FEB 2026
£5.99
Never say never
Barry Ashton finally scratched a lifelong itch by building his first hot rod – and now he’s on a roll
PLUS Another
custom build that’s been a lifetime in the making – Phill Potterton’s TVR-engined reborn 100e
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Contents
is Ma 12 sue rc Fe on h ’2 br s 6 ua al ry e
Find us on Facebook at mCarMagazine www.facebook.com/Custo
6
42 Regulars 2
News & reviews
Honours up top from the NSRA
32 Centre Spread
Not bad for a first attempt…
16
50 Autofocus
200mph awaits for the Flyin’ Fyfer
60 Events
And still the new dates keep coming…
64 Next Month
The return of a legendary Fordson
Features 6
34
58
All in Good Time
Hitting the top 10 with a bucket-list build
16 Cool ’n’ diesel
F-100 + M57 = a top shop truck
24 All in Good Time (again)
Getting into rodding as a retirement hobby
34 Greenlight Nationals
Not many rods but plenty of racing
42 Tributary
Camaro rebuilt in memory of its old owner
24
www.customcarmag.co.uk
52 The Man with Atlantis, part 4 At last, a body pops from the buck
56 NSRA Hall of Fame Evening Celebrating the great and the good
58 Drag the Halls
A new winter show for the Midlands
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FEBRUARY 2026 CUSTOM CAR 1
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News & reviews
Chair Trevor Gardiner
Membership Secretary Alison Milward
NSRA news
Richard Black
T
he NSRA AGM at the end of November brought about a couple of role changes for existing committee members, along with the election of a brace of newcomers who are entering the breach for the fi rst time. All four are pictured here, and congratulations and respect go to each of them, together with those who are continuing with their existing committee roles. The meeting recognised the retirement from official duties of Richard Black, who has clocked up an incredible 29 years of dedicated service to the NSRA. In his emotional retirement speech, Richard confirmed he would be gone but not out, as he would be continuing with his ESRA duties and also assisting with gate duties at the club’s race meets at Santa Pod Raceway. Then came a fitting ending to the proceedings. Incoming Chair Trevor
Secretary Claire Lowther
Legislation Officer Ross Molden
Gardiner took to the podium and announced that in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the club, Richard was being inducted as Honorary President. A worthy recipient of the honour, and an appointment that even came with a personalised jacket. The 2025 Hall of Fame inductees were also announced. These are: NSRA Member – Ray Christopher Street Rod – Mr Torquer Fordson Individual – Keith Andrews Supplier / Organisation – Santa Pod Raceway
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The 2026 NSRA events calendar was confirmed as: 8 March: Southern Swap Meet, North Weald 1-3 May: Nostalgia Nationals, Santa Pod 25-31 May: Fun Run, Isle of Wight 6-9 August: Hot Rod Supernationals, Old Warden 18-20 September: Hot Rod Drags, Santa Pod 25 October: Northern Swap Meet, Magna, Rotherham
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2 CUSTOM CAR FEBRUARY 2026
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In charge
As it’s not an oft-used tool, it’s irritating to find that when you reach for your digital caliper, its battery is flat as you forgot to turn it off last time. The Mini Spares digital vernier caliper has an auto poweroff function to prevent that, is constructed from stainless steel and features a thumbwheel slider for precise positioning of the jaws. With a 0-150mm / 0-6-inch measurement range and a resolution of 0.01mm, the caliper is priced at £48.00 including VAT. www.minispares.com
Celebr ating 74 years
Gauging it
When tuning carburettors or diagnosing fuelling faults, the fuel pressure must be set correctly. The fl uid-filled pressure gauges from Webcon register precise measurement of fuel pressure on either carburettor or EFI systems. Supplied with an ⅛ inch NPT thread to allow easy fi tment to either an inline adaptor or a Filter King style regulator, the 0-15 psi gauge for carburettor systems is priced at £29.35 including VAT; the 1-8 bar gauge for EFI systems, meanwhile, costs £33.44, again including VAT. www.webcon.co.uk
RAISED WHITE LETTER TYRES 13”-15” MOST SIZES IN STOCK NARROW BAND, WHITEWALLS 13’-15”
Drive time
The date for the 2026 FHBVC Drive-It Day is Sunday 26 April. The key to the day is in the name – get in your car and drive it. Check out your local clubs and social media groups to fi nd out what’s going on in your area. If you can’t fi nd anything, either organise a run out yourself or simply jump in your car and go it alone. All that matters is that you drive.
VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE & DOWNLOAD CATALOGUES
Stop by the showroom today to check it out.
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News & reviews
Something for the weekend? Charitable status
Straight and fast The Straightliners Speed Show runs on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March at Elvington Airfield, York YO41 4AU. Display vehicles include land speed record contenders, jet dragsters, supercars, superbikes, American muscle cars, drag bikes, sprint machines, hot rods and customs and oval track racers. Along with the displays, there will be a 100-metre drag strip, monster truck rides, a TT simulator and special guests. No wonder it’s billed as possibly the hottest show of the year. https://straightliners.events/ all-events/
Surrey Street Rodders’ Wheels Day returns to Newbury Showground, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9QZ, on Good Friday, 3 April. The day attracts a vast array of vehicles spanning multiple genres, and is widely accepted as the season opener in the hot rod scene. Along with the cars, there will be trade stands, lots of them – and best of all, it’s all done in aid of charity. Online applications for show vehicle places will have gone live in early January, so if you haven’t done so already, apply now. It’s in aid of good causes, and a great time is guaranteed. We wouldn’t miss it, so make sure you don’t. Facebook: Surrey Street Rodders / www. surreystreetrodders.com
Coffee break Presented by Coffee’n’Cars, Weekend of Wheels takes place on 24-26 July at Moorgreen, Willey Lane, Nottingham NG16 3QS. Owners of all American vehicles, hot rods, customs, classics, trucks and bikes are welcome, and show and shine awards will be presented on both Saturday and Sunday. Camping is available, and the weekend offers live music, food and drink outlets, traders and a dog show. Weekend camping tickets are priced at £40 per person, Saturday only camping tickets at £25 per person, and Sunday only tickets at £10 per person. www.coffeencarsuk.club
Questionable
The Surrey Street Rodders Grand Quiz 2025 was staged on Saturday 22 November at Elstead Cricket Pavilion near apenned by Whiff Smith, were read out by the inimitable John Price, with ten teams then furtively trying to come up with the correct answer to each of them. There can, of course, only be one winner, and after due adjudication, the team on top was announced as the Jolly Rodders Better Half’s. Well done to them for securing a £1000 donation to Macmillan Cancer Support. It’s not strictly true that there’s only one winner when SSR is involved, however, as nobody loses. SSR made further donations to the Royal Surrey Hospital Trust, the Alzheimer’s Society, Mind, Michael Sobell Hospice and Charlie’s Promise. Please support Wheels Day this coming Good Friday to help SSR raise funds for further charitable donations.
Bonus points
Two extra rounds and tracks are on offer in the 2026 UK Nostalgia Superstock Lifestyle Championship calendar. A season opener at Manston Raceway Park and a season closer at Melbourne Raceway have been added to the regular list at Santa Pod events. The full list is: 4-6 April: Manston Raceway Park 1-3 May: Nostalgia Nationals, Santa Pod Raceway 26-28 June: Dragstalgia, Santa Pod Raceway 6-9 August: Mopar Euro Nationals, Santa Pod Raceway
Reaping it in
5-6 September: Bracket Bonanza, Melbourne Raceway Full details will be announced soon, but it has been confirmed
that points-wise, each racer’s best 4 out of 5 rounds will count towards the championship, and there will be 200 bonus points for those attending all 5 rounds.
(with image Reapers) Sunday dates for Breakfast with the Reapers at The Boar Inn, Moddeshall, Staffs throughout 2026 have been confi rmed as 15 March, 19 April, 17 May, 21 June, 19 July, 16 August, 20 September, 18 October and 15 November. All pre-1980 classic and modifi ed vehicles are welcome; for further details, call 07928 214543 / 07976 655636.
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News & reviews Double the feed
Racing in Memphis
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has completed the purchase of Memphis International Raceway in Millington, TN. The now dilapidated facility first opened in the late 1980s but has been closed since 2022. The IHRA plans to honour the historic legacy of the track and expand its role to operate as a multi-use destination for drag racing, car competitions and more. Officials have confirmed that facility improvements and operational preparations were scheduled to begin in January.
