Andy Roberts talks us through the power of nostalgia after attending the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show over the weekend.
It’s 1986 and you're watching a Bank Holiday revival of Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150AD on BBC1. The opening sequence features a familiar screen face... Surely the driver of the getaway Jaguar Mk. X evading the long arm of Bernard Cribbins was the same chap who crashed his S-Type in the pre-credit scene of Stoppo Driver, one of the finest episodes of The Sweeney? Indeed it was, in the form of the great stuntman Rocky Tayor. We look at the Heroes of Motoring – The Stunt Professionals. - Written by Andy Roberts
Out of 80 applicants, the final 20 cars set to battle it out in the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership at the NEC Classic Motor Show, held at Birmingham’s NEC from 11-13 November, have been selected – and it won’t be an easy decision for the visitors to pick the ‘Pride and Joy’ of the show.
The Jensen Interceptor, to put it frankly, does not look 50 years old. - Written by Andy Roberts
Many of us have a mental shortlist of those prime classic cars where form and function coalesce to create a genuinely ground-breaking vehicle. The sale on the 29th October by Coys of Kensington of the first production Range Rover for £115, 000 is a very timely reminder of an automotive design so magnificent that one was even exhibited in the Louvre as an ‘outstanding piece of modern sculpture’. - Written by Andy Roberts
Halloween beckons, and for those of us who wish to avoid trick-or-treaters there is the alternative of a good – or at least entertaining – film. And so we have carefully selected our top five horror films dating from the 1950s to the 1990s, each featuring at least one splendid motor-car. Happy nightmares… - Written by Andy Roberts
With the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show just a few weeks away it is only fitting that we dedicate our November ‘Club of the Month’ to one of the shows biggest attractions, The Sporting Bears Motor Club.
Many readers who grew up during the 1980s will recall how late on autumn nights ITV would screen re-runs of a spy programme concerning a prematurely grey-haired America private eye who drove a succession of Hillman Imps... - Written by Andy Roberts
Silverstone Auctions will be offering a special ‘life saving’ Mini for sale at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at Birmingham NEC on 12th November to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
It’s always a tricky business when buying a classic car as the previous owner of this Morris Minor Traveller found out, but it highlights the importance seeking professional and knowledgeable assistance when purchasing. We spoke to Dave Youngs, our very own Car Club Manager about the trials and tribulations of owning 'Nancy'!
"As film and television historian (my ‘day’ job), it has been a pleasure to endure some of the most endearingly poor advertisements for cars of the past sixty years. Here are five of my favourites..." - Written by Andy Roberts
As the Land Rover Defender has recently passed into motoring history, it is timely to remember one of the British pretenders to its crown. The Austin Champ now seems to belong to a black and white past of National Servicemen in Pathé Newsreels and low-budget science fictions films about alien beings invading Chobham Common. - Written by Andy Roberts
The Little Chef was a part of British motoring for 29 years, the original branch being a US-style diner on Oxford Road in Reading. The first branch was aimed at those respectable motorists who had just bought their first Ford 100E Prefect or Morris Minor and who would not be seen dead in a Hell Drivers style transport cafe... Andy Roberts shares his memories.
In the latest instalment of our Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show interviews, we speak to Dave Youngs, Lancaster’s Car Club Manager, on what makes the show special to him.
1. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO The 250 was designed to race. However, while competition rules stipulated that 100 examples had to be built of each model racing, Ferrari somehow managed to get away with only making 39.
This year the Toyota Corolla reaches its 50th anniversary, another leap for the world’s most popular car.
Lancaster Insurance, headline sponsor of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, has announced a ‘Best of British’ focus on its stand, with the iconic BLOODHOUND SSC show car taking pride of place. Show attendees will also be able to see a variety of exceptional classic models on the stand, each with their own unique story.
Whether your classic has been in the family for years or is a new addition, being the victim of vehicle theft can be devastating. As classic car values soar, this is becoming common. Whilst we may not be able to stop every vehicle being stolen, there are a number of ways we can help reduce the chance and here at Lancaster, we’ve created a list of helpful hints and tips that may help.
In 1965 ITC, the television production company that specialised in men of mystery pursuing fez-wearing villains across ‘Somewhere foreign’ (aka Elstree Studios’ car park), commenced filming of The Baron. This was their first colour adventure show and it co-starred Steve Forrest as one John Mannering, a square-jawed antiques dealer/solver of crimes, with an Oyster Grey Jensen CV8 Mk. II. - Written by Andy Roberts.
With this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show only a month away, we’ve caught up with some of the Lancaster team to find out what makes the show so special to them. First off is Andrew Misseldine, our Car Club team liaison. Andrew has been with us for over 20 years and is a season regular at the show!
