A record of originality is something any club that purports to be enthusiastic about a type of car should aspire too. This was partly why the HT Archive Trust was set up. Then the club decided not to use it, which is a bit odd. Likewise the Boothroyd Messerschmitt Chapel had a archive element to it. That seems to have got lost in politics and the ageing of the initiators. I am pushed to think of a micro club that really has this element of activity, support and information nailed.
It would seem to me sense to record known history, chassis information where it is available and then the examples of original cars left. These cars represent a huge resource for anyone wanting to restore a car correctly and prevents the 'common knowledge' approach, especially when it is in fact completely incorrect. The problem is that this information often creates a disagreement with the spares re manufactured and supplied where a one fits all policy is encouraged to bolster sales and reduce stock and investment costs of time and money. Strangely money tends to win over fact. However this just means it is more essential still to conserve those few cars left that are unmolested. We are still seeing good cars ruined by well meaning owners 'restoring' them. The results can be appalling.
I always saw RUMcar as a way to record the special cars, be they rare or particularly original. I never saw a reason to list 'ordinary' cars like restored Fiat 500s or Isetta. However it is of no great use to owners if they cannot access the cars to examine when restoring their own car to original. One comes up against the fact that cars are normally privately owned. Thus the information is secret. The best kept secrets are those not told so it kind of argues against itself in a way. Clearly the way round this is now available to us which is a detailed record of the anatomy of original cars without the need to publish where they are. From here you can see a huge website for RUMcar. Starting with a list of all microcars. Then gaining an image of each. Then a set of images plus a description with potted history. Lastly detailed archive of the best example/s as a resource for restorers. The work of a lifetime and bizarrely better suited to a person into collecting and collating information rather than mucking about with cars!
As an aside the best picture of a detailed element of a rare car could feature as Page 3 in RUMcar news. Ooowa look at the lights on that!
The MEC media management/creative group would dearly love to create this resource for Messerschmitts but we are to busy running the day to day activities of the club to do the really interesting work. I suspect this is mirrored elsewhere. The interesting issue is at what point does the internet eclipse a club such that, for instance, the media group of the MEC ditch the running of a club in favour of putting the website to full use instead. 95% of the owners would probably be better served! The vocal 5% who demand all for no effort would be the losers as very often it is they who have not kept pace with the world and believe £12 a year entitles them to a full menu of entertainment on their doorstep which they can choose to use or ignore on a whim and use as a basis to complain.