Webcon has added a new twin feed range to its extensive catalogue of EFI fuel pressure regulators. Designed for installations where the regulator is fitted either before or in the middle of the fuel rail, the regulators feature twin 8mm side feeds and a single 8mm base return. Available in pressure ranges of 0-5 bar, 3.5 bar fixed, 4.0 bar fixed and 4.5 bar fixed, prices start at £141.59 including VAT. www.webcon.co.uk
Road show
Another date for your diaries is Sunday 6 September, as that is when the A602’s Autorama takes place at Fairlands Valley Showground in Stevenage. As always, there will be a show and shine, live music and trade stands. All that for just £5 per car admission. Facebook: A602’s Autorama
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TIMELINE There is no age limit for cutting your teeth on your first hot rod build. After all, many things mature with age Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Alan Kidd Thanks: Custom Car would like to thank Shuttleworth House, Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire, for the photoshoot location: www.shuttleworth.org
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Barry’s first hot rod that never was, a Rover V8-powered Standard Flying 8
…with it rolling on steel rims at the time
The pick-up as Barry first set eyes upon it…
O
…with it soon relocating to Barry’s garage…
The pick-up’s first incarnation finished in primer and still in need of cab refurbishment, and a proper seat
n the face of it, Barry Ashton is a late arrival to the hot rodding party. That’s not strictly correct, though, as having wanted to build a hot rod since he was in his late teens, he went out and bought an unfinished project aged 19. It was a Standard Flying 8 and, typically of the builds of that time, the roof had been chopped and the running gear featured a Rover V8 and a narrowed Jag rear axle. Although it was a long time ago, Barry recalls paying around £400 for it, and he had every intention of finishing the build. Intentions are one thing, however – actions are another. Barry then wasted all his money on cigs and booze and running around in V6 Granadas, and the Standard sat untouched in a shed for the next two or three years until he sold it on. Fast forward a few years, quite a few in fact, and Barry still hadn’t scratched that hot rod building itch. Sheena, his wife, set the record straight for us. “He’s been a petrol head all his life, and at 58 he was still going on about it. I said time’s a-ticking mate. If you want to do it, you’d better crack on.” That was just the kick up the jacksie Barry needed, and he started asking around as to what was for sale. Being local to him, Barry had visited Wisbech Engineering on numerous occasions, so he called in and mentioned his quest to Mark Gibbs. As luck would have it, Mark knew of an unfinished project that might be up for grabs and pointed Barry in the direction of Les Howlett. Les is no stranger to these pages, as we have featured a few of his cars in the
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Take one 1. With the pick-up ensconced in Barry’s garage, the strip down began
6. Even before they were blasted, the extent of the rot was evident
2. The pick bed is a repro and on the face of it, the original cab appears to be in a reasonable condition
3. Looks can be deceiving, though, and closer inspection revealed the doors didn’t fit that well
7. Realising the enormity of the task, Barry wisely called for professional help to sort things out…
4.
5.
That would be the reason for the poor fit, then
The doors were removed for more detailed inspection
10.
8. …while he focused on checking out the mechanics of the rolling chassis
9. The rear axle installation was the area of most concern for Barry
The more he looked, the more he decided the buggy spring had to go
14. 11. Fabricated by Mark at Wisbech Engineering, the brackets for the switch to coilovers…
12.
13.
…were welded in place on the rear axle
15. Reassembly phase one gets underway
past. On this occasion, though, he’d had a change of heart and decided not to finish building the ’32 pick-up he had tucked away. Seemingly, Les had taken over the unfinished project from northern rodder Danny Davies, who had progressed the build to the rolling project stage. Once it was in his hands, Les had got as far as having the engine fully rebuilt by local
Mark bought the Sealey air / hydraulic lift specifically for the build. Note the bed floor subframe bolted to the chassis rails
16. That meant Barry had to tackle the wiring
18.
17. Getting close to completion now, just the rear wings, running boards and doors to be bolted back on
guru Ricky White. He’d also had a few jobs done at Wisbech Engineering, hence Mark knowing of its existence, but then things had ground to a halt. Barry struck a deal with Les and once again the pick-up had a new home.
Second thoughts
With things looking favourable for Barry’s itch finally getting scratched, he was then
The bodywork was coated in primer to get the pick-up on the road as quickly as possible
Oh, and those garden furniture cushions had to be strapped in to form a makeshift seat
overcome by a touch of déjà vu. “I got the pick-up home and then thought OMG, what have I done? For several weeks, there was plenty of head scratching with me thinking I can’t do this. “The missus then kicked my ass once again. She told me it was on my bucket list to have one, so I needed to pull myself together and make a start on sorting it out.
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An original ’40 Ford steering wheel tops off the aftermarket stainless column, a Lokar shifter stirs the transmission into life and there’s also a floor-mounted Lokar handbrake lever in the mix. The refurbished ‘40 Ford Deluxe gauge cluster with chrome surround was sourced from the States, together with the grille, trim and glovebox lid. Adam at Down to Earth Auto Electrics supplied the sender units, while the black tubular pod protruding from under the dash is home to a temperature gauge
The previously fitted seat cushions no longer cut the mustard, so wood, sculpted foam and webbing were added to the existing boxsection frame to form a proper seat base and back. With Barry then having made the door cards, Lee of Enigma Automotive stitched the leather trimming and matching headlining. Lee also trimmed, edged, and fitted the carpet
“She didn’t see me again for two years”
The oft-mentioned paint colour that Sheena chose is Fiat Azzuro Capellini. The wheels are polished American Racing Torq Thrusts, 17-inch diameter at the front and 18-inch at the back. Tyres are 205/50Z and 235/55Z Powertrac Racing Pro front and back respectively
That’s just what I did – and she didn’t see me again for two years!” Barry then gave us an insight into exactly what he’d taken on. “It’s all original Henry Ford steel apart from the pick-up buck, and possibly the wings. I had the original tin blasted, and the cab and doors were horrendous. I was desperate to get them refurbished and called upon the services of
Graham, who runs Larry’s Panel and Paint Shop in Kings Lynn.” Er, hold on a minute. Graham runs a business called Larry’s? What’s going on there? Turns out that when Graham moved to the area from Bedfordshire, he did a couple of days’ work for Paul Goodburn, who owned a garage in Snettisham. Paul asked him his name and where he came from.
Unsurprisingly, Graham was the reply, and I’m from Luton. Laughingly, Paul responded, ahh, Larry from Luton, and the name stuck. When Graham set up on his own a good while later, he had a ta-da moment and called the business Larry’s. Call him what you will, anyway, Graham is a true old school metal worker, panel beater and fabricator who much prefers
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lead loading to filling. Sounds like our kind of chap. While the cab needed work, Barry got Graham to focus on the doors initially. “At the time it wasn’t about the finish; it was about getting the pick-up running and on the road,” Barry explained. “The cosmetics of the cab could be sorted later, unlike the doors. They were completely shot, and the tops and bottoms needed to be replaced with new
steel. It was a lot of work, but Graham did a great job of it. “I concentrated on the mechanical side. The chassis was boxed with tubular crossmembers added, and all the running gear was installed. Lots of parts had been fitted, but nothing was actually working, or even connected, so I undertook the plumbing and wiring, the latter using a kit from Down to Earth Auto Electrics, who were very helpful.
“Although it had still to be fired up, I knew the engine was sound. But the gearbox, on the other hand, was an unknown entity. With reliability in mind, I had Ricky White rebuild that too.”
Underpinnings
The front axle, a dropped beam with hairpin location, was checked over and left pretty much as it was. The rear was a different
“The cab and doors were horrendous”
The Ford 9-inch rear axle is fitted with drum brakes and its installation now features coilovers, hairpin radius rods and a Panhard rod. The repro rear lights are mounted in stainless steel housings and fitted with LED bulbs
The engine is a Ford Mustang 289ci small block, rebuilt to stock spec. The Edelbrock Performer intake manifold is topped off with a same-make 600cfm, 4-barrel carb and custom stainless headers feed a stainless steel exhaust system that harks back to when Danny Davies owned the pick-up. The distributor is by Mallory and the radiator by Walker. Transmission is a Ford C4 3-speed auto’ rebuilt by Ricky White
Barry fabricated the stainless steel box section bed floor frame, enabling it to be raised for access to the rear axle and painted and polished running gear. It must make cleaning the underneath that bit easier, too
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matter, however. Barry felt the installation, with the axle hanging from a buggy spring, wasn’t for him, so he switched the spring for a pair of coilovers. He did retain the hairpin radius rods and the Panhard rod, though. Likewise, the steering already fitted was left alone, although Barry replaced the Vega steering box with a superior quality one from Home Grown Hot Rods. “I concentrated on getting the pick-up mechanically sound,”
Barry explained. “I wanted to put some miles on it and iron out any snags. With the bodywork etched and primed, I finished off putting Henry together, as that’s what he’d affectionately become known as, threw in some garden furniture cushions to sit on and took him to a few shows in the summer of 2024.” That shakedown season revealed a few minor issues, which Barry rectified. Once
satisfied with the mechanical side of the build, he took Henry completely apart in readiness for detailing. Graham at Larry’s was called upon once again, this time to sort out the cab, along with the war wound to the front wing sustained when negotiating a roundabout earlier that year. With the repairs finally completed, Barry prepped and sprayed every panel individually. “I did the work myself,” he says,
Take two 2.
1. Following a shakedown season, Barry stripped the pick-up one more time to fully detail it
5. The detailed rolling chassis pretty much all back together
That detailing involved spraying the chassis and the majority of the running gear components in body colour paint
6.
4.
3. The engine and transmission did not escape his attention
7.
