THE PROFESSIONALS FORD CAPRI BREAKS WORLD RECORD

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A TV automotive legend, Bodie’s 3-litre Ford Capri from the long running series The Professionals, sold for £55,000 at H&H Classics auction at Duxford yesterday, setting a new world record for a 3-litre Capri...

The Professionals Ford Capri breaks world record

In the Professionals aired on ITV from 1977 to 1983 with 57 episodes produced, Bodie (acted by Lewis Collins) is an ex-paratrooper, mercenary and SAS sergeant, ruthless and willing to take on criminals on their own terms. His Strato Silver Capri was as much a star as the human leads themselves and will be fondly remembered by millions who loved the series.

Estimated to sell for £35,000 - £45,000, the 1978 Ford Capri 3.0S on offer featured in seven episodes of The Professionals (Series 2) but carried the fake registration ‘UOO 303T’ during filming. A notably early example taken from Ford’s press fleet, its iconic Strato Silver livery was complemented by a tartan plaid Fishnet Recaro interior. Extensively restored two years ago the former TV star is now in very good condition and has even graced the front cover of Classic Ford magazine (Summer 2015 issue).

Damian Jones, Sales Manager at H&H Classic, says: "This classic car is also a wonderful piece of entertainment memorabilia. Classic cars and film props are two of the fastest growing areas in collecting where we have seen values soar. You only have to think of Julie Garland’s little gingham dress from the Wizard of Oz which sold recently for $1.5m to have some idea where this film memorabilia market is going."

BARN REVEALS WELSH RAREBITS

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1938 Morgan among cars left for 40 years

**Included in the Clywd auction in April (left to right) are a 1938 Morgan, 1953 Ford Anglia, 1953 Bristol 403, 1961 Land Rover 88in, and a BSA motorcycle.**

A three-owner 1938 Morgan two-seater that has been off the road for more than 40 years comes under the hammer in April at Deeside-based Clwyd Car Auctions.

Part of an estate sale, it’s offered alongside a needing restoration 1953 Bristol 403, a 1953 Ford Anglia E494A and a 1961 Land Rover 88in, as well as poor-condition Triumph Dolomite and a BSA motorcycle. Two other Dolomites from the same site were fit only for breaking up for parts.

The ‘flat-rad’ Morgan’s odometer reads 22,000 miles and it comes with plenty of history and a buff logbook.

‘It was behind a caravan that we had to break up so we could get the Morgan out,’ says Clwyd Car Auctions’ boss Des Lewis. ‘The cars came from two overgrown properties in the area. The Bristol has been outside since the early 1970s and needs a full restoration, but the Anglia is complete and has a very good original interior. One of the rear wings has been damaged but a replacement comes with the car.’

The auction will be at Clywd Auction Centre, Holywell Road, Ewloe, Deeside, Flintshire on Monday 25 April at 5pm.

HAGERTY'S LIVE CLASSIC CAR VALUATION ARENA LAUNCHED

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Hagerty International, the classic car insurance specialist, has announced the launch of their live classic car Valuation Arena on 24th April 2016 (Drive it Day) at Bicester Heritage’s Sunday Scramble event. The Valuation Arena is supported by H&H Classic Auctions, Classic Cars magazine and ClassicCarsForSale.co.uk.

Hagerty’s live Arena will provide owners of classic cars the chance to have their vehicle inspected and photographed by a small team of classic car valuation experts. Each owner will then be presented with a unique Valuation Certificate describing the car and providing a statement of the value of the car at that time.

Angus Forsyth, Managing Director of Hagerty International, said: "We acknowledge that classic car values are an ever-growing part of classic ownership. Many owners would like the chance to understand the true value of their classic and our team of experts from Hagerty, Classic Cars and H&H will provide consistent, knowledgeable and informative advice."

"We have seen that, in recent years, classic car values have increased dramatically, so it is crucial that cars are properly valued and, therefore, properly insured" continued Forsyth. "We are delighted to host our Valuation Arena at Bicester Heritage and will be returning with the Arena at all the Sunday Scrambles in 2016."

"Hagerty’s Valuation Arena team will look to complete individual vehicle valuations within 15 minutes" said John Mayhead, Hagerty’s Online Editor who is responsible for the Hagerty Price Guide. "We understand that history and provenance can make a huge difference to value, so we encourage all participants to bring as much information on their car as possible for the valuation team to review".

Phil Bell, editor of Classic Cars magazine said "we are delighted to be partnering with Hagerty in this exciting new venture. People often talk and read about classic car values, so we are hopeful that this live valuation event will prove a popular addition to Bicester Heritage’s Sunday Scramble."

