RESTORATION AS FICTION

Schrödinger's cat. Bell's spaceship. Aristotle’s Wheel.

The world is full of paradoxes that have occupied the minds of great thinkers for millennia. If there’s one that continues to baffle car enthusiasts, it’s authentic replicas.

Are they possible? Are they desirable? Can we even agree on what this means?

Our expert panel is ready to take on the challenge.

• Miles C. Collier is the founder of Revs Institute® which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of automotive resources. He is the author of the ground-breaking book on cars as material culture: The Archaeological Automobile
• Evan Ide, an automotive engineer, former museum curator, and one of the top restorers in the U.S. with a specialty in early cars
• Gundula Tutt, the globally renowned conservator, restorer, and color historian with perhaps the world’s only PhD in the history of automotive paint

The panelists, moderated by John Nikas, will explore wide-ranging questions related to the care, rehabilitation, and use of historical automobiles. They’ll examine why traditional restoration practices are often problematic, dig deep into the why and how behind authentic restoration techniques, and address controversial subjects like replicas and fakes. The audience will come away with new appreciation for cars as living artifacts that deserve to be kept alive in today’s world (with their original paint!) and new insights into how they can engage more effectively with their own meaningful cars.

This unique, world-class panel discussion is for practitioners, collectors, and anyone thoughtful about historical cars.

Miles C. Collier

Miles C. Collier believes in building lasting cultural legacies that can be interpreted and used to inform next generations. Whether in automobiles, art, education, business affairs or the environment, he applies intellectual curiosity, business sagacity and inspired vision to nurture cultural resources for the future. He is the founder and benefactor of Revs Institute. This working museum is devoted to the celebration and study of the automobile as the most significant and transformative object of the 20th Century. His cultural research initiative, Leaving Legacies: Masters to Millennials is addressing the challenge of bequeathing the skills and knowledge of automobile technology, design and utility to future generations. With his wife, Parker, he is developing a range of self-reliant, entrepreneurial ventures which will preserve and share cultural understanding. Passionate about education, he has championed Eckerd College, Florida, transforming it from a struggling Liberal Arts school into a jewel among America’s private colleges. Miles Collier’s roots are deep in early America and his values and strengths stem from such times.  Blessed with responsibility for some of the most impressive land-holdings in America, he is a remarkable steward of the land.

Evan Ide

Evan received his degree with honours in fine art as well as extensive museum training at the University of New Hampshire. He served first as Curator and is now a Trustee of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has authored several books including Packard Motor Car Company and most recently was a contributing author of The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles. He currently acts as an advisor to several major museum collections around the world. As a Historian he has lectured on early motoring topics at the Royal Automobile Club, Blackhawk Museum, Simeone Foundation among others. He has worked with Bonhams for more than 15 years and is a Senior Specialist.

Evan is deeply involved with all motorcars with strong knowledge of pre-war cars, particularly American makes. He is also an award-winning restorer who maintains a workshop in Massachusetts.

An active motoring enthusiast Evan participates in numerous tours and rallies every year. His fleet of vintage machines includes a 1928 Bugatti T44 Roadster; a 1927 Lancia Lambda; and a 1953 Nash Healey LeMans Coupe.

Dr. Gundula Tutt

Dr. Gundula Tutt is the Founder of OMNIA Restoration in Freiburg, Germany where she conducts scientific analysis, conservation, and restoration work on original paints and coatings, leather and artificial leather, textile materials, wood lacquers and galvanic surfaces on historic vehicles in active use. She provides professional conservation and restoration work for motor museums, individuals, and public collections. Gundula is a master of vehicle preservation, having constructed her own doctoral curriculum at the State Academy of Art in Stuttgart Germany and serving as a Conservator at the Revs Institute. She was integral in the creation of the educational program for igFS, the Swiss profession association for restorers of historic vehicles and their suppliers. In addition to working on personal historic vehicle projects she helps many museums as well.

John Nikas

John Nikas is an automotive writer who specializes in weaving social, cultural and economic factors into his compelling narratives about automotive history. Raised in an Anglophile household, John first fell in love with British sports cars, but his interests also include prewar and postwar performance and luxury cars, endurance racing and the future of the automobile in the 21st Century. 

A noted vintage racing driver, Nikas has campaigned a broad array of classic racers in a number of different series, where he has collected multiple class championships and received special recognition for his on and off track accomplishments. John is frequently asked to speak at various automotive events around the world discussing a wide range of motoring topics. He currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of the Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society and Automotive Engagement Ambassador for Hemmings, in addition to writing monthly columns for several magazines on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Again this year we are not charging for our Forums! This is due to the continuing uncertainties of their attendance due to COVID. We anticipate that we will resume charging for some of our Forums in 2023. Please only  RSVP if you are certain you can attend, and allow seats for others.