The repro United Pacific ’32 coupe fuel tank fits the bill perfectly
The metal work was painted as separate panels in a number of locations including…
The well-dressed small block awaits installation
8. …the spray booth that Barry’s brother built…
9. …in Barry’s own garage…
Left: With everything now in paint, the cab was carefully lowered back on to the chassis rails
10. …and even outside
Right: The box section inner rear panel support structure is an integral part of the bench seat frame
11.
14. The seat base and back also received new woodwork
12.
15. The painted and detailed pick-up bed ready for fitting
13. Barry fabricated the door and kick panel boards
16. Getting close now, but still with the detailed rolling chassis visible
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Suits you? Now he’s built the ’32, Barry is right up for another project. Which means this one is for sale. “Sheena and I have thought long and hard about this and feel that £50k, or very close to it, is an honest and realistic price,” he says. Interested? You can contact him on 07881 553353.
“but I let the missus pick the colour. Much to my annoyance, that has turned out to be the biggest talking point when anyone first comes across the pick-up. I have to admit, though, she nailed it.” The paint colour extends through to the chassis, all the running gear and the engine and gearbox. Fortunately, Barry had the foresight to fabricate a stainless steel frame for the pick-up bed floor so it can be raised on gas struts, revealing the detailed rolling stock that lies beneath it.
Pot picker
With everything painted and detailed, and the interior trimmed by Enigma Automotive, the pick-up was back on the road at the end of June ‘25. All has gone well since then, apart from a glitch with the brakes. “They were a pig to bleed,” Barry explained. “I just couldn’t get them right until I discovered the rear adjusters weren’t working. I replaced them, and all came good. “There have been no further problems since then, and I’m really pleased with how it
drives. I had an amazing season and brought home trophies I never expected. A Top Ten at the Supernationals was my biggest surprise and achievement. “After the initial blind panic, I did enjoy the build, and I’ve had a lot of pleasure sharing Henry at shows. I’ve met some amazing people. I’d now really like to do another project. I’ve no idea what – but I’ll know when I see it.” He may have come late to the rodding game, but sure enough he’s got the bug now… CC
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The pick-up bed floor was fabricated using solid oak with inset polished bed runners
The original steel bonnet was part of the package that Barry bought; it needed work, though. The headlights are an unknown entity. They are believed to be an original fitment, but on what? The top pods house the sidelights, and the buckets have been treated to a Halogen kit with a relay wired into the switch
“Plenty of head scratching with me thinking I can’t do this”
“Thanks to all those mentioned, along with my brother Trevor, brother-in-law Steve, and Mark Gibbs for polished stainless steel suspension parts and advice. Special thanks to Sheena, who hopefully won’t divorce me over the next project!” FEBRUARY 2026 CUSTOM CAR 13
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ent ed
COOL DIESEL
Shane Taylor could be running around in a boring white Transit. But even though it’s not a V8, his BMW-engined Ford F-100 is a work truck fit for a true hot-rodder Words: Gary Martin Pics: Richard Hair
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B
ack in the June ’25 issue of Custom Car, we told you the story of Shane Taylor’s ’37 Ford. Well, we told you most of the story but missed out the bit about its original builder being Richard Crookes, which wasn’t fair on either of them as Shane was never pretending to have done it from scratch. It’s a cool car, at any rate, and in its current state it’s a credit to both of them.
Now we’re going to look at Shane’s other set of wheels. This one’s his daily driver, shop truck, call it what you will – and it too is cool. Cool and diesel. Bah! Snort! No such thing! Cue outrage and a brief shortage of Kleenex. Don’t you believe it, though. There’s an oil-burner out there that’s become a go-to for engine conversions in scenes that don’t value the sound of a V8 the way hot-rodders do, and here it is under the hood of a ’53 Ford F-100.
It started life in a BMW, so it you’re of a certain school of thought there’s a double bubble here in that an F-100 is still on the road and there was a BMW somewhere that now isn’t. It’s the M57, one of a family of turbocharged 3.0-litre units which between 1998 and 2013 appeared in a wide range of the German outfit’s cars and SUVs. It’s tunable for a good bit of power and a huge whack of torque, so it’s ideal for work trucks like Shane’s – and best of all, a single
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BMW’s M57 is a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-diesel that was used on most of the German company’s cars and SUVs between 1998 and 2013. It also appeared in the L322 Range Rover, so it’s used to shifting heavy loads and they’re known for being reliable and long-lived if you look after them. Shane gets 285bhp and enough torque to pull out a tree stump, and he can haul his caravan up and down the country without it chugging fuel. Oh yes, and you can scavenge the lot from one single scrapped Beemer and do the whole conversion without having to start buying anything else in – Shane also used the donor car’s pedal box when turning the F100 into a modern oil-burner
scrapped Beemer can yield everything you need to make it happen. In this case, the Beemer in question was an E60 5 Series saloon from 2004. ‘We used everything from the donor car,’ says Shane. ‘Nothing was wasted – and my son Matthew does plug and play wiring looms and ECUs for them, everything from remaps
to immobiliser deletes to run in any vehicle, through his company Standalone Solutions.’ Sounds like a match made in heaven, even if for most of his customers it’s a match made on Facebook. Matthew goes to shows with a range of products and trucks he’s converted, so you might have seen him out and about. Shane
meanwhile says he uses his F-100 ‘to go on long hot-rod weekends and pull the caravan to these great meetings,’ so there’s a decent chance that you might have seen him too.
Low moan
But why did he choose diesel in the first place? There’s a reason why hot rodders
‘This conversion is one of the best choices I’ve ever made’
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USED V8 ENGINES/AUTO TRANS’ see our Website for more items! All prices include vat. Prices subject to change without notice. Correct at 18-12-25. E&OE. Freight extra.
ALL UNITS ARE USED but- SUITABLE FOR REBUILDING We keep most parts in stock to rebuild these units! LONG ENGINES: Block, Crank, rods, pistons, cam, timing set, lifters, p/rods, cyl- heads, rockers. ..................................................................................................................................................... RETAIL: ........................ GOLD CARD:
Chevy 350- ‘86 on, 1 piece rear seal, 638 block, 2bm ...... £629.60 ....... £552.32 Chevy 350- ‘86 on, 1 piece rear seal, 638 block, 4bm ...... £792.39 ....... £713.15 Chevy 350- Vortec, [uses 8 bolt inlet manifold]-880 4bm . £862.98 ....... £776.69 Mopar 383- .......................................................................... £495.52sp ... £495.52 Ford 302W- 1 piece rear seal version ............................... £690.38 ....... £621.35 Ford 351W- 1 piece rear seal version ............................... £912.00 ....... £820.80 GM 5.3ltr/6ltr 1999-06,CUTOUT UNITS: These are from the LS family. The block is cast iron & so is much stronger that the OE Aluminium block. It can be rebored & has 6 bolt mains. We keep many parts for them, including Edelbrock or Holley kits to run the std injection & ignition, or a carburetor manifold, & ignition control. ..................................................................................................................................................... RETAIL: ........................ GOLD CARD:
LM7 GM 5.3ltr 99-06 Gen3 no trans, with ECU .................. £954.36 ....... £777.70 LM7 GM 5.3ltr 99-06 Gen3 no trans, no ECU .................... £835.06 ....... £678.09 6.0ltr GM 2001-6 Gen3 no trans, with ECU ........................ £1263.76 ..... £1137.39 6.0ltr GM 2007-10 Gen4 no trans, with ECU ...................... £1620.60 ..... £1458.54 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS: ..................................................................................................................................................... RETAIL: ........................ GOLD CARD:
Chevrolet TH350 3 speed ................................................... £690.38 ....... £621.35 GM TH200-4R 4 spd, Fits-Chevy, Cadi, Buick, Olds .......... £431.50 ....... £388.35 Chevrolet TH700-R4 4 speed, [4th is overdrive .69] ......... £733.54 ....... £660.20 Chevrolet 4L60E 4 speed, [4th is overdrive] electronic ... £367.18 ....... £330.47 Ford C4 3 speed- with bellhousing-pan filled ................... £467.41 ....... £420.68 Ford AOD 4 speed-2WD, non-electronic ........................... £474.65 ....... £427.19 GM 4L80E 4 speed HD-2WD, has bolthole at 12 o’clock .. £949.27 ....... £854.36
The 1958 Pontiac above, was built by Metalworks Restoration & Speed Shop, in Eugene Oregon, USA.
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Ray’s Classics
San Carlos CA since 1980
California Collector Car Export Sales Specialist COMING FROM A CALIFORNIA PRIVATE COLLECTION SOME OF THE LOWEST PRODUCTION MUSCLE CARS FROM THE GOLDEN DAYS OF HORSEPOWER WARS 1961 CHEVY CORVETTE FACTORY 327 FUEL 1956 CHEVY CORVETTE - $150,000 INJECTED 4 SPEED $160,000 Flawless body off restoration of this two top dual quad manual gearbox 56 vette, arrow straight black coachwork with silver coves, step inside the cabin to find the stunning red interior , show quality car ready for route 66 .
