DEC 2023
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Perfection
Mark Barrett’s Best in Britain winning ‘37 Chevy – the truck the judges called flawless CC Dec 23 Cover SK.indd 1
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ew vi re
We know that every custom car is built from a vision, and seeing that vision come to life creates a bond like no other. That’s why we provide insurance that can be customised almost as much as your pride and joy.
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Contents
is W 23 su int e N eo r’ ov n 24 em sa be le r
Find us on Facebook at mCarMagazine www.facebook.com/Custo
Regulars
26
2
News & reviews Farewell to a true hot-rodding legend
36 Readers’ Rods A street’n’strip sleeper Zodiac
54 SoCal Diaries Introducing kustom kulture, Brazil-style
62 Events Time to start filling up next year’s diary
64 Next Month NIck Mellett’s glorious Model A pick-up
44
56
Features 12 Perfection Our Best in Britain winning cover star
22 Fun on the Beach The NSRA’s new event lived up to its name
26 Labour of Love Whiff Smith’s ‘39 Coupe took a lot of love
22
44 Mopar Euronationals Some great racing, until rain stopped play
56 Trip Out Peace, love and hot rods
58 Duchy Ford Show
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Don’t pass the Duchy…
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News & reviews
Dave Haskell
Pic: ctpimaging.co.uk
I
t was with great sadness that I heard the news Dave Haskell had passed away. Dave was one of the most colourful characters in the hot rodding scene, and I’m not just talking of his profanities. Born in Leytonstone, Dave was a true East Ender and a man with many strings to his bow. Having built his first hot rod when he was a teenager, he turned his passion for rodding into his occupation, opening his rod shop in 1981. The portfolio he accrued since then is as extensive as it is impressive. Multi-talented Dave was prepared to tackle everything from chassis fabrication through
to bodywork and paint. There was no one signature trademark to the cars he built; they were all uniquely individualistic. Every one of them was built with a dedicated eye for detail, though. Each stage of the build was assessed thoroughly before the project progressed, often with a cuppa in one hand and a fag in the other. Along with the many turn-key cars Dave built over the years, he also had a hand in the building of many others. Despite his largerthan-life character, he was often reserved when it came to the extent of his involvement with some builds. If he got the recognition,
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that was fine, and he knew what work he had done if he didn’t. Dave also had a penchant for acting and made appearances in such TV series as Derek, Eastenders and Jonathan Creek, along with commercials for Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Harley Davidson. Music was another of his passions, as hinted at by the Vestas 60’s parody video that can be found on his business website – check it out by paying a visit to www.davehaskellhotrods.com. Car-wise, there is so much for Dave to be remembered for. Perhaps the most notable was the extensive restoration he completed
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Pic: DB
Pic: Matt Richardson
Pic: Lee Griffin
on the Coffee Grinder roadster, reportedly the first American-built hot rod to be imported to the UK back in 1965. Then, of course, there’s Dave’s very own ’34 coupe. It takes a special kind of person to unchop a car, but that’s just what Dave did with the body he acquired from musician Jeff Beck. On a personal note, I will always remember the phone calls I had with Dave. If anything, his language got more colourful when he was on the phone, and he always made me laugh – laugh a lot. There was no such thing as a quick chat with Dave. Earlier this year, a private gathering hosted around a dozen or so cars that Dave built, together with their owners. Phil Jones was on hand to record it for prosperity, and you can view the video on YouTube by searching for A Hot Rod Celebration 2023. While you’re on the net, also check out the Dave Haskell Hot Rods website for a look at just some of what has come out of that ‘shed’ in the East End over the years. There’s also an entertaining video of Dave doing a roof chop, a speciality of his, which is well worth a watch if you haven’t come across it before. Dave’s passing leaves a huge void in the hot rodding world, the likes of which can never be filled in the same way. Dave really was a diamond geezer, and our thoughts go out to his partner Elaine, along with the rest of his family and friends. RIP Dave
Pic: DB
Pic: Dave Haskell Hot Rods
Pic: Julian Hunt)
Pic: DB
Pic: DB
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News & reviews
Something for the weekend?
Sun seeking Following on from the success of last year’s event, Run To The Sun
Grab a grand
Saturday 25 November is the date, and Elstead Cricket Pavilion, Elstead, Godalming GU8 6DU is the venue. The event? Well, that is none less than The Grand Quiz, hosted by Surrey Street Rodders. Once again, this provides the opportunity to win £1000 to be donated to the registered charity of your choosing. All you need is a team of four, a £20 note to cover your entrance fee, the details of your selected charity, and to be there on the night. Quiz master extraordinaire, John Price, will be asking the questions in this pub-
Holiday snapshot
You know what it’s like when people insist on showing you their holiday snaps. At least this one of Teri Smith taking it easy in the sun shows he has good taste when it comes to holiday reading matter. We do worry about that unicorn though Teri.
returns to Newquay, Cornwall over the weekend of 24-27 May 2024. Applications for the show and shine, sponsored by VolksMagic, will open soon. Only vehicles that fall into what the organisers refer to as their ‘preferred category’ will be considered and places are limited to just 150. The organisers are aiming for a well balanced mix of VWs and hot rods / customs in the show. Facebook: Run To The Sun
style quiz, and the team that answers the most questions correctly wins the dosh. It’s as simple as that. The bar will be open, and hot beverages and nibbles will be provided. In addition to the above criteria there is only one rule – as the result was so close last year, no mobiles or ‘phone a friend’ cheating will be allowed. It is a fun evening after all. The quiz will start at 7.30pm and the winning team will be presented with a cheque for £1000 made payable to their nominated charity at the end of the evening (on the condition
Making hay The Hot Rod Hayride is back at Bisley Shooting Centre, Brookwood, Surrey over the weekend of 2-4 August 2024. That is one week later than usual due to the National Shooting Calendar changing slightly. As such, the organisers’ advice is not to turn up the week before as there will be thousands of people there with guns. You have been warned. Further details will
the registered charity details are authentic (headed note paper) and can be verified via the online GOV.UK charity register). The Surrey Street Rodders’ decision on the winners will be final.
300mph club
be coming your way soon, as will ticket sales. www.hotrodhayride.co.uk
Spaces are limited, and registration is by email to whiffsmith@hotmail.co.uk stating your team name and chosen charity.
Image: Scrappers Racing
Mike Salinas’ Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster has become the first car in history to reach 300mph at the eighthmile mark. During the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Salinas ran 3.687 seconds at 338mph – but the significant speed was 300.80 mph at the eighth. Staggering.
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20 Doman Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3DF Mon -Fri 8.00-5.00 Sat 9.00-1.30
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News & reviews Chairman of the board
The National Motor Museum has appointed a new chair of its board of trustees to help drive ambitious plans for the future after celebrating its landmark half-century. International lawyer Robert MacGregor began his new voluntary role at Beaulieu on 15 October, succeeding Christopher Macgowan OBE. Robert’s passion for cars was fuelled by his father Ian, a motorsport business partner of Sir Stirling Moss and chair of the Aston Martin Owners Club. Robert joins the National Motor Museum as it embarks on a four-phase scheme to realise ambitions and raise more than £15 million towards development. www.beaulieu.co.uk
Pic: Julian Hunt
Swedish farewell
Three-time Pro Modified champion Jan Ericsson has announced his retirement from drag racing. The team from Sweden had a 3-year plan to run in Pro Mod starting in 2017, which stretched to 5 years due to Covid. All they planned has been achieved so the time is right for them to retire. It is understood the entire racing operation will shortly be listed for sale.
New blast site
News has broken that Kustom Kulture Blastoff is set to return in 2024. The event has a new owner, Jake Newman, and is set to be staged at a fresh venue; Slates Farm, Market Rasen, Lincs LN8 2AW. That’s all we know for now. We’ll bring you more details when they have been announced. Facebook: Kustom Kulture Blastoff
cast
The latest happenings at the home of UK drag racing – Santa Pod
What a fantastic season we have had here at Santa Pod Raceway this year. The highlights have been plenty, including the first ever Street Weekend and an incredible summer of UK Drag Racing, culminating in one of the best European Finals in recent memory. With our 2024 dates taking shape, now’s the time to mark your calendars and save your spot at one or more of our many events! All your favourites will be back next year – including the ever-popular NSRA Hot Rod Drags and Nostalgia Nationals, Mopar European Nationals for the muscle car enthusiasts and of course Dragstalgia, the largest nostalgia drag racing celebration outside of North America. For the race fans, our full complement of FIA European Championship and STP Sportsman Series events will be enough to whet the appetite. Of course, the Pod is more than just a drag strip – our off-track offerings will take your race day experience to the next level. World-class Live Action Arena acts, static exhibitions, show car paddocks, live music and entertainment acts and even the occasional aerial-based show are just
some of the many awesome displays we offer at our events. For a truly unforgettable experience, we have some special activities just for you. At select events, our VIP / Corporate Hospitality facilities will be available with a choice of our startline suites to get you closer to the action
and include all the perks of being one of our guests. If that’s not enough, our very own Two-Seater Dragster presents a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the thrill of thundering down the quarter mile in a full-spec race car. Stuck on a Christmas stocking stuffer for the petrol head in your family? Then why not get them a ticket to one of our events for next year. Tickets go on sale on 1 December with our special Winter Saver offer – book before 31 January 2024 to make sure you don’t miss out on these discounted rates. Our full list of 2024 events including race dates, car shows, Run What Ya Brung days and more can be found on our website. Tickets can be booked online at santapodtickets.com, or by phoning the Box Office on 01234 782828. More event information can be found at santapod.com.
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Air power
The lightweight Clarke Rechargeable Tyre Inflator and Power Bank helps with unexpected pressure issues and also ensures you never need to let your phone battery go flat. Supplied with a storage bag, USB-C charging cable and inflatable adaptors, at a price of £56.39 including VAT. www.machinemart.co.uk
Get tested
The Laser Tools 12V vehicle battery tester accurately tests battery health, along with cranking and charge voltage. Simply enter the details from the battery label and run the chosen test. The results are displayed on the easy-to-read LCD display. The tester is compatible with a wide range of battery types and is on offer until the end of November at a price of £59.94 including VAT. www.lasertools.co.uk
Celebr ating 74 years
Creepy feeling
Lightweight car creepers from Clarke may just provide a solution for easier and more comfortable access when working on the underside of cars. Contoured shapes, swivel castors, variable lengths and padded headrests are just some of the features. www.machinemart.co.uk
Feel the heat
With chillier times fast approaching, it may be worth investing in fresh warmth for your workshop. This Clarke mobile heater has a foldable space-saving design, along with a durable metal casing. It requires a 15kg LPG butane gas bottle (not included) and has three heat output settings up to 4.2kW, at a price of £101.99 including VAT. www.machinemart.co.uk
Extended lift
Clarke car ramp extensions are ideal for raising cars with low ground clearance. Two models are available; the CR2 with a 2000kg / 2 tonne capacity per pair and a platform width of 180mm, priced at £47.98 including VAT; and the CRW25 with a 2500kg / 2.5 tonne capacity per pair and a platform width of 205mm, priced at £57.59 including VAT. www.machinemart.co.uk
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News & reviews Now available from TMC with RDR Performance Carburetors are onepiece billet fuel bowls, a cost-saving option over the company’s twopiece bowls. Featuring a drain screw, one sight glass and one fuel inlet on each bowl, they can be supplied polished or in a black anodised finish. The company also offers a licensed and patented range of twin-blade carbs manufactured by PMRD. Rough Diamond Racing is the sole UK agent for Florida-based Tony Morris Carburettors. Facebook: TMC with RDR Performance Carburetors
Deuce Day 2024
Pic: Deuces of Britain
Florida bowls
Last month, we published the wrong date for next year’s Deuce Day. The venue is the British Motor Museum and the correct date is Sunday 21 July. Full details will follow soon. www.deucesofbritain.co.uk
Expansion time
The Santa Pod Racers Club committee has recently expanded with 3 new members. Andy Dibley, who won the SPRC Championship in 2022; Superstreet Bike racer and JKE Race Works owner Jake Mechaell; and Super Pro racer and SPRC website guru Peter Walters. We welcome them all on board. Pics: Eurodragsterholics
Pic: BDRHoF
Arthur Bonner
Brian Sparrow
Brian Sparrow, a true British drag racing pioneer, has passed away aged 86. Brian’s first interest lay in hill climbs and motorcycle sprints, but following an engineering apprenticeship and National Service, he joined Allan Herridge and John Harrison to form the company Dragster Development. Through the 1960s Brian photographed and wrote about the sport for publications of the time, notably Drag Racing & Hot Rod magazine. He was inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2011. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Brian.
