Another Happy Winner: BMW Z3M
February 15, 2021
One of our favourite parts of our competitions is delivering cars to their newfound owners! We loaded up the 1998 BMW Z3M on Friday in
February 15, 2021
Resurrecting Classic Race Car Driving
February 15, 2021
Nestled in the centre of France, just a few miles from Clermont-Ferrand is a newly founded school of classic race car training: The Classic Racing
Porsche and Pocket Watches: The Union Of Engineering Greats
February 15, 2021
Two companies intrinsically entangled by the allure and tradition of motorsport. TAG Heuer and Porsche have both had products named after the same 1950’s motorsport
Peony Red Paint Prep
February 15, 2021
Our 1960 541S Jensen has been continuing its paint process with the bonnet and wings being masked, prepped and primed and the undersides painted black.
Update on Gordan’s Jensen
February 15, 2021
As some may know, Gordon has a 1960 541R Jensen that’s being restored with us. Much like the Peony Red Jensen, this full restoration has
Breathing New Life Into The T4
February 15, 2021
Our 1991 VW T4 Transporter is making progress! Our technicians James and Chris have been working together to ensure bit by bit, we fight the
Catching Up With The TR5
February 15, 2021
Our 1968 Triumph TR5 has been progressing in leaps and bounds under the expert eye of our technician Mauro. Chris has painted the roof in
Meet The Team: Paul
February 15, 2021
Its that time of the week again! In this instalment of ‘Meet The Team’ we’re chatting to Paul, one of our classic car technicians. After
Another Happy Winner: BMW Z3M
February 15, 2021
One of our favourite parts of our competitions is delivering cars to their newfound owners! We loaded up the 1998 BMW Z3M on Friday in the snow so it was ready to leave on Monday once the roads were safer.
A big congratulations to Philip Hatswell who won with ticket number 3267. Philip is currently out of the country so his brother Steve kindly took delivery of it down in Sussex.
We’re delighted to see it will be in safe hands until Philip gets back to the UK!
Could you be our next winner? We’ve got two more red beauties up for grabs below:
Resurrecting Classic Race Car Driving
February 15, 2021
Nestled in the centre of France, just a few miles from Clermont-Ferrand is a newly founded school of classic race car training: The Classic Racing Group.
Julien Chaffard, a young French engineer and enthusiast has set up the world’s first full-service curriculum school for open-wheel racing. The company consists of only 6 employees with all of them under the age of 30. The light and young energy reflects Julien’s laid back, easy to like aura. The courses allow engineers and enthusiasts to get involved and learn how to drive these classic machines.
The school hosts its classes in the nearby legendary Circuit de Charade which was the home to the 1965 and 1972 Formula One championships and has a history with Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, and Jochen Rindt gracing its circuit with their victories. Close to the home of Michelin, the stunning track has been carved from the mountains and features dramatic elevation changes. Sir Stirling Moss, former F1 racing driver claimed, “I don’t know a more wonderful track than Charade.”
Their classes run through the summer, starting in spring and concluding in autumn. Within these courses, individuals learn how to drive and handle exact replicas of the much revered Formula Fords that were manufactured by the Crosslé Car Company, which won the European Championship in 1969. These replicas have been made by Crosslé itself which still stands as the UK’s oldest racing manufacturers. As well as these classes, participants are also welcomed into the Classic Racing school’s club house that’s decorated by timeless memorabilia and a luxury bar.
The school offer three types of programmes to racing enthusiasts; an ad-hoc styled track Day for those want a chance to sit behind the wheel of a classic single-seater, a Racing School for the more dedicated students who can join get involved in several events during the year, or a Competition Experience.
With the art and trade of classic race car driving, and in tern engineering, slowly dying out, the only way to resurrect it, is to involve the next generations. With much of the engineering found in these classic motors spurring the ground breaking mechanics of the cars we see on tracks today, the best way to advance the industry is to get involved in its past.
If you fancy your chance at becoming a classic race car driver, or are an enthusiast, we’ve got just the car for you! Our 1972 Original Chevron B20 72-2 is up for sale and is thought to be one of just a few in existence. You can view the car for sale here and take a look at our blogs about it here.
You can see the full interview with Petrolicious here as well as their stunning photos;
Check out the racing school’s website here:
Porsche and Pocket Watches: The Union Of Engineering Greats
February 15, 2021
Two companies intrinsically entangled by the allure and tradition of motorsport. TAG Heuer and Porsche have both had products named after the same 1950’s motorsport race, Carrera Panamericana, for the last 70 years and now they have finally come together to fuse their engineering prowess in the form of modern classic timepiece.
“We have been flirting for decades, more than a half-century, but at last the relationship is going public,” said Catherine Eberle-Devaux’s, Heritage Director at TAG Heuer.