1952 FORD ZEPHYR SIX - $6,875 Matching numbers fuel injected, 4 speed manual, two top car, complete nut & bolt restoration. Zero miles since completion ready for that bucket list route 66 trip
1970 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 429 - $340,000
One of only 499 boss 429s built for the last of production of the mighty hemi ford finished in arguably the best colour on a 429 this grabber blue/white interior car can only be described as stunning everywhere you look, another from the california collection and another documented rotisserie nut and bolt restoration of a genuine rustfree car fully documented with Marti report, previous history/ownership, zero miles since restoration.
Usa spec lhd car, if you like patina look no further the New Mexico sun has created a natural patina that cannot be fabricated, all new braking system from master cylinder to drum , new clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder, rebuilt fuel pump and carb, gas tank out cleaned and reinstalled, its on the button running driving, excellent original chrome very solid car as you would expect from a dry american state, radial tyres on stock wheels have plenty of tread but are old and should be replaced.
1963 HARLEY DAVIDSON SERVICAR - $16,500
Here a restored harley servicar that in a former life cruised the streets of San Francisco rescuing sfpd cruisers and issuing citations, on the button electric start , original metal shin guards included original Motorola two radio and mic .recently restored in poly gas station colours to resemble the american version of the once seen everywhere in the uk RAC and AA motorbike/ sidecars.
1955 CHEVY BELAIR CONVERTIBLE - $125,000
Fully loaded ragtop 265ci/auto, p/s,p/b, p/w p/seat p/top flawless condition inside & out, original convertible owners handbook, restored to perfection and ready to cruise first year if the iconic small block chevy that went on to power many a street racer and still doing it today.
TO ALL OF OUR PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE CLIENTS, PLEASE BE AWARE WE ARE NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN ANY WAY ATTACHED OR ASSOCIATED UK COMPANY TRADING ASENGLAND RAYS-CLASSICCARS. 25IN VEHICLES UK REGISTERED READYWITH FORTHE PURCHASE IN THE SW OF POA Prices include shipping from Oakland CA to UK mainland. Check the website for complete inventory list.
WE CAN LOCATE LOCA THE CAR OF YOUR DREAMS
Vehicle shipping to the UK inspection services available in the Western States
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650-361-8083
Tel: e: raysclassics@earthlink.net www.raysclassics.com
05/12/2025 09:14
We’re used to seeing pick-ups with gleaming bed planks and perfectly painted, mirrorsmooth sides. Shane does love his hot rods and he knows the value of a show-stopping finish, but practicality rules when it’s a tool of the trade Wonder how many times Shane has had to stop himself from putting petrol in here…
Angel-eyes are increasingly popular among those who like them, which does nothing to help those who don’t but at least you can enjoy the cut-back patina on those panels
love the burble of a V8, after all, not the low moan of an old oil burner. The answer is that while Shane is a hot rod man, he’s a tradesman too and however much the F-100 might look like a cool toy,
first and foremost it’s a beast of burden. ‘I use the truck as a daily,’ he confirms, ‘so I decided to go down the diesel route. He’s aware that there’ll be a bit of clucking and tutting. ‘I know this is not everyone’s cup
of tea. But for me, using it daily, a V8 was just too expensive to run. So I had to make the right choice and the M57 straight six and manual six-speed gearbox meant it would go anywhere and pull anything.’
Fat fenders at the back cover a pair of 295/50R15 Nankang NK Ultras on 10” rims, with a Camaro axle holding them together. Stock front body hides a Jag clip, with 235/60R15 Nankang Cross Sport SPs mounted on standard rims. Both ends had already been done before Shane bought the truck
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It might be a work truck but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. You might not want to get stuck behind it in traffic on the way home from church, or if your grandkids are of a nervous disposition
Having made that choice, Shane got the crane out and removed the old engine and box. Before dropping in the new bits, he also had to make a new tranny tunnel to fit the bigger six-speed manual. Down below, when Shane first bought the F100 it was already riding on a Jag front clip and Camaro rear. Later conversions he’s
worked on with Matthew use the complete BMW alloy subframe and rear axle, but back then he saw no reason to mess with what had already been done. Fat fenders at the back accommodate a set of 295/50R15 Nankang NK Ultras on 10” rims; it’s Nankang up front, too, with 235/60R15 Cross Sport SPs giving it a cheeky little rake.
‘This conversion is one of the best choices I’ve ever made,’ says Shane. And he’s made a lot. ‘Not only is it super reliable, it’s so cheap to run and the performance is fantastic. ‘This truck, running at 285bhp with hardly any mods, is affordable to many and has plenty of poke. Its super smooth engine means it cruises at 70mph at low revs, so it goes up and down the country with ease.’ He sounds like a salesman there, but he’s not one. His son’s in the business, sure, but Shane’s just a serial hot-rodder who’s built himself a daily to make most of us jealous. It might be a little bit of a stretch to say it’s like an old Ford to look at and a new Beemer to drive, but only a little. And if there’s one thing that’s better than a vehicle that’s cool, it’s a vehicle that’s cool every day of your life. Kleenex at the ready, lads… CC
‘I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea but using it daily, a V8 was just too expensive to run’
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Inside, it’s as you find it. Shane built it to be used, not fawned over, with waterproof covers on the BMW seats (told you he used everything from the donor car) and a custom centre console holding a head unit and USB output. Nice to see the ’53-’56 under-dash heater still in place, though
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W
hen Phill Potterton was a sprightly 13 or 14 year old lad, he saw something that would stick with him for the rest of his life. “I came across hot rods and American cars,” he says, “and I saw my first copy of Custom Car.
“It completely blew my mind. I wanted in on some of that action.” Phill got himself a Morris Oxford estate and hatched a plan to customise it using MGB running gear and a few bolt-on bits that were de rigueur in that era. He made a start by purchasing a smaller steering wheel and
a bit of door card trimming but then ran out of time and money. “I trained as an engineer and spent many years with the Navy out at sea,” he explains. Besides, with the typical factors of life, house, marriage and kids taking precedence, building a hot rod took a real back seat.
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Good things come to those who wait, they say. Phill Potterton waited his whole life to build a hot rod and the 100e he ended up with is very good indeed – though that’s because he was finally able to finish waiting and get down to work Words and pics: James Webber
The dream never faded, though. Through it all, in his mind, one day he was still going to build that hot rod. Fast forward to 2016 and, with retirement leaving Phill on terra firma, he began looking for something to tinker with. “I came across an advert on eBay for a 100e project that had
been started but not completed,” he says. “On paper, it had a lot going for it. Rover V8 fitted, bare-metalled, some fabrication work done and a ton of spares. “I decided to take a punt. I rented a trailer, drove to Hampshire and brought it back to my single garage in Saltash.”
Now, you might well be thinking that if the next part of the story involves that punt turning out to have been horribly ill-advised, Phill wouldn’t be the first person you’ve come across who bought someone else’s abandoned project and came to regret it. And guess what? “Once home, I had a closer
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Plymouth Radiators made up a bespoke rad to fit the available space, building it around an Aston Martin Vanquish core and plumbing it up with silicone hose
Having run the old engine dry, Phill found that he could have it rebuilt – or he could replace it with the 4.6-litre Rover V8 from a TVR Chimaera. In effect, a free extra 100bhp – what’s known in the trade as a no-brainer
There’s a Quaife diff in that there axle. And when them there twin tailpipes ain’t loud enough, Phil can hit the switch and route the hot stuff through a set of lake pipes instead
inspection… and it turned out that all was not as it had seemed, to put it lightly. “It was so bad, the only option was to strip the car right down to a bare shell and start all over again.” Phill started by replacing the firewall, which was made (if ‘made’ is the word… ‘bodged’ sounds closer to the truth) of aluminium chequer plate and other bits of metal. He cut out all the duff stuff and fabricated in a proper one, before turning his attention to the wings. These are notoriously hard to find for the 100e, so he got thinking. He mocked up the panels he did have, took a step back and began to look at what he was going to do and what he needed.
Unplugged Phill’s honest enough to admit that the Lego boxes are an idea he got from someone else’s car. He’s taken it to extremes, though, with four lid out across the width of the boot. The outer two hold basic tools and spares, the grey one covers the battery and the blue one hides a kill switch
Your choice of wheels can make or break a build. In this case, the 100e came with a full set of 13” Cragars, so that was his choice made for him
After a bit more metalwork and bits and pieces, he trailered the car to a local show – where a slight issue gave him an ultimatum. “While I was driving around the showground,” he explains, “I went over a stone which hit the oil drain plug and emptied the engine of all its lubricant. I didn’t realise until someone followed the oil trail and returned the missing plug to me! And that put an end to the engine.” It was all sounding a bit ill-starred at this point. But it’s always darkest before the dawn. And what a dawn it turned out to be. “I did some costings,” says Phill. “I could get a TVR Chimera 4.6 engine with 288bhp –
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or I could have the one in the car rebuilt and only end up with 188bhp at the end of it. No brainer, really.” As you’ll no doubt know, TVRs of that era were built with more than a little help from the Rover parts bin. The V8 was mated as standard to the LT77 gearbox – but there was more than one version of that. Phill tracked one down from a TVR Griffith, whose gear linkage is positioned further forward and offset to the right compared to the unit from the SD1 – which would have had him craning over his shoulder and virtually into the back seat whenever he needed to change gear. Not a cool look. Far cooler was the engine itself, after Phill commissioned Plymouth Radiators to fashion a rad that would fit in the space available and keep the lid on an engine producing up to 300bhp. The finished product was built incorporating an Aston Martin Vanquish core. Back at the blunt end of the car is a 105e axle housing a Quaife diff. Look above it and you’ll see a custom exhaust with electronic switchable lake pipes, for when the twin-exit rear doesn’t make enough of a statement, which Phill had made locally to him in Plympton.