"Not only will this provide some good additional content for the event," adds Nick Delaney, business development manager at H&H Classic Auctions, "but we hope it will also assist people into achieving the right price if they are thinking of buying or selling their classic."

Entry into Hagerty’s Valuation Arena is only available to people attending Bicester Heritage’s Sunday Scramble. The Valuation will cost £15, all of which will go charity, and will include a certificate and goody bag of classic extras from all participating partners. Go to http://bicesterheritage.co.uk/event/sunday-scramble-tickets to book your tickets for Bicester Heritage’s Sunday Scramble and add your valuation as soon as possible as spaces are limited.

BLUE BIRD TO APPEAR AT BROMYARD SPEED FESTIVAL

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Visitors to the Bromyard Speed Festival on Sunday 3rd April this year, will be thrilled by the presence of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Land Speed Record breaker, the Sunbeam 350hp ‘Blue Bird’, which took the world’s land speed record in 1924, at a speed of 146.16 mph, on Pendine Sands in Carmarthen, Wales. Sir Malcolm Campbell subsequently improved on his record, again at Pendine Sands, raising the World Land Speed Record to 150.76 in 1925.

This pioneering record breaker was designed by the famous Chief Engineer and Racing Team Manager, Louis Coatalen. Built in the Sunbeam Works at Wolverhampton between 1919 and 1920, it featured a massive 18.3 litre V12 Manitou derived engine, developing some 350 hp, it was indeed a monster of a racing car!

This unique vehicle was purchased by Lord Montagu in 1957, in poor condition it became an exhibit at his then burgeoning Montagu Motor Museum at Beaulieu. In 1993 the engine was seriously damaged during a start-up attempt, when a blocked oil way caused the engine to seize, and ‘throw a rod’ through the engine block. The Sunbeam 350hp ‘Blue Bird’ then became a static exhibit at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.

After a herculean restoration - engine work alone took over 2,000 hours, by engineers at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu - the Sunbeam 350hp ‘Blue Bird’ was finally fired up again in January 2014. Subsequently displayed at Retromobile in Paris, and then onto the Festival of Speed at Goodwood, crowds were amazed to see this magnificent behemoth take to the Goodwood Hill Climb in 2014.

In 2015 the Sunbeam 350hp ‘Blue Bird’ celebrated 90 years of capturing the 1925 World Land Speed record with demonstration runs back at Pendine Sands. The car was driven by none other than Sir Malcolm Campbell’s grandson Don Wales, himself a world record holder.

Appearing at the Bromyard Speed Festival this year, visitors will not only be able to admire this famous record breaker, but will also be treated to the sight and sound of this extraordinary vehicle performing demonstration runs on the Bromyard Speed Festival street circuit! A really unique opportunity to see and hear one of motoring’s true icons.

The late Edward, Lord Montagu’s association with Bromyard can be traced back to 1957 when he first visited the town. Staying in The Falcon Hotel, he subsequently purchased no less than 16 vehicles from Williams Garage in Bromyard. The vehicles had all been retained against unpaid customer accounts! Now they were to be placed on the open market so that Williams could expand their operation engaged in building the UK’s first production Go-Karts. Some of the vehicles purchased by Edward, Lord Montagu, who was just at the start of establishing the Montagu Motor Museum, are today still maintained and on display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. The Maxwell Charabanc, now beautifully restored, is sometimes used to transport people round the beautiful grounds of Beaulieu.

Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams, whose Grandfather started the Williams Garage in Bromyard, and who is a well known and highly successful racing driver, will be joining us on Sunday 3rd April, for the official opening of the 2016 Bromyard Speed Festival.

Bromyard’s connections with the motor industry and motorsport are numerous, so it is particularly poignant that Morgan, who built their first car in Bromyard before building the Malvern factory, are the Festival’sfeatured marque for 2016. The Morgan factory will have their own display in Market Square, supported by specific classes for both road and competition Morgans who will display on Bromyard’s street circuit.

The event will start around 10.00 am on Sunday 3rd April, and finish around 4.30 pm with a one hour lunch break. Admission is free to the general public.

The Sunbeam 350hp ‘Blue Bird’ can also be seen at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu as part of the ‘For Britain & For The Hell Of It’ display that tells the story of Britain’s land speed record attempts. Visit www.beaulieu.co.uk for more information.

JON CULSHAW THINS CAR COLLECTION

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‘I hope an enthusiast buys my Granada and Cortina,’ says impressionist

Impressionist and classic car fan Jon Culshaw is thinning out his collection – by selling two of his Fords at auction. His 1975 Ford Granada and 1976 Ford Cortina will be crossing the block at Anglia Car Auctions’ 9 April sale.

