival. The lack of shelter around the track added to the dejected looks of many revivalists that had put so much time, effort and expense into their get up and weekend.  This is not to say that it wasn't fun. 'Over the road' was the place to escape the frequent downpours, trudge through the mud and enjoy a tonic or two. 

The racing was fierce and probably benefited from the wet and slippery conditions on track. Watching classic sport cars worth millions all crossed up and drifting through the bends is a sight to behold. The wonderful noise of a highly tuned racing engine being pushed to the max and beyond as wheels spin and revs rise in the futile search for grip is an aural assault.  The smell of racing engines, Castrol R mixed with drizzle, or even better a drying track and you have a sensory delight. Thankfully, this year's weather was kinder and by all accounts, the 20th Anniversary looked like a spectacular weekend.

They also have an enviable history with Auto world

Recent years have been landmarks for a number of auto manufacturers, including Ferrari, Porsche and Lotus. They are all enjoying the spoils of being Septuagenarians with their latest and greatest making the news and featured in the mags and web. One company that has links with some of the great marques and is older than most is Campagnolo. If you ever have the opportunity to read about Valentino Campagnolo, his history in developing manufacturing techniques that resulted in Campagnolo working with the greatest marques is well worth the time. For me, Campagnolo magnesium car racing wheels are the some of the most pleasing castings to behold. The geometry and patterns are enhanced by delicate, sculptural casting details. These not only visually suggest that those responsible for the components fully embraced the value of design engineering, but also considered aesthetics to be an integral part of the development process. There are even Campag parts in space. NASA doesn't come calling if you are not good enough. If you happen to be drinking a glass of vino locale, please raise a glass to Valentino's father Tullio and Campagnolo founder, he invented the self-centering corkscrew in 1966.

if you go down to the pits today....

Part 1 of this post noted that the classic auto market is showing signs that there is more value in survivor cars than those that have been restored to an incredibly high level of finish. In a number of cases, the finished level of restored cars is better than when it left the factory. Concours d'elegance winners and 100 point cars will undoubtedly hold their appeal and value. There are devices used to check the level of paint, verify the originality and if any resprays have been applied. Paint finishes that replicate the 'orange peel' of the factory finish can be specified. If you want to keep the real deal under lock and key and have the wherewithal, just speak to a growing number of specialists that will build you a tool-room copy. How many of the cars racing during the commonly billed  'world's most valuabe race' at Goodwood are original will continue to be a loaded question. Given the chance, I'd happily go for a PurSang Alfa Romeo 8C.

It's obvious that racing takes its tole on the kit. Parts will be changed, panels will be reshaped and rules and regulations will enforce alterations during the car's existence. A classic car with a racing history and an owner/s that wants to keep campaigning will require continuous investment. Nick Mason's approach with his Ferrari 250GTO is welcome; the more it races, the more valuable it becomes. For the select few, Classic Car Racing is speculation to accumulation. Then again, the recent news stories about JD Classics are worth paying attention to.

Where does all this talk of classic autos (can't forget the wonderful motos) link in with bicycles? My experience of Goodwood also benefited from a great display of cycles and associated vehicles to feast upon. Classic names from classic times. The prices demonstrated that the market and appetite for classic bicycles is far from slowing down. If you are in the market, the growing number of specialists that have built their reputation on knowledge and attention to detail is the place to start. I find myself looking Velow and Pedal Pedlar, not a bad place to spend a few minutes and escape into dreams and ambitions of old......

a fair mix of interesting parts

The tyres should last a few laps

I recently had a chance to buy back my old Ciocc Columbus SL. A bike of real beauty, classic lines, elegant tubes and lugs of silversmithing quality. The paint was deep Rosso Red coat finished with black decals and yellow piping. Chrome forks, chainstay and dropouts were the metallic toppings of what was and still is a beautiful bike. Why didn't I buy? The fly in the ointment was the mix of Campag and Shimano. When I sold the Ciocc, I was at the transition point in my component manufacturer of choice. If the new owner had fitted a period correct Campag or Shimano gruppo, I would have probably gone for it. The time required to source the appropriate parts would be an issue. The cost could be offset by selling the other parts. I'll probably regret not buying it, but I've decided to move on. Not only from spending more time riding bikes on the roads, but also from spending more on kit that will end up not being used. Add to that, a project list that isn't getting any shorter, but at least the patina of those projects is being allowed to develop.

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