Staying down below, the car rides on new leaf springs damped by Mk1/2 Escort adjustable shocks up front, where you’ll also find 2.8 Capri discs and Austin Princess calipers taking care of the stopping duties. It’s all Sierra Cosworth at the back. When it comes to hot rods, a Ford Ka is not the first thing you think of for parts,
let alone a vehicle’s wiring. But, ever the engineer, Phill saw some logic in it. “The runs of wiring looked about the same length,” he says. “I’d costed up making my own and it was far cheaper to buy the whole Ka, so I did. “I removed all the modern gubbins like electric windows and so on and just used
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what I needed. Suffice to say it went in like a glove.”
Donor Ka-rd
Phill got his hands on a full set of Ford Fiesta ST 150 leather seats and set about fitting them in the 100e. The fronts went straight in; the rears needed a little modification before they too slotted in like that’s what they were made for
The Ka came in handy for donating its indicator and wiper stalks for the interior as well. And when Phill weighed in what was left of it, he virtually recouped the £150 he had paid for the car. Now, as we all know, it doesn’t matter what you do with your car – it’s still the wheels and paint that make or break a build. Fortunately, out of the bits that came with the 100e when Phill bought it was a full set of 13” Cragars, so that bit was easy. But the paint was another story. “I spent three years looking at various cars and charts,” Phill explains. “I really wanted to
Phill made the instrument panel himself – three times, in fact, as it was proving very hard to see. It still is even now, he says, hence the small GPS speedo on top of the dash
A custom centre console made by Phill himself houses screens for the sat-nav and reversing camera. The gearstick in the foreground stirs an LT77 box from a TVR Griffith, while the pedals in the background are part of a racing set-up
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take my time. Originally it was a sort of navy grey blue, and I liked the idea of a classic colour. But eventually I took it to a local body shop to have it finished in Ford Imperial Maroon, with Ford Dover White on the roof. Next on the list was the interior. And here, Lady Luck really played her hand. “I acquired a set of full leather Mk6 Fiesta ST 150 front and rear seats. The fronts fitted straight into place; the rears required a tiny bit of modification, after which they slotted in as if Ford had designed them to. “I made a custom centre console which houses two screens – one is the reversing camera, the other the sat nav. I had to make the gauge panel three times, and even now it’s still difficult to see, so I have a very small GPS speedo mounted on top of the dash.” It
might be hard to see from behind the wheel but looking in from the outside it sets the dash off a treat. Down below it, the pedal box is a racing set-up. The master cylinders are topmounted behind the dash panel. A power isolator switch is housed in the glovebox, along with the fuse panel. Which brings us to the boot. There’s a pair of fuel tanks in here, with balancing lines, as well as a set of Lego storage boxes. And why not? “I saw a guy at a show with one to hide the top of his battery,” says Phill. “So I went away and got four. “The two outside ones hold some basic tools and spare parts. The grey one holds the battery and the blue one a battery isolation switch.”
There’s no such thing as a finished project, of course, but the car was about there last summer. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed building it,” says Phill. “It was challenging at times, particularly when I caught a bout of shingles and could barely hold a grinder, but it also became my recovery therapy and I like the fact that it’s individual – there’s not another 100e like it. Even to the point where things like the front over riders, the bolts are mounted behind and I had to make a special tool just to reach them. “It still needs a good tune-up of the carbs and bits of fettling here and there, but it’s great to drive and I only run a budget set of tyres – you know, in case I ever accidentally leave in haste with a set of 11s behind on the tarmac…” CC
“I’d like to thank my wife, kids and grandkids for their support and for putting up with me in the garage. The body shop for paint, the exhaust for the custom set-up and the friends I meet at all the rallies and shows.”
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Green party
■ Words: Olly Sack ■ Pics: Julian Hunt
The weekend of the Greenlight Nationals was blessed with dry weather, meaning the action at Santa Pod was about as close as possible to nonstop. Hot rods and nostalgia racecars may have been in short supply but the competition was as intense as ever Our last few Santa Pod reports all seem to have involved rain as a recurring theme, so it’s nice to relate that at least the Greenlight Nationals managed to stay dry for the whole weekend. It wasn’t exactly a holiday for the track crew, with a regular diet of fluid downs to be cleaned up, but with no big incidents to deal with the racing came thick and fast in nine different four-wheeled classes.
Things got off to a particularly rousing start early on the Saturday morning, which kicked off with the first Big Bracket qualifying session. The undisputed highlight was a solo run by serial Super Comp champion Leah Kellett, who ran 8.9005 on an 8.90 dial to take the Hayley Hadfield Perfect ET award for the weekend. That was, not surprisingly, enough to keep her on top all the way through qualifying.
In Front Wheel Drive, Emma Goddard posted her first 8-second run earlier in the season aboard her Integra. Having won through to the final, she kept that form up with a 8.9162/157.95 run that put clear daylight between her and Darren Dewhurst
The following afternoon, Alan Medley and Adam Wakefield lined up in the first round of Sportsman ET eliminations. A few seconds later, they crossed the stripe with just 0.0002 seconds between them – Alan won it by a coat of paint, while between them they shared the Eurodragster.com Finish Award for the closest clean race. Elsewhere, Pro ET favourite Marie Mills made her Wild Bunch debut aboard her well known 383ci 23T Altered – and took
Matt Dowdy looked like he was going to be sitting it out when he spotted a crack in his Nova’s bell-housing a couple of days before the event. But you can always rely on the guys at Williams Bros Racing. With the offending article removed and welded up by John Shakeshaft, Keith Williams got on the case and had it back in the car in time for the fun to start – then headed over to the Pod to help out at the sharp end
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Scott Hauser made a late charge into the top three in Big Bracket with a perfect ET 7.3105 on a 7.31 dial on his last qualifying run – then went on to take overall victory, defeating Jonny McClure in the final
to it like a duck to water, qualifying with an average variance of just 0.0112 seconds, posting the best reaction time and going on to take first place. Wild Bunch sponsor Bob Hawkins of Springbridge Direct didn’t have such a successful time of it, however, with engine damage putting Time Traveller II back on the trailer on its second run. Pete Brown, on the other hand, ran a succession of PBs, including for speed and ET in his semi final against Phil James. With a high proportion of more modern machinery making up the bulk of the entries in several classes, this wasn’t as much of an event for fans of nostalgia and hot rod racing. As always, though, there was no end of outstanding action – and for once, it wasn’t interrupted by the weather!
Leah Kellett didn’t win Big Bracket, and it’s always a bit of a turn-up when that happens. But she towered over everyone else in qualifying thanks to the stunning 8.9005 on an 8.90 dial which gave her the Hayley Hadfield Perfect ET award on her first run of the weekend
Brett Featherstone has been entertaining the crowds at Santa Pod for a long, long time, so it was a popular moment when he took his ’67 Nova to his first 8-second run
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AIM TO TAKE THE STRESS HILL WE& STRAIN FROM SHIPPING SHIPPING
COOL CORVETTE Ruth and Graham recently imported from Buffalo USA 2017 Grandsport C7 Corvette, chosen in white with chrome wheels. We like the grey interior and replaced the white roof with a panoramic roof.
Recommended to Hills through CCCUK members; and would use them again.
