MOTORING
Will we be able to maintain our classics in an all-electric future? We consider how today ’s classics will be restored in tomorrow ’s world
Future historians will likely look at the forthcoming mid-21st century as the beginning of the most seismic change that humans have wrought on our lives or the planet. The 19th and 20th centuries brought tremendous innovations, often, sadly, driven by goobal conflict, but if Carl Benz were still alive, he would see a straight line of development from his machine to, say, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz E Class. Petrol explodes and powers a piston, which is transformed into forward motion.
The cars of tomorrow will be very different, however. The most profound change at a manufacturer level is that manufacturers’ development teams now see a vehicle, primarily, as a software platform, not a motorised platform, and industry experts believe that automotive electronics will account for up to 50 per cent of the total cost of a new car by 2030. Interacting with a mid-21st century car will become very different as artificial intelligence power is harnessed and used as a matter of routine. This is already affecting the engineering of new cars but how will that change of emphasis impact our classic vehicles and the classic vehicles of the future?
There will always be enthusiasts who want to restore cars because restoration is usually an emotional decision, often driven by a childhood desire for a particular car or the fact that it was owned by the family when new. Will it, however, be practical – or even possible – to restore cars in the future?
NEW TOOLS
Restoration is already benefitting from the new technology seen in manufacturing and it’s also easier than ever to find and share information. Components that are no longer available second-hand, whether trim parts or mechanical components, can be made much more easily because of 3D scanning and printing.
Engineer, TV presenter, and classic enthusiast, Ralph Hosier (motor-skills. co.uk), is enthused by the possibilities that it offers: ‘If you have one trim piece for the top of the door on the left-hand side but can’t obtain the right-hand side item, scan it, reverse it for the other side in CAD and then send that data to any number of companies who can make it, very