Drag racer and hot rodder Arthur Bonner passed away on 31 July. In 1976 Arthur, having dropped a 400ci Pontiac engine into a Ford Prefect, embarked on his racing career. He ran Detroit Spinner at Blackbushe, Santa Pod and Long Marston. After ending up on its roof at Avon Park, the car received a new chassis, the engine gained a pair of ali heads and Arthur was back racing again. The Prefect then sat for 20 years before being refurbished and appearing at the Nostalgia Nationals in 2014 with Arthur still behind the wheel. A true legend, Arthur will be missed by so many. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Arthur.
Pic: Nigel Taylor
Neil Williams
Neil Williams passed away suddenly in early August. Funny and charismatic, Neil was a car guy through and through. Of his many cars, he will undoubtedly be best remembered for the Pepe Jeans ’51 Mercury he bought in the ‘80s and chopped a few years later. The car is held in such reverence it was displayed in the Cartier Style et Luxe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July this year. A couple of weeks later Neil was at the Hot Rod Hayride. Friendly and funny, Neil always had time for people and had plenty of tales to tell about his adventures with cars. His passing leaves a big hole and he will be missed by so many. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Neil.
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The lower front grille panel is around 45mm deeper than the original to ensure the curve from the bonnet through the grille to this panel is consistent. The grille itself was made from 316 grade stainless steel, as is the screen surround. The headlights are ’38 Chevy buckets fitted with off-the-shelf 7-inch sealed beam units
E
Hot rodding a vehicle from the ‘30s is one thing, but redesigning the lines of the bodywork at the same time is a step beyond Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Alan Kidd
xperiencing your dad bump the family car could easily be something of an upsetting experience for a 12-year-old. While that may well have been the case for Mark Barrett, his initial despair was short lived. The car was being repaired at the garage at the end of his road and Mark would call by after school to check on progress. Unsurprisingly, considering the time he spent watching, he became friendly with the guys who worked there. So much so that one of them gave him evening lessons, teaching him the art of welding. A short time later, Mark bought his first ever issue of Custom Car. Good lad. It wasn’t too long before Mark was to turn his back on school for good and that signified it was time for one of those fatherson talks us blokes remember only too well. It had nothing to do with the birds and bees though, more along the lines of “you need to get a job son. What are you going to do?” That was a foregone, really, and Mark embarked on a career in the motor trade, soon finding himself working for a crash repair and classic restoration specialist. You would now expect the story to reveal the tumultuous number of cars Mark has built since those early days. That is simply not the case though, as he recounted. “I had a couple of failed projects under my belt and then built what I thought to be a rather tasty
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Metalwork masterclass 3. 1. The project that Mark sourced through Ray’s Classics in California
With the frame rails bolted to the chassis table, attention turned to the bodywork. But first the cab had to be cut in half
2. With the cab removed, work could begin on fabricating the rolling chassis
6. 4. Note that at this stage, the scratch-built pickup bed had already been fabricated
7. The doors were then cut and shut to extend them 4 inches, with new skins being formed
With the cab back then positioned 5 inches further rearward, Mark fabricated new B-pillars
5. The cab front section mounted in place and supported by a box section frame
9.
8. With the cab roof chopped 2 inches at the front and the roof angled forward, the tops of the doors were reworked accordingly
11. 10. The rear of the cab was widened by 3 inches…
…which initially involved some drastic surgery to the original metalwork and more box section support framework
13. The rear corners of the cab were re-shaped to form its new profile, using both original and fresh steel
14.
This before and after shot shows the difference from the original doors. Note the reshaped bottom leading edge to suit the reworked A-pillar
12. Lots more cutting and shutting, with the extent of the fresh metal to be added being clearly evident
15. The term patchwork quilt doesn’t really cut it in this case
It’s looking like the ratio of original to new steel is weighing on the side of the latter
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16. The B-pillars were finished off to form the lower sections of the cab back panel…
17. …and then welded into place
18.
For something I built from scratch, it drives exceptionally well One of the inner wheel tub / bed side panels… With less ambient weather now upon us, Mark will have to defer the thrill he gets from driving the pick-up for a few months. Never mind, he’s got that new project to entertain him over the winter….
19. …which was then also fixed in place
Mk1 Escort estate. Mike Key thought so too, and he came along and did a photoshoot. Sadly, it never made the cut in CC though.” Over the years, Mark has helped many other hot rodders fulfill their dreams but it is only now that he has achieved that goal for himself. The reality is that what you see on these pages is Mark’s first true hot rod build. Impressive as that sounds, it is only when the true extent of the project is revealed that you can really appreciate the enormity of it.
Going overboard
Having changed career path and become a builder, Mark still had his bodywork background firmly engrained in his psyche. “Over the years, I amassed workshop tools until ultimately I felt I had all I needed to take on a major project. I embarked upon the pick-up build as an exercise to see if I could learn even more and actually do it. Believe me, this was never the vehicle I set out to build. Things just escalated and the
20. A rear wing mocked up in position. Remember this was from a ’42 year model…
21 …which meant it needed a fair amount of reprofiling to get it to fit snugly around the tyre
The pick-up bed is fully steel-skinned on the inside and incorporates the compartment that houses the air ride compressors, tank and management system. Not wanting a wood floor, Mark eventually opted for vented steel panels, the rear being removable to provide access for the fuel tank…
…while the forward panel raises when the pick-up is on show to display the rear axle and suspension. The panels are painted in Ford America Gun Metal Grey, to match the engine and transmission as near as possible
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22. That’s the offside sorted, just one more to go
25. A VW Caddy roof panel was shortened and grafted in place
28 Smooth bonnet sides were formed from fresh sheet steel
23. Removable inner front wings were formed and bolted into place
26 To keep things neat under the bonnet, a radiator and fan surround / shroud was fabricated…
29 The original bonnet top pieces were pie-cut and welded together
24. The scratch-built firewall features recesses to house the bonnet hinges
27 …together with a slam panel that conceals the filler cap
30. New inner skins were formed for the lengthened and chopped doors
Things just escalated and the project went well overboard
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31 Outer edge bed floor panels taking shape…
32.
33
…with some providing much-needed storage compartments
New cab floor panels were formed
35
34 With the brake master cylinder being mounted between the chassis rails…
37 …with the seats nestling snugly within the contours of the rear bulkhead he formed
The cab has been channelled over the chassis by 5 inches, stretched 5 inches, widened at the rear by 3 inches and chopped 2 inches at the front, with the roof angled down from the rear. Paint colour is Ford Radiant Red
36 …the floorplan had to incorporate an access panel
38
The interior didn’t escape Mark’s attention…
39
Extending forward from the rear bulkhead is a centre console which continues through to the bottom of the dashboard
The new inner rear window surround waiting to be fitted
project went well overboard. Not that I regret that for one moment.” Mark’s panel-beating background had instilled one unspoken rule in his head that he was bound to abide by: everything he did had to be made of metal. Rest assured, no fibreglass was harmed in the making of this pick-up. So, exactly what was the starting point? “I bought an unfinished (read unstarted) project around 11 years ago which had been imported by Ray’s Classics. I loosely refer to it as a ’37 Chevy pick-up as very little of the original metalwork remains.” The package Mark bought included the cab and doors, the grille shell, bonnet top and sides, a pair of ’37 sedan front wings and a pair of ’42 pick-up rear wings, a chassis, a 10-bolt Chevy rear axle and an assortment of odds
and ends. The bonnet sides and assorted parts were promptly sold on and Mark set to work in earnest. The rolling chassis was first on the list, and in comparison with what was to follow with the bodywork that was pretty much a walk in the park. In saying that it was by no means just a matter of bolting together some off-the-shelf components, as the air suspension Mark had decided upon necessitated a fair amount of modification and scratch-built fabrication. Prior to that though, there was the key matter of fitting the boxed chassis rails with scratch-fabricated crossmembers. Along with the IFS, rear axle and engine and ‘box, the new rails also house an Air Lift Performance management system, dual compressors and ali air tank. The
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custom-made ali fuel tank, which has been smoothed and painted, also resides under the bed floor between the chassis rails.
Metal guru
The rear window surround is polished stainless steel, while the original aperture has been sectioned 20mm to move the glass closer to the outer skin
The pick-up rolls on distinctive 10-spoke Foose Monterey rims, 8x18 up front and 10x20 at the rear. Tyres are BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDWs, 225x45 and 295x45 respectively
With Mark’s attention then shifting to the bodywork, he first hand-crafted the pick-up bed from sheet steel over a box section frame. That provided the datum points he needed to create a one-off custom cab. Just how custom the new cab is can best be explained by listing what remains of the original metalwork; parts of the A-pillars, cowl (with the opening vent welded shut), roof outer sections, rear window aperture (albeit modified) and bonnet tops, although pie-cut 10mm to nothing from front to back and welded together By comparison, the list of modified or scratch-formed panels is far more extensive; rear panel, B-pillars and rocker panels, lower A-panels, transmission tunnel and floor plan, firewall (which incorporates BMW Mini bonnet hinges), bonnet sides, front wing mounts that double up as lower bonnet side
mounts, inner wing panels, grille shell, inner structure for the underside of the bonnet, which provides hinge mounting points, and a bonnet catch and slam panel which conceals the radiator filler cap. And there’s actually far more to it than that, too, such as the modifications to the sedan front wings to get them to fit the pick-up panels, but you get the picture. And that’s without even taking a sneak peek inside the cab. All metal shaping, bodywork, prep and priming were completed by Mark himself, and it came as no great surprise when he told us he has thousands of hours invested in the project. There were a couple of jobs he farmed out, however. When it was time for paint he turned to Colin Ware and Mark Grey (RIP Markie) at Kustom Kolours in Christchurch, while the interior trimming was entrusted to Brad Comer at Hide and Seam Automotive Interiors in New Milton. With colossal and much-appreciated eleventh-hour help from Colin and Markie, Andy Barton, Dave Owen and Brad, the pick-up made its debut at the 2022 Hot Rod
The doors have been stretched 4 inches with new skins and inner structures, and are mounted using concealed hinges. The lower sections of the A-pillars and leading edges of the doors were reshaped to allow the doors to clear the sedan front wings when being opened and closed
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40 The window surround neatly ties in the rear bulkhead with the central roof crossmember
41 The front grille surround was formed to match the contours of the bonnet and side panels
44 The bare chassis was coated with primer and topped off with body colour
42
45
47 The painted cab ready to be reunited with the chassis. The hidden door hinges are clearly visible in this shot
The Heidts Mustang II IFS has been modified to accommodate the Ridetech air bag over shock suspension. The set-up features billet hubs, Wilwood discs and calipers and a Mustang II manual steering rack
43
The finished surround …for the grille bars to sits waiting… be added
46
The narrowed 10-bolt Chevy rear axle is fitted with a Strange diff and shafts, while the drum brakes are stock. Axle location is by a stainless steel 4-bar with scratch-built track locator, while the suspension is provided by Firestone air bags and GAZ billet shocks
48 Prior to rear wing fitment, it’s easy to appreciate the contours of the bed sides
This is Mark’s first true hot rod build
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Supernationals. Despite not being 100% finished at the time, Mark went home with a Top Ten award.