The Dead Ringers star says he no longer has the time or storage to use the pair regularly but adds that he will continue to enjoy his other classics, among them a Ford Consul and another Ford Cortina.

Jon says: ‘You’re always mindful for one of your classics to find a good home and be alright. I just hope a real enthusiast buys them. Speaking about the Granada, acquired in 2007, he says: ‘They used to be everywhere, now they’re rare. I have loved owning it and once used it as a wedding car for afriend.’ And on the subject of the Cortina: ‘For me it was the fact that it was a 1.3L. These basic models have a lovely individuality and simplicity about them. The base model status means fewer of them were preserved compared with 2000Es and GXLs.’

Guy Snelling of ACA knows how important a celebrity-owned car can be. He says: ‘Everyone likes their car to have an interesting history, soyou do get a lot of interest in a sale with that celeb factor.’

Other notable cars at the sale include a Ford Capri 3000E Broadspeed with an estimate of £25,000-30,000 and a fully restored Hungarian registered Lada 1200, with a lower estimate of less than £1000.

www.angliacarauctions.co.uk

FORD CAPRI FROM THE PROFESSIONALS UP FOR SALE

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An early pre-production example of the iconic Ford Capri 3.0 S as driven by Lewis Collins' character 'Bodie' in 'The Professionals' TV Series is going under the hammer at H&H's 20th April sale.

Starring in Series 2 of the popular British crime-action television drama series starring Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon Jackson.

In silver paintwork with Tartan Plaid Fishnet Recaro interior it has c.77,300 miles on the clock and comes with a current MoT and records of its TV work.

It comes with an estimate of £35,000 - £45,000.

THIEVES TARGET FORD CORTINA'S

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Five taken in a month from Kent and South London

A worrying spate of Ford Cortina thefts in and around Kent and South London has police issuing fresh warnings to classic car owners. They’re now appealing for further information and witnesses.

Five of the classic repmobiles were stolen from 6 December 2015 to 9 January 2016. None has been found or returned to their owners. Three of the cars, two MkIIIs and a MkV, were taken from roughly the same area in Kent.

‘There have been three reported thefts of Cortina from addresses in Kent in recent weeks. Officers are not ruling out the possibility that these incidents are linked,’ says Kent Police spokesman Steve Knight.

There is no CCTV footage or forensic evidence officers can use. This means they are not actively investigating the offences, but will act on new evidence.

One Cortina club is planning to remove the registration numbers from cars on its website in an attempt to stem the thefts. The MkI-V Cortina Owners’ Club has emailed its 200 members warning them to be vigilant and has posted notices on its Facebook page. ‘We are very worried about this situation,’ says club spokesman Ian Reid. ‘We can only ask owners to be vigilant. Once a car is stolen it can easily lose its identity or be broken for spares.’

Simon Barrett of West Midlands Police, an expert on classic car crime, suggests owners use a ‘DNA kit’ to mark their cars. ‘There has been a rise in the theft of all classics but the spate of Cortina thefts is particularly worrying. Owners must be very careful,’ he says.

Paul Runton, chairman of the Cortina Mark Three Owners’ Club, says: ‘We’ve taken all of our committee addresses off our website – we don’t want to advertise where our cars might be. Everyone in the club is being extra vigilant.’

Contact the police on 101.

STANLEY MANN 1945-2015

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Tributes have been paid to Stanley Mann, the well-known dealer, racer and restorer of Bentleys, who died following a fall at his workshop on 4 February.

Stanley acquired his first Bentley more than 45 years ago and went on to form the Stanley Mann Racing Team that campaigned various vintage Bentleys at all levels of motorsport.

In 1990, Stanley and six like-minded vintage Bentley enthusiasts founded Benjafield’s Racing Club, of which he became the Life President. Named Club of the Year at the International Historic Motoring Awards, the exclusive organisation is arranging an event to commemorate Stanley’s life later this year.

‘Few things in life gave him more pleasure than sharing his love of vintage Bentleys with others,’ says Philip Strickland, BRC co-founder and longtime friend.

‘He twice led a team across Russia and in one unforgettable year, led a team of Bentleys on a 1000-mile-long rally across America, arriving covered in dust and oil at Laguna Seca, where he placed his car on pole and won the race by a huge margin. The locals couldn’t understand how a scruffy old Bentley could go so fast!’

HOUSE FIRE DESTROYS WEDDING CAR FLEET

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Owner hospitalised after home, business and cars go up in smoke

**The fire was said to have started in an adjacent garage.**

An entire fleet of classic wedding cars was wiped out when fire devastated a Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, family’s business on 8 February.

Classic car enthusiast Melvin Dolby, who had built up the Classic Wedding Cars Peterborough business with his wife Sue, was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack and suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation following the fire.

