ramone:
What about a haulier that no longer exists and none of their vehicles exist . Wouldn`t you be justified in restoring something same as what they operated, and painting it in their colours,if only to recreate what that company operated?
I think that’s fine too, even painting a truck in the colours of a company still in business, this however should only be done with the permision of someone in that company. I’ve got an F16 Globetrotter & have yet to decide what colour to paint it, but whatever the colour it will bear my old operating name ‘Roscoe Overland Transport’. As I had trucks in many colours over the years I could paint it white, red, blue, silver or Yellow and it would represent a colour at least one of my trucks has been over the years.
I see nothing wrong with a restorer painting his trucks however they feel, but before he painted his 143 black & stuck Ralph Davis on the headboard a quick call to clear it would be called for.
I agree as well but what is classed as a restoration a full nut n bolt or just a good clean up and paint because I’m my opinion any truck that is kept no matter the colour is got to be good for the future but then what about today’s trucks in 30 years time how many will survive
TRAILERS1:
I agree as well but what is classed as a restoration a full nut n bolt or just a good clean up and paint because I’m my opinion any truck that is kept no matter the colour is got to be good for the future but then what about today’s trucks in 30 years time how many will survive
My own truck definately doesn’t need anything approaching a restoration, nothing more than a chassis blast & paint and a decent re-spray on the cab to make it mint, the important thing to me also is that these trucks are saved from Africa, South America & the cutting torch!!!
As an HGV driver now retired I have followed the vintage scene for 40 odd years and this subject has been on the boil all the time, I have never owned one but take my hat off to anyone who has restored one especially the ones done on a limited budget maybe even taking years to complete and my view is the person who spends the time and money is well entitled to say whose colours it will be in surely better saved than still sitting in a field rotting away. Eddie.
I love the Trader tipper with “Bodgitt and Scarper …Builders”
Seriously though, what’s more important? An AEC in fake livery, or a rusting hulk with a tree growing through it in very faded London Brick colours?
I agree withyou Eddie, I would have like to restore an old one, But regardless of who owned it I would paint it they way I want to, I nearley bought a S 36 Foden some years ago, Ex BOC, I did in fact run a one, so it would have been in the Dunbar Livery, Regards Larry.
aren’t some of the ‘old liveries’ worth seeing again just as much as the lorries to enjoy - the whole point of nostagia is seeing things that bring the memories flooding back ,i just prefer a restored lorry to be in any old period livery rather than a ficticious one anyday
Agreed Boris only ever done 2 in there original owners livery but all the others were in liverys of companys of that era and vehicles they had run.Seem to be lots with ballast boxes on and the like but as already said as long as its saved it dont matter.And as for the rivet counters I dont think we have a motor in our yard whats original even 61 plates with new panels
I helped restore a 1954 Albion once and the only info to go off was an old Black and White photo. The Albion was painted Maroon with Black chassis and looked great when finished being signwritten in the original lettering taken from the pic. The motor went to its first show and gained many positive comments that is until an old guy looked it over showing a lot of interest, during a following conversation with the lad that had taken the Albion to show, the old man commented favourably then dropped the bombshell that it was in the wrong colour as he used to drive it and the original colour was Green! The older gent understood the problem of not having enough info to follow when restoring a vehicle to original owner condition and was just pleased to see the old wagon again.
I wasn’t involved in the research for the vehicle but being a modeller I know the importance of research to get as much correct as possible whether replicating a model or a real HGV, original colours being a real problem when vehicles reign from the Black and White print era. I prefer original liveries but mainly as has been said for the nostalgia reasons but just saving older makes is probably more important, I have to say though I don’t like these ‘houses’ as make shift loads on the back, it just doesn’t look right, surely they can be disguised a little better as a load.
Talking of models and comments, I built a model of my Dads old motor and trailer and having asked him questions on details and using the memories I had, the finished result pleased him no end. After giving it a good look over he said "That’s champion just like the real one, only thing missing is the two spotlights below the bumper!
Wah,wah, wah. Oh well you can only work with what you know at the time despite all efforts. Franky.
I agree with many on here,that so long as the truck is saved and restored,so long as its
not bright pink with yellow spots,any colour is fine.