Top honours
The original dash panel has been given a gentle curve from one side to the other to give it a more interesting shape, while the entire dashboard has been remounted 40mm closer to the driver to allow for the new window surround. A Billett Specialties wheel tops off an aftermarket tilt steering column, whilE a BMW Mini handbrake lever nestles between the seats. The floor and transmission tunnel are covered in grey carpet, with the footwell panels that cover the fuse box and wiring trimmed in more distressed leather
The next time I came across Mark and his pick-up was at the National Hod Rod, Custom and American Car Show in July this year. By then it was fully finished and close examination throughout the weekend brought more and more of its unique features to the fore. Hand-crafted panels abound and the workmanship is a true testament to Mark’s metalworking skills. Remember that this pick-up is Mark’s first full-on hot rod build and it makes it all the more incredible. The judging panel that weekend thought so too, as they awarded it the prestigious Best in Britain title. That honour comes with
an invitation to exhibit on the Meguiar’s stand at the Classic Motor Show, so if you haven’t yet come up close to the pick-up get yourself along to the NEC over the weekend of 10-12 November. With the quality of the metalwork in plain view, we asked the question if the driving came up to par too. “For something I built from scratch, it drives exceptionally well. Never having done air ride before, it did throw up a couple of problems to start with but that’s all sorted now. “I plan to fit a sound system over the winter, which means the seats and dash will have to come out so I can keep everything hidden away. I may also fabricate a custom air filter housing more in keeping with the sheet metal panel work under the bonnet. “That’s all I plan to do though, as I already have a fresh project to get my teeth into, a
The seats are slightly modified buckets extracted from a ‘90s Honda Accord. Along with the door cards, headliner, handbrake lever gaiter and shifter boot, they have been trimmed in Italian grey distressed leather It may come as a surprise that Mark formed the headliner panels from plywood. Their contours follow the shape of the roof perfectly and more leather trimming provides added class
All the data Mark needs when driving is fed to him by a centrally mounted elliptical 6-gauge cluster from Dakota Digital. The black facia, billet ali bezel and Art Deco-esque design complement the interior design perfectly
The scratch-built running boards were formed from sheet steel and feature a dimple-died understructure. The rear wings date from 1942 and were in a poor state. Mark re-arched them, extended the front sections down to meet the running boards and formed the openings for the custom rear lights
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’35 Chevy pick-up. The cab on that will also be extended, but it’s not going to be a clone of what I’ve already got. I’m thinking more along the lines of Hot Wheels style, with maybe some trick suspension.” Now that Mark’s set the base with this pick-up, we’re confident the next one will take his metalworking prowess to another level. CC
Engine is a BluePrint Chevy 383 stroker, with a 10:1 compression ratio and clocked at 484bhp on the dyno. It’s fitted with a steel crank, hydraulic roller cam, Ali heads, an Edelbrock AVS2 carb and stainless block hugger headers that feed the stainless exhaust system. The transmission is a rebuilt TH350 auto
“Special thanks to my business partner Simon Burdon, who held the fort while I worked long hours to get this project completed. Thanks also to Colin Ware and Mark Grey at Kustom Kolors, Dave Owen for the wiring, Brad Comer at Hide and Seam, Ant at Precision Fabrications in Christchurch, and Andy Barton. And extra special thanks to my long-suffering wife Denise.”
The list of modified or scratch-formed cab panels is far more extensive
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Life’s a beach
Out & About Words & Pics: Alice Fairhead Event: NSRA Fun on the Beach 2023 Date: 3-4 June Venue: Great Yarmouth This summer saw the first running of a new get-together, the NSRA’s Fun on the Beach held in Great Yarmouth. The event was centred on the Joyland American Diner – which really is as close to the sand as you can get, so the ‘beach’ name was very appropriate. The ‘fun’ part was too. Those travelling from further afield motored down on the Friday and stayed in local hotels for the weekend, using the evening to have a cruise about. Then Saturday morning came and the venue soon filled up, with parking being around the diner itself and the surrounding gardens. The sun came out, making the day a lot more enjoyable, then late morning cars gathered for the cruise. Led by Andy Sawyer, they drove up the sea front and back in parade, before going off the Smokehouse in Ormesby where cold drinks
and hot food was waiting. Throughout the afternoon, people from the cruise made their way back to Yarmouth in the afternoon sun. Late afternoon, the Arc cinema put a show on for us – American Graffiti on the big screen, with popcorn in hand. Perfect! After that, we all moved on into the Empire further up the seafront, with all food imaginable on offer and entertainment to hand. Sunday morning dawned and the sun came to visit again, with the parking
around the Joyland diner filling up predictably early. Then at 9am, the promenade was closed and the cars were parked up in rows along the road and in front of the Britannia Pier, taking over the seafront for the day and providing a great display for the public. The seafront was packed all day long with people admiring the cars. Huge thanks to the NSRA for organising the event, as well as to Visit Great Yarmouth and Rockin 247. We look forward it again next year!
Above: A hot rod with some serious attitude
Above: Just some of the cars gathered in the garden on Saturday
Above: Fastback, anyone?
The event was centred on the Joyland American Diner, whose car park and the surrounding gardens soon filled up with cool vehicles. Thanks to the Arc cinema and Empire for letting us take pictures from their balconies, and to the local chip shop who let us climb on to its roof!
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Above: Returning from the cruise – still in convoy
Above: Steve Marley made it out both days in his ’40 Ford Above: Nothing beats having a blast in your hot rod, except perhaps doing it while everyone else is looking on jealously from aboard their boring everyday cars Left: The perfect choice of car to be positioned in front the of the Arc cinema for a special showing of American Graffiti
Above: After a very successful day on the Saturday, Sunday brought another load of arrivals Below: Quite a collection in front of the Britannia Pier
Above: Sunday saw a line-up of cars in the seafront road for the public to enjoy. This is how it looked before the crowds started to gather
‘The seafront was packed all day long with people admiring the cars’
WINNERS Jason Daines,’32 Coupe Presented by Keith ‘Roasty’ Elliott
Rob Drage, ’53 Chevy Bel-Air Presented by Michael Cole, Joyland
John Capon, ’38 International D2 Presented by DJ Deano Shaun Lardner ’35 Ford Coupe Presented by John Proctor
Colin Parkinson, ’46 Ford Presented by Asa, Visit Great Yarmouth
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Owned by Robbie Sterling, the coupe had altitude when it was featured in our June ’81 issue during its Gasser years
The saying goes that beauty is only skin deep. Maybe another should say ‘many skins hide multiple sins’ Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Vic Peel
G
rahame ‘Whiff’ Smith will need no introduction to many Custom Car readers. He’s a long-term Surrey Street Rodders stalwart and stitcher of countless rod and custom interiors, and now he’s the leading light of
generations of Smith family hot rodders. In a nutshell, that sums up Whiff, but there is far more to the man than that – as those who know him will be aware. Over the years, Whiff has owned many cars and they all get driven, driven a lot. Take the
’32 coupe he owned for 10 years for instance; he clocked up 67,000 miles in that. Whiff confesses that it hasn’t all been plain sailing, though. “I think I hold the dubious accolade of having broken down in nearly every country on the continent,’ he
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says. “But you gotta go there before you can break down there!” After selling the ’32, in 2012 Whiff took on ownership of the ’39 Ford coupe pictured here with every intention of carrying out a full nut and bolt restoration. As is so often the
case, though, life got in the way. “I wanted to do as much of the work as possible myself,” Whiff explained. “However, the hours were not to be had. Instead, the coupe was driven a lot including Euronats, trips to France and various meets up and down the country.
“The onset of arthritis in my hands, caused by many years of stretching leather, caused a rethink though as journeys became painful after about 100 miles.” Besides, under the front of the coupe was an I-beam axle fitted with Jaguar brakes that would occasionally
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Rectification 1.
3.
2.
Never having been a fan of ’39-’40 dashboards Whiff formed a replacement in fibreglass
Painted Nissan Metallic Grey and stuffed with Auto Meter gauges, the new dash is ready for fitting
A restorer loaned some original anchor points to the cause via Jackhammer and Whiff fabricated the repros he needed to fit the opening screen
Left: The body off restoration revealed many horrors under the paint Right: And talking of paint, there were many layers of it
4.
7. The wings being a case in point
6. 5.
Along with the new panels that were fitted there were other smaller areas that needed attention Left: Fitting the rails scared the life out of Whiff as there was no way he was going to remove the roof as suggested
8. With blasting revealing the drip rails were a lost cause, Florida-based ex-pat Greg Saunders brought repro replacements over in his luggage
9.
Right: Instead, the roof was slit every 100mm and tongues formed to fit into the slits
14.
11. The intermediate piece then fitted in the natural groove left where the original roof and side panels fitted together. It was then spot-welded and glued in place
10.
12.
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Body repairs progressing well, with the replacement floor panels and bulkhead in place
The underside of the body was sprayed with Raptor anti-chip paint, tinted with body colour paint
The previously fitted fuel tank had a huge 28 gallon capacity and was made from 3mm stainless steel. Weighing it in for scrap provided the funds for its replacement
stick, and as you can imagine that did nothing for the driving experience.
Independent thinking
Pic: Anon The coupe at Wheels Day, shortly after Whiff had taken over ownership
Pic: DB The coupe once again pictured at Wheels Day, this time in 2013
A number of factors led to Whiff deciding the moment had come to move the car on. At least that’s what he thought at the time. “Lamenting the facts and the uncomfortable driving to a captive audience, I announced it had to go. One of the group, Roy Pitter of Hot Rods and Choppers, had other ideas though.” It turned out that Roy was in the throes of finishing a Ford F100 pick-up project (CC Summer ’19 issue) and needed an interior. Knowing that a Mustang II front end would massively improve the ride of Whiff’s coupe, he
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Left: The tank ends were formed around a plywood buck, and with it all tack welded together Roy Pitter was called upon for final welding
Left: The new tank’s overall shape was formed from sheet steel using a bender made from scaffold poles and sash clamps
15.
Right: The tank has a more sensible 20 gallon capacity and features internal baffles
16.
Right: On dismantling the grille shell, the reason the car had always looked a bit lop-sided was discovered – more louvres on one side than the other. The sides now mirror each other
17.
Left: In a nod to the car’s earlier Gasser guise, Whiff decided on equal-length headers with electrically operated cut outs
19.
Left: Once formed, the collectors were mocked up in readiness for tack welding
Right: The 4-into-1 collectors were formed using 1200 grade stainless steel operating theatre pipework and a homemade jig
23. Fully welded and polished, the headers truly are a thing of beauty. All in, the headers and exhaust from block to tailpipe cost £700. Result
20.
Right: The downside being that once installed, the headers are pretty much hidden away within the confines of the engine bay
Right: With the collectors finish welded professionally, the header pipes were formed using flanges supplied by Whengparts. Again, these were initially tack welded
21.
The headlining was made to fit better than before by changing the panel sizes and adding an extra section
24.
Right: The youngest Smith family hot rodder, Whiff’s grandson Fin, helped throughout the project, not just with the interior
25.
28. Sheet aluminium was cut to shape and carefully formed into a series of unconnected shapes
announced he could supply everything needed for the conversion. What’s more, he would fit it all in exchange for Whiff stitching the interior he needed. “We didn’t really know each other back then,” Whiff confided. “But we admired each other’s work, so the deal was struck.” With the coupe sitting over the pit in Roy’s shop, the front suspension and crossmember were stripped out and a custom-fabricated crossmember welded into place. This was painted Nissan Metallic Grey to match the body colour at the time and the new suspension, steering and brakes were fitted. The coupe was delivered back to Whiff at Wheels Day at Dunsfold Aerodrome in 2014. He finished things off and took the car out for
22.
Left: After Whiff had tack welded the chassis repair sections in place, it sat perfectly flat on the table and was only out by 1.5mm diagonally from the extreme body bolt hole locations
29.
27.
18.
Left: When bolted together, however, the individual pieces united to form an almost Art Deco sculpture…
26.
30.
Right: …which, when trimmed in leather, forms the stylish door pull armrests. The leather does look a different colour in this shot, blame Whiff’s photography
Shotblasting revealed over 100mm of filler in places a drive. And despite there being no transition to the stance or look of the coupe, the driving experience was a complete revelation. “The transformation was incredible,” he said. “It was so easy to drive. The ride was comfortable and the steering light and responsive. A true old man’s car!”