Ten cars including a 1937 Studebaker, 1950 Bentley and a 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, worth a total of about £500,000 were destroyed at the fire near Thorney, Cambridgeshire. The cars, garage, and the Dolby’s adjacent house was ruined in the blaze that was whipped up by the effects of Storm Imogen as it moved eastwards.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service reported that the fire was an accident that had started in the garage and quickly spread throughout the large building and to the house owing to the strong winds and a fuel tank became involved in the fire. About 60 fire fighters helped to tackle the blaze and the adjacent A47 road had to be closed while the fire was brought under control. The call about the fire came in at just after 6pm and the incident was scaled down after 11pm.

‘This was a particularly difficult fire to tackle, as it was exacerbated by strong winds, cylinders in the garage and the need for a large water supply,’ says group commander Sean Brown. ‘Sadly the fire has completely destroyed the garage, its contents and the adjoining house.’

David Glyn Jones, chairman of the National Association of Wedding Car Professionals, says: ‘I think I speak on behalf of the whole industry in sending our sincere condolences to the Dolbys. Losing your cherished and much loved cars is to me like losing a child, in this case it seems like a whole family.’

Classic car owner Robert Elliot of Thorney passes the premises every day on his way to and from work and saw the fire on the Monday night. ‘I’d see Mr Dolby preparing his cars for weddings quite often,’ he says. ‘It’s so sad they’ve been destroyed. He’s a lovely chap.’

The Dolbys’ 2007 Bessacar Cameo caravan was pulled away from the fire but in a sad twist to the tragedy, this was stolen from the property at Wayside, The Causeway, Thorney, Cambs PE6 0QH on the Thursday evening following the blaze while the family was visiting Mr Dolby in hospital. Police are appealing to trace the drivers of two Ford Transit-style vans – one described as being blue and the other described as being white – seen in the area at the time.

nIf you were driving a van near the scene, or have any information about the theft, please contact Cambridgeshire police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

FUZZ TOWNSHEND BACKS NEW CAR APPRENTICESHIP COURSE

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Car SOS presenter Fuzz Townshend is supporting a new apprenticeship scheme aimed at teaching youngsters classic vehicle engineering skills.

Emtec Colleges and The International Guild of Specialist Engineers (TIGOSE) have formed a new partnership to bring the apprenticeship schemes to Emtec College workshops in Nottingham. The course started on 8 December and is aimed at maintaining skills and training a new generation of experts for an ageing vehicle restoration industry.

The course has modules in paintwork, panel repairing and machine shop engineering and is structured around the Institute of Motor Industry’s level two and three classic vehicle restoration scheme.

Fuzz – who was an apprentice bus fitter with West Midlands Transport – said: ‘Apprenticeships have moved on since I started out, but once someone’s achieved the fundamental skills, you can focus on specific marques, or building classic race engines. I’ve worked around the world, and I’m learning all the time. ‘It’s immensely rewarding if you have the skills and can share that enthusiasm. A dedicated apprenticeship programme is exactly what is needed to bring new talent and young people into a thriving business.’

Driving force behind the apprenticeship scheme, Michael Scott, said: ‘It’s a real comfort to see The International Guild of Specialist Engineers’ project take off – it’s the Rolls-Royce of classic apprenticeship initiatives.’

Murray Scullion

DRIVE IT DAY 2016 IS NEARLY HERE!

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With only a matter of 24 hours before Drive-It Day 2016 kicks off, CCFS get the opinion of the Classic Car Weekly team and run down our top picks for this year’s event. Want your car in print? We can help with that, too.

It’s claimed that at least 450 enthusiasts’ clubs will be uniting for the British Historic Vehicle Clubs organized Drive-It Day 2016 this Sunday, with a minimum of 250,000 people taking part up and down the country. Now celebrating its 11thevent, the original intention was to inspire owners to dust off their pride and joy and celebrate the classic car movement - and it seems to have worked, with various milestone events taking place to also mark historical events. A commemorative run to mark the 1000-mile Trial of 1900 is running from London to Edinburgh and back, and then there is the Jaguar E-Type event.

ClassicCarsForSale.co.uk will be present at the Bicester Heritage event in Oxfordshire tomorrow, in partnership with Hagerty Classic Car Insurance. Hagerty will be valuing several classic cars in their arena, while Jayne Godfrey and Calum Brown will be there - depending on whether Calum’s Range Rover makes it - to talk all things cars and bribe you with goody bags, mainly to help push the Range Rover home again. But there are various other events you can attend depending on whereabouts you are in the country. Here’s our top pick:

Our Favourite Events

HAGERTY ROAD RUN

Towcester Racecourse,

Northamptonshire NN12 6LB

80-mile run from Towcester

Racecourse to Bicester Heritage,

via a hill climb or two! Each

entrant will receive a ‘tulip’-style

road book with points of interest

en route. Rally plaques will

provided by the organiser.

