Classic car enthusiast Emily follows her dream… The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has appointed a new workshop apprentice as an investment in the future of its historic vehicle collection, at a time when few specialist workshops are taking on trainees. New apprentice Emily Leese, aged 18, joins the museum’s experienced workshop team to help maintain and restore its collection of more than … [Read more...]
Classics
Classic News – E-type Zero – Electrically powered Jaguar E Type!
Combining classic styling and a modern power train – a classic EV (Electric Vehicle) E Type! Report by Robin Roberts. Jaguar Land Rover Classic is presenting an electric-powered Jaguar E-type at the Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest, which opens to the public on 8 September in London. The car, known as E-type Zero, has been restored and converted at Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry, not far … [Read more...]
Event Report – Beaulieu International Autojumble 2017
Classic car enthusiasts flocked to the National Motor Museum for this year’s Beaulieu International Autojumble. Kim Henson, who has attended every ‘Beaulieu’ for the last four decades, reports on this, THE biggest autojumble in Britain – the original such event, and widely acknowledged still to be the best… (With some photographs, individually acknowledged with thanks, provided by Chris … [Read more...]
A Favourite Ford – How the Fiesta has evolved over four decades…
NO SIESTA FOR THE FIESTA – THE EVOLUTION OF THE FORD FIESTA A new design piece from MoneySuperMarket shows how the best-selling car in the UK has developed since 1976. The latest model, the Mark VIII (Mark VII outside of the UK) went on sale on 1st July. In terms of number of sales, Britain’s favourite car is the Ford Fiesta. Reliable since 1976, many of its generations have been … [Read more...]
News – Which modern cars will become future classics (if any?)
Will the Audi TT become a future classic? Some think so... Robin Roberts explains... The Audi TT is the most likely modern car to become a future classic, according to more than a third of British and Irish drivers, despite only 5% having owned one. Polling over 1,000 drivers across the UK and Ireland, Carole Nash quizzed the nation about which car they think has the greatest chance … [Read more...]
Edd China and the Wacky Record Breakers – At Beaulieu
Wacky Record Breakers – out in force at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. By Chris Adamson. Edd China, best known as the technical boffin half of television series Wheeler Dealers, returned to his roots, the world of weird car creations, when he helped to launch a new summer exhibition at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Edd was on hand to meet fans at the New Forest attraction and to … [Read more...]
Wheels-Alive’s Kim Henson visits… An amazing collection of classic vehicles at Studio434 in Hertfordshire…
Classics Galore at Studio434... Kim Henson travelled to the Home Counties and counts himself very lucky to have visited a ‘dreamworld’ private collection of 325 classic cars plus 65 motorcycles. He was delighted by the variety of vehicles, the numbers of which are increasing all the time. However that’s only part of the story. Here’s what he found… Hertfordshire is famous for many things, … [Read more...]
Hot classic investments? Buy now while you can!
The hottest classic car investments this summer… Robin Roberts reports. Always with one eye on the market, leading classic car insurance specialist Heritage has selected four of this summer’s hottest investment tips, with the value of the following motors set to rise along with the temperature. Heritage’s Mark Wilkinson, Managing Partner of the family-run business, says, “There are a few … [Read more...]
Motoring for Fun – ‘Wirral Going on a Summer Holiday’ (and to the Austin Counties Car Club Rally) – in a 1954 Austin A40 Somerset, says Kim
Wirral Going on a Summer Holiday – in a 1954 Austin A40 (Somerset) Coupé… Kim Henson explains... I have to admit that until 2014 I had never before visited the Wirral peninsula, nor indeed Liverpool, but twice in that year I made brief visits to that part of the world, and was keen to return to explore in more detail. For those who may not know, the Wirral peninsula sits between (to the west) … [Read more...]
Beaulieu’s 2017 Spring Autojumble enjoyed in sunshine…
Kim Henson reports on this year’s 24th Beaulieu Spring Autojumble. Wind, rain and cool temperatures are unwelcome visitors for the organisers of, and attendees at, any outdoor motoring-related show. Yet as people arrived in droves on the morning of Saturday 13th May for this year’s Spring Autojumble at Beaulieu, initially the sky darkened, there was a cool breeze and nature liberally sprinkled … [Read more...]
