Once again the NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham (11th-13th November) was the home to the Classic Car of the Year 2011 awards (www.ccoty.co.uk). The five stunning classic car finalists were located alongside competition sponsors Lancaster Insurance’s stand in Hall 8. During this exciting weekend the overall competition winner was announced and declared Classic Car of The Year 2011.
Congratulations to all competition finalists:
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Howard G. Rathbone – E - Type
Jaguar E Type Series II 1969 I purchased my ‘E Type’ on 9th August 1976,
just a few weeks away from my 21st birthday.
I had been looking for a Series II ‘E’ Type for several months to fit a certain criteria and I was beginning to panic!! What I brought “looked good” and was the best I had seen for sale. The only disappointment at the time was having set my heart on a ‘light blue’ car, I ended up with a ‘dark blue’ one!
I have often seen car restoration articles where owners have carried out most of the work themselves. In my case this includes everything and mostly on my own. Body renovation, welding, lead filling, spraying, all carried out in a domestic garage. All mechanics, engine, transmission, running gear, interior and exterior trim (excluding hood) and all ‘fixtures and fittings’ have been repaired replaced or restored by myself.
I love the fact that I literally know every inch and every nut and bolt of the car as I have worked on every area and component at least once and often several times and this makes it thoroughly mine!! I have a unique history with each single part, knowledge of each imperfection and understanding of every ongoing job still requiring attention.
For more competition information: www.ccoty.co.uk
Vince Judge - Capri
FORD CAPRI GXL 1973 Ford Capri GXL totally rebuild from burnt out
engine bay & interior. Purchased from a salvage yard on the 4th April 1992
for £20 pounds & £5.29 admin costs. Taken 17 years to rebuild and locate
the new parts to bring the car to a show standard. Car was completed &
MOT'ed on April 28th 2009. In this time the car was left for 6 years while
rebuilding a house, then an explosion of work with sills / A posts fitted &
again put to one side for another house move. Moved 3 times during re-build& each time the car took a dusty back seat. GXL Details down to the Ford
motorcraft clips and original interior with working radio. Complete front end fitted due to rust. Totally stripped back to bare metal, all sealant removed, resprayed in Sapphire Blue with Black vinyl roof. Travelled all around the country to locate parts, even as far as Scotland. Have many photos Throughout the rebuild from Burnt out to completion. Nearly everything on the car is new old stock parts. Attend two FORD car shows in the three years the car has been finished & won both times. The car is always driven & has just covered over 2500 miles since April 2009. Rare One on One photo shoot with Lancaster bomber. Lots of history and a long story with this car.
For more competition information: www.ccoty.co.uk
Morris Mini Minor Deluxe 1961 Imagine driving 11,063kms (10 Countries& 3 Continents) – all the way to the Great Pyramids of Egypt and back
again – in 35 days? A hard drive indeed, especially in a 50-year-old Morris
Mini Minor Deluxe, which has been off the road since 1967!
A lone expedition with no back up or support crew and entirely self-funded drive to raise essential funds for Willow Foundation, little Morris was original purchased as an eBay bargain in 2006 – a barn find that hadn’t turned a wheel in almost four decades. We too stored him with the original intention of restoring him in years to come but once we decided on this adventure last year the car was quickly bought back to life by husband Rob and is in almost original condition.
Although problems in the Middle East put pay to our original route through Libya we have just returned from this adventure and although the heat was searing and the pot holes vast, little Morris didn’t miss a beat plodding along with a top speed of just 60mph with the route taking in the Acropolis of Athens and the Blue Mosque of Istanbul before…
For more competition information: www.ccoty.co.uk
Grant Howlett - MG
MG Magnette ZA four door saloon 1955 My pride and joy has been in my
family since new. Its named 'Lord Peter' after grandfather who purchased it
in June 1955. He drove it locally in Suffolk and Norfolk daily. He cared for it
fastidiously. The car was serviced and maintained by the same mechanic for
forty years. The only non-standard items fitted were the stainless steel
exhaust, a trico screen wash pump and a single front seat belt. When he
died in 1998 I inherited the car and shipped it to the States where I lived.
I will never forget the day I drove it over three hundred miles home on six lane highways, using only trafficators to change lanes. I drove it in temperatures of over 100 degrees and at no time did the temperature gauge rise or the radiator struggle. It was on this trip I realised how amazing this Magnette was in its adaptability to be driven anywhere in all temperatures and terrains. Over the last twelve years, I have only sympathetically restored and maintained it and due to its reliability have driven it extensively through many US States and throughout Britain. What makes this car unique is its originality, apart from rebuilding the engine with an unleaded head, all the complete interior, chrome and ninety percent of the paint work is non-restored and although over the…
For more competition information: www.ccoty.co.uk
Mr and Mrs SP Holloway - Jensen Interceptor Convertible 1975
Jensen Interceptor Convertible 1975 One of 13 RHD walnut dash
convertibles built. Bought in Feb 2004 in an horrific state.The "before"
picture speaks for itself. Underwent extensive restoration from 2005/6,
bodywork and hood completed by local professionals, we did absolutely
everything else ourselves. We bought it as a bare rusty shell, every panel
dented and a non-runner.It looked like something dredged out of a river.
But this was no "open chequebook" restoration; we are a young family with
TWO sets of twins who were all aged under
three at time of restoration! Many, many late nights have been spent on this car after the children were in bed and every spare penny of our limited budget went into getting her back on the road. The car has come back to life as a result of our lifetime love of the marque, extreme hard work and sheer bloody mindedness! Recently starred in C4's Red Riding Trilogy, extensively driven on set by lead character, played by Sean Bean (see pic). We love our car - the children call it "The Fun Car", she is hugely admired everywhere she goes, always draws a crowd and we are very proud of her.
For more competition information: www.ccoty.co.uk