■ www.hagertyinsurance.co.uk

CLASSIC CAR TOURS’ RUN

Deanston Distillery, Doune,

Scotland FK16 6A

Braco, St Fillans, Loch Earn,

Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Glen Orchy,

Dalmally Loch Awe, The Rest

& Be Thankful. From there to

Inveraray Castle, where the Old

Kitchen has been reserved for

entrants to enjoy a private lunch.

■ www.classic-car-tours.com

NATIONAL MEMORIAL

ARBORETUM MEET

Staffordshire DE13 7AR

The National Memorial

Arboretum is the UK’s centre of

Remembrance and is part of The

Royal British Legion family of

charities. The venue will provide

a stunning backdrop to a wide

display of classic vehicles.

■ www.thenma.org.uk

KERSEY MILL DAY

Kersey, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 6DP

An 1899 Panhard 6hp owned

by Charles Rolls and one of the

earliest Rolls-Royce Silver Dawns

star at this meet. Rolls drove

a Panhard in the original RAC

1000-Mile Trial. The Panhard is

on loan from Norfolk Museums'

Gressenhall Farm.

■ www.kerseymill.net

BROOKLANDS DAY

Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN

Parking on the museum site is

restricted to pre-1983 vehicles.

Several classic car clubs plan to

end their tours here, so there’s

plenty to see, with the banking

and paddock well worth a visit.

Gates open at 10am, while

Brooklands closes at 5pm.

■ www.brooklandsmuseum.com

BICESTER HERITAGE

SUNDAY SCRAMBLE

Bicester, Oxon, OX26 5HA

This Scramble will see the launch

of a fresh section – The Motor

Market, enabling individuals

wishing to sell their treasured pre-

1990 vintage, classic or modern

classic. An instant audience

of thousands of like-minded

motoring enthusiasts on the day.

■ www.bicesterheritage.co.uk

STANDARD MOTOR CLUB

CHARITY CAR DRIVE

The Bear & Ragged Staff,

Stonymarsh, Hants SO51 0LB

Assemble at 10am at the Bear

and Ragged Staff, Romsey. The

day will comprise a leisurely drive

through Hampshire and Wiltshire

villages before returning to the

Bear and Ragged Staff for lunch.

■ press.standardmotorclub@

gmail.com

NORTH NORFOLK SAINT

GEORGE’S DAY RUN

Station Road car park,

Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8RE

Two routes through north

Norfolk, finishing at the royal

estate at Sandringham via

a special entrance at West

Newton Gate. In aid of the East

Anglian Air Ambulance. Light

refreshments will be available.

■ stgeorgesrun@nncvc.org.uk

ATWELL WILSON MOTOR

MUSEUM MEET

Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0NF

A meet set in the idyllic Wiltshire

countryside. Two clubs have

already confirmed attendance –

the Barkham and District Classic

Car Club and the Wartburg

Trabant IFA Club UK. So there’s

bound to be something for

everyone at this event!

■ www.atwellwilson.org.uk

Gervais Seymour of Classic Car Weekly:

I was unimpressed by the first few Drive-It Days, seeing them as half-hearted attempts to coax a handful of cherished classics out of their cotton wool-cocooned winter hibernation – if the weather was kind enough on the chromework. A classic should be out and about all year, and every opportunity should be a Drive-It Day, I reasoned. But the event is now in its 11th year, and I’ve performed a U-turn. Yes, for some, this is the annual wake-up call.

However, for many thousands of UK classic car owners and enthusiasts – more than 250,000 according to FBHVC estimates – it’s a rallying cry for a rapidly growing force that has its roots in Britain and is growing in stature internationally. I’m proud to be a tiny cog in this movement: we’re showing the world what can be done and how to do it properly. So you don’t need me to tell you what you should be doing next Sunday. You’ll be doing it anyway. The least I can do, as a reformed doubter, is to play

my part in ensuring CCW publishes as many of your Drive-It Day photos as possible. You’ve earned it. Here's how to get involved.

HERE’S HOW TO GET INVOLVED

1. Get a friend to take a picture of you with your classic

(or classics, if you’ve got more than one) on Drive-It

Day and send it to us by email, or by leaving a message on

our Facebook page or via CCW’s Twitter account.

2. All pictures must be high-resolution JPEG images

which are suitable for publication in print – and don’t

forget to smile for the camera! In other words, modern

phones (ie – iPhones, Samsungs, etc) will be good enough.