Arranging loans against classic cars gains in popularity…
Robin Roberts reports on the growing trend for loans to be taken out against classic car values. As widely reported, the values of classic cars have been increasing in dramatic fashion over the last few years and such vehicles are currently seen by lenders as good bets as assets against which to loan money. HNW Lending is one example; here are the headlines: HNW Lending has now … [Read more...]
Classic prices achieved at South Western Vehicle Auctions sale…
Some ‘modest’ classic commercials and cars, as well as more exclusively machinery, fetched far more than anticipated at the recent classic vehicle sale arranged by South Western Vehicle Auctions in Poole. Chris Adamson was there with his camera and notebook… (Words and photographs by Chris). A bid of £21,000 for a classic car is not normally the stuff of headlines – but it was at the recent … [Read more...]
Latest Volkswagen Beetle – Road Test
Nearly 80 years of ‘Beetling’ about… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives the 2017 VW Beetle. With more and more volume produced cars these days looking more and more alike, there are very few iconic core designs left to tempt those owners who do not want run-of-the mill designs. These buyers are independent minded, aloof to what is the latest must-have – me-too fashionable car, … [Read more...]
NEW SERIES! ‘Golden Oldies’; Kim’s Retrospective Road Test No. 1 – 1996 Vauxhall Astra 1.7 LS turbodiesel (Isuzu engine).
Astranomical! In the first of a new series on Wheels-Alive, Kim Henson assesses Vauxhall’s family hatchback of the 1990s, in the form of a 1996 Vauxhall Astra F (‘Mark 3’), powered by Isuzu’s fuel-sipping 1.7 litre turbodiesel engine. (All words and photographs by Kim). “Astra from Vauxhall. It’s every car you’ll ever need – or want.” So proclaimed Vauxhall when promoting their 1996 Astra … [Read more...]
Dave Randle goes ‘Back to Basics’ with his trusty Xantia…
BIT OF A BLOW. Dave Randle explains how it pays NOT to think the worst if an unusual breakdown occurs... So we made space in the schedule and booked up the first caravan holiday of Spring. Not an epic; just far enough away to be off the intermittent communication lines of Romney Marsh and sequestered among the Surrey Hills several times as far above sea level. We’re just getting back into … [Read more...]
‘Need to Know’ Series No 2… BS AU 7 (classic vehicle wiring standard)
‘Need to Know’ Series No 2... BS AU 7 (British classic vehicle wiring standard) – Dave Moss explains all... Note from Kim: Our 'Need to Know' Series aims to provide information about various (and sometimes-overlooked!) aspects of classic car design and construction, to help owners today in better understanding, maintaining and enjoying their vehicles. Watch this space for further articles in … [Read more...]
30 Not Out! New Forest classic event makes history – A ‘good news’ story!
On a beautiful spring Sunday in April, two south coast based UK classic car groups made happy history. Kim Henson was there with his camera (as he was in 1987!)… During the past 30 years, so many things in life have changed, and of course world events have been turbulent, but for two separate groups of classic car owners in Dorset and Hampshire respectively, an enduring and tranquil annual event … [Read more...]
Classic Information (Kim’s Tips) – Think positive during vehicle restoration!
Classic vehicle restoration... Don’t give up! You CAN do it… Kim Henson advises. When trying to restore, recommission or even just re-invigorate a classic car, van or pick-up, to get the vehicle to its rightful place back out on the road where it can be enjoyed, there will almost certainly be times when the scale of the task weighs heavy. Indeed things can build up to the extent that sometimes … [Read more...]
Jaguar XJ220 tyres available once more…
The XJ220 legend lives on – Extraordinary work for an extraordinary car (you can watch the video too...). Kim Henson explains… New tyres for Jaguar’s truly iconic XJ220 were not available for more than 10 years. However, the Bridgestone tyre company has worked together with Don Law on the development of new tyres for the model, so that enthusiast drivers can finally get back on the road without … [Read more...]
An ‘easy fit’ new Mazda-based transmission kit arrives to ‘up-gear’ your MGB
A new five speed conversion for MGBs can make the car even more enjoyable. Robin Roberts reports… Few would argue that the MGB remains Britain’s favourite classic sports car or that it is almost as at home in modern traffic as it was in that of the 1960s/70s. However, it can nevertheless be updated to advantage and British Motor Heritage (BMH) is now stocking the superb Vitesse Global five speed … [Read more...]
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