Interesting topic. I do alot of building and fabrication on my gas powered r/c boats, just to throw them in the water with 7 other boats, and knowing it's gonna get tore up eventually. You still know it's there, and if it aint right, it just aint right.

On our car, I am trying to find a "happy medium". It will not be a daily driver, but it will be driven, and will not be a trailer queen. I guess I still want everything to look good- like the wiring. The wiring will be hidden behind panels, but it still has to look sano. Nobody will see the backing plates, but they will be kept polished. Nobody will see the underside (hopefully!), but it will be painted, etc., etc..

I guess while accepting the fact that the car will see normal wear and tear, I try my best to do it right regardless of its out in the open, or hidden from view. Kinda like washing your daily driver in the winter. It's gonna be dirty again before you drive it a few miles, but it's cleaner than it would have been without the wash.

Greg