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#1
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Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
As one who quickly came to realize that Reading isn't about the cars but rather about the great people here. I came away from this years Reading simply horrified by the condition of nearly 1/2 of the cars at Reading. As the car ages it i showing that there is definately a lack of "pride of ownership" among some of the cars there. It was more like a trip to a parts car section of a car meet then anything else.
Of course there were plenty of very nice solid examples there to but the cars quickly went down hill from there. As one who enjoys the build of a project car more than buying a shiney example that you know nothing about I truely hope that these cars are mearly "works in progress" and that next year I will see a marked improvement in many of them. Otherwise, I fear that I won't stick around beyond visiting with some of the many friends I've come to know through the SVX. It is simply not enjoyable to sit by watching the rapidly declining overall condition of the average SVX. Yes I realize that values do not justify the cost of a proper restoration on a 18 year old SVX but pride of ownership should justify it provided it is a car worthy of a restoration. Remember, any restoration is a money loser for the owner. It is simply the owners desire to keep the mark alive (and usually a very understanding better half) which results in a proper restoration not finaical incentives which will likely never come. I'm not saying any of this to judge any of the owners in attendance as I do realize that everyone is in different situations and had different priorities but rather as an observation of the rapid decline of many cars. That said it was great to see everyone and meet some of the newer members in attendence. Lets just see what everyone can do to make next years reading a little better and little more lets say "polished".
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#2
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
That I was fearing the most... by the end of the day, these cars brought us together, it is a shame that we neglect them and focus more on friendships and vice versa.
From looking at the pictures I can see that reading 10 was the best. Well this comment also is preliminary now, need to see more pictures of 11.
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Danny 1994 Silver SVX in hybernation, awaiting for the monsterous awakening (Lebanon) 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL Euro Specs, Hard/Softtop, White/Red. Under Complete Restoration 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL350 Euro Specs, White/Red. Mint... Another step into SL Collection. |
#3
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
Thats a bit harsh Ben, I thought the majority were in very good shape. Maybe 4 or 5 that were pretty rough.
The turnout was small though, I am guessing 10-20 cars less than Reading 10.
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1992 LSL ebony pearl 170k - Thank you Ron Mummert Reading Box of Wine Car ----------------------------------- 1992 SVX LSL 5-Speed Sold at 180K 2019 1995 SVX Lsi Polo Sold at 118K 2007 |
#4
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
I will say that my Claret that was in attendance was not as pretty as some of the others on the outside. Since it is my daily driver, I've been busy upgrading and fixing the issues with the engine and drivetrain before I drop the money for a new paint job.
Forgive me if my car was considered an eye sore. I still love it anyway...
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Rebecca 92 Claret SVX LS-L (180k) 09/91 #5,732 06 Suzuki Boulevard M50 7k 68 Cadillac Coupe DeVille (70k) Storage/hibernation for now. Past SVXs: 94 SVX Emerald Pearl FWD (Sold) 96 SVX Bourdeaux LSi (Sold) 92 Pearl SVX LSL "Stay Puft" 5MT (140k) #148 (RIP) 95 Brilliant Red SVX LS (162k) 12/94 #564 "Killer Tomato" (RIP) |
#5
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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SVXygirl, eyesore hardly, I know not every car can nor should be a concours car as I'm an advocate of "drive them don't hide them" and that's kind of hard to do when you have a 10k paint job. I'm just hoping the bottom has dropped out and the cars slowly begin the hard journey back to a very respectable 20 year old car. Again as I already said for years, what makes the SVX and Reading unique it the car world is the mixed ownership and the mutual respect. The cars come 2nd to that to me.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#6
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
Ben-
I noticed this last year. Some cars which I remember as once being prime examples were now in very rough shape. It was depressing to say the least. I remember at my first reading, every single car there was in gorgeous condition.
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2009 Volvo C70 T5 2008 Volvo S80 V8 2006 Range Rover Sport 2001 Audi S8 |
#7
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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I actually felt horrible taking my TVR to the annual TVR meet in Philly last September. I tried to not even park it on the show field in fact! Mine was by far the ugliest and roughest car there out of the 20-25 that were there. I needed to have some assistance though on running wires, etc that having it there made it so much easier. Again its a marque which is just as value challenged. The most valuable TVR Griffiths which will give a AC Cobra 289 fits in speed and kills it in handling tops out at less than $50k for a concours example. It is all about pride.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#8
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
I agree that the friendships that I have made through this amazing care are one of the best benifits. I also see many types of owners which are as varied as the cars themselves. They go from the young owner who has one that is a bit rough, but bursts with pride that they have one at all. It may not be the best, but it puts them in that ownership class that they are so proud of and they want to make it into the best one that they can. Then there are others, young and old that have one, love it, drive it, and don't really care it it is waxed, washed, or missing a few pieces. Then there are the others who want to bring any of them up to the best condition that they can, whether it was a project car, or one of the best in condition. Owners come in all of these different types and that will always make the condition varied in any group.
