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Nigel Boothman on why we should take care of our heritage
In late 2017 the Fédération International des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) published its much anticipated 117-page ‘Charter of Turin’. The document covers topics from paint repairs to much more controversial theories on what makes a car historic, and it’s these thoughts that should make us sit up and take notice. Why? Because FIVA influences government policy on classic cars in many countries. Its recent re-defining of historic vehicles made the headlines when it ruled out classics with modifications, or those in daily use. This time FIVA’S Culture Commission president, Roberto Loi, wants better-than-new ‘mint’ restorations to be thought of as modified: we wouldn’t do it to a Greek temple, he argues, so why do it to a car?
Many car owners will baulk at the unthinkable idea that their immaculately restored classic no longer fits FIVA’S idea of ‘historic’, though any actual change in policy on this basis is likely to be limited to the judging of high-end concours shows and competitions.
Yet others may say ‘about time, too’. Uncountable numbers of original, historically important cars have been restored, rebodied and rebuilt in the past 40 years in such a way that technical and cultural information has been irrevocably lost forever. It’s often still a profitable – though widely criticised – venture to rip an original saloon body off a pre-war car and replace it with completely new touring coachwork. We accept the need for listed buildings without question, but with no similar laws likely to save our motoring heritage, perhaps a change of attitude kick-started by this Charter is a good thing.
‘Much cultural information has been lost forever’