Tel: 01795 876000 Mob: 07885 600226 www.hillshipping.com sales@hillshipping.com Custom Car_2025_11_November_Hill Shipping_FP.indd 1
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Dan Holloway took the Sportsman ET win in his 408ci Foxbody Mustang, defeating Roman Giles’ MX5 in the final Below: Alan Medley and Adam Wakefield shared the Eurodragster.com Finish Award for the closest race with no red lights or breakouts in the first round of Sportsman ET eliminations, the former winning it by just 0.0002 of a second
Above: Clive Dandridge progressed all the way to the Sportsman ET semi-finals in his ’69 GMC C15. Well, most of it
Side by side 7s in the Greenlight Pro final, with Jack Williams’ 540ci Super Pro Corvette getting the better of Alan McSweeney’s iconic Volvo
Round 3 of Greenlight Pro qualifying saw Harry Gibson pull his chutes after going into tyre shake – then carrying on down the strip with them billowing behind him. He was still well on top after this pass, thanks to an earlier run of 6.3768 / 240.01
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Marie Mills raced her 383ci 23T Altered in Wild Bunch for the first time and made an immediate impact, posting the best reaction and qualifying times as well as winning the event outright
There wasn’t a huge field in Wild Bunch, and it got smaller after the second session when Bob Hawkins retired with engine damage
A closely fought 7.60 Heads Up final saw John Sleath’s 7.6810 / 177.12 edge Mark Turner’s 7.6805/176.46
This isn’t the biggest wheelie Carl Goldsmith has ever pulled, but never a bad way to get the VW Pro action going on a Saturday morning
Bit of a moment for Jacey Grant when the Porsche lit up and headed for the wall. Jacey lifted in time to save it and went on to post an excellent 7.0434/193.80 at the end of the day
Following a string of PBs on Saturday, Jonny Marriage won through to the Outlaw Flat Four and posted a winning time that turned out to be academic when his opponent Adam Lowe was disqualified
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ASSEMBLE AS BENCH, CORNER UNIT OR SHELVING
CLB1007C 070118042
CTC103C 070113016
249 exc.VAT
£95.98 inc.VAT
SEE WEBSITE FOR PACKAGE DEALS WITH TOOLS
WAS £101.99 inc.VAT
WAS £310.80 inc.VAT
HUGE RANGE IN-STORE & ONLINE HEAVY DUTY & PROFESSIONAL TOOL CHESTS THE ULTIMATE IN TOOL STORAGE! Extra heavy gauge double wall steel construction CBB210C 070118037
169 exc.VAT
£
.98
£203.98 inc.VAT
39.98 exc.VAT
£47.98 inc.VAT
.00
£298.80 inc.VAT
79.98 exc.VAT
£89.99 inc.VAT
£
PRICE CUT £
74.99 exc.VAT
£
FROM
£
PRICE CUT
CTC900C 070110903
RUBBER GRIP SIDE HANDLES
150 350 KG KG
CLB900C 070114821
CTC107C 070113126
PRICE CUT
149.98 exc.VAT
30
PRICE CUT
269.00 exc.VAT
£
£322.80 inc.VAT
WAS £334.80 inc.VAT
FULL DETAILS SEE IN STORE OR VISIT WEBSITE
MM1 Custom Car 275x200 pg1.indd 1 Custom Car_2026_02_February_Machine Mart_FP.indd 1
Dims Model Weight WxDxH(mm) Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT CSM5150BP 150kg 800x300x1500 070710816 £39.98 £47.98 CSM5350BP 350kg 900x400x1800 070710808 £57.99 £69.59
KG
MAX DRAWER LOAD
HUGE RANGE IN-STORE & ONLINE
TOOL SETS
DIY & PROFESSIONAL AF/ METRIC HOME GARAGE REPAIR KIT
TOOL SET WITH 7 DRAWER TOOL CABINET
.00 197exc.VAT
£
£236.40 inc.VAT
CHT859 040213859
PRO396 040218396
300 PIECE SET
PRICE CUT
619.00 exc.VAT
£
£742.80 inc.VAT
WAS £754.80 inc.VAT CBB217C 070118057
£394
LOADING OPTIONS
£95.98 inc.VAT
£
SAVE UP TO
A CHOICE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR WOODEN WORKTOPS
£155.98 inc.VAT
WAS £167.98 inc.VAT
£1270.80 inc.VAT
compared to individual prices
PRICE CUT
CTC600C 070116037
£179.98 inc.VAT
CORNER UNITS IN STOCK
CTC109C 070113211
• Superb quality & value for DIY & professional workshops
CBB209C 070118032
1059.00 exc.VAT
£
DIY & PROFESSIONAL
FULL EXTENSION ROLLER RUNNERS FOR SMOOTH OPENING ACTION
£
PACKAGES FROM
10 PACKAGES IN THE RANGE
222 PIECE SET
PROFESSIONAL 1/2" DRIVE SOCKET SET
£
32 PIECE SET
54.99 exc.VAT
£
£65.99 inc.VAT
PROFESSIONAL TOOL KIT WITH CANTILEVER TOOLBOX .98 109exc.VAT
£131.98 inc.VAT
PRO378 040810784
PRO394 040218394
91 PIECE SET
23/12/2025 02/01/2026 12:12 10:18
37518
ANGLE GRINDERS
DIAGNOSTICS
Professional Engine Diagnostic & EOBD/OBD ll Fault Code Reader
CON1150
BEST
SELLER
79 exc.VAT
£
.98
exc. inc. Model Motor Order Code VAT VAT CAG800B 800W 060512110 £28.99 £34.79 CON1150 1150W 060514015 £34.99 £41.99 CAG2350C 2350W 060512030 £64.99 £77.99
BRITAIN’S TOOLS & MACHINERY SPECIALIST
£95.98 inc.VAT
CEOBDPRO 010911130
SELLING TO PUBLIC AND TRADE FOR OVER 40 YEARS ALUMINIUM RACING JACKS
PROTECT YOUR PRIDE AND JOY
GARAGES/WORKSHOPS
LENGTH UP TO 40’
FROM
28.99 exc.VAT
£
£34.79 inc.VAT
CTJ1250AC
Quick lift Non-marking nylon wheels
SAVE UP TO
£118 inc.VAT
CTJ1500QL Model CTJ1500QL CTJ1250AC CTJ2500QLGB CTJ1800AB
Lifting Cap. 1.5T 1.25T 2.5T 1.8T
Order Code 020112633 020111818 020112803 020113202
exc.VAT £104.99 £125.99 £159.98 £189.98
inc.VAT £125.99 £151.19 £191.98 £227.98
£
CTJ1800AB
£125.99 inc.VAT
TURBO AIR COMPRESSORS
FROM
ZIP CLOSE DOOR
£
239.98exc.VAT 287
Model CIG81212 CIG81015 CIG81216 CIG81020 CIG81220 CIG81224 CIG1432 CIG1640
£
Dims 3.6 x 3.6 x 2.5m 4.5 x 3 x 2.4m 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.5m 6.1 x 3 x 2.4m 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5m 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5m 9.7x4.3x3.65m 12x4.9x4.3m
Order Code 140613584 140613570 140613574 140613572 140613576 140613578 140613594 140613596
inc.VAT
WAS exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT £239.98 - £287.98 £276.00 - £331.20 £315.00 - £378.00 £339.00 £414.00 £406.80 £389.00 - £466.80 £479.00 - £574.80 £1079.00 - £1294.80 £2299.00 £2877.60 £2758.80
GENERATORS
£125.99 inc.VAT
TIGER 16/550
UV treated & water proof cover for protection against rain and sun Rugged ratchet tight tensioning Heavy duty steel frame
‡ WAS £347.98 inc.VAT
BRIGHT, WHITE INTERIOR KEEPS INSIDE LIGHT
209.00 exc.VAT
£
£250.80 inc.VAT
64.99 exc.VAT
PG3800ADV
Model PG2500A ‡ PG3800A PG3800ADV PG6500ADVES PG9500ADVES
exc.VAT inc.VAT £209.00 £250.80 £249.00 £298.80 £269.00 £322.80 £519.00 £622.80 £895.00 £1074.00
Volts KVA HP Order Code 230 2.2 5.6 010617850 230 3 5.6 010617852 230/110 3 5.6 010617854 230/110 5.5 9.7 010617856 230/110 5.5 16 010617860
inc.VAT £125.99 £191.98 £275.98 £334.80
CERAMIC FAN HEATER
£77.99 inc.VAT
SELLER
BEST
3kW
‡ WAS £262.80 inc.VAT
SELLER 2.8kW DEVIL 7003 010415450
PG6500ADVES
INVERTER GENERATORS
PRICE CUT
229 exc.VAT .00
10kW
£274.80 inc.VAT
£
DEVIL2800PTC-B 010415602
DIESEL FIRED SPACE HEATERS
NOW FROM £
exc.VAT £104.99 £159.98 £229.98 £279.00
£
BEST
WAS £262.80 inc.VAT
Honda engine models available
Clean & stable power source, ideal for sensitive electronic equipment
Order Code 000119490 000119505 000119510 000119515
ELECTRIC HEATERS HUGE RANGE OF HEATING EQUIPMENT
NOW FROM
DIESEL GENERATORS UP TO 125KVA
Model Motor Tank 8/260 2HP 24L 11/550 2.5HP 50L 16/550 3HP 50L 16/1050 ‡ 3HP 100L
KEEP YOU WARM THROUGH WINTER
PRICE CUT
ALSO
Reliable source of power for a wide variety of aplications
FROM
104.99 exc.VAT
£
OFFERS THE PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE.
