The year is 1959, the month is October and the weather may be best described as ‘wet’. Some of the cars in this shot taken near Earls Court - the Austin A55 Cambridge Mk. I, the Rover P4 and the Ford 100E Anglia - will almost certainly be heading for the Motor Show, lured by the opportunity to see this strange new small car from BMC, one where the engine is mounted sideways.
During the 1970s there were two forms of Volkswagen that, in the UK at least, were rarely seen outside of major dealerships – the K70 and the Type 4 411/412.
Not only was it a really hot weekend but coupled with the World Cup and F1 it meant there was a very small grid of 14 cars - there is usually double that!
The place is outer London, the year is 1971 and the venue is a chase in a forgotten thriller entitled Universal Solider. The law is in a Jaguar S-Type Traffic Car and they are pursuing a red sporting estate car that positively exudes both elegance and menace - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhP-xPlaqYw. N.B. Fans of Browns Lane classics might want to avoid viewing this scene.
As the decent weather continues (fingers crossed), my thoughts have been turning to that vital topic – what it the greatest convertible of all time? And after much deliberation and thought – plus some very subjective and biased decision-making- my convertible of choice had to be the Ford Zodiac Mk. II.
The Panda is now well into its third generation but when did you last see one of the original versions? Once experienced, this was yet another Fiat could never be forgotten – the boxy yet attractive styling by Giugiaro, the flat windshield with its single wiper, the rear bench that could be arranged to form a hammock and the front ashtray that could be slid across the fascia.
The news that Paddy Hopkirk MBE will be attending the Lancaster Insurance Classic & Supercars Show at Sherborne Castle on 15th July has prompted me to re-watch some of the footage of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.
Enthusiasts are invited to enter their classic car into the coveted Autumn Final of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership, held at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 November.
This Sunday (15th July) is the Lancaster Insurance Classic & Supercars Show 2018 which is taking place in the picturesque grounds of Sherborne Castle. Once again we’re thrilled to be headline sponsor.
‘How?’, you might fairly ask, can certain versions of the Ford Cortina be ‘built to last’. Some of them – the Mk. IV comes to mind – are now exceedingly rare but to see any cherished survivor at a car show or on the road is to be reminded of their impact.