Bug catcher
A visit by a New Zealand rodder friend elucidated the whereabouts of a genuine ’39
opening windscreen which more than got Whiff’s pulse racing. “I have always loved opening ‘screens but seemingly ’39 Ford ones are like hen’s teeth to get hold of. The problem was that the price tag on this one, nestled away in a Kiwi’s garage, was more than the cost of a return flight to fetch it.” The seed was sown, though, and a word in the ear of an American rep for Whiff son’s company amazingly turned up one hanging on someone’s garage wall. It had some
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The opening windscreen makes things all the better as far as Whiff is concerned. Paul Burrows straightened the curved bonnet trim spears and made the complementary sections added to the bottom of the bonnet. Fin suggested fitting the Deluxe badges to fill the void behind the trailing edges of the spears
Thanks to Miles at Jack Hammer and Vintique Inc the front grille is now symmetrical. Miles also helped out with the glass lenses, whilst Greg Saunders and Ceesawl (owner of Hercules Motor cars in Florida) sourced the rims for the ’39 deluxe headlights. Paul Burrows bent the 18mm stainless pipe welded to the laser cut blades from Whengparts to form the nerf bar
I kinda locked the garage door and walked away for quite a long time
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Above: The 350 Chevy was to be rebuilt by Mark Belcher in exchange for interior work on his ’38 Chevy coupe (CC September 2023) but during transportation it got dropped. The block and inlet manifold survived, but the pulleys were bent, the distributor body cracked and the cap smashed, the carb was broken, the alternator casing smashed, the rocker covers damaged and more besides. The small block now features Edelbrock Street Performer heads and an Edelbrock 650cfm carb. The 700R4 transmission was checked over and fitted with a torque converter lock-up kit
The rear axle hails from a Chevy S12 – which is why the coupe is 8 inches wider than stock, a previous owner having widened the wings and running boards. A rear disc conversion kit is being fitted this winter. The nerf bar was formed in the same fashion as the front
surface rust, and the hinge anchor points were missing, but was well worth the hundred bucks asking price. Repro anchor points were fabricated, and the previous bonded-in ‘screen was smashed to pieces to remove it. With the opening ‘screen fitted, Whiff was back on the road, only now he was catching bugs in his teeth. Having crafted a replacement dashboard, Whiff was removing the incomplete metalwork and Moon insert already in the coupe when an old Gary’s Picnic scrutineering pass fell to the floor. Further investigation revealed the car was imported to the UK in 1978 by Robbie Stirling, a pioneer of Surrey Street Rodders. Back then the coupe was a Canadian-built Gasser and was featured in the June ’81 issue of CC. Late in 2018, funny noises from the rear of the car signified it was not in a healthy state and the time for that full restoration had arrived. Members of SSR and Jolly Rodders, together with Roy Pitter, joined in with a ‘body-off’ night. It was then the source of that irritating clicking noise was found; the chassis was badly cracked in two places. It was apparent it had been botch repaired in the past, and Roy placed it on the floor
The script “…but you can roll it in glitter” on the radiator cooling deflectors comes from daughter Michaela. Having seen the film Christine, she quipped, “Dad, you can’t polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter.” It kind of stuck. The phrase, that is, not the…
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Left: The ‘glass pot-bellied dash features recessed holes for the Speedhut custom gauges. LED warning lights are also fitted, and a plug and socket electrical connection enables the dash panel and top to be easily removed for servicing. Handy as the brake servo and master cylinder are mounted behind there Below: Creature comforts include a heater with vents fabricated from pieces of the old grille shell. Whiff confesses the starter handle hole did look slightly unsightly, but an ignition key barrel almost conceals it. The windows are power operated, including the rears, as is the cowl vent. The front ‘screen also opens, of course, and the door catches are solenoid actuated
with one corner on a block of wood to show everyone how bendy it was. Thanks to Paul Hobby, the chassis was media blasted and primered, but the body was deemed too fragile to blast at that time. A fresh deal was struck whereby Whiff would fabricate the chassis repair pieces and tack them in place. The tacked-up chassis was then returned to Roy and set up on his chassis table before he TIG welded it to his usual amazing standard.
Layering
Starting on the bodywork repairs, Whiff immediately realised a frame was needed for bracing. With that sorted, he discovered two layers of metal on both quarter panels, three layers on the driver’s floor and five on the passenger’s floor, none of which were attached to each other. Thankfully, Roy had previously sourced EMS replacement panels through John Reid and, with help from Mark Belcher, the rear quarters, rear pan and floors were replaced. The bottom 9-inches of the whole body was also removed and replaced. With a new firewall fabricated by Paul Burrows, the bonnet hinges were relocated to where they belonged, rectifying the problem of the bonnet never having lined up properly. Whiff repaired the rear wheel arches to a standard good enough for the body to be sent to the blasters – thanks again Paul Hobby for this. That revealed more than 100mm of filler in places, which accounted for most of the body strength. Eventually, the body repairs were complete and impatiently Whiff sent the car off for prep and paint rather than wait for a slot to become available elsewhere. The dash was painted first and was really good, but the body
came back with a few misdemeanours that needed to be sorted out later. The rest of the car slowly started to come together, but then some micro blistering appeared, indicating the car had been stored outside during the prep. With the paint shop having ‘further adjusted’ the bonnet, it only fitted where it touched, and Whiff resorted to ‘dozering the front mounts apart to improve the fit as best he could without damaging the panels and paint. It’s unsurprising that he became despondent with it all. “The paint shop was unprepared to help in any way and I kinda locked the garage door and walked away for quite a long time.” Whiff’s wife Carol finally kick-started him. “We’d just got our son Kieron’s ’37 finished (CC, Jan 2023), so a nudge was all I needed.” After a minor mishap, it was decided to repair a rear wing and investigate a crack in the running board. That was déjà vu time as the filler was found to be over 10mm thick in places and multiple layers of paint were uncovered. Once again, the garage doors nearly got locked. Thankfully the now-retired Tracy Chantry offered to repaint the wings and running boards pronto, so Whiff had to strip filler off once again. “One day I may get the rest stripped and repainted. Then again Carol has always wanted a ‘35 cabriolet to replace her 5-window coupe, and I’ve just found an uncompleted cabriolet project…”. CC
“Thanks to all for lifting, pulling, shoving and laughing, but especially Roy Pitter, Kieron, Fin and Carol. Strange how quiet they all went when another project was mentioned”
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Above left: Vauxhall Zafira third-row seats were liberated from friend Gary (Ned) Davis’ soon-to-be junked daily and much modified to fit the rear plus-two area. These turn over so when the dogs are on board there is no fear of them damaging the fresh leather trim. The Art Deco light is just visible in the centre of the rear window. Above right: The Recaro front seats were modified and trimmed in more of that almost body colour brown leather. As Whiff travels great distances in his cars, often with his family, he insists on headrests and all-round seatbelts, the latter being supplied by Sue at FDTS. The Ididit steering column was supplied by Roy Pitter and is topped off with a Banjo wheel, whilst the shifter gaiter trim ring is made from the centre piece of an Austin 16 hubcap Right: The inner boot area is just how you’d expect it to be with any car owned by Whiff, fully trimmed
The driving experience was a complete revelation Wheels are original 15-inch diameter Halibrands. The 5-inch wide fronts wear 165 x 15 Galaxy tyres, while the 8-inch wide rears are wrapped in 255/70x15 rubber from the same manufacturer
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Ray’s Classics
San Carlos CA since 1980
California Collector Car Export Sales Specialist 1949 CHEVY 300 PANEL VAN 6CYL/3SPD, ONE FAMILY OWNED SINCE NEW VERY GOOD CONDITION THROUGHOUT RUNS AND DRIVES EXCELLENT $21,400
1971 PONTIAC LE MANS SPORT, 350ci/AUTO, P/S,P/B GOOD SOLID CAR, ON THE BUTTON DRIVER - $9,850.
1960 VAUXHALL VELOX LHD 46,000 MILES, LHD CAR SOLD NEW IN CANADA , 3 OWNERS FROM NEW EXCELLENT ORIGINAL INTERIOR , ONE REPAINT , VERY GOOD ORIGINAL - $12,250
1947 CHEVY STYLEMASTER SEDAN DELIVERY, 6CYL/3SPD, VERY STRAIGHT BODY NICELY DONE BLACK VINYL INTERIOR, JUST OUT OF LONG TERM LOCAL STORAGE, STARTS & RUNS, NO BRAKES AT PRESENT - $14,250
1956 CHEVY 3100 BIG WINDOW 6CYL/3SPD SAME LONG TERM OWNERSHIP, ON THE BUTTON DRIVER - $12,250
1967 FORD MUSTANG 289/AUTO, P/S, A/C, CALIFORNIA CAR $4K IN NEW RESTORATION PARTS INCLUDED. STARTS AND RUNS $11,750
1965 HARLEY DAVIDSON SERVICAR, ELECTRIC START, ORIGINAL METAL SHIN GUARDS AND MOTOROLA TWO WAY RADIO, ON THE BUTTON, STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO SURVIVOR - $15,800.
1963 MERCURY COMET 2DR SEDAN 6CYL/3SPD, REBUILT ENGINE. BRAKES, REAREND, NEW INTERIOR, RUSTFREE CAR - $13,800
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N729
NA-1
Classic American Sizes Designed for UK Roads 165/70R13 165/80R15 175/70R13 175/70R13 175/70R14 185/65R14 185/70R13 185/70R14 185/75R14 195/65R14 195/70R14 195/80R14 205/50R15 205/60R15 205/65R16 205/70R14 205/75R14 215/50R13 215/60R15 215/60R17 215/65R16 215/70R15 225/50R15 225/60R14 225/70R15 225/70R15 225/75R15 235/50R13 235/60R13 235/60R14 235/60R15 235/75R15 245/50R14 245/60R14 245/60R15 255/60R15 265/50R14 275/60R15 295/50R15
www.nankangtyre.co.uk
Nankang Tyre UK Custom Car_2023_12_Dec_Nankang_FP.indd 1
0121 500 5010
sales@nankangtyre.co.uk 16/10/2023 12:48
S D O R ’ S R E D A RE post to Custom Car, alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk, or Email photos and details of your car to details – and when t DE14 9PR. Please include your contact Tren on on Burt 2, 863 Pox PO Ltd, ia Assignment Med file size you have available sending digital pictures, use the largest
Sleeper beauty
W
hen Ford released the Zodiac in 1950, it was billed as an executive car. Indeed, it remained the largest passenger car in the company’s range until its replacement came along in 1972. What Ford didn’t say was that with a bit of fettling, you could still have that four-door executive car – but with a 300+ bhp V8, so you could take your family up the quarter mile and still go and do the weekly shop afterwards. And that’s what we have here, courtesy of Steve Harrison. Although he didn’t do all the work, Steve finished the car off – and he’s fully intent on both cruising and racing it. If the name is familiar to readers, Steve used to own the Anxious Pop and regularly crews with Steve Wright and his Fugly AMC
Words and Pics: James Webber
Pacer. I first saw his Zodiac on one of the pre-lockdown cruises that took place down here and loved the whole aesthetics of it – four-door, full interior, tubbed rear, big V8. It’s what some might call the ultimate car. I was fortunate enough to start talking to Steve through social media, but due to a few health issues couldn’t meet up and get some photos until recently. Steve takes up the story: ‘The car was an on/off project,’ Steve told me after we had started talking on social media. ‘It was started first by a guy called Arthur, who owns the Ford Pilot California Dreaming and Misdemeanor Ford Pop. It then moved to a chap called Ferge, but not much happened between them. But then on 1 July 2017, the talented and prolific Pop builder Rick Hooper got his hands on it, and work began in earnest.’
Rick didn’t mess about. He created a Zodiac on Capri-based front suspension with GAZ rebuilt platform gas struts and modified top hats to fit into the stock mounting location. At the back, the Ford 9-inch axle boasts 28-spline custom shafts and a 3.2:1 gearset with a Detroit Locker, and it holds the car up on GAZ shocks and 250lb springs. It’s turned by a custom prop from noted specialists Bailey Morris of St Neots. Brakes consist of Capri solid discs and M16 calipers up front, and Granada discs and calipers at the rear. The fronts are servo assisted and the stock umbrella handbrake has been converted to the rear brakes. The Zodiac rolls on Pro Star 5x15” wheels up front; the rears are the same, but 8.8x15” in size and running a 5” backspace. The rims are wrapped in
36 CUSTOM CAR DECEMBER 2023
4pp RR Steve Harrison Zodiac.indd 36
15/10/2023 21:16
165/65R15 Nankang AS-1s up front, with 275/50R15 BFGoodrich rubber at the back. The exhaust system and the mini tubs were all done by Rick, too. He did the engine, too, but Steve took it out again (we’ll come to that), describing it as ‘a very tired 351 Windsor lump’. Still turning the gears is a C6 auto box, but in keeping with the theme the original stock colour shifter was converted to operate gear selection. An aluminium Mustang four-core rad keeps everything cool. All the panels on the car are original. Rick put in a load of work to straighten them, before painting them in Ford RS Focus grey stealth. Inside, the original bench seats front and rear (yes, despite the tubs the rear seat is still stock) were retrimmed in two-tone grey leather by Chris at Custom Coach Trimming. He replaced the carpets while he was about it, too. Nestled between the tubs in the boot, and still leaving space for a couple of shopping bags, is a Jaz 10-gallon fuel cell.