If you want to go to the effort of being totally original,thats great,but no
restorer sshould feel pressure to do that!
as i footnote,one of the classic rags had a discussion like this,and rather amusingly
one contributor,next to a picture of Stagecoach East Bristol Lodekka JAH552D,was
slating it being painted in a sickly modern livery!
Obviously not aware that its not in
preservation,and is merely painted in “current” fleet livery,so in a way,its authentic maybe?
my opinion only though of course,many may think differently
hilltop4:
How many superbly restored wagons are out there who lack that final touch…their original livery? My opening line leaves you in no doubt as to which camp I am in.
I fully understand some peoples reasons for opting to put their name on the headboards and doors of their wagons. For a kick off, there may be no surviving information to aissist them…thats fair enough.
However, it horrifies me when I see wagons restored into ficticious companies just because their owners either couldn’t be bothered to research their wagon, or worse still, have a soft spot for a firm, but couldn’t find one of their wagons, and end up restoring their Volvo in the livery of a comapnay that was exclusively Scania
That, I’m sorry to say seems to me to totally contradict the whole point to restoring the wagon in the first place. They may aswell go that final step and put a false number plate on too!
I am a firm believer in that if there is info and images available, they should be placed in their original livery. After all, if you are re-painting, theres no more work involved to do it in its first company’s colours.
who on here has the right to tell any restorer how to paint their restored wagon , when many wagons have had numerous owners with their own livery or colour , far greater is the reward for my senses if the vehicle is saved and restored for posteriety, surely the amount of work or money spent on a restoration must count for something. I spent a lot time in the 60s as a youngster bunking off school working for my cousin who had a breakers yard inside Brent council refuse yard he was known as “morgy” a well known character in north London, well we broke some great old beasts as well as old cars there was no compassion there other than making money so in my eyes we should keep saving vehicles that are worth saving and not worry how you finish them, if my cousin was alive today he would have no worries about breaking stuff bearing in mind the price of scrap, please if you reply to this by all means slag me off and call me a liar or whatever but do not do the same to my cousins good name as he is not here to defend himself, I am always available for a row if need be in london.
If I was ever to restore a vehicle which is not likely considering my age and health bearing in mind I have a couple of very good friends and very competent mechanics and bodywork experts who would restore anything for me for a good price I would use a fictious name being my fathers w.maynard he drove a diamond T tank transporter through nth africa and italy for 5 years of the war and drove for various firms after the war now who has the right to tell me that is wrong to remember his name. how many lorries were changed to suit their various owners what is original my wife has 2 new hips so it could be argued she is not original where does it start and end come on lighten up , tin hats are now on and camo and underground bunkers have been dug fredm
marky:
I once had quite a ‘spat’ with a famous archivist about this in print …
I remember it well I thought you put across a very good argument.
My view is once someone sells something it’s no longet theirs.
So if I buy it and paint it how I want it with my name on it it’s nothing to do with them.
So what who owned it previously?
Most hauliers started off with a second hand vehicle anyway did they defer to the original owners before painting their name on it?
If you want to paint it in a hauliers name then you should do your research get permission and get it right.
If you paint a Volvo up yto mimic an all Scania fleet don’t be upset when people point out your obvious mistake.
Otherwise it’s your’s do what you feel best with it.
I was lucky to be involved with the restoration of MGW981L, a Castrol tanker unit. The vehicle was restored as near as we could to its original condition, on the other hand the trailer had never belonged to Castrol. Should it have been painted in its original colours or the colours of its other three owners? Or were we right to match it to the tractors colours? I think a lot more people would comment on how wrong it looked if we had done the former!!! IMO the restorer/owner has the final say. We have always found that those who make the negative comments usually have never tackled such a task, and wouldn’t know where to start. Regards Kevmac47.
As many did.We bought second hand lorries.They were in great condition when bought.We generally serviced and painted them in our colours.No problem with the previous owners.I had an Atkinson unit and felt no obligation to paint it as a Wilds Motors,Altincham.Who owned it originally.Michael Wild thought it was great that the lorry was still around.I concur.
