How true Tombeau!
Words and Humpty Dumpty come to mind.
As in (roughly) 'words mean what I want them to mean, no more and no less'.
A purist might say that unless a machine still comprises all its original parts (or original factory-made model-specific spares, worst case), it is at least part replica. There are vehicles around, languishing and unused, because their owners don't want to restore them because 'they wouldn't be original'. Rather screws up the main reason for having them if they won't go.
Replica means copy, except in the rare factory cases of, eg 'TT Replica' Rudges or whatever. Copies come in many grades, like oil. Most are inexact imitations, putting it politely. But many are beautifully made, so credit where it's due.
My stuff is all 'genuinely authentic fake' in at least some respect, even where the 'numbers match' (ha! - another tin of worms) and the thing looks right.
Given that we're only really talking about motorised bicycles (and pretty bits of bent tin in the case of old 4-wheelers), I'm in the camp that approves of honest bitsas, as long as they work properly and aren't mis-sold. I get as much pleasure - more actually - from playing with my incorrect 'mixer' B31 or A10 than I do from one or two other things that are actually rather more 'correct'.
It doesn't make much odds value-wise with cooking stuff, but the galling thing is when people mis-describe sought-after and more expensive toys (and profit from the gullible). E-Bay regularly has things which can't possibly be what the seller says, even if the seller honestly believes his own BS.
Like John, I hate all auctions anyway and only go near as a very last resort. But hey, it's the usual problem. Try to sell something useful through the older channels and it's 'nah mate, two a penny/dime a dozen, them'. Try to buy a boring thjng - like a chainguard or something - and 'they're rockin' 'orse droppings mate'.
'Twas ever thus, sadly. Which is why a lot of us are happy to mix 'n match if that's what gets things going and keeps them going.