You do niot need a big expensive camera.

3. Send us your picture and tell us the year, make and

model of your classic, your name and home town, and

where you took your classic for this year’s Drive-It Day.

All pictures must be sent in by 10.30am on Monday,

24 April, so make sure you don’t miss out on getting your

classic into CCW’s 27 April pages.

■ Send an email, titled Drive-It Day, to

editorial@classiccarweekly.co.uk

■ Message us on Facebook by going to

www.facebook.com/classiccarweekly

■ Tweet us your picture by linking to @ClassicCarWkly

BRAND NEW MODERN CLASSICS MAGAZINE ON SALE NOW

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Fresh from the stable of Practical Classics, Classic Car Weekly, Classic Cars magazine, and of course ClassicCarsForSale.co.uk, is a brand new magazine focusing on modern classics.

With an ever-growing demand for a publication aimed at cars which are great to drive and exciting to own, but aren't yet ready to appear in mainstream classic magazines, Modern Classics magaine will show you how to buy, drive and enjoy these great future classics - or current greats - before they appreciate out of reach of anyone other than Premier League footballers!

Find out more about the magazine here or purchase a copy from here for just £2.99.

DRIVE-IT DAY ‘BIGGER AND BETTER FOR 2016’

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FIVA’s international recognition for UK event will boost 24 April turnout

**There’ll be scores of top-level events for Drive-It Day across Britain. What have you got planned?**

This year’s Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs-organised Drive-It Day is set to be the best yet, according to the FBHVC.

At least 450 enthusiasts’ clubs and more than a quarter of a milion individuals will be uniting on Sunday, 24 April at numerous locations around Britain in a demonstration of classic car solidarity.

Launched in 2006, Drive-It Day was formed to inspire owners to take their vehicles out of winter hibernation for a drive to celebrate the classic car movement as a whole. It is now held every year on the closest Sunday to 23 April to commemorate the anniversary of the 1000-mile Trial of 1900, organised by the Automobile Club and which ran from London to Edinburgh and back, taking in the nation’s major cities on the way.

This year’s Drive-It Day has international recognition for the first time following its nomination as the flagship event for 2016’s World Motoring Heritage Year. This marks the 50th anniversary of The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA – the European umbrella organisation of historic vehicle clubs), which sets out to raise awareness of the enormous value that lies in the historic vehicles preserved around the world.

Another nominee for 2016’s World Heritage Year is MGLive!, run by the MG Car Club and taking place on 4-5 June at Silverstone. The Club has four different events for Drive-It Day this year, and PR and social media officer Chris Kynoch says FIVA recognition will help create the strongest turnout yet. He says: ‘Our members really love Drive-It Day and it’ll be well attended. But as MGLive! has also been recognised by FIVA, it’s a massive selling point which we expect will boost 23 April numbers even further.’

Last year’s Drive-It Day broke all attendance records and the 2016 event is expected to be evenbigger, weather permitting. FBHVC communications director Geoff Lancaster says: ‘It’s snowballing and getting bigger and bigger year on year. Last year we predicted there would be 250,000 classic vehicles out on the road across Britain, and we estimate there were thousands more. We could do even better.’

Ken Coad, the FBHVC’s national co-ordinator for Drive-It Day 2016 adds: ‘The FBHVC leaves the running to the individual clubs, so they can develop their own ideas. But we do plan to have a presence at Bicester and possibly Brooklands this year.’

Head of PR for Bicester Heritage, Phillip White says: ‘Our venue is going from strength to strength, and Drive-It Day is hugely important for the classic movement and to us commercially.’

REWARD OFFERED FOR STOLEN DAIMLER DS420

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Owner distraught after Daimler DS420 is stolen

A classic car owner is offering a reward for the safe return of her classic Daimler DS420, which was stolen in the early hours of Tuesday January 19.

Charlotte Mackelden who has owned the car for five years, said: 'I am distraught and don’t want it to end up on the banger track. It could be anywhere in the UK right now. My Dad restored the car and we’re quite fond of it.'

The car, reg FKZ 8767, is black over ivory in colour and has a distinctive flag pole mount.

It is believed that thieves broke through a 12 foot-tall fence before breaking into the car, replacing its battery and driving it away.

If anyone has any information on the stolen car, please call Charlotte Mackelden on 07935 054947 or call 101 and quote CF0026270116.

WHO’S LAUGHING NOW? : THE ROVER SD1

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The Rover SD1 presented the best and worst of British Leyland. Blessed with brisk speed and handsome looks, it was also damned with severe build quality woes and reliability issues. However, after decades of abuse, the mighty Brit is now having the last laugh.