‘The talented and prolific Pop builder Rick Hooper got his hands on it, and work began in earnest’ DECEMBER 2023 CUSTOM CAR 37
4pp RR Steve Harrison Zodiac.indd 37
15/10/2023 21:17
Up front, Pro Star 5x15” wheels are wrapped in 165/65R15 Nankang AS-1s. Behind them, 8.8x15” versions of the same design are spaced back by five inches and put down the power through a set of 275/50R15 BFGs
The original Ford dash cluster was retained but recalibrated for the new drivetrain. Rick subtly augmented the dash with modified oil and water temp gauges, then Steve got in on the act too. ‘When I got the car I fitted an Autometer oil pressure gauge and tacho. But I tried to keep them as discreet as possible. ‘The boot had never got to be trimmed, so I had that done. It’s got an aftermarket steering wheel on it now, but I’ve got an original Zodiac wheel to make it look even more stock inside, which will throw a lot of people.’
Come the end of May 2018, the car was finished and back on the road. Rick had carried off all the work in his single garage at home and was determined that this would be a keeper – but, as mentioned earlier, he’s known for his Pops. So he sold the car to Steve and bought one of those (Steve tells that he has since done that one and nearly finished another). So we have a Zodiac that’s stopes, rides, handles, looks right inside and out… but has a knackered old engine. Time for action.
EDA-built Ford 302 is bored plus 60 and runs reworked steel heads, a 600cfm Holley carb, Holley fuel pump and regulator, MSD 6A12 and Pertronix dizzy. It came back from a date with the rollers having put out 330bhp and 320lbf.ft
38 CUSTOM CAR DECEMBER 2023
4pp RR Steve Harrison Zodiac.indd 38
15/10/2023 21:17
LS3 powered ®
®
Driven’s range of street performance oils includes the Driven LS30. A fully synthetic SAE5W-30 engine oil that is perfect in LS2, LS3 and LS7 engines. High in ZDDP and with a medium detergent level this oil runs cooler, protects better and keeps its viscosity throughout its service life.
Modified, Close Ratios, Heavy Duty Modifi 50 Years of Experience Complete Boxes and Parts Mail Order or Collection
Driven’s street performance range is available in SAE5W-20, SAE5W-30, SAE5W-40, SAE5W-50 and SAE15W-50 viscosities.
Telephone: 01580 714114 bghgeartech@btconnect.com www.bghgeartech.co.uk Kent, TN17 3LE
Anglo American Oil Company +44 (0) 1929 551557 www.drivenracingoil.co.uk
Custom Car_2023_11_Nov_Anglo American Oil_QP.indd 1
01/09/2023 10:26
DECEMBER 2023 CUSTOM CAR 39
Custom Car_2023_12_Dec_Composite Page_FP.indd 39
16/10/2023 12:14
Jaz 10-gallon fuel cell takes up a lot of what space was left between the tubs in the boot
For 9-inch axle is stuffed with 28-spline custom shafts and a 3.2:1 gearset with a Detroit Locker. Suspension is by GAZ shocks and 250lb springs
‘I was looking at what to put in when I came across an advert from Ben Rushforth, who was selling an EDA-built Ford 302,’ Steve explains. Sounds promising, doesn’t it? And it was promising indeed. An EDA engine isn’t just a Ford 302. This one is bored plus 60 and running reworked steel heads, a 600cfm Holley carb, Holley fuel pump and regulator. An MSD 6A12 and Pertronix dizzy provide sparks. It’s been on the dyno at 330bhp and 320lbf.ft. ‘It’s a hell of an engine,’ says Steve, ‘but still streetable, which is great. I couldn’t pass it up.’ Chatting to Steve, I asked him if there was anything he would change to what is already
‘I’m not really one for shows. But any cruises, I’m always game for’ an incredible car. ‘I’d like to redo the exhaust at some point,’ he told me. ‘And I’d like to rebuild the rear diff with a different gear set and locker, as it does whine at the moment. But other than that, I just want to drive it as much as possible. ‘I’m not really one for shows, though I do have it booked in for a couple of local shows. But any cruises, I’m always game for, along with the odd RWYB and a couple of trips to Santa Pod.
‘Plus, I’m also working on a Gasser Pop that will be street and strip. So I need to spend time on that.’ You can’t have too many toys, right?
Thanks Steve says he would like to thank his longsuffering wife Hilary for putting up with him and his crazy ideas. As well as Rick for building the thing in the first place, and Steve Wright for allowing him to crew on the Pacer
Go-faster gauges were fitted so as to look as subtle as possible. The same probably can’t be said about the aftermarket wheel, but Steve has an original Zodiac one to go one – which, as he says, out to throw people
Original front and rear bench seats were retrimmed in two-tone grey leather by Chris at Custom Coach Trimming, who also did a carpet worthy of the name
40 CUSTOM CAR DECEMBER 2023
4pp RR Steve Harrison Zodiac.indd 40
15/10/2023 21:17
34012
65
ENGINEERS HEAVY
DUTY STEEL • Sturdy lower shelf • Durable powder WORKBENCHES coated finish FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE.98 exc.VAT DOUBLE £347.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
BEST
Shown fitted with optional 3 drawer unit ONLY £188.39 INC VAT * WAS £370.80 inc.VAT # WAS £406.80 inc.VAT Dims. Model LxWxH (mm) CWB1500D 1500x650x985 CWB2001P* 2000x650x865 CWB2000D# 2000x650x978
PRICE CUT
DOUBLE.00 exc.VAT 329
£
SELLER
SUPERSTORES NATIONWIDE
289
5 DRAWER WORKBENCH £394.80 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £406.80 inc.VAT
EXTRA LONG 1700mm WORK TOP
INCLUDES SINGLE LOCKABLE DRAWER exc.VAT £289.98 £299.00 £329.00
Britain’s Tools & Machinery Specialist
inc.VAT £347.98 £358.80 £394.80
CWB1700P
MODULAR GARAGE STORAGE SYSTEMS SAVE UP TO
FROM ONLY DOUBLE .00 £ exc.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £1437.60 inc.VAT
£286
1198
10 PACKAGES IN THE RANGE
A choice of stainless steel or wooden worktops
Corner units in stock
Customer Pictures
compared to individual prices
✔ CREATE THE PERFECT FITTED GARAGE / WORKSHOP ✔ HEAVY DUTY, PROFESSIONAL PACKAGES ✔ ALL UNITS ALSO AVAILABLE SINGLY FOR CUSTOM BUILD
NEW
1 PRICE CUT DOUBLE.99
HEAVY DUTY & PROFESSIONAL
154exc.VAT
£
£185.99 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £191.98 inc.VAT
CHESTS/ CABINETS
THE ULTIMATE IN TOOL STORAGE!
FULL DETAILS SEE IN-STORE OR VISIT WEBSITE
2
SEE WEBSITE FOR PACKAGE DEALS WITH TOOLS
32 PIECE SET
PRICE CUT
DOUBLE.00 exc.VAT 279
Rubber grip side handles
SAVE UP TO
£334.80 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £346.80 inc.VAT
NB Overall length includes handles
TOOL SETS
HUGE CHOICE OF HAND TOOLS
exc. Model Desc. LxWxH (mm) VAT CBB203C 3 Dr step up 667x310x249 £86.99 CBB205C 5 Dr chest 710x315x420 £149.98 1 CBB209C 9 Dr Chest 661x305x418 £154.99 CBB210C 10 Dr Chest 710x315x475 £169.98 CBB215C 5 Dr Cabinet 758x468x815 £259.00 2 CBB217C 7 Dr Cabinet 676x461x958 £279.00
109
£ FROM ONLY .98 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £131.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
£12
NEW
DIY & PROFESSIONAL £FROM ONLY .99 DOUBLE exc.VAT 74 3 £89.99 DOUBLE FOOTER inc.VAT
CHT859 300 PIECE AF/METRIC HOME GARAGE REPAIR KIT
CHT634 MECHANICS TOOL CHEST AND TOOLS PACKAGE
EXTRA LARGE BOTTOM
FROM ONLY .98 4 £239 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £287.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
NOW Model Desc. LxWxH (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT MECHANICS RANGE 1 CTC600C 6 Dr chest 600x260x340 £89.98 £107.98 CTC900C 9 Dr chest 597x257x380 £89.98 £107.98 CTC500C 5 Dr cabinet 675x335x770 £149.98 £179.98 CTC800C 8 Dr chest/cab set 610x330x1070 £149.98 £179.98 2 CTC700C 7 Dr cabinet 616x330x880 £169.98 £203.98 PROFESSIONAL RANGE 3 CTC103C 3 Dr step up chest 691x310x256 £74.99 £89.99 CTC109 9 Dr chest 662x305x421 £139.98 £167.98 4 CTC105 5 Dr cabinet 685x465x790 £239.98 £287.98 CTC107C 7 Dr cabinet 739x461x953 £259.00 £310.80
MM1 Custom Car 275x200 pg1.indd 1 Custom Car_2023_11_November_Machine Mart_3xFP.indd 1
FROM ONLY
EXC.VAT 42 DOUBLE FOOTER £51.59 inc.VAT
£ DOUBLE .99
WAS £322.80 inc.VAT
£FROM ONLY .98 DOUBLE exc.VAT 89 1 £107.98 DOUBLE FOOTER inc.VAT
Strong
mm 350 12fibreboard
PER SHELF
PER SHELF
shelves
2
169
£ FROM ONLY .98 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £203.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
Easy to assemble, providing valuable working space and plenty of additional storage capacity.
