LANCASTER CLASSIC CAR NEWS
AMERICAN SPLENDOR - THE KAISER MANHATTAN
Sometimes – in fact, often – eBay is a place of great temptation. You begin your search with the intention of buying a new pair of driving gloves, but within an hour, you are contemplating another classic car. And when presented with the chance of bidding for a Kaiser Manhattan, this is wholly understandable.
MEET THE OWNER – SHAUN BROADBENT AND HIS VAUXHALL VICEROY
Shaun Broadbent is selling one of the rarest Vauxhalls in the country. Only 2,295 Viceroys left the dealerships between 1980 and 1982, and today a mere nine remain on the road - Search results for 'Vauxhall viceroy' - How Many Left? Yet, it had genuine potential and is a prime example of how poor marketing can seriously hamper a car's prospects.
MEET THE OWNER - PAUL BARNES AND HIS FORD CORTINA HUNTSMAN
In 2009, the Ford enthusiast Paul Barnes was searching for a Cortina Mk. II but was unable to find any suitable example. Finally, however, one of his colleagues told him that his father-in-law had just lost a close friend and had one in his garage.
THE BIG FREEZE – WINTER MOTORING OF SIXTY YEARS AGO
Sixty years ago, the nation saw its lowest temperatures since 1740, with some parts of the country enduring 20-foot snowdrifts and power cuts. Some villages were cut off for days, and on Dartmoor, 6,000 animals went without food for four days until helicopters were able to drop supplies.
THE CONTINENTAL MK. II – A CELEBRATION
In 1956 a car with power assistance for the brakes, steering, front seat, windows and even the quarterlights, an AM radio with an electric aerial and whitewall tyres, was not so much luxurious as downright extravagant. Inside, the upholstery was either leather by Bridge of Weir of Scotland or a selection of cloth trims and you could also have your name engraved on a plate on the centre of the passenger compartment floor.
THE FORD CORTINA XLE – THE ULTIMATE MK. III?
At first sight, this is the perfect Cortina for all drivers who regarded a Jason King moustache as the height of fashion and the Berni Inn as the pinnacle of haute cuisine. It certainly appears to be a prime example of a facelifted Cortina XL Mk. III but then you notice the white reflectors on the front bumper, different hubcaps, a ‘V6’ shield on the front wings and the ‘Big 6’ badges.
TOP TEN REASONS WHY CAR CLUBS ARE WONDERFUL
This could have so easily been a ‘Top 50’ or a ‘Top 100’, but here is just ten of the reasons why car clubs are wonderful.
THE 1952 MOTOR SHOW
The date is the 22nd October 1952, and the ethos of the British motor industry is still very much 'Export or Die'. During this year, companies across the UK produced 448,000 vehicles, but they allocated 308,942 for export. But at least the end to the 'Car Covenant' looks in sight.
30 Years of the Ford Mondeo
There are several aspects of the 1990s that many hope will never return – The Word on Channel Four comes to mind – but others are fondly missed. I mention this as a significant Ford has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary but the Mondeo Mk. I is now a fast-vanishing sight.
MEET THE OWNER – ADRIAN WAINWRIGHT AND HIS VOLVO 244 GLE THOR
"My dream car when I was 17 was not a sporty Ford or Vauxhall but a Volvo 265 GLE Fuel injection automatic - a dream still not realised as yet!" But Adrian Wainwright now owns an even more exclusive Swedish car – the 244 GLE Thors.
Why I Crave a Fiat 2300
It is the mid-1980s, and the BBC is screening a not particularly distinguished 1966 Peter Sellers film titled After the Fox. Much of the film was shot on location in Italy, and for the final reel chase, the police favoured a handsome saloon with tailfins and quad headlamps. From that moment onwards, I craved a Fiat 2300.
THE AUDI 100 COUPE S – A CELEBRATION
In the early 1970s there was one car of choice for the executive who wanted a grand tourer more exclusive than the Ford Capri GXL, more ‘Continental’ in looks than the Reliant Scimitar GTE and more comfortable than a Triumph Stag. It was, of course, the Audi 100 Coupe S.