22-12-2017, 11:48 AM
The restoration vs conservation question is a never ending discussion in museum circles. if we wish to restore to working order then some changes are inevitable. For example using modern capacitors. My view here, partly born of laziness but also of honesty, is to use modern parts visibly except where doing so would be a real eyesore, such as some smoothing cans above chassis.
In the case of one of David Boynes' sets it had already been extensively modified when it was relatively new. In this case he's working out what a previous highly skilled engineer did and why. For common sets there is no harm in experimenting. For rare or unique ones you need to think more carefully.
As for cars, one of my neighbours has a 1904 Wolseley. Beautifully restored and regularly run, both locally and in rallies such as the London to Brighton. One mod he's made is to fit an electric headlamp, powered from a battery concealed in a box. The whole arrangement looks authentic unless you observe very closely. It makes the car much more usable and arguably safer at events such as the London to Brighton. It's a reversible mod as he has kept the original parts. I would find it hard to quibble with what he's done.
In the case of one of David Boynes' sets it had already been extensively modified when it was relatively new. In this case he's working out what a previous highly skilled engineer did and why. For common sets there is no harm in experimenting. For rare or unique ones you need to think more carefully.
As for cars, one of my neighbours has a 1904 Wolseley. Beautifully restored and regularly run, both locally and in rallies such as the London to Brighton. One mod he's made is to fit an electric headlamp, powered from a battery concealed in a box. The whole arrangement looks authentic unless you observe very closely. It makes the car much more usable and arguably safer at events such as the London to Brighton. It's a reversible mod as he has kept the original parts. I would find it hard to quibble with what he's done.
www.borinsky.co.uk Jeffrey Borinsky www.becg.tv