Britain was enjoying a plump year during 1977. James Bond made a cinematic splash with The Spy Who Loved Me, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee marked 25 years of Her Majesty’s rule and Freddie Laker launched his revolutionary budget Skytrain airline. However, more importantly came the announcement that, for the first time, foreign cars were outselling homegrown marques at an alarming rate.

Volkswagen, Datsun and Renault appeared to be taking over the market, but all was not lost - for Rover had just unleashed a stylish new vehicle onto the public.

Previously, 22 October 1976 had been a significant day for British Leyland, as the company was showcasing new models throughout the debut of the long awaited return of John Steed and co. The Avengers were back - this time with Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt as colleagues. While Lumley darted about in a freshly ‘re-styled’ rubber bumpered MGB and Hunt cruised in his V12 XJ-S, Steed led the pack with his new Rover SD1.

Fast, elegant and tasteful enough for TV’s ultimate grandee, the SD1 dispatched bad guys right left and centre, providing enough space for his deadly umbrella into the bargain.

The publicity paid off, with initial sales booming and design awards arriving thick and fast. However, things were soon to take a sour turn. As reports of Cadbury’s Flake-like build quality circulated in the press, potential customers began to look elsewhere.

Despite Rover’s best efforts, the general long-winded demise of BL blended with an already poor reputation followed the SD1 like a destructive shadow wherever it went. The cars improved with a long list of amendments throughout its life - resulting in the final production models being seriously quick and genuinely desirable, but none of this saved the SD1 from motoring damnation.

These are the models allowing the much-bemoaned Rover SD1 to have the final say however, with the Vitesse being the daddy of them all. On paper, the stats don’t appear as anything special - the 3500 churns out a paltry 155bhp and the Vitesse 190bhp - but what did impress all involved was the sheer vivaciousness of the hustle. The 3500 SD1 could top out at 125mph and reach 60mph from a standstill in 8.5 seconds - with the monumental Vitesse clipping 60mph in 7.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 135mph.

The lazy V8 allowed huge performance with silky smoothness, alongside the ability to bully other traffic in a fashion befitting Malcolm Tucker. Calling a late SD1 meaty doesn’t even cover it - if this Rover were a meal it would be steak, with extra steak, served with a mixed grill; made of nothing but steak - topped off with a beef tomato.

Those claiming that the heroic SD1 will be forever tarnished with the BL brush have clearly not been paying attention to recent market values - as they appear to have skyrocketed.

Providing everything you could ever need of a classic car and now more sought after than it’s contemporary rivals that were lavished with praise at the time, the Rover SD1 is enjoying the last laugh - and deservedly so.

You can find some beefy Rover SD1s for sale on CCFS.

CLUBS GALORE AT MG & TRIUMPH SHOW

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Devotees of MG and Triumph from all over Europe will be at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, this Sunday (21 January) for a one-day show bringing together the best of both marques.

One of the event’s highlights is checking out the classics brought along by showgoers at the dedicated parking area for MGs and Triumphs.

More than 12,500 visitors were at the indoor venue for 2015’s event, and organiser Live Promotions is expecting this year’s turnout to be even bigger.

The show focuses primarily on parts specialists and autojumblers bringing along spares and replacement items for bargain hunters, but there’s also a big club turnout. Club Triumph, the MGF Register, the Stag Owners Club and – on account of the Triumph connection – the Standard Motor Club are among this year’s confirmed exhibitors.

‘More than 20 MG and Triumph car clubs will be exhibiting at the event meaning whatever your preference your most likely to find it represented at the show,’ says event spokesman Tom Siddall. ‘Owners and experts will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions.’

The MG & Triumph Spares Day runs from 9am to 4pm.

EU PROPOSES CHROME PLATING BAN

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Chrome plating as we know it will disappear forever if new European Union regulations come into operation, classic experts have warned.
The problem centres around the use of hexavalent chromium which is on the list of substances banned under EU regulation 1907/2006. It is acknowledged by the EU as a carcinogen, and chronic exposure has been linked with lung cancer – affecting those who work in the plating industry.
However, chrome plating experts have spoken to CCFS about their concerns over switching to the proposed substitute trivalent chromium.
The problem with this substitute is that the peculiar blue brightness associated with traditional chrome has proved difficult to reproduce, and trivalent does not self-repair like hexavalent, so if the surface is scratched the part will corrode.
Alan Olner, owner of Coventry-based Marque Restore, said: “If something isn’t done about this we are in trouble. As it stands, car owners may have to consider getting their chrome re-done within the next two or three years.”
He points out that companies that use the hexavalent chrome for hard chrome plating on, for example, hydraulic rams have already been granted dispensation and can continue to use it, as the trivalent version is entirely unsuitable for their needs.
Ian Ovington of Northampton and Midland Plating Company was another of the chrome plating experts who is firmly opposed to using trivalent, and bluntly described the substitute as “a load of rubbish” unsuitable for classics.
Unless an exclusion is sought and granted, hexavalent chromium will disappear as a decorative finish by 2019 at the latest, and follows on from a ban on it being used in car production across the EU since 2007.

