Classic Cars

When the inaugural London Classic Car Show opened its doors in January, it covered 18,000 sq m of prime exhibition space at ExCeL London. Crammed with innovative features, mouth-watering classic cars and a star-studded list of celebrity visitors, that inaugural show was such a success that even before the show closed it was announced that the 2016 edition (18-21 February, 2016) would be almost half as big again.

Following a highly successful year in 2015, which saw brand new sales and record-breaking prices achieved for cars, Silverstone Auctions has released details of its upcoming sales for 2016. Kicking off the auction calendar will be the Race Retro sale, the fifth sale of its kind that the auction house has held there. The two-day sale will take place on 27-28 February and will feature a collection of classic road cars, historic racing cars, motorcycles as well as automobilia and lifestyle items. The specialist auction house will return to the Practical Classics Restoration and Classic Car Show on 6 March. The sale will offer buyers the chance to acquire some of the most exceptional restoration projects as well as intriguing barn-finds. Returning to its spiritual home at The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone Auctions will hold its popular stand-alone May Sale […]

The Jaguar E-type has added yet another award to its enviable roll of honour after being voted as Best British Car Ever in a worldwide poll run by the inaugural Classic & Sportscar – The London Show, running from 30 October to 1 November at Alexandra Palace. With thousands of votes cast, the E-type garnered the most votes of the shortlisted cars that also included the McLaren F1, Mini, Bentley Speed Six, Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost plus other British icons such as the original Range Rover and Jaguar’s own XKSS.

The London Show has opened its doors to the public for the first time with thousands of visitors treated to stunning displays, exciting live stage interviews and all things historic motoring. Presenter of BBC TV show Building Cars Live, Ant Anstead, opened the inaugural show to an eager crowd, before revealing that the Jaguar E-type had won Best British Car Ever following a hotly contested public vote. The presenter then took to the Interview Stage, sponsored by Smooth Radio, to share anecdotes from his career and his new TV shows including Building Cars Live in addition to talking about some of his favourite classics. Formula One legend, Ross Brawn OBE, was next to be interviewed by broadcaster Henry Hope-Frost, discussing not only classic cars but also his illustrious F1 career and the future of the sport. CEO of WeSeeHope, Mark […]

I will, for the benefit of those with less than a master’s degree in mechanics, try to make this simple by breaking it down into categories by era… two very basic ones. All cars from the brass age (turn-of-the-century to about late-teens) until about the late 1960’s are of a simple enough nature that any part, no matter how complex by the standards of those bygone days, can be fashioned today by a competent small company if not by a talented individual. Those cars can — and often do — live forever! They are well supported in many cases by companies in the business of supplying those parts. Why? Because they can make them! The magazines are full of stories of epic mileages recorded by interesting cars (the 3 million mile Volvo, my 600 thousand mile TR4, the 900 thousand […]

The first production right hand drive 1967 TR5 Roadster is to be sold by leading classic car restorers Classic Motor Cars (CMC). This incredibly special car was the first TR5 P1 to be built on the normal assembly line, and is one of only 1,100 to be produced, carrying with it an indisputable history.

The organisers of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run are pleased to announce that Auction house Bonhams – a long time supporter of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, sponsor for 11 years and the event’s title sponsor since 2014 – has   further extended its backing of the world’s longest running motoring event. The renewed partnership will see Bonhams continue as title sponsor and auction house partner until 2019. The agreement encompasses a number of significant elements during the lead up to the Run. The company will continue to sponsor the Veteran Car Zone at the free-to-view Regent Street Motor Show, held in London’s famous shopping street on the day before the Run. And as well as sponsoring the Run, the company will carry on providing welcome participant’s hospitality at the finish line in Brighton. In addition, Bonhams […]

For our video this week we turn once again to our friends at Take to the Road with their excellent video of  the Gilbern T11 from Wales. To quote the guys at Take to the road … Gilbern is not a name that immediately springs to mind when you think of classic British sports cars. In fact not many people know about the former car maker that hailed from Wales. And even fewer are aware of its exciting two seat, rear engined sports coupe project from the 1970s. Founded in 1959 by Giles Smith and Bernard Friese, Gilbern was Wales’ only car maker. Both the former butcher and the former German Army soldier succeeded in building a car company from nothing and for a time challenged the likes of Jaguar and Rover with the Gilbern Genie V6. By the time […]

Motoring fans keen to expand their libraries, and maybe get an autographed copy too, should head to the inaugural Classic & Sports Car – The London Show at Alexandra Palace this autumn. That’s because the show will feature a host of world-class literary exhibitors, offering visitors everything from historical bestsellers to one-off coffee table books and, of course, a wide selection of motoring magazines. Some of the event’s Interview Stage guests will also be on hand to put pen to paper with some exclusive book signing sessions.