150 9mm fibreboard KG
279
£310.80 inc.VAT
WORKBENCH WITH PEGBOARD
BOLTLESS SHELVING / BENCHES CHOICE OF 5 COLOURS
£ FROM ONLY .00 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £334.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
PRICE CUT
DOUBLE.00 exc.VAT 259
£
2
MECHANICS/ PROFESSIONAL quality & value TOOL CHESTS/ •forSuperb DIY & Professional workshops CABINETS
Strong
189
NOW inc.VAT £163.19 £203.98 £286.80 £310.80
FULL EXTENSION ROLLER RUNNERS FOR SMOOTH OPENING ACTION
Simple fast RED, BLUE, GREY, assembly in minutes SILVER & GALVANISED using only a hammer STEEL
£ FROM ONLY .98 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £227.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
30KG
MAX DRAWER LOAD
inc.VAT
PRO394 PROFESSIONAL 90 PIECE TOOL KIT WITH CANTILEVER TOOLBOX
649
DOUBLEEXC.VAT 259.00 FOOTER £203.98 inc.VAT
DRAWERS WAS NOW PRICE CUT £DOUBLE.99 inc.VAT inc.VAT 56exc.VAT £107.98 £104.39 WAS £68.39 inc.VAT DOUBLE £191.98 £179.98 PRO378 WAS £71.98 inc.VAT Model Desc. LxWxH (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT £191.98 £185.99 PROFESSIONAL CLB600 6 Dr chest 660x305x365 £135.99 £209.99 £203.98 1 CLB900C 9 Dr chest 685x305x474 £169.98 £322.80 £310.80 1/2" DRIVE CLB1005 5 Dr cabinet 685x465x795 £239.00 £346.80 £334.80 SOCKET SET 2 CLB1007C 7 Dr cabinet 740x465x955 £259.00 £322.80
PRO396 222 PIECE TOOL SET WITH 7 DRAWER TOOL CABINET
£ FROM ONLY .00 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £778.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
169
£ FROM ONLY .98
Combines premium quality with fiercely competitive pricing & super smooth ball bearing roller drawers
• Extra heavy gauge double wall steel construction
£
1
KG
Dims exc. inc. Model WxDxH(mm) VAT VAT 150kg 800x300x1500 £42.99 £51.59 350kg 900x400x1800 £59.98 £71.98
• Dimensions (LxWxH) - 1150 x 560 x 1440 mm • Pegboard back wall with 30 hooks supplied
shelves
CWB-R1B
Available in Red or Galvanised Finish
11/10/2023 11/10/2023 11:07 14:12
34355LH
65
TURBO AIR COMPRESSORS FROM ONLY DOUBLE.98 exc.VAT DOUBLE £143.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
119
£
Superb range ideal for DIY, hobby & semi-professional use
CDP102B
DRILL PRESSES
Range of precision bench & floor presses for enthusiast, FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .95 engineering exc.VAT 99inc.VAT & industrial DOUBLE £119.94 FOOTER applications B = Bench mounted F = Floor standing Motor (W) WAS model Speeds exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT CDP5EB 350 / 5 £99.95 £119.94 CDP5RB 350 / 5 £99.95 £119.94 CDP102B 350 / 5 £115.95 £139.14 CDP152B 450 / 12 £209.00 £250.80 CDP452B 550 / 16 £299.00 £406.80 £358.80 CDP352F 550 / 16 £339.00 £406.80 CDP502F 1100 / 12 £699.00 £934.80 £838.80
SUPERSTORES NATIONWIDE
Britain’s Tools & Machinery Specialist 8/260 Model Motor HP CFM Tank ltr exc.VAT 8/260 2 7.5 24 £119.98 11/260 2.5 9.5 24 £129.98 8/550 2 7.5 50 £159.98 11/550 2.5 9.5 50 £179.98 16/550 3 14.5 50 £249.00 16/1050 3 14.5 100 £309.00
exc.VAT £143.98 £155.98 £191.98 £215.98 £298.80 £370.80
INDUSTRIAL AIR XEV16/100 COMPRESSORS
Top quality belt driven air compressors for industrial & commercial users inc; garages, factories, workshops and farms. 10 bar/150psi max working pressure £
FROM ONLY HEADER
AIR. DISP MOTOR AIR †V-Twin *230V MODEL CFM (HP) RCVR EXC.VAT INC.VAT XEV16/100 (OL)†* 14 3 100ltr £589.00 £706.80 XEV16/150 (OL)†* 14 3 150ltr £659.00 £790.80 XEV16/200(OL)†* 14 3 200ltr £719.00 £862.80 XEV16/150(400V)† 14 3 150ltr £699.00 £838.80 XE18/200 (OL)†* 18 4 200ltr £759.00 £910.80 XE36C200† 30 7.5HP 200Ltr £1199.00 £1438.80 XE29/270†* 28 2X3HP 270Ltr £1399.00 £1678.80 XE37/270 (OL)†* 36 2x 4 270ltr £1479.00 £1774.80 SE46C270† 40 10HP 270Ltr £2129.00 £2554.80
230&
110 VOLT
Offering low cost, efficient heating
IN STOCK FROM £226.80 inc.VAT
94
Propane gas fired Max. Output kW exc.VAT inc.VAT 10.3 £94.99 £113.99 15 £119.98 £143.98 24.9 £159.98 £191.98 36.6 £189.98 £227.98 49.8 £269.00 £322.80 131 £479.00 £574.80
BATTERY CHARGERS /ENGINE STARTERS
PRICE CUT NOW FROM £ .98
Ammeter Multiposition charge regulator Overload protection on charging cycle
Ratchet action for quick height adjustment Sold in pairs
Model BC125 BC190 BC210C WBC180 WBC240 WBC400 BC520P
FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .99 exc.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £21.59 inc.VAT
17
model XR60 XR80 XR110 XR160 XR210
MAX output 14.7kW 20.5kW 29.3kW 46.9kW 61.5kW
Model CAX2TFB CAX3TPB CAX-3TBC CAX-6TBC CAX3TAB*
inc.VAT £21.59 £38.39 £35.98 £58.79 £71.98
89exc.VAT
Max Amps WAS Charge/ inc. Boost exc.VAT VAT inc.VAT 20/120 £89.98 £112.79 £107.98 38/180 £104.99 £135.59 £125.99 25/200 £149.98 £179.98 35/180 £159.98 £191.98 45/240 £184.99 £227.98 £221.99 60/350 £219.00 £262.80 50/510 £259.00 £310.80
inc.VAT £274.80 £334.80 £394.80 £478.80 £550.80
Max. Model Output exc.VAT inc.VAT DEVIL 2000PTC-B 2kW £29.98 £35.98 Devil 2850 2.8kW £42.99 £51.59 Devil 2800PTC-B 2.8kW £49.98 £59.98
exc.VAT £229.00 £279.00 £329.00 £399.00 £459.00
29
2800PTC-B
JUMP STARTS
FROM ONLY
INTELLIGENT BATTERY CHARGER/ MAINTAINERS
£76.79 inc.VAT PER PAIR
FROM ONLY
exc.VAT 29 DOUBLE FOOTER £35.98 inc.VAT
£ DOUBLE .98
£298.80 inc.VAT DOUBLE
* WAS £45.59 inc.VAT # WAS £87.59 inc.VAT Model Disc (mm) Motor exc.VAT CAG800B 115 800W £29.98 CON1150* 115 1150W £36.99 CAG2350C# 230 2350W £69.98
inc.VAT £35.98 £44.39 £83.98
Ideal for use as a garage/workshop Extra tough triple layer cover Heavy duty powder coated steel tubing Ratchet tight tensioning WAS Model size (LxWxH) exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT CIG81212 3.6x3.6x2.5m £249.00 £310.80 £298.80 CIG81015 4.5x3x2.4m £279.00 £334.80 £394.80 CIG81216 4.9x3.7x2.5m £329.00 CIG81020 6.1x3x2.4m £349.00 £418.80 CIG81220 6.1x3.7x2.5m £399.00 £478.80 CIG81224 7.3x3.7x2.5m £499.00 £598.80 £1318.80 CIG1432 9.7x4.3x3.65m £1099.00 CIG1640 12x4.9x4.3m £2599.00 £3478.80 £3118.80
Model Tonnes exc.VAT inc.VAT *WAS £562.80 CTJ2GLS 2 £269.00 £322.80 inc.VAT CTJ3GLS 3 £349.00 £418.80 #WAS £766.80 CTJ5GLS 5 £459.00 £550.80 inc.VAT CTJ10GLS# 10 £609.00 £730.80
ALUMINIUM RACING JACKS
PRO SANDER/ POLISHERS
HEAVY DUTY LONG REACH JACKS
CTJ2GLS FROM ONLY HEADER
exc.VAT 269 £322.80 inc.VAT
.00
69
603x370x150mm
FROM ONLY
.98 DOUBLE exc.VAT .VAT 109
† WAS £215.98 inc.VAT Model Lifting Cap. exc.VAT inc.VAT CTJ1500QL 1.5T £109.98 £131.98 CTJ1250AC 1.25T £134.99 £161.99 CTJ2500QLGB† 2.5T £169.98 £203.98 CTJ1800AB 1.8T £199.98 £239.98
MM2 Custom Car 275x200 pg2.indd 1 Custom Car_2023_11_November_Machine Mart_3xFP.indd 2
49
£FROM ONLY .98 exc.VAT DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £59.98 inc.VAT
12V
CORDLESS FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .99 exc.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £44.39 inc.VAT
MICRO JUMP STARTS
PADDED SEAT
36
◆ WAS £63.59 inc.VAT Start Peak Boost Boost 180A 360A 200A 400A 300A 500A 400A 800A
Model JSM180 JSM200 ◆ JSM300 JSM400
MECHANICS UTILITY SEAT exc.VAT £36.99 £49.98 £69.98 £99.98
inc.VAT £44.39 £59.98 £83.98 £119.98
BALL BEARING DRAWERS
PRICE CUT £DOUBLE.98
79exc.VAT
SWIVEL CASTORS
£95.98 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £101.99 inc.VAT
CMUS3
HOT WASHERS PARTS WASHERS £ FROM ONLY .00 599 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £718.80 FOOTER inc.VAT FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .98 exc.VAT 59 DOUBLE FOOTER £71.98 inc.VAT
PRICE CUT NOW FROM
exc.VAT 169.00
£
£202.80 inc.VAT
WAS £214.80 inc.VAT
INCLUDES SANDBLASTING GUN, DELIVERY HOSE, 4 CERAMIC NOZZLES AND SAFETY HOOD
AMAZING LOW PRICE!
Tank Flow Rate INC. CONTAINER FOR DETERGENT Model Volume Req. exc.VAT inc.VAT CPSB100B* 32 litre 6-25 cfm £169.00 £202.80 Model BAR Press. VOLT exc.VAT inc.VAT CPSB200B# 63 litre 6-25 cfm £209.00 £250.80 Harry 2 145 2100psi 230 £599.00 £718.80 * WAS £214.80 inc.VAT # WAS £274.80 inc.VAT KING 200 150 2175psi 230 £1198.00 £1437.60
CP150
2 & 3 TONNE ONLY TROLLEY JACKS £FROM .99 DOUBLE
44
exc.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £53.99 inc.VAT
219
£ FROM ONLY .98 DOUBLEexc.VAT DOUBLE £263.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
CTJ2250LP
1 TONNE FOLDING WORKSHOP CRANE
£89.99 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £95.98 inc.VAT
Fully tested to proof load
CW1D CW2D Tank Model Cap. Type CW2D 10Ltrs Bench CW1D 45Ltrs Floor CWM20 22.5Ltrs Floor CW40 75Ltrs Floor
exc.VAT £59.98 £149.98 £189.00 £229.98
inc.VAT £71.98 £179.98 £226.80 £275.98
18V ½" IMPACT WRENCHES 3 forward and reverse gears
PRICE CUT £ DOUBLE.98
109exc.VAT
£131.98 inc.VAT DOUBLE
WAS £119.98 inc.VAT
Folding and fixed frames available Robust, rugged construction Overload safety valve
74exc.VAT
Inc. hook & loop backing pad and wool polishing bonnet CP185 180mm PAD DIA.
12V TYRE INFLATORS
FAST SNAP CONNECTOR
Heavy duty steel construction sandblasters for the quick removal of surface rust, paint, dirt/grease etc.
PRICE CUT £DOUBLE.99
DOUBLE £131.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
CTC150LI
BODY REPAIR KIT
2100 psi
CFC100
Dual action combines rotary & orbital motions to produce an excellent polished finish
compressor Long life battery Starting Peak Boost Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT 400 900 £96.99 £116.39 500 1100 £96.99 £116.39 700 1500 £164.99 £197.99 1000 2000 £179.98 £215.98
FROM ONLY HEADER
145 Bar
SANDBLASTERS
£FROM ONLY .98
exc.VAT DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £83.98 inc.VAT
SWIVEL, NON MARKING CASTORS
STARTS VEHICLES UP TO 6L
Model 910 JS1100C BEST 4000 SELLER JS12/24
.99 exc.VAT 112 10 TONNE £135.59 inc.VAT
Max. exc. WAS Model Volts Charge VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT IBC7 12/24V 7A £39.98 £47.98 IBC15 12V 15A £49.98 £59.98 IBC20 12/24V 20A £66.99 £83.98 £80.39 IBC25 12/24V 25A £84.99 £107.98 £101.99 IBC40 12/24V 40A £104.99 £131.98 £125.99 AWD1
ANGLE GRINDERS
150mm PAD DIA.
£
WHEEL DOLLY (PAIR)
PGF14
Provides essential home, garage
and roadside assistance Integral exc.VAT 96inc.VAT work light 910 includes air DOUBLE £116.39 FOOTER £ DOUBLE .99
63
69
WAS £310.80 inc.VAT
£
FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .98 EXC.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £35.98 inc.VAT
LOAD RATING: 500KG PER £FROM ONLY .99 DOLLY exc.VAT DOUBLE
249exc.VAT
CTJ1250AB
229exc.VAT
BEST SELLER
PRICE CUT £ DOUBLE.00
Quick lift Non-marking nylon wheels Rubber contact pad - helps protect vehicle undersides
DOUBLE £274.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
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MM3 Custom Car 275x200 pg3.indd 1 Custom Car_2023_11_November_Machine Mart_3xFP.indd 3
11/10/2023 11/10/2023 11:09 14:16
Mopar Euronationals Show ’n’ Shine
There may have been fewer heavy hitters in attendance this year, but there was still plenty of desirable heavy metal to feast your eyes on in the show car corral. Of particular note we thought was the SS396 Chevelle of Alan Burgess, Linda Cooke’s wonderfully original ’73 Road Runner, which rightly picked up the Tony Oksien Memorial Award, Andy Carruthers’ ’70 Coronet R/T and a super clean ’68 Mercury Cougar XR-7. The big winner, though, was Roland Anderson’s 440-powered ’69 Charger. This is the first time ever the award has been bestowed on the same car twice – last time was in 1999, with a different owner.
Roland Anderson Andy Carruthers
Alan Burgess Linda Cooke
Overseas Visitors There’s always a good German contingent at the Mopars. This year, they brought with them some tasty cars including a beautiful 440 GTX, a ’69 R/T Coronet convertible and not one but two Plymouth Satellite Sebring Pluses.