One of the most fun type of meet that I have been involved in the past years are maintenance meets. Not majoy rebuilds, but belts, lights, brakes, rotors, wiper blades, and other things that can be tackled over a few hours. The members want to fix some of the little things, but don't know how to do it. A couple of the other that do, help them out and the pride that they come away with is amazing! I am sure most members know the good feeling that they have after getting a light fixed on the dash or overhead buttons can make a big difference in the driving experience. It is the thing that you know is wrong, but don't know where to find the bulb or how to install it. You still get the great meet with friends, but get something accomplished as well. When I look at a SVX, it is really hard to remember that it is an eighteen year old car. Yes, they wear out, but when you look at a group of them, it is also hard to believe that most of them are 150,000 to 250,000 mile cars still going and are still reliable. Just another thought about this great car and the friends that come with it. I am very proud to be a part of this special group which has added so much to my life.
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. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19 |
#9
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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Also, I agree with Earl, maintenance meets are an answer . Nothing feels better than to fix the little stuff, and even better, to help someone else with the little stuff that otherwise would be neglected To stop the downward spiral, the upward spiral needs a push.
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Special Thanks to Our Friends and Sponsors: * http://www.alcyone.org.uk/ssm http://www.PhenixWheels.com http://www.dba.com.au/ http://www.ClassicSoftTrim.com http://ToyoTires.com/tire/pattern/versado-lx Gillman Subaru of Houston "QuickChange" http://www.TransGo.com/ http://www.PlanetSVX.com Bontrager Works, '92 Subaru SVX LS-L Claret ORIGINAL OWNER '92 LS-L Pearl~ '92 LS Pearl~ '92 LS-L Teal~ '92 LS-L Silver~ '95 LSi Polo~ '92 JDM Alcyone SVX Version-L 4WS Pearl~ http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54143 '92 JDM Alcyone SVX Version-L 4WS Ebony~ http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54117 |
#10
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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I would say the majority of people who drove their cars there came a long distance. By the looks of things the weather was anti social. After one of the worst winters on record for many locations! Pride for most of these people is pride in driving there, meeting their friends, pride in driving home and then many using their cars as a daily transport. It's more than a little harsh to say the cars in attendance were not polished to a certain level showing pride of ownership. BTW, a TVR owner I met in England reckoned that most people thought TVRs were very low to the ground and sporty looking. He reckoned that in their normal and natural environment on the back of a flat bed transporter they were very tall cars, really. Joe
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Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#11
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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Yeah the TVR does fit nicely on top of a flat bed. It isn't the easiest thing to get there though. Quite a few got to take it for a spin, only hiccup was a certain Tom forgetting to turn the radiator fan on but not being to worried as it neared 140 degrees. He didn't realize it was celcius. Maybe he can change that out when he puts a 302 in it this fall. You know I do try to get cars down to a managable weight.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#12
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
Not having been there I'm just defending my friends.
The point about TVRs is not that they are bad cars, they are not actually built to German or Japanese levels of engineering, to which levels the SVX certainly is. And you shouldn't be able to talk your sticker guy into writing a certificate. By definition compliance should not be a subjective thing. Cars in use will never be able to have the ultimate garage queen sheen. As they get older and used more they will show more wear and tear. I personally would prefer to see them used than to see them polished. But when a nice clean garage queen sees the light, I'll slaver with the best of them. Joe
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Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#13
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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Having been across the pond, I'd even suspect that a full half of the cars in attendance wouldn't get through your process. My TVR included! When you can go to the junkyard and see better examples. The end is nearing! That said quite a few cars look better each year. As for seeing them driven. That's exactly why I passed mine on. A car needs to be driven and mine wasn't. It got more miles put on it in 3 months then I did in 5 years when it left. I just don't drive a ton.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#14
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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Sorry T!
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www.svxfiles.com The first SuperCharged SVX, the first 4.44 gears, the first equal length headers, the first phenolic spacers, the first Class Glass fiberglass hood, the first with 4, 4.44s in his driveway Fiberglass Hood thread My locker 4.44 Swap link |
#15
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Re: Hopefully not my last Reading but if this keeps up...
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I used to wash my cars every week, now I'm so busy trying to replace the lost income, that the cars get washed when I can't see out the windows. Everything I try to do costs more and takes longer! I also have a lot less 'disposable' income over the last 3 years! I'm still working the same job, but my income from it has dropped over $12,000! My SVX still needs the same paint it needed when I bought it, I have the paint. What I am lacking is the TIME to make it ready for paint. Times are TOUGH!! (at least in MY world) I'm sure that a LOT of other members are feeling the 'pinch'. My SVX had 222K on it when I got it! I have added to the numbers, it's still kinda ugly, but I will keep working on it and playing with it till I get it back into shape. THEN I will drive it to Reading.
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I'm not a REDNECK! I am an Appalachian-AMERICAN!! "Can't go to work today. The 'voices' said to "Stay home and clean the guns". Most famous Red-Neck last words... " Hey Everybody, Watch This!!) http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn272/subi-crosser/ Jerry |
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