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My recent visit to the auctions in Arizona got me to thinking about the differences between an "amateur" and a "professional" restoration. I'm really not sure that those are meaningful distinctions.
Why couldn't an amateur do every bit as good of a job as a professional? The "fully restored to concours gold standards" (a truly overused phrase at the auctions) Healeys in these auctions looked pretty good, but had a few little things to criticize. Polished dash pots for one.
Anyway, it got me to thinking, what do people think of as the difference between a professional and an amateur restoration? No one certifies "professional" Healey restorers, so I lean towards saying that it is a distinction without a difference. Restored is restored. Whether you've done it once or a hundred times, what you have at the end is a collection of Moss Motors parts, new paint and new chrome, and almost nothing remaining from that which left the factory.
If I screw on a bunch of Moss Motors parts, it's an amateur restoration. If someone who has done it a hundred times screws them on, it's a professional restoration. No diff in my book.
What say you?
Why couldn't an amateur do every bit as good of a job as a professional? The "fully restored to concours gold standards" (a truly overused phrase at the auctions) Healeys in these auctions looked pretty good, but had a few little things to criticize. Polished dash pots for one.
Anyway, it got me to thinking, what do people think of as the difference between a professional and an amateur restoration? No one certifies "professional" Healey restorers, so I lean towards saying that it is a distinction without a difference. Restored is restored. Whether you've done it once or a hundred times, what you have at the end is a collection of Moss Motors parts, new paint and new chrome, and almost nothing remaining from that which left the factory.
If I screw on a bunch of Moss Motors parts, it's an amateur restoration. If someone who has done it a hundred times screws them on, it's a professional restoration. No diff in my book.
What say you?