Anyone new to the re-bodying scene and tuning in to this forum for the first time must be seriously wondering WTF is going on in this small part of the recreation scene.
I've kept my lip buttoned at some of the criticisms (sorry, 'forum comments') levied while watching the slow 'Curse of Sammio' permeate this forum.
Underfunded start-up's and company (hobby) failures are part and parcel of the British Kit Car (and mainstream) scene - it's a natural phenomenon - a road paved with good intentions, which for the most part seem to lead to some form of hell for the originators.
The last straw for me is that of seeing our laundry being washed in public - especially in respect of posts relating to build quality. We are in the fortunate, nay, privileged position of being allowed to build our own 're-bodied specials' with little interference from bureaucrats seeking IVA. But for how much longer?
We have all seen blogs from builders posting photos of pigeon s**t chassis welding repairs invisible to MOT inspectors, presumably due to handfuls of filler and stone chip paint. One blog even mentioned a near catastrophe with a modified, but ultimately failing, braking system.
Modern regulators are not 'old fart' bureaucrats scratching their butts wondering what the 'alternative scene' is all about. This forum is participated by those working for government authorities and some will fail to comprehend the concept of a bunch of amateurs building alternative vehicles - this is not '1984' paranoia - it is fact - rather like Clarkson failing to feature advanced kit cars on his now defunct BBC motoring program.
As a body of builders we have a responsibility (a duty of care to ourselves and others if you wish) to ensure that everything we build is done with honesty, integrity and is legal and safe.
We are skating on thin ice - one bad accident involving the mechanical failure of re-bodied Herald / Spitfire / Scimitar / etc vehicle caused by an 'amateur in a shed' will stop this body-swapping privilege as we know it and we will be bound to rebuild as per the IFA regs - if at all.
Good luck trying to get a Sammio /Ribble/ Miglia / Whatever it's called this week / through that.
Treat this as a rant if you wish (I really don't care and won't be replying to any comments).
Ciao
'Sammio Scimitar SS Spyder conversion due out on the 3rd June': Love to see a picture of that!
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