Classic American May 2022

Welcome to our May issue – I don’t know about you, but it feels like this year is flying by; maybe it’s the contrast with the last two years’ glacial pace caused by lockdowns and Covid. This month’s magazine features not one, but two purple muscle cars. This wasn’t deliberate, it’s just a bit like the old bus analogy – we had one then another one turned up very shortly after and we just had to share them both with you. In some ways they represent different ends of the muscle car spectrum. The ’67 GTO is nearer the beginning of this halcyon period, while the ’72 ’Cuda the end. And that’s the funny thing, the muscle car era barely lasted a decade, yet it’s the era that many enthusiasts wax…

An exclusive exhibition to be shown for the very first time in London, the collection offers rarely seen vintage and modern prints of stunning images captured by Lew Allen. Shot in Cleveland and New York from 1956 to ’58, Allen’s work features Elvis Presley and a stellar assemblage of early rock ’n’ roll icons such as The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon and Buddy Holly. His lens embodies one of the last links to visually document those early days when rock was just beginning. This remarkable work takes you back to a time before these rock pioneers rose to legendary status. Proud Galleries’ ground-breaking show brings together a comprehensive selection of photography prints, delving into a wonderful and nostalgic bygone era that captured the meteoric rise of the ‘King of…

It’s not often one stumbles upon classic American cars these days which have been left in a barn or field or otherwise placed at the mercy of the elements, but that’s exactly what happened to a brace of Ford Mustang II Ghias which have just surfaced in leafy suburban Surrey. The red 1976 car and black 1978 car came to light when the back garden in Morden where they had been sitting was sold to a developer, who inherited them unexpectedly. Mustang Owners’ Club and Classic American stickers indicate that they had been enthusiast-owned for a number of years prior to being taken off the road. Their previous owner was Alex Pinna, who tells us how they fell into a sorry state. Although he’s English, Alex went to high school in…

Ford have released a new ‘California Special’ Mustang in Europe for the first time. Taking its cue from the Sixties original, it’s more of a styling package in reality and is based on the Mustang GT convertible. Buyers can expect Carbonised Grey 19-inch wheels, which match the front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser, as well as special GT/CS badging and lower side stripes in grey, black and red. Out back there’s a faux fuel filler like those pop-up fuel fillers on Mustangs in the Sixties and an ebony black honeycomb front grille. There are nine exterior colours, including Grabber Blue and the pictured Cyber Orange. Inside leather and grey Miko suede heated and cooled seats are standard, as is the SYNC 3 connectivity and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance. The…

Vic didn’t come from a motorsport background. He was born and raised in London where his parents ran a modest working men’s cafe. As a youngster he had very little money so he wasn’t able to enter motorsport until he was 26, and then as a rally navigator because he couldn’t afford a car of his own. But once he got behind the steering wheel, he was a demon and proved to be an incredibly versatile driver. He was one of a rare breed that could jump into any car, drive it to its maximum from the word go and often win. He was soon rallying works Porsche 911s and won the 1967 European Rally Championship. Porsche then gave him the opportunity to race their mighty sports racers which only the…

The UK’s number one Fifties rock ’n’ roll weekender, Ritchie Gee’s The Wildest Cats In Town, is back! There’ll be an unbelievable line-up of bands, DJs and Fifties atmosphere this summer, celebrating the 20th year reunion at Pontins while showcasing the best bands from the US, Europe and the UK from June 30 to July 4. This fantastic weekender features dozens of Fifties-style stalls, a fantastic sprung floor ballroom, an outside stage, beach party and late-night burlesque show. There’s also a huge restaurant overlooking the sea and an awesome annual classic car and bike cruise into Lowestoft, with the Lord Mayor arriving at the Royal Green, as well as hot rock ’n’ roll band Shane And The Korrados and DJ Route 66. This event has grown such that it is now…