29 Oct 2014, 18:38
Apologies for the delayed reply Chris. I'll do one long reply to your various posts:
I discussed this with James Espey several years ago and we agreed that it would be impossible for any of the right-hand drive cars to compete successfully in concours. You don't get very far through the concours handbook before realising that these cars just simply don't conform to what the handbook states is correct due to the fact that they had such a convoluted build process. Your car for example would lose points by having what would be deemed an incorrect flat hood on an October 1981 car while mine would lose points all over the shop by being a VIN 6XX car in many respects although it is officially vinned as a 1982 car.
The concours handbook makes no provision for cars that were taken off the assembly line for any period of time and completed at a later date. Effectively what it says on the VIN plate is the standard to which the car is judged against so the only way to compete would be to totally strip and rebuild the car using correct parts for the year (and even month) of build. But of course you lose all the history of the car in doing so. On that basis it could be argued that the DeLorean concours they have in the USA is a bit of a flawed process but I suppose every game has to have its rules.
You should definitely do it Chris, I think it would be a nice feature on the club stand.
Absolutely Chris, it's yours and you should enjoy it however you like. Nobody's telling you otherwise...well, nobody except Darren!
This is a really interesting article and conclusive proof (if any were needed) that AXI 1698 was sold with Rubbolites fitted, as it left the factory.
That sounds really interesting, you'll have to show me that document at some point.
Well, not quite. If the Rubbolites were supposed to be fitted to the Wooler-Hodec cars before being sold it appears that it didn't end up happening in many cases (if any) as I can think of 5 cars off the top of my head that were auctioned with federal spec lights.
I remember chatting with my car's original owner back in August 2002. He recalled that he'd had the car sent away and "spec'ed" (in his words) after he bought it so that he could drive it in the UK. You'll remember that the car's history file contains paperwork from Gerry Castle showing that the Rubbolites were fitted post-auction.
So yes, I will be keeping it factory but in my car's case that happens to mean federal lights. Incidentally, if it had been the other way round I would have no hesitation in re-fitting the Rubbolites. They are currently wrapped in bubble wrap and carefully stored along with the Britax seat belts and other Gerry Castle stuff.
Just going back to that document about the tail lights for the UK cars, it's interesting to note that they were looking at off the shelf solutions from BL et al. in January '82 before the receivers were even called in.
Chris P Wrote:Can you image what the reaction to an American 'concourse' judge would be if I turned up in AXI with its Rubber lights on? !!
I discussed this with James Espey several years ago and we agreed that it would be impossible for any of the right-hand drive cars to compete successfully in concours. You don't get very far through the concours handbook before realising that these cars just simply don't conform to what the handbook states is correct due to the fact that they had such a convoluted build process. Your car for example would lose points by having what would be deemed an incorrect flat hood on an October 1981 car while mine would lose points all over the shop by being a VIN 6XX car in many respects although it is officially vinned as a 1982 car.
The concours handbook makes no provision for cars that were taken off the assembly line for any period of time and completed at a later date. Effectively what it says on the VIN plate is the standard to which the car is judged against so the only way to compete would be to totally strip and rebuild the car using correct parts for the year (and even month) of build. But of course you lose all the history of the car in doing so. On that basis it could be argued that the DeLorean concours they have in the USA is a bit of a flawed process but I suppose every game has to have its rules.
Chris P Wrote:I have got a spare ( slightly damaged) rear bumper and when I get a minute, will mount the William Towns rear light set up in it and hang it on my garage wall. If I get time, I might even do it before the NEC
You should definitely do it Chris, I think it would be a nice feature on the club stand.
Chris P Wrote:I can only repeat, I like to drive this car , its the only one I have and think it looks much better now with the Federal rear light set up….and as Darren pointed out….it is my car.
Absolutely Chris, it's yours and you should enjoy it however you like. Nobody's telling you otherwise...well, nobody except Darren!
Chris P Wrote:I guess this answers one of your questions. I can't make my mind up it its AXI 1698 of 1699, but it doesn't really Matter.
This is a really interesting article and conclusive proof (if any were needed) that AXI 1698 was sold with Rubbolites fitted, as it left the factory.
Chris P Wrote:Another thing Phil, I have seen documents that indicate the Rubber Lights lights were supplied to Wooler-Hodec and most RHD cars for them to fit before they went back to the Factory..before they were sold!
That sounds really interesting, you'll have to show me that document at some point.
Chris P Wrote:So you will have re-fit yours now!!
Well, not quite. If the Rubbolites were supposed to be fitted to the Wooler-Hodec cars before being sold it appears that it didn't end up happening in many cases (if any) as I can think of 5 cars off the top of my head that were auctioned with federal spec lights.
I remember chatting with my car's original owner back in August 2002. He recalled that he'd had the car sent away and "spec'ed" (in his words) after he bought it so that he could drive it in the UK. You'll remember that the car's history file contains paperwork from Gerry Castle showing that the Rubbolites were fitted post-auction.
So yes, I will be keeping it factory but in my car's case that happens to mean federal lights. Incidentally, if it had been the other way round I would have no hesitation in re-fitting the Rubbolites. They are currently wrapped in bubble wrap and carefully stored along with the Britax seat belts and other Gerry Castle stuff.
Just going back to that document about the tail lights for the UK cars, it's interesting to note that they were looking at off the shelf solutions from BL et al. in January '82 before the receivers were even called in.
1982 DeLorean VIN 12173 (a.k.a VIN 601)
1989 Alpine GTA V6 Turbo
1989 Alpine GTA V6 Turbo
