Practical Classics

Our right to use our classic vehicles unhindered on the public highway is essential for the future health of our passionate pastime and the industry that exists to serve it. Our right, and the right of classic specialists, to work on them is also critical to that end as well, as is the future availability of the correct fuels to power our beloved cars. Our classic ecosystem relies on these assurances to thrive and keep our £7 billion p.a. contribution to UK plc going for many more years to come. Here’s the thing. I don’t see any reason why that shouldn’t continue to be the case. There’s an awful lot of ‘Daily Panic’ nonsense being paddled right now and it’s beginning to have an effect – creating the kind of heat…

All you need to know about everything Important The Standard Ten rescued by Practical Classics and classic car club members in the north of Scotland has become the centrepiece of a new heritage centre in a Caithness village, where it was sold brand new in 1959. The doors opened this month to the Halkirk Heritage and Vintage Motor Centre, showcasing dozens of classics including the Standard ‘Bluebell’, which was traded in on a Ford scrappage scheme in 2018. The car had been spotted in a Thurso scrapyard by enthusiasts from the Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club, who then contacted Practical Classics. While editor Danny Hopkins coordinated efforts, negotiating with Ford, the FBHVC and the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group, deputy editor James Walshe travelled to the north of Scotland…

From Lego to Meccano, Hornby to Mamod, my childhood was full of things that could be taken apart and put back together again. But I was a rare case even for my generation. Born in 1993, most of my peers were more interested in computer games than traction engines or train sets. But go back a generation and we’re in an era where these were the toys that every boy dreamed that Santa would bring. But as toys become less tactile, and as ‘iPad parenting’ keeps homes mess- and clutter-free, I fear that, not only are we in danger of losing a generation of skilled engineers, mechanics and restorers, but maybe we already have. My dad loved Lego and Meccano, and so shared that passion with me. His enthusiasm as a child…

THIS MONTH WE LOVE… Sealey’s new Modular Storage System Combo Promo Price: £3299.94 sealey.co.uk Proper storage can lift a workshop from being simply a dry space to work to a place of pure joy. We’ve just installed this modular system from Sealey in the PC workshop and it has already won the hearts of us all. Sturdy, self-supporting, well thought out and offering sufficient storage for everything you could need for your classic – as well as an integrated bin and blue roll holder – it allows everything to have its place and trip hazards to be a thing of the past. Plus, because it is modular, you could add extra units to the set-up as space and budget allow to create your own perfect workshop. The units are heavy, so you’ll need a…

New owners This year’s London to Brighton Classic Car Run welcomes new owners Pop-Up Car Shows Ltd. Stephen and Sandra Smith are retiring after the Classic Car, Kit & Sports Car and Modern Classics Runs, which take place on Sunday May 29. Loaners! TV motoring pundit Mike Brewer was among the guests marking five years of the Classic Car Loan Project at Gaydon on April 9. Look out for more details of CCLP’s activities and the five new cars that were handed over in next month’s Charity Heroes pages. Sunbeam kids A team from Bournemouth University and the National Motor Museum will be breathing new life into the Sunbeam 1000hp World Land Speed Record car, to try to make it run for the first time in over half a century. The legendary car broke the…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH With the cost of living increasing by the day, inflation showing no signs of relenting and fuel prices going through the roof, it would be very easy for all of us to adopt a ‘charity begins at home’ mentality. But it’s at times like this when good causes need more support than ever because their overheads are rocketing upwards, too and charity income often plummets when household finances are squeezed. But it seems that the classic car world’s generosity knows no bounds. There are some truly wonderful people out there and every penny you raise goes a long way towards helping out those less fortunate. Mentioned in dispatches this month, then, are the good folk at Classic Car Auctions, who donated the proceeds of all of their catalogue sales at…