JD Classics, what have they been up to?

[Monkeylegend]

silentbrown said:

Monkeylegend said:

lowdrag said:

If you are interested, I have a Picasso for sale. Just wait a week while the paint dries before coming to see it though.

Most likely Cat N or S though.

Reminds me of this https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/10/23/the-...

As for previous owner details on the V5, GDPR has put a stop to that, for better or worse.

Ended up as a Cat E.

[roygarth]

DonkeyApple said:

roygarth said:

Used car dealing is pretty much an un-regulated market. Un-regulated markets always attract the tinkers. Just look at Switzerland.

Whenever I buy a car, whether its a Ferrari or a Mini, I always remind myself that ALL CAR DEALERS ARE POTENTIALLY AND PROBABLY ARE DODGY.

There’s no formal regulation which is why it’s a career of choice for brokers and bankers who are no longer permitted to work in regulated environments. And why classic practices which are specifically banned in financial markets are rife.

Funnily enough I had a bad experience selling a 550 Maranello and separately buying an E46 M3. Both deals were via ex-city boys working for 'Blue Chip' classic car dealerships.

Edited by roygarth on Friday 28th September 09:02

[millen]

New mission statement from Woodham Mortimer in Autocar - not so much trading in future
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/classi...

[Doofus]

millen said:

New mission statement from Woodham Mortimer in Autocar - not so much trading in future
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/classi...

Is there any money at all in historic racing?

[HorneyMX5]

Doofus said:

millen said:

New mission statement from Woodham Mortimer in Autocar - not so much trading in future
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/classi...

Is there any money at all in historic racing?

Yes, lots. Wealthy people pay a pretty sum to be able to turn up at places like Goodwood and Spa with a fully prepared, fuelled and supported race car waiting for them when they arrive. They'll then spend a lot of money having it put back together again afterwards.

[Doofus]

Well, there's no accounting for folk....

[Burwood]

Doofus said:

Well, there's no accounting for folk....

Seems odd but the way it works is by winning major events you greatly increase the value of your car. If you read the Tuke transcripts that is exactly what he did. Purchased a classic, JD prepped it, probably cost a fortune then raced it. Hood was quoted as saying that value would go up by racing 'even taking into account the maintenance/running costs'

[Doofus]

Burwood said:

Seems odd but the way it works is by winning major events you greatly increase the value of your car. If you read the Tuke transcripts that is exactly what he did. Purchased a classic, JD prepped it, probably cost a fortune then raced it. Hood was quoted as saying that value would go up by racing 'even taking into account the maintenance/running costs'

This sort of thing doesn't compute for me. I know I'm probably in a minority as a car lover, but to me there is very little on this Earth more tedious than motor racing.

As an outsider looking in, I wonder if classic motor racing is a reflection of the wider classic car market in microcosm: There's no intrinsic value in winning races, but the value of the car goes up because it wins races. Consequently you can sell the car for a lot of money to somebody else to win races in, which have no intrinsic value, except to increase the value of the car so they can sell it for even more money to somebody else to win races in. Et cetera.

[rovermorris999]

If I had that sort of disposable cash I'd do it but just because it would be huge fun. Sadly the top end of the market is skewed by investors.
Thinking about, not just the top end either. Cars that were the grey porridge of my youth fetch silly money.

[classicaholic]

If you are loaded then why not just pay to turn up and race, well race is a moot point when you see the standard in some races of the rich guys but someone has to come last!

[skwdenyer]

Burwood said:

Seems odd but the way it works is by winning major events you greatly increase the value of your car. If you read the Tuke transcripts that is exactly what he did. Purchased a classic, JD prepped it, probably cost a fortune then raced it. Hood was quoted as saying that value would go up by racing 'even taking into account the maintenance/running costs'

So what you’re actually saying is that disgraced Mr Hood assured rich punter that it works this way...?

[DonkeyApple]

It’s how Gerry Marshall used to earn his living. You bought a classic and then paid him to win races for you so that you could then sell that car a couple of seasons later to the end of the market that wanted cars that could win and that had racing provenance.

[GoodOlBoy]

I would have thought it fairly obvious that wealthy businessmen seldom have the time or skills to prepare their own cars and transport them to the various race meetings. This is nothing new.

So they employ someone else to do it for them, thus creating jobs and maintaining a vibrant classic racing scene that most of us enjoy.

Not all of them do so to make a profit, in fact I'd suggest that more are in it because they love classic cars and classic racing, either as a competitor or sponsor.