Jack Heuer, who was 29 in 1961 when he took over the business that his Great Grandfather started in Bern, Switzerland, went on to found the revolutionary designs we now attribute to TAG Heuer. The Heuer family always had close ties to motorsport as avid spectators and inventors. The Heuer name went on to design dashboard timers, with one of which being installed into Jack’s own red MGA that he raced, “We came in third, exactly one minute late, because I had misread the small minute-register dial – I was furious,” Jack said in an interview. With the love of motorsports running deep in the company, Jack made the decision to name what was to become Heuer’s most successful watch after the short lived Carrera Panamerican.
From Steve McQueen’s famous Porsche car and Heuer watch and race suit set up in 1970 to TAG Heuer dabbling in watch collaborations with a whole host of motorsport brands and the famous TAG-Porsche engine that powered winning hat trick for McLarens Formula One team, it was set in the stars for the two brands to come together after a long history of commercial and engineering courtship.
“It’s about dedication to motorsport,” Frédéric Arnault, TAG Heuer CEO says. “This is the watch brand that’s most intrinsically and authentically linked to motorsport. Meanwhile, Porsche is motorsport. And we share a name, inspired by the same Carrera Panamericana race. No other car and watch brand shares a link as deep as this.”
www.tagheuer.com/gb/en/partnerships/porsche.html
The watch embodies the heart and spirit of horology and horsepower. It features a grey, black and red colour scheme to encompass Porsche’s iconic tones and the famous logo is located on the bezel.
This stunning masterpiece of engineering synchronicity can be purchased for just under £5000 and is any classic motor lovers homage to engineering.
Peony Red Paint Prep
February 15, 2021
Our 1960 541S Jensen has been continuing its paint process with the bonnet and wings being masked, prepped and primed and the undersides painted black.
Update on Gordan’s Jensen
February 15, 2021
As some may know, Gordon has a 1960 541R Jensen that’s being restored with us. Much like the Peony Red Jensen, this full restoration has been nicknamed as the ‘Lilac’ Jensen as Gordon aims for it to be done in a two toned Lilac finish, however that stage is a while off.
Chris has recently put the door frames into the paint bay to have epoxy primer added. With this step completed, it edges ever closer to becoming its namesake colour.
Breathing New Life Into The T4
February 15, 2021
Our 1991 VW T4 Transporter is making progress! Our technicians James and Chris have been working together to ensure bit by bit, we fight the rust that’s appearing on this beloved camper.
Chris has worked on the front panel which has been placed in the ‘oven’ ready for DTM satin black after being sandblasted. This will give it the new lease of life that it very much needs!
James has continued focusing on the wheel arch and busting the rust on other elements of our 1991 VW T4 transporter campervan. The front cross member came was sandblasted and James applied a rust repair replacement on one end.
Catching Up With The TR5
February 15, 2021
Our 1968 Triumph TR5 has been progressing in leaps and bounds under the expert eye of our technician Mauro.
Chris has painted the roof in DTM (direct to metal) satin black, making its smart and ready to be attached.
Mauro has attached the fuel pressure relief valve and installed the fuel lines, fitted the clutch master and slave cylinder, fitted the windscreen frame, sun visors and interior mirror. You might also notice that all the badges have been fitted along with the bumpers and chassis plate. This magnificent classic is now started to resemble a car again.
During our weekly deep clean (that goes alongside our daily workshop cleans), we emptied the workshop of all our cars whilst we tidied up the workshop. This allowed us to really get a good look at the TR5 off the frame.
Meet The Team: Paul
February 15, 2021
Its that time of the week again! In this instalment of ‘Meet The Team’ we’re chatting to Paul, one of our classic car technicians. After joining in 2019, Paul is usually found doing what he fondly refers to as ‘spanner work’, “I enjoy the hands-on mechanical work, I’m more of a spanners man”.
His expertise with cars comes from a long history in engineering and the motor trade. After he left school, Paul tells us he did an apprenticeship in Engineering at what was then Garretts and from there, he progressed through various forms of mechanical engineering. With experience in everything from modern MOTs to restoring classic cars, Paul’s real love lays with motorbikes.
“I prefer mechanical things, that’s my preference, I’m more of a spanners man than power-plyers and electrical plyers.”
His fascination with bikes started as a child. He tells us that he’s worked on hundreds of bikes through his life, “My parents owned a few acres of land and we lived at the bottom of this valley. We made sand tracks for the bikes and created our own tracks!”
Paul tells us his first car was a Riley Elf that he bought shortly after passing his test. Although he’s always loved his bikes, Paul tells us “It had a walnut dash and leather seats! It was a bit like a Mini with a boot!”
Pauls first road bike was Yamaha RD250 but says his dream bike has always been a BSA Rockett or Triumph Hurricane. On the topic of cars, Paul said he’s always loved Triumph TR5’s as he already has a 1979 Triumph Dolomite Sprint.