I attended two different car shows this past weekend, and while there were good things and difficulties with both of them, what always stands out is the people. It was great seeing old friends, making new friends, and just generally enjoying the company of like minded British car enthusiasts. My good buddy Gene Gillenwater showed me a car show creed that he had been given at a show back in his home state of Ohio. I loved it. He later had it on the windshield of his MGB at the show, and I saw many people stopping to read it and comment appreciatively. Too often at these shows folks get caught up in competition and who has the better car, the cleaner car, the car with the more accurate stitch-count in the seats. I have even known people who will […]

Beaulieu has announced that the 2016 dates for its world-famous International Autojumble, held in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, have been confirmed as the 3rd  and 4th September. Traditionally, the International Autojumble is held on the second full weekend of September and for several years the Goodwood Revival, the date of which is always dependent on the F1 Grand Prix calendar, has taken place on the following weekend. However, for the last two years the Revival has been brought forward a week to fit in with the F1 race schedule and as it is not in the best interests of Goodwood, Beaulieu, their exhibitors or visitors, to hold events on the same weekend, the decision was made to move Beaulieu’s International Autojumble forward a week as well. The same situation has prevailed for 2016 so Beaulieu will again […]

The Royal Automobile Club’s annual festival of motoring, London Motor Week, will embrace a brand new addition this year – The Art of Motoring. This inaugural exhibition will feature sixteen of the most prolific international motoring and motor racing artists who will display their latest works under the same roof for the first time in more than a decade. Housed at the Royal Opera Arcade at 5b Pall Mall, just a stone’s throw from the Royal Automobile Club’s London clubhouse, will be over 100 original works which will be for sale. The exhibition is free to the public from 26 -31 October 2015. An exclusive preview is by invitation only and will take place on the evening of 27 October at 7pm.

Collectors and enthusiasts turned out in force when BCA Blackbushe offered two classic British cars on Wednesday 14th October.  Both the 1957 Morris Minor and the 1960 Ford Prefect had generated a lot of pre-sale interest and there was some very competitive bidding both in the auction hall and online as the cars were offered. The Morris Minor had only been sold once before, at BCA’s former Frimley centre in 1980 when it realised £680.  Thirty-five years later it made over four times that value, selling for £2,850.   The two-owner Morris was in need of some gentle renovation to return to its former glory and came with  a number of original spares including a pair of boxed ‘as new’ Lucas semaphore indicators, Morris badges, carpets, new floor panels, chrome overriders and a complete set of spare wheels. The beautifully restored […]

Historic aircraft and competition cars, classic road cars and military machines will converge on Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire for the weekend of July 2nd and 3rd 2016, when Flywheel returns to the UK’s best-preserved Second World War bomber station. Showcasing the best in aviation, motorsport, motoring and military history in a uniquely atmospheric and intimate setting, this family-friendly nostalgia-fest brings together a fantastic range of entertainment to appeal to all ages. The first Flywheel – held in June 2015 – was a huge success, drawing thousands of spectators who thoroughly enjoyed outstanding displays in the air and on the motorsport demonstration track, and the chance to get up close to an exciting range of military vehicles, aircraft and rare racing cars. Highlights included the return to the former RAF Bicester of the Blenheim bomber for the first time in over […]

Last Thursday, Bournemouth-based author and former Anglican Priest, Bryan Apps, launched his new book at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Laced with fascinating anecdotes, Raymond Mays’ Magnificent Obsession reveals a pivotal figure in motor sport history and describes the author’s enthusiasm for BRM, detailing his visit to Raymond Mays in Eastgate House, Bourne, in 1963. An intimate congregation of friends and motor racing enthusiasts gathered around the National Motor Museum’s Mk1 BRM for a talk by the author, followed by a presentation of the book to Beaulieu’s Chief Executive, Russell Bowman, and a signing session. Bryan Apps said: “I was given a very warm welcome at Beaulieu by Russell Bowman and Museum Manager, Doug Hill and was delighted to give a signed copy of Raymond Mays` Magnificent Obsession for the Museum Library, which is an essential resource for any student […]

Ok Let’s see… Random misfire and misfire on cylinder #11 … Looks like you need the basic ignition service. When would you like to do that? How much you ask? Oh, about $4,000. That was a nasty fall, can I help you up, get you some aspirin? Well of course I can break it down. Twelve spark plugs at $40.91 each, twelve coils at $157.56 each, a manifold gasket set at $407.36, and then around $900 labor …. How often?  Well, about every 25 or 30 thousand miles. Perhaps you should sit down again, you look faint. What I’m trying to point out here is that it’s possible to drive a spectacular car as your secondary “real car” for the kind of people that for instance left the 3 year old ‘Benz in the driveway this morning and drove the […]

A rare early Range Rover convertible conversion is due to be sold at Silverstone Auctions’ last auction of the year, The NEC Classic Motor Show Sale, on 14-15 November 2015. Starting life as a 1973 Range Rover ‘Suffix B’, the car was converted in the late Eighties by Special Vehicle Conversions, who specialise in bespoke convertible conversions for Range Rovers of the period. The rare right-hand drive convertible has covered just 62,500 miles from new and having recently been restored to its original Special Vehicle Conversions specification, it will be sold at The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show auction with an estimate of £35,000 – £40,000. The car was apparently won by the previous owner in a card game in the Nineties, who then stored it in a lock-up as he didn’t have space in his garages. The vendor heard […]

Barely auto related, but we like it anyway. Visit Beaulieu this Festive Season, between 19th December and 3rd January 2016, to experience the magic of a traditional Victorian Christmas. See one of the largest outdoor Christmas trees in the New Forest, adorned with seasonal decorations and follow the fairy light path to Palace House, the home of the Montagu family since 1538, which is a place of enchantment at this special time of year.  Children can follow the Christmas Cracker quiz trail, hear how festive traditions have developed over the ages and play Victorian parlour games. All the family can wrap up in beautiful coats, hats and scarves and climb aboard the stunning full-size sleigh to pose for a photograph – perfect for the family Christmas card. Visitors can talk to characters from Victorian times to discover what life was […]