Unfortunately they're wealthy and this is PH.

[Doofus]

GoodOlBoy said:

I would have thought it fairly obvious that wealthy businessmen seldom have the time or skills to prepare their own cars and transport them to the various race meetings. This is nothing new.

So they employ someone else to do it for them, thus creating jobs and maintaining a vibrant classic racing scene that most of us enjoy.

Not all of them do so to make a profit, in fact I'd suggest that more are in it because they love classic cars and classic racing, either as a competitor or sponsor.

Unfortunately they're wealthy and this is PH.

Probably because I pay no attention to motor racing, I think I just misunderstood JD's past and future involvement. If by "Racing", they mean preparing and repairing other people's cars, then fair enough, of course there's money in that, and I'm a chump. I just assumed they meant they would go racing themselves, and I couldn't see how that made business sense.

[a8hex]

Doofus said:

Well, there's no accounting for folk....

OK, I've not tried classic racing, but I've thoroughly enjoyed taking a classic car onto a track and playing with it. To get the best out of it before you go and to make sure everything is safe you want it checked over by someone who knows what they are doing and knows what is about to happen to the car. This costs money. Now I could do some of this myself, but I don't trust myself to get it all right, so I paid someone to check it.
No matter how carefully it was checked things can still show up on the track that don't show up on the road or when the car is static, for example on the road you don't repeatedly brake from over 120MPH to go through a sharp right angled bend. So there is a chance that something will go wrong while you are there. If they do you can lose your play time and all the money you spent before hand will be wasted, so if you want to maximise your time on the track you'll want to make sure your have a race mechanic with you. Then at the end of the day the car is going to need a thorough check over again. Parts that normally last years can be worn out in a few laps, I once very stupidly bought some second hand tyres they looked great, w=then after about 20 to 25 laps at Goodwood they were totally shot. So another trip to the garage is called for.
All this is before your competitive spirit gets going.
My first track day was lovely and gentle, there were only XK Jags there, some were race prepared and some weren't. The racers few past at regular intervals and you watched them go. For the rest you either went around at a similar pace or one of you was quicker and if they were quicker anywhere on the track they were quicker everywhere so you just passed each other as need be with no issues. My next trip there was a mix of E's and XK's and a E should be quicker, now I hit a new problem, people who weren't interested in going quickly round corners could do the straight more quickly than me, so no chance to over take and no chance to enjoy the corners fast.
The next time I went back my XK was now sporting an engine that meant that I wouldn't get stuck behind anyone except the serious racers
All of this cost money.
If you want a mechanic to come and watch you drive round the track for a day, be prepared to pay for 8 hours of their time, why should they do if for free.
Even if you don't race, playing on the track is a great way to spend a lot of money.
Whether it is worthwhile only you can decide for yourself.
Companies like JD offer all of this as a nice easy package to anyone with deep enough pockets and not only will they look after your car, they'll look after you and any guest, wife/girlfriend/mistress (delete as inappropriate) making the whole day comfortable.

[iSore]

If I had the money (I don't) I'd be at Goodwood with a BMW 1800Ti for 60's racing and a Dolomite Sprint for the seventies stuff. A Metro Turbo for 80's, battling it out with SD1 Vitesses.

Turn up, have a bloody good time and bugger off again. The privilege of wealth.

I'm not bitter.

[a8hex]

iSore said:

If I had the money (I don't) I'd be at Goodwood with a BMW 1800Ti for 60's racing and a Dolomite Sprint for the seventies stuff. A Metro Turbo for 80's, battling it out with SD1 Vitesses.

Turn up, have a bloody good time and bugger off again. The privilege of wealth.

I'm not bitter.

are but are uSore?

[RichB]

iSore said:

If I had the money (I don't) I'd be at Goodwood with a BMW 1800Ti for 60's racing and a Dolomite Sprint for the seventies stuff. A Metro Turbo for 80's, battling it out with SD1 Vitesses. Turn up, have a bloody good time and bugger off again. The privilege of wealth. I'm not bitter.

I'd be there too but with something like a Riley One-Point-Five for the St Mary's Trophy ('50s version) and perhaps something with a bigger engine for one of the '50s GT races.

[iSore]

a8hex said:

are but are uSore?

I sore what U did there.

[iSore]

RichB said:

I'd be there too but with something like a Riley One-Point-Five for the St Mary's Trophy ('50s version)

It would have to be ZA Magnette for me.