.98
TIGER 8/260
Superb range ideal for DIY, hobby & semi-professional use
MODEL SHOWN CIG81220 140613576
FROM
104.99 exc.VAT
49.98 exc.VAT
£59.98 inc.VAT
IDEAL FOR FAST EFFICIENT HEATING
WINTER READY 20.5kW
SEE
FULL RANGE
WAS £298.80 inc.VAT
ONLINE
IG2300
Model IG1700F IG1100 IG1900 IG2300 IG4000 IG1100 IG8000
BATTERY CHARGERS /ENGINE STARTERS
FROM
Max Output 1700W 1050W 2000W 2200W 3800W 7500W
IG4000 Fuel Runtime Weight WAS NOW Tank @ 3/4 load KG Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT 10L 8 hrs 22 010617095 £229.00 £298.80 £274.80 2L 2.8 hrs 13.4 010611103 £233.00 £334.80 £279.60 5.6L 5 hrs 20 010617117 £313.00 £394.80 £375.60 5.6L 6.25 hrs 21 010612302 £379.00 £466.80 £454.80 10L 6.25 hrs 52.8 010617130 £699.00 £1074.00 £838.80 26L 8.25 hrs 114 010617135 £1599.00 £2038.80 £1918.80
179 exc.VAT
£ XR35 010410197
.00
£214.80 inc.VAT
89.98 exc.VAT
NEW
£
10kW
MODEL
£107.98 inc.VAT
PRICE CUT
CONTINUOUS OPERATION
£318.00 inc.VAT
Max Amps Charge/ Boost 20/120 38/180 35/180 60/350
£
XR80 010411004
WAS £322.80 inc.VAT
PROPANE GAS FIRED
NEW
15kW
MODEL
Ammeter Multi-position charge regulator Overload protection on charging cycle Model BC125 BC190 WBC180 WBC400
265.00 exc.VAT
12hrs
LOW COST, EFFICIENT HEATING
TURBO FAN GAS HEATERS
BC125
LONG-RUN FUEL TANKS UP TO
10.3kW Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT 010310125 £89.98 £107.98 010310190 £104.99 £125.99 010311500 £149.98 £179.98 010311515 £199.98 £239.98
DEVIL 500 010415022
77.99
£
MM2 Custom Car 275x200 pg2.indd 1 Custom Car_2026_02_February_Machine Mart_FP.indd 2
LITTLE DEVIL II 010416020
DEVIL 600 010415023
exc.VAT
93.59 inc.VAT £99.75
£
exc.VAT
119.70inc.VAT
£
87.99
£
£
105.59
exc.VAT inc.VAT PRICE CUT WAS £107.98 inc.VAT
23/12/2025 02/01/2026 12:13 10:18
37518
PAY Monthly
THE PERFECT GIFT
FOR EXCLUSIVE IN-APP OFFERS
5 MINUTE APPLICATION 2 & 3 TONNE TROLLEY JACKS
PRICE CUT
JACKS ALSO IN STOCK UP TO 5 TONNE
NOW FROM
45.98 exc.VAT
£
£55.18 inc.VAT
CTJ2250LP
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• SPREAD THE COST OVER 12, 24, 36, 48 OR 60 MONTHS • ANY MIX OF PRODUCTS OVER £300 • 19.9% APR
WAS £59.98 inc.VAT
Xtra section
DRILL PRESSES
FROM
84.99 exc.VAT
£
WIDE RANGE IN STORE AND ONLINE
£101.99 inc.VAT
CDP102B
CDP152B
Range of precision bench & floor presses for BEST SELLER enthusiast, engineering & industrial applications CTJ3000GB Model Type CTJ2250LP*‡ Low Profile CTJ3000GB Pro Garage Pro Garage CTJ3000C# CTJ2QLP Low Quick Lift
Tonne 2.25 3 3 2
Order Code 020113070 020113032 020113037 020111820
exc.VAT £45.98 £109.98 £139.98 £149.98
2.25 TONNE CAR LIFT
inc.VAT £55.18 £131.98 £167.98 £179.98
‡ WAS £59.98 inc.VAT # WAS £179.98 inc.VAT
*CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets
FOR CARS UP TO 2.25 TONNES
SOLID STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Model CDP5EB CDP102B CDP152B CDP452B CDP502F
Motor (W) Speeds Order Code exc.VAT 350 / 5 060712030 £84.99 350 / 5 060715512 £109.98 450 / 12 060715522 £179.00 550 / 16 060715575 £289.00 1100 / 12 060715592 £675.00
HOT WASHER
inc.VAT £101.99 £131.98 £214.80 £346.80 £810.00
579 exc.VAT
£ CCL2250 020110146
.00
£694.80 inc.VAT
145 Bar 2100 PSI
18V ½" IMPACT WRENCH 3 forward and 450NM reverse gears Includes batteries and charger BRUSHLESS CCIW160 060210658
FROM
2
x2Ah
“long hoses and remote cord for easy positioning and making sure everything is okay when lifting”
1249.00 exc.VAT
£
£1498.80 inc.VAT Automatic safety locks engage as the lift rises Hydraulic flow divider for precise, equal lifting Corded remote control
LOW-PROFILE FRAMES
67.99 exc.VAT
WAS £83.98 inc.VAT
104.99 exc.VAT
£125.99 inc.VAT *Folds for storage
‡ WAS £83.98 inc.VAT Model CES340 ‡ CES450 CES560 CES680F*
Capacity 340kg 450kg 560kg 680kg
Order Code 020110124 020110121 020110123 020110122
Rotates through 360˚
‡ WAS £562.80 inc.VAT
exc.VAT inc.VAT £67.99 £81.59 £79.98 £95.98 £99.98 £119.98 £135.99 £163.19
Extraction Rate 10L/day 20L/day 30L/day 50L/day
MICRO JUMPSTARTS
Models DH10L DH20L DH30L IDH50L ‡
JUMP STARTS
.98
£59.98 inc.VAT Compact enough to fit in a vehicle glove box
FROM
JSM1000
* AUTO EXPRESS CHOICE JUMP STARTER 2024
‡ WHAT CAR BEST JUMP STARTER 2024 Model JSM600 JSM1000* JSM1200‡
Start Boost 300A 500A 600A
Peak Boost 600A 1000A 1200A
Order Code 010319020 010319025 010319030
EASY WAYS TO BUY... BARNSLEY, S71 1HA BIRMINGHAM, GT. BARR, B43 6NR BIRMINGHAM HAY MILLS, B25 8DA BOLTON, BL3 6BD BRADFORD, BD1 3BN BRISTOL, BS5 9JJ BURTON, DE14 3QZ CAMBRIDGE, CB4 3HL CARDIFF, CF24 3DN CARLISLE, CA1 2LG CHELTENHAM, GL52 2EH CHESTER, CH1 3EY COLCHESTER, CO1 1RE COVENTRY, CV1 1HT CROYDON, CR2 6EU DARLINGTON, DL1 1RB
exc.VAT £49.98 £59.98 £69.98
inc.VAT £59.98 £71.98 £83.98
BEST
SELLER
inc.VAT £125.99 £203.98 £227.98 £538.80
HUGE RANGE IN STORE AND ONLINE
Starts Peak Engines up to Amps Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT Model JS1100C 3L 1100 010310015 £96.99 £116.39 JS1224LiN 6L 1200 010318905 £144.99 £173.99 JS4000 6L 2200 010311030 £164.99 £197.99 JS1224 6L 2000 010311224 £179.98 £215.98
CALL & COLLECT AT STORES TODAY 01226 732297 0121 358 7977 0121 771 3433 01204 365799 01274 390962 0117 935 1060 01283 564708 01223 322675 02920 465424 01228 591666 01242 514402 01244 311258 01206 762831 02476 224227 0208 763 0640 01325 380841
96.99 exc.VAT
£
£116.39 inc.VAT
DEAL KENT, CT14 6BQ DERBY, DE1 2ED DONCASTER, DN2 4NY DUNDEE, DD1 3ET EDINBURGH, EH8 7BR EXETER, EX2 8QG GATESHEAD, NE8 4XA GLASGOW, G4 9EJ GLOUCESTER, GL1 4HY GRIMSBY, DN32 9BD HULL, HU9 1EG ILFORD, IG2 7HU IPSWICH, IP1 1UZ LEEDS, LS4 2AS LEICESTER, LE4 6PN LINCOLN, LN5 8HG
Batteries Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT 2X 2AH 060210658 £99.98 £119.98 LI-ION 4AH CIR 184LIP‡ Cordless 2X LI-ION 060210619 £144.99 £173.99
Ideal for tightening bolts & nuts to a desired torque value
43.99 exc.VAT
£
PRO238 040215238
PROFESSIONAL QUALITY
169 exc.VAT
£203.98 inc.VAT
CSA10BB
CW1D Tank Cap. 10Ltrs 45Ltrs 22.5Ltrs 75Ltrs
FROM
39.98 exc.VAT
£47.98 inc.VAT
IBC20
bracket & pressing plate kit
# Economy model ‡ WAS £443.98 inc.VAT ◆ WAS £586.80 inc.VAT Model Order Code exc.VAT CSA4B-4 tonne bench# 020413025 £169.98 CSA10BB 10 tonne bench 020414020 £289.98 CSA12F 12 tonne floor*#‡ 020413020 £349.00 CSA20FBT 20 tonne floor ◆ 020414058 £479.00
inc.VAT £203.98 £347.98 £418.80 £574.80
VISIT
LIVERPOOL, L3 5NF LONDON CATFORD, SE6 3ND LONDON EDM'TON, N18 020 LONDON LEYTON, E10 7EB LUTON, LU4 8JS MAIDSTONE, ME15 6HE MANCHESTER, OPENSHAW, M11 1AA MANSFIELD, NG19 7AR MIDDLESBROUGH, TS17 6BZ NORWICH, NR2 4LZ NORTHAMPTON, NN5 5JW NOTTINGHAM, NG1 1GN PETERBOROUGH, PE1 2PE PLYMOUTH, PL4 9HY POOLE, BH14 9HT PORTSMOUTH, P03 5EF
Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT 050810031 £59.98 £71.98 050810030 £139.98 £167.98 050810020 £174.99 £209.99 050810920 £219.00 £262.80
£
Model IBC15 IBC20 IBC25 IBC40
CALL
Tank Flow Rate Volume Req. Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT 12V 15A 010317010 £49.98 £59.98 12/24V 20A 010317012 £62.99 £75.59 12/24V 25A 010317013 £79.98 £95.98 12/24V 40A 010317014 £99.98 £119.98
OVER 10,500 LOCATIONS STORES NATIONWIDE 0115 956 5555 01304 373434 01332 290931 01302 245999 01382 225140 0131 659 5919 01392 256744 0191 493 2520 0141 332 9231 01452 417948 01472 354435 01482 223161 0208 518 4286 01473 221253 0113 231 0400 0116 261 0688 01522 543036
Type Bench Floor Floor Floor
INTELLIGENT BATTERY CHARGER/ MAINTAINERS
DAILY USE
* Available with/without 7 pce pin,
CLICK & COLLECT
59.98 exc.VAT
CW2D Model CW2D CW1D CWM20 CW40
£52.79 inc.VAT
HYDRAULIC PRESSES
FROM
£
SELLER
EXTRA An essential tool for any LONG garage or workshop 1M LEADS FOR FROM TOUGH £ .98
