Custom Car December 2021

Glyn Jenkins has tipped us off that New York-based Atlantis Toy and Hobby has purchased many of the old model kit moulds from Revell. Included in the deal are some of the sought after 1:16 scale dragster and Funny Car moulds, along with many 1:25 and 1:32 scale moulds of similarly interesting models, including dragsters and more Funny Cars. The moulds are being refurbished and improved ahead of production, but already on the market are Jim Green’s The Green Elephant Vega Funny Car in 1:16 scale, replacement 1:16 slicks and tyres and Tom ‘Mongoose’ McEwen’s ’57 Chevy Funny Car in 1:24 scale. The Mooneyes dragster in 1:25 scale should also be available by the time you read this, with the 1:16 scale Jungle Jim Vega Funny Car scheduled for release in 2022. Atlantis Toy…

Bank Holiday Monday, 27 December, is the date for this year’s Brass Monkey Run organised by the ICENI C.A.R. Club. As normal, the starting point is The Ram public house in Brandon, Suffolk (IP27 0AX), with hot drinks and bacon sarnies available from 9am. The cruise will depart at 10am, headed for Waitrose in Swaffham (PE37 7HT) for a short leg stretch and refuel, before heading off again at 11am for Wells-next-the-Sea, with an anticipated arrival time of 12 noon at Wells Town FC car park (NR23 1BF). Facebook: Iceni C.A.R. Club…

Big news on the event calendar for 2022 is that, having been in hiatus since 2017, the Hot Rod Hayride is back. What’s more, the Reunion Show, as it’s billed, will be staged at the Hayride’s spiritual home of The National Shooting Centre in Bisley, Surrey. The tried and tested format of the pre-’66 weekend is unchanged, so you can expect The Demon Drome Wall of Death, soapbox derby, rockin’ bands, burlesque and, new for next year, a reliability run organised by the Detonators. We can’t wait. www.hotrodhayride.co.uk…

First it was toilet rolls, and just lately it’s been petrol and diesel. It just makes you wonder what the next ‘shortage’ will be. The last 18 months or so have certainly been strange times for all of us, but some of the hardship we have inflected upon ourselves. Or rather some people have inflicted it upon others. Obviously, when faced with a virus that gives you a headache and a cough, the first thing you should do is rush out and buy every toilet roll you clap your eyes on. Then, when the media reports a handful of petrol stations have run dry due to a shortage of tanker drivers, those same people queue for ages to top up their tanks with the fiver’s worth of fuel they have used…

Confirmed event dates for next year are now starting to filter though, with a couple of them being organised by Backfire Promotions. First up is The Barnstormer Weekend, which takes place at Kay’s Barn, Dunnington, York on 29 April to 1 May. Weekend camping is available and there will be pre-’50 Dirt Drags on both Saturday and Sunday. Additional attractions include food and drink vendors, trade stalls, hog roast, DJ and live bands. A few weeks later, 16-19 June, the focus switches to Bridlington Beach for Race the Waves. Along with the beach racing, for 2022 the organisers say they are going extra large, with additional events being planned for the Thursday and Friday. www.backfirepromotions.com…

Write to: Custom Car Mail, Kelsey Publishing, PO Box 978, Peterborough PE1 9FL E-mail: cc.ed@kelsey.co.uk Fax: 01733 557235 Great memories Dear CC, I just wanted to write to say thanks for the article on Gonzo The Great in the October issue. I remember seeing Gonzo at the York drag races in the early ’80s and was really impressed by its standard of engineering, appearance and performance. It is a reflection on the quality of the original build, and the dedication of Ian and Alan, that the car still looks fantastic and performs better than ever. It’s always a highlight of a day at the strip to see Gonzo run. Chris Fox, via email Glad you appreciated Keith Lee’s piece Chris. Gonzo The Great truly is an icon in British drag racing, and rightly deserves the recognition…