Classic & Vintage Commercials Magazine Dodge Delight Back Issue

T HEY (whoever they are) say that
where’s there’s muck, there’s
brass. And that’s usually true,
because the phrase isn’t literally
suggesting that you’ll find a load
of money under piles of rubbish,
instead, it implies that you can earn
a few bob if you’re prepared to put
yourself out and do a decent day’s
work, even (and especially) if it
means getting your hands dirty.
It is also a fact that where’s there’s
brass there is – potentially – scum.
The human type, that is. Any walk of
life that can generate money will also
attract the dregs, who are intent on
ripping people off. It is a wonderful
thought that in the classic vehicle
world, everybody is an enthusiast who
cares only for nostalgia, helping others
out and having a rather jolly good time,
sharing their knowledge and furthering
the cause. It is also a naive thought
because, sadly, the classic scene –
like any other – has its fair (or rather,
unfair) share of low-life.
Check out the Letters pages
and you’ll read the sorry tale of an
enthusiast who put his trust in a
so-called haulier to pick up a classic
lorry and deliver it to his home. In
the event, the “haulier” lied and
flogged the lorry to a dealer who, at
best, should have known better, and
at worst, was totally dishonest. So,
the victim ended up paying twice
for the truck and also met with a
mixture of indifference and apparent
incompetence from the DVLA and
police. But it’s not those last two
institutions that I am on about
(although they weren’t, apparently,
super-helpful), it’s the fact that people
can – and do – get rolled over on the
classic scene. Not too often, but it
does happen, so just be aware and
avoid dealings with anybody you
have the slightest doubts about and,
when making any transaction over the
internet, always insist on a land-line
and home address.