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■ Words: Mike Pye ■ Pics: Julian Hunt (action), Mike Pye (static)
This year saw the 29th running of the Mopar Euronationals. And while we had to split our time between it and the Hot Rod Hayride in Surrey, in the process unfortunately missing the best weather and the best of the racing at the Pod, we still had a great time. One thing we will say about the Mopar and muscle contingent: a bit of rain doesn’t put them off, whether it’s from taking part in the Friday night cruise, which this year headed to The Aviator hotel at Sywell Aerodrome, or lining up for the show’n’shine on the Sunday. Despite the threat of rain, the latter was still a wellattended affair, with some fine examples of the Chrysler breed on display. Other muscle cars are available, of course, and a few were there too. The event kicks off on the Friday with a full day of Run What Ya Brung action,
Elaine Hancock
and many racers took the opportunity of the glorious weather to get a bit of extra track time. Saturday started well, but a few ominous drops of rain late morning heralded more to come, though pretty much a full day’s racing was still had. Sadly, the same could not be said for Sunday. After a heroic effort by the track crew, a couple of rounds ran through late morning. But the event organisers made the wise decision to bring the prizegiving forward as, by 3 o’clock, it was all over when the rain returned with a vengeance. Despite the wet end to proceedings, everyone I spoke to said they had still had a great time. We’ll all be back to celebrate the event’s big 3-0 in 2024 – and with the Hayride moving back by a week to a new date, hopefully this time we’ll be able to make it a weekend of wall to wall Mopars. See ya there!
Chris Orthodoxou
It looked like this old ’Cuda, with homemade hood scoop and ‘Apocalypse’ on the rear quarters, might have some race history, and sure enough it turns out Chris Orthodoxou has owned it for four decades. Cool. 13.784 / 94 on this run Ian Duckett
Elaine Hancock is now behind the wheel of the old Lethal Zephyr, and the Mopars saw her back on track getting to grips with the ICE Racing blown alcohol motor that now powers the car. This is definitely going to be one to watch
John Sleath
The commentators were very excit ed about Ian Duckett’s new-to-him ’67 Nova. Power comes from a Sonn y Leonard 615 so we weren’t surp rised to see that improve to an 11.690 / 124 on Saturday afternoon Michael Barnes
John Sleath has swapped the dirty diesel for a big turbo LS and went 7.783 / 179 on only his second pass with the new combination, improving to 7.774 / 177
Putting some contemporary context to the speeds on track, Michael Barnes had his Dodge SRT Demon in the nines at 9.955 / 135. That’s with 840bhp off the showroom floor
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Chris Goodale
Nostalgia Superstock With Mopars featuring so heavily in its ranks, it was no surprise to see one of the biggest turnouts yet for NSS. A 64-car ladder proves the popularity of this class, as do newcomers, like Allan Matthews at this event, seemingly at every round. Lee Chiles went into the round at the top of the championship, but Beavis Allen nailed his Impala to the number one spot, 12.405 / 105 on a 12.45 dial. In Q2 it was all change as faster times, and subsequently more breakouts, came thick and fast. Andrew Bishop, Glenda Thompson, Dan Williams and Bob Main were all on the charge, taking over the top five spots, with Allen hanging on at number two. Round one of eliminations brought Saturday’s racing to a close with some surprising no shows, red lights and break outs taking out strong competitors like Dave Billadeau, Pete Wiseman, Pete Dodd and Lee Chiles. Round two on an overcast Sunday morning saw triumphs for Vic Parsons,
Beavis Allen vs Dan Williams
Nick Martin, Gary Carr, Chris Goodale, Keith Williams, Paul Singer, Gary Cork, Andrew Bishop, Don Scott, Phil Hobson and Dan Williams (bagging the title of 2023 NSS Lifestyle Champion in the process). In addition, there were byes for Beavis Allen and James Sweeney.
That reduced to Goodale, Cork, Singer, Bishop, Parsons and Dan and Keith Williams in round three, and then further still to Williams, Williams, Parsons and Goodale by the end of round four, which is where proceedings came to a premature end thanks to the weather.
Keith Williams
Allan Matthews
Matt Bolt
Glenda Thompson
Vic Parsons
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Vintage Hot Rod Supplies Ltd
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12/10/2023 14:11
DECEMBER 2023 CUSTOM CAR 47
Custom Car_2023_12_Dec_Composite Page_FP.indd 47
16/10/2023 12:14
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Nostalgia Eliminator Mike Lalouette
Ethan Lisle
A new breakaway class that, unlike Nostalgia Superstock, allows back halved door cars to join the party. Choose you own dial in, add slicks and away you go. There was a bit of crossover between classes, making for a mixed bag of entries from Nostalgia Superstock, Outlaw Street, Gasser Circus, Super Gas and Pro ET. We hadn’t seen Ethan Lisle and his Road Runner for a while and, from what
we’ve heard, he’s the driving force behind the new class, so will surely have been happy with his number one position at the end of Q1, 9.726 / 137 on a 9.69 dial, though Cliff Turner, Brett Featherstone, Paul Marston, Simon Fulton and Stuart Thompson all ran quicker. In round two, Guy King put in his first pass and went into the number one spot (12.715 / 107 on a 12.69), Pete Lane then did similar for number two but, at the end of the session, it was Fulton, Chris
Goodale and Marston one, two, three. And that’s how the top of the tree stayed in Saturday’s concluding session. In eliminations one, Paul Smail, Neil Lalouette, Stuart Thompson, Simon Fulton, Peter Lane, Marston and Lisle all progressed after a flurry of red lights and break outs in their pairings. In eliminations two, Marston, Lalouette and Fulton continued their winning ways, with Smail going through on a bye. That proved to be the end of that though.
Paul Marston
Supercharged Outlaws Only Mike Couch and Keith Freeman showed for this round of Supercharged Outlaws but both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Couch ran 8.511 / 154 in session three and Freeman did a burnout of epic proportions in session two, much to the delight of the crowd.
Mike Couch
Keith Freeman
DECEMBER 2023 CUSTOM CAR 49
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Phil Winstanley
Street Eliminator Try-outs A non-championship round for Street Eliminator at the Mopars offered some welcome extra track time for a bunch of racers. Mark Sheridan took full advantage, running the quickest at 7.895 / 199
(then 7.707 / 203), while newcomer, Victoria Smith, put in a very stout 8.649 / 167, only a few runs in from her 9.257 / 155 first pass on Friday in the big Buick GS, then improved further to 8.506 / 167. Also of note
was Phil Winstanley, who had his very understated Morris Minor in the very low tens at over 130mph, and a flying Rob Carter in the Passat, steadily improving over the weekend from an 8.336 to an 8.126 / 170 PB on Sunday afternoon.
Gasser Circus New PB for Andrew Clifford (8.761 / 149) and quickest in class in the first round time trial on Friday. Next time out it was Ford Skipp collecting a PB ticket (9.520 / 139) and then John Sharod blew his PB out the water by over four seconds in the Never Say Never Wild Bunch T, 8.958 at 142mph. At the end of the day, it was Pete Brown in the number one spot (8.374 / 158), with Phil James and Dan Wilson close behind. In round one, Alan Lloyd put in his quickest pass of the event at 7.664 / 168, Ruaridh Hart squeezed a PB out of the Opel GT mini flopper (11.601 / 107) and Steve Field clocked a fine 8.369 / 159. By the end of round two, in the average variance from dial in table Wild Bunch runs to, Philip James was on top, followed by Dan Wilson and Callum Swinchatt. In round three, it was Rob Brown’s turn to post a PB, 8.356 / 157, winning his race against Dan Wilson, while other wins went the way of James Auld, Jim Tanner, Pete Brown, Ruaridh Hart, Alan Loten and Chris Hartnell.
Ian Turburville
When the numbers were added up at the end, though, it was Wilson who emerged victorious with an average of just 0.015 on his dial in, with Auld the runner-up, an average of 0.038 off his dial in. Billy Jones
Ray Turner
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The Taz lads were also out in force, Den Reynolds carding a 10.743 / 113 in the big block Corvette but then suffering a carb fire in session three, which also saw Tony Higgs back in the eights at 8.396 / 179. In Sunday’s eliminations, Winstanley went quicker still at 10.085 / 134, Arnie Pamment put in an 8.704 / 157 in his turbo LS Javelin and wins went the way of Russell Pursley, Jack Hale, Darren Scannell, Michael De Souza, Chris Skinner and Rob Carter. Next time out, Hale overcame De Souza, Carter beat Scannell and both Skinner and Pursley went through on byes. But byes to nowhere, though, as rain stopped play shortly after.
Rob Carter
Wild Bunch There was a good collection of Wild Bunchers on the premises over the weekend running, as usual, to their own rules, and providing some good entertainment in the process. A new entry into the ranks was James Griffen in the Hold Fast Topolino, who saw 12.666 at 109mph on the ticket after his first pass in the car, improving to 11.361 / 119. Winners in round one were James Auld, the Brown brothers, Jim Tanner, Steve Garlant, Ian Wild and Dan Wilson. Auld, Wild, Tanner, both Browns, Wilson and Garlant all took wins in the second and, as it turned out, final round, leaving Wilson with the lowest average variance (0.0274) and closest to dial in (0.0127) titles, while Pete Brown posted the fastest mph (156.87), quickest ET (8.399) and best reaction time (0.1328) all in one pass. Good work sir.
Dan Wilson
James Griffen
Pete Brown
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COOLING & CNC Fabrication Serck Motorsoport have been manufacturing cooling systems for the custom car and drag racing market for over 40 years. Built to the highest standards in both Aluminium or Copper Brass Construction we have supplied to all levels of performance from Drag Racing to Custom Cars, Classic and Muscle Cars. We can also help you design your Cooling System from scratch with our CAD Software programs. We have recently added a new 5 Axis CNC Machine to our manufacturing department supported by the latest design software to enable us to meet your requirements for any parts machining or cooling solutions. We are also the official UK Distributor Setrab Oil Coolers with a huge range in stock from Diff Coolers to Transmission and Engine Coolers all instock and featured on our growing website. From Colin Millars 6 Second Ford Pop to Mark Todd’s 2000hp Street Legal Aston Martin to Paul Morton’s MK1 Zephyr Zodiac and many many more we have the perfect Cooling Solution for all Custom and Race applications. PERFORMANCE PARTS We have over 35,000 listed parts featured on our growing web site with a huge stock for quick and efficient delivery times for over 30 high quality brands in the market today, from Race and Road Tyres, Race Wheels to Water Pumps to Nitrous Kits to Turbos to Performance Oil to Fuel Injection Systems.
We have also added a full range of Clear View Oil Filtration as featured on Street Outlaws. NITROUS Did you know there are now 7 Nitrous Filling Stations throughout the UK plus at our site in Hayes ? You can find them directly on our Website!! You can also get your refills direct at Santa Pod Raceway in the Pod Shop as well as a range of racing products from Serck Motorsport to support racers at the track. We are also appointed Nitrous Express UK Distributors and can supply all your performance requirements from Bottles to Kits to Parts direct from Stock. RACING SERVICES Rebuilding or Refreshing your engine?? Consider Contamination from your Coolers!! We have a full Cooling System Micron Analysis Cleaning and Testing facility in house and can fully service your Coolers, Lines, Oil Tanks.... DOWN TO THE MICRON! We also Flow Test, Helium Pressure Test and carry Endoscopic Inspections as well as Fin Repair keeping your cooling performance to 100% efficiency.
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General Enquiries: +44 (0)20 8813 7470 Email: motorsport@serckglobal.com
DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE SERCK DEALER NETWORK? We are looking for more dealers to help distribute and supply the racers all over the UK by providing such brands as: Setrab oil coolers Autometer gauges Clear view oil filters Nitrous express parts and kits Race star wheels Race gas Fitech Brian crower Turbo smart And many more. We are also looking for more Nitrous filling stations to join the Serck network to help provide Nitrous refills across the UK Please send any dealer enquires to: steven.morton@unipart.com
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06/09/2023 09:43
Rodding in Brazil
SoCal I Diaries
Former Custom Car editor Tony Thacker lives in California these days, and this month he’s been away getting a Brazilian…
Below: Beginning in 1953, Volkswagen produced more than 20 million vehicles in Brazil. And you can still find tons of rare models tucked away, like this six-door bus
didn’t know Brazil had a Kustom Kulture until I wrote a feature for Hot Rod Magazine about a ’34 coupe being built by Brazilian Marcio Luz at Troy Ladd’s Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, California. Marcio moved to the US from Curitiba, the hot rod capital of The car that initiated the trip to Brazil Brazil. Who knew Brazil even had a hot rod capital? for the Santa Catarina Custom Show was Darren Houck’s chopped ’34 Thanks to Marcio’s hook up, Troy Ladd and 3-window, being built by Marcio Luz I were invited to the Santa Catarina Custom (right) at Troy Ladd’s Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, California Show (SCCS) – the largest event on the Brazilian calendar. Founded by husband and wife Mirella and Rodrigo Huelsmann and their friend Sonia Pimentel in 2011, SCCS celebrated its 11th edition in the new Convention Center in the resort town of Balneário Camboriú, known as BC. Brazil, of course, has a long motorsports history, having produced 32 Formula 1 drivers including three-time world champions Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna, as well as Emerson Fittipaldi, at the time the youngest man ever to win the title. Likewise, BC, situated almost 400 miles south of São Paulo, has a long motorsports history reaching back to the 1930s and some Daytona-style beach racing. I had no expectations when I departed for Brazil but upon reflection, I can’t remember when I have had so much fun at a car show nor met such nice, friendly people dedicated to the preservation of Kustom Kulture. If you ever get the chance to visit Brazil and the Santa Catarina Custom Show, one word: GO!