MONTE OR BUST IN AN FX3 TAXI

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A Belgian classic fan is preparing to drive in an Austin taxi from Scotland to Monaco in the next Rallye Monte Carlo Historique, starting on 27 January.

Jean-Marie Herman will re-enact a publicity stunt originally pulled off in 1961 by Tony Brooks and navigator Willy Cave by piloting an Austin FX3 from the start point at Paisley 1700 miles to the finish in the south of France.

The 64-year-old bought the cab in Germany for €4000. He said: ‘It was not too expensive to buy but the restoration has cost quite a bit. The car is nearly ready – I need to attach all the rally-specific additions and the taxi meter!’

Event spokesman Kenneth Stephen said he was looking forward to seeing the FX3 setting off from Paisley, possibly helping to create as much publicity for the Monte Carlo Rally as the Brooks and Cave initiative. He said: ‘Jean-Marie’s taxi journey will add yet another layer of colour to an already classic event.’

THOUSANDS OF SCRAPPAGE CARS ‘STILL HAVEN’T BEEN DESTROYED’

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Campaigner bids to save classics sentenced to death in 2009 cull

The Petition's supporters want the release of cars still being kept in storage years after the scrappage scheme ended. Under the Government-backed initiative 45 classic Jaguar XJSs, 655 Minis and 572 MGs were scrapped.

A new petition has gone online to try to save thousands of classics doomed in the 2009 Scrappage Scheme cull. They are said to be still waiting to be crushed.

Jake Dormer, from Princes Risborough, Bucks, launched the appeal after seeing internet images of hundreds of Minis, Jaguars, Porsches and Mazdas at a site in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire.

Jake says: ‘Many of these cars are a huge part of British motoring history. Cars such as Minis, Triumphs, Rovers and Jaguars, among many others, are iconic and shouldn’t be scrapped. If we get enough support we will be able to make a difference. Let’s save those classics!’

So far, the change.org petition has accrued nearly 19,000 signatures in its first week, although transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, to whom the appeal is directed, is not obliged to respond.

The 2009 Government-backed Scrappage Scheme allowed anyone who had owned a 10 year old or older car (and who had owned it for at least a year) to trade it in at a franchised dealership for a new car, and get £2000 off the asking price. Under the scheme all cars traded in had to be scrapped. After nearly a year, 400,000 cars were sent for recycling.

Classics such as Peugeot 205 GTIs, Porsche 944s and various Ford Escorts (many of which will have increased exponentially in value) were all put in the pile. One typical comment on the petition website is from Sheila Nicoll. She says: ‘The initial project was a disgusting waste in the first place. They must be saved.'

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE PHILANTHROPIST TO SELL OFF HIS UK CLASSICS

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Jaguars and MGs under the hammer in ‘thinning out’ exercise

This 1961 Jaguar Mk2 3.4 belongs to a multi-millionaire – and it could be yours.

A multi-millionaire philanthropist is planning to thin out his collection by disposing of 12 of his vehicles – mainly British – at auction. Serial classic car collector Graham Dacre will be offering the cars through Anglia Car Auctions’ 23 January sale in King’s Lynn.

The selection includes four Jaguars, three MGs and a Fairway LT1 taxi. One of the MGs – a GT LE – has just 604 miles and two owners to its name.

ACA proprietor Lynne George said: ‘I think he’s running out of space! He has Mercedes-Benz Gullwings, Bugattis and all sorts – it’s probably one of the best private collections in the country.’ Dacre is believed to have more than 100 European classics in his collection, Individual estimates for the auction cars haven’t been released yet, but prices will range from around £4000 for a Triumph Spitfire up to £10,000 for an MGC GT.

Other cars at ACA’s sale include a 1977 Austin-Morris Marina SunTor Camper and a 1991 BMW E36 3-series that won its class on the 1993 Tasmanian Targa Rally.

The Dacre List

1933 BSA 10

1960 MGA Roadster

1961 Jaguar Mk2 3.4

1964 Land Rover coachbuilt ambulance

1968 MGC GT

1975 BMW 2002 Tii

1979 Jaguar 4.2 XJ6

1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500

1981 MGB GT LE

1989 Jaguar Sovereign

2000 Jaguar XJR

2008 Fairway LT1