Early model snobbery

Come on guys...we 'are' talking 'British' here!!! Snobbery comes with the territory (Dominion/?). In 1964 I started out with a 'Bugeye' and damn't, had to wave first to everyone...then an MGA coupe...didn't have to wave first to Midgets and Sprites...only Healey's and above (MG-TR drivers could never figure out who waved first....)...Got a MKX Jag sedan and everyone waved first to me (until it threw a rotor and used too much gas to drive...sigh!) Nope...gotta be snobs...In the TD I have everyone waving at me (not the same as the old days)....and at shows I groan at the MINIs and grumble....'go to a BMW show twit..grumble, grumble, grumble....' So in the best British tradition, keep up the snobbery....separate those chrome and rubber bumper B's at shows...keep the American stuff out and that one Ferrari way over in the corner...come on keep a stiff upper!!!!!

I guess that it just comes down to interest. The kids at local car shows and autocrosses pay no attention to my "classic" car, but when I drive my daily driver '89 Civic Si it's a different story. The car has almost 300k miles and looks it, but a kid chased me down yesterday to offer to buy it. Weird.

I have my likes and dislikes, but I don't feel there is any room in the hobby for snobbery. Since most of these old cars are silly, how can one be more silly than another? Being in this business, and sharing your automotive passion with so many of you as I meet you at event, I have learned about and developed respect for so many different brands and models.

In the Lancia world, it's pre-Fiat ownership vs. post-Fiat ownership of the marque. Same for Ferrari, although I'm sure it could be subdivided further. I was at a car show looking at a 246 Dino, and a Ferrari guy remarked, "it's a Fiat. Sure, it's the nicest Fiat ever made, but it's still a Fiat."

For me, it's more a matter of not having anything in common with the owner of a newer car. He hasn't had the experience (for example) of wanting to push his car off a cliff two years into a four year restoration

spitfirebill wrote: Not real sure I understand the CB MGB vs RB MGB thing though.

Many people say that is an appearance thing but I don't think so. For me the looks are OK, but the fact that they gutted the power and handling repels me. I see the same sort of thing in mid 70s Corvettes where they got down under 200 BHP and are shunned by owners of 'better' years.

rjl850 wrote: I was at a car show looking at a 246 Dino, and a Ferrari guy remarked, "it's a Fiat. Sure, it's the nicest Fiat ever made, but it's still a Fiat."

I occasionally see the same sort of thing with 914s, which were VWs in Germany but called Porsches over here.

And I have friends with 911s that have REAL problems finding any fellow-feeling in their hearts for 2 ton Hummer wannabee Cayennes, notwithstanding the fact that the turbo ones actually perform quite well.