Of course, not all VWs remain stock but not many are as modified as this Porschepowered be-flared Kombi built by Coe Garage. It also featured HKIAIR suspension. Although based in Brazil, HKI is world-wide and even exhibits at Automechanika
One of our amazing tour guides was Jackson Fulan, who is having this locally made fullfendered Model A Roadster built by Sandri Garage. It features a Deuce grille and a slightly set-back Olds motor
Chevy and Ford trucks were both built in Brazil, but they’re a little bit different in the detail department from their US counterparts. For example, look at that shovel-nose hood on the green Chevy C-10
Santa Catarina Custom Show founder Rodrigo Huelsmann is an industrial designer by trade but he can turn his hand to anything, including building cable cars and theme park rides. His ’39 Merc is ready for the chop
One problem Brazilian rodders do have is a preponderance for four-doors, so they have the added task of turning them into twodoors. This ’49 Merc is being built by Pietro Dal Maj’s Hangout Customs
Above: Not everything is quite so subtle in Brazil, as evidenced by this 1950 Buick sled built by RB Garagem near São Paulo. Again, it’s an un-converted four-door with a sun visor that looks like I made it. Interesting use of brass and gold striping Right: This is a locally made, fibreglass 1930 Model A pick-up built for Adriana here by Nene Hot Rod. It’s powered by a 2.1-litre turbo with a 5-speed manual and is painted using Sikkens materials
A Ford Maverick such as you have not seen before from SG, as in Secret Garage, operated by R, Roque Lazzazera north of São Paulo. Like it or not, the metalwork was impressive
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That’s a lot of wagon to chop but Classic Hot Rod appear to have made a superb job of the metalwork on this 1958 Chevy Suburban. Even the roof looks sectioned
I’m not into the mod-rod trend at all but different strokes for different folks and SBS Performance can deliver all kinds of modified vehicle. Like them or not, they drove 680 kilometres from São Paulo to SC in these LSpowered roadsters
It looks it little ‘edgy’ but this Brazilian-built ’58 Corvette is a locally made, fibreglass replica built by Castalonga Hot Rod. They also produce a replica GT40
Leandro Diego’s Bochesko Hot Rod of Curitiba was responsible for this in-progress radial ridin’ chopped’n’channeled hiboy Model A Tudor with small-block Chevy power
No doubt one of the nicest rods on display at the SCCS was this stack-injected big-block Chevy-powered Dodge-bodied roadster with a Deuce grille
Talk about resourceful. Not only do Brazilians make two-doors out of four-doors but when they have to, they make coupes out of sedans – such as this ’38 Chevy built by Hot & Customs with blown and injected 392 Hemi power
Another build from Hot & Custom was the Deep Purple ’27 Model T Ford coupe, again powered by a Jimmy-blown 5.3-litre Hemi but this time with a six-pack of carbs rather than injection Garage, São Jose dos Pinhais builds these all steel ’34 Roadster and 3-window coupe bodies. While not exactly accurate, they are darn good
There’s not a corner of the world where Billy F Gibbons’ ’33 Eliminator has not had an impact. This Brazilian-built fibreglass tribute looked pretty good and was being driven by its owner
Besides the indoor portion of the Santa Catarina Custom Show, there’s a vast outdoor parking lot for drive-ins and one of the neatest was this small-block Chevy-powered T Modified. It would be one I’d take home
Volkswagens and Vespas somehow seem to go together, and these two variants on a brown theme matched pretty nicely – even if the scooter was powered by pedals rather than petrol
Flying eyeballs, Batman! Owned by show owners Mirella and Rodrigo Huelsmann, this slammed ’71 Chevy Suburban C10 was used in the show to promote the Von Dutch brand which is still big in Brazil
The standout car for me was this aluminium-bodied ’27 Roadster, complete with a very rare tri-carb’d Allard-Ardun, built by Soul Works Hot Rods out of Curitiba. Even the grille shell was hand formed
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Trippin’
Out & About Words & Pics: Odgie Danaan
Ollie Rudman’s Ruby Bootneck, a ’27 Model T rat rod with 4-barrel Holleys on a 292 Mercury V8, is a well known sight at shows in this part of the country
Event: The Trip Out Date: 8-10 September Venue: Euston Hall, Suffolk Ah, the Trip Out, our annual pilgrimage to all that is right and proper and holy about old-school hot rods and motorcycles. The event so many of us look forward to literally all year round. As fast as one Trip Out is done, we are all already making plans for next year… In more than 50 years of motoring events, I’ve been to a few. But rarely if ever have I been to one that inspires such love and devotion to its participants. The phrase ‘one big family’ is often misused or overused but, despite perhaps sounding a trifle trite, it does kind of sum up the Trip Out ethos. As the signs on the way in remind you, you are attending and event with no bad vibes, no surly attitudes, no negative waves, man… And that in itself is the essence of the Trip Out. Yes, it’s groovy hot rods and far out motorcycles and general funky vehicles of all shapes and sizes. And yes, what’s not to like about that? But it’s the people that really make the Trip Out so special. The past attendees already know how wonderful it will be. The newcomers at their first ever Trip Out are just blown away by the whole atmosphere. If you’ve never been, you’ll perhaps be thinking I’m waxing overly lyrical here. If you do go, on the other hand, if you are
already part of the Trip Out tribe, you’ll just be nodding quietly to yourself. So, what’s the deal? Well, after several moves around, the Trip Out seems to have finally settled on its best site yet, the huge natural amphitheatre of Euston Hall, where a flat central hollow provides an intimate focus for the showground, bands and beer marquee, covered bike show, open air bike and car show, excellent food vendors and eclectic stall holders. The surrounding higher ground, with its small copses and temple folly, provide acres of camping areas to spread into so you never feel cramped or hemmed in. Tuck yourself away round the back somewhere or camp right on top, looking down on all you survey; either way, it’s a special place to be, even without a fabulous event beneath you. And everybody is welcome at the Trip Out. All you need is a shared philosophy – a love of old-school vehicles and respect and kindness for each other, as simple as that.
According to the display board, this Rover P4 was already 70 years old before being brought back to life by Bob Hale and taken to its first ever car show earlier this year
The central showground is reserved for period correct and stickered cars and bikes, and that leads to a very (very!) eclectic mix – from low-slung hotrods to ex-military vehicles to classic Brit sports cars. But the main camping area is open to everybody. Come on your modern road bike or your daily or your camper or whatever, get set up, then wander down to get with the groove. A variety of top notch bands play on both Friday and Saturday nights, followed by of course the infamous Lounge, up on the hill, where DJs blow your socks off until the wee small hours. And what you will be guaranteed is a weekend that’s as laid-back or full-on as you choose, and all in the company of the most wonderful likeminded souls. And, er, that’s it really. There’s the Trip Out for you in a nutshell. If you go already, I’m preaching to the converted. If you haven’t been yet, and any of the above resonates with you even in the slightest, put it on your to-do list. Recommended. Highly.
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‘All you need is a love of oldschool vehicles and respect and kindness for each other’
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Wade aid
Out & About Words & Pics: James Webber
’29 Model A pick-up converted to camper is owned by Simon Harley and utilises Cortina running gear. It won Best Modified
Event: Duchy Capri Classic Ford Club show Date: 20-21 May Venue: St Merryn, near Padstow. The weekend of 20-21 May saw the Duchy Capri Classic Ford Club stage their annual show, located at St Merryn near Padstow. The event is open to anything wearing the blue oval badge, whether a vintage model T or a modern Focus ST, which made for a great selection and variety for all to see. The camp site was open from 2pm on Friday, then on Saturday there was a cruise from the campsite, along the coast roads to Davidstow Airfield for a park up and photo opportunity. Sunday was show day, and participants were asked to be in and parked up by 10am ready for public gates to open. Commentary throughout the day was provided by Brian Goldsworthy, also known as the mouth of the south. The forecast of wonderful weather produced a record 190 cars on show day, plus around 1000 members of the public, and with entrance prices of £5.00 for adults and £2.50 for 5-16 year olds, they certainly got value for money. Talking of money, the proceeds were to be shared between two local charities, Cornwall Blood Bikes and Wadebridge Food Bank. Traders this year included That Tint Guy and hedgehog rescue centre Prickles and Paws, plus a selection of food and drink stalls and for the kids, a variety of bouncy castles.
‘This was our best show ever’
Come 3pm, it was time for awards to be handed out. This year the winners were: Pre-’50 Jeff Pryor, F100 pick-up ’50-’60 Chris Farley, F100 pick-up ’60-’70 Terry Barbery, Zephyr ’70-’80 Roy Rundle, Mk1 Escort Mexico ’80-’90 Paul Marshall, Mk3 Brooklands Capri
’90-’00 Nick Malone, Escort Cosworth RS ’00–’10 Paul Hammer, Focus RS ’10-on Nathan Harvey, Focus RS Car of the Show Rob Mitchell, RS200 Best Modified Simon Harley, Model A pick-up Club of the Show Proper Cornish Cruisers. I caught up with a member of the club
Jeff Pryor’s ’47 F100 pick-up looks like a resto, but there’s subtle modifications in the build. It won Best Pre-’50
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Chris’ brother Treve drives this ’66 GT350 Mustang
105e Anglia ready to hit the track for some roundy-round action
Above: Chris Farley recently purchased this ’54 Ford F100 pick-up, which took home the Best ’50-’60 trophy
shortly after for a quick chat about how it went. ‘This was our best show ever,’ they told me. ‘The biggest number of cars and public, and more than £1500 raised for the charities, split £750 to Wadebridge food bank and Cornwall blood bikes. We are looking to make next year’s a full two-day weekend event, on the 1-2 June 2024.’
Angela and husband Roger Flamank are often out and about with the Proper Cornish Cruisers in their previously featured ’47 Ford Tudor. The car helped secure the Club of the Show title
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NB: We advise you to double check with organisers that the event or show as listed is still going ahead, to avoid any wasted journeys. To submit an event, email alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk
OCTOBER 28 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 28 Flame & Thunder Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 29 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 29 NSRA Northern Swap Meet Melbourne Raceway. www.nsra.org.uk
NOVEMBER 1 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 10-12 Classic Motor Show NEC, Birmingham. www.necclassicmotorshow.com 18 British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Awards Dinner Oatlands Park Hotel, Weybridge. www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk 19 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
21 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25 NSRA AGM. Venue TBC. www.nsra.org.uk 25 Spitfire Raceway Drag’n’Drift. Parranporth Airfield, St Agnes, Cornwall. www.perranporthdrivingcentre.com
DECEMBER 6 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 10 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 19 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 30 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
MAY 2024 24-27 Race the Waves Bridlington. www.backfirepromotions.com 24-27 Run to the Sun Newquay. www.rtts.co.uk
JUNE 2024 1-2 Duchy Ford Club Show St Merryn, Padstow. duchyfordclub.co.uk 2 Plus 44 Show Hartham Park, Corsham, Wilthsire. www.plusfourfourautomotive.co.uk 21 Deuce Day British Motor Museum, Warwickshire. www.deucesofbritain.co.uk
28-30 National Hot Rod, Custom and American Car Show Lincoln Showground. www.hotrodandcustomshow.co.uk
AUGUST 2024 2-4 Hot Rod Hayride Bisley Shooting Centre, Brookwood, Surrey. hotrodhayride.co.uk 16-18 Hot Rods in the Borders Liliardsedge Holiday Park, Jedburgh. 01835 830271
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