FROM
49 exc.VAT
£
exc.VAT £104.99 £169.98 £189.98 £449.00
JS4000
JS1224
Cordless
BEST
HUGE RANGE OF RATCHETS, SPANNERS & SOCKET SETS Digital Torque Adaptor
DH30L Order Code 010410687 010410683 010410685 010410611
Desc
CCIW160
£71.98 inc.VAT
18 Sockets PRO360 8-32mm 040810766 Reversible ratchet Comfort grip handle
FROM
£
Model
29
£
£81.59 inc.VAT
£119.98 inc.VAT
PARTS WASHERS
Top quality £ .98 chrome exc.VAT vanadium steel £35.98 inc.VAT
NOW FROM
CES680F
Fully tested to proof load
INC. CONTAINER FOR DETERGENT
SOCKET SETS LIFETIME & WRENCHES GUARANTEE
IDH50L
PRICE CUT
99.98 exc.VAT
£
‡ Auto Express Best Buy 2024
www.machinemart.co.uk
ENGINE DEHUMIDIFIERS REMOVE DAMP STANDS
CDP502F
B = Bench mounted F = Floor standing
Break down stubborn dirt, grease and oil much faster than cold water
HARRY 2 050412181
CDP452B
0151 709 4484 0208 695 5684 0208 803 0861 0208 558 8284 01582 728063 01622 769572 0161 223 8376 01623 622160 01642 677881 01603 766402 01604 267840 0115 956 1811 01733 311770 01752 254050 01202 717913 02392 654777
BROWSE
machinemart.co.uk
PRESTON, PR2 6BU SHEFFIELD, S2 4HJ SIDCUP, DA15 9LU SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 3SP SOUTHEND, SS9 3JJ STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 5EH SUNDERLAND, SR2 9QF SWANSEA, SA7 9AG SWINDON, SN1 3AW TWICKENHAM, TW1 4AW WARRINGTON, WA2 8JP WIGAN, WN5 9AU WOLVERHAMPTON, WV4 6EL WORCESTER, WR1 1JZ
01772 703263 0114 258 0831 0208 3042069 02380 557788 01702 483742 01782 287321 0191 510 8773 01792 792969 01793 491717 0208 892 9117 01925 630937 01942 323785 01902 494186 01905 723451
Calls to the catalogue request number cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge. Calls may be monitored. All prices correct at time of going to press. We reserve the right to change products and prices. All products subject to availability, E&OE.
MM3 Custom Car 275x200 pg3.indd 1 Custom Car_2026_02_February_Machine Mart_FP.indd 3
23/12/2025 02/01/2026 12:13 10:18
The low Chaparral An ex-Thundersaloon race car, Bryan Whitfield’s Camaro is both a tribute to Trans-Am and to his old pal Roger Butterworth Words: Mike Pye Pics: Alan Kidd
42 CUSTOM CAR FEBRUARY 2026
8pp Bryan Whitfield Camaro READY FOR PAGE NOS.indd 42
01/01/2026 13:33
FEBRUARY 2026 CUSTOM CAR 43
8pp Bryan Whitfield Camaro READY FOR PAGE NOS.indd 43
01/01/2026 13:33
Back axle is out of a Pontiac Trans-Am and it’s a fair guess to say it has 3.27:1 cogs in it. Rear suspension is essentially stock, just with lowering blocks to bring the centre of gravity down
All the graphics are done in vinyl and pay homage to the cars raced by Jim Hall’s Chaparral Chevrolet team in the 1970 SCCA Trans-Am championship. Three sister cars were built and two entered that year, Chaparral having taken over the factory race effort from Roger Penske, who switched allegiance to AMC. The cars were driven primarily by Vic Elford and Ed Leslie
B
ryan Whitfield could be described as something of a hydra of hot rodding; a many-headed beast with his fingers in so many cars, so many projects, that it’s almost impossible to pigeonhole him. Not that we wish to, of course. Even if we take out of the equation all the countless cars he’s painted for other rodders and racers over the years, his current garage contains a wonderfully eclectic mix of his all-out powerhouse ’55 Chevy, the High Spirits Fuel Altered and his V6 Ecoboost-powered ’35 Ford pick-up, all of which have featured in Custom Car in the past. And to that tally we can now add this intriguing Trans-Am-style ’71 Camaro, a car
which throws yet another swerve ball into the mix. It’s not a hot rod, not a street rod and it’s not really a race car, although it looks for all the world like one. So what is it, and how does it fit in with the other cars in his collection? Well, there is one common denominator, and that’s the name Butterworth. “My ’55 is a tribute to my old pal Roger, and the ’35 was a bit of a tribute to his son Mark,” Brian explains. Sadly, neither of them are with us any more. But they both left an indelible mark on Bryan’s life and on that of many others in the British hot rod and drag race fraternities. This car was to be Roger’s last project. That’s the link.
Land of intrigue
“We were both just really intrigued by all that Trans-Am stuff,” Bryan continues. “Roger had collected all these plaques and had started building this car. It were sat on his drive on a trailer, under covers, for about 10 years. I kept saying sell it, but he said he’d do it.” With Roger’s passing, the Camaro wasn’t going to get done. And it was something of a millstone around his wife Sue’s neck. “Sue panicked a bit when Roger died,” Bryan recalls, “and we all wanted to help her out. So I said we’d take the Camaro, finish it and then sell it and give her the money. Stu Bassett at US Automotive agreed to help and I knew others would too.”
44 CUSTOM CAR FEBRUARY 2026
8pp Bryan Whitfield Camaro READY FOR PAGE NOS.indd 44
01/01/2026 13:33
“Roger had collected all these plaques and had started building this car”
Though regulations were remarkably free in the early days of the Trans-Am series, engines in the over 2.0-litre class were limited to 305ci. Bryan’s fitted a fairly mild 350 and it’s stirred into life by a Richmond T-10 four-speed manual transmission
In the end, though, things fell a little more into line for Sue and Bryan was able to buy the car and not have to rely on the generosity of friends to finish it. “The irony being it then sat under sheets at my place for 10 years until I had the time to get on with it!” laughs Bryan. “There’s just always so many demands on your time, and finding space to work on your own stuff is never easy.”
Now or never
But one day, early in 2025, Bryan whipped the covers off and told himself it was time. If it wasn’t, it could easily have sat there for another few years… and none of us are getting any younger, right?
The car itself is an original big-block RS / SS, so it came off the production line with a 396ci motor. For the VIN geeks among you, that’s denoted by Z27 for SS and Z22 for RS on the body tag. The only thing that could have made that package better would be four on the floor but whoever ordered it new checked the auto’ option instead, so it was delivered with a TH400 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. It didn’t stay in America long, being imported into the UK in 1978. Since then, it’s had a pretty interesting history, spending time on track racing in the UK Thundersaloons championship in the early to mid-’90s. “I’ve seen a YouTube video with Gerry Marshall undertaking this car. It was
semi-gloss black with red wheels at the time,” says Bryan. I started looking for that bit of film and promptly disappeared down a rabbit hole I had to pull myself back out of or this feature would never have been finished. Safe to say there’s some brilliant old footage out there. We don’t know the car’s full race history but we do know Roger bought it from exBritish GT driver and noted TVR racer Colin Blower, of Leicestershire-based Colin Blower Motorsport. “They were a big deal in UK motorsport at one time,” says Bryan. “The car had gone into them for some work but ended up being stripped down to almost a bare ’shell. That’s how it was when Roger bought it, a bit of a sad looking thing.”
FEBRUARY 2026 CUSTOM CAR 45
8pp Bryan Whitfield Camaro READY FOR PAGE NOS.indd 45
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Racing pedigree
So, it is a real race car then. Or at least was once. It’s definitely a street car these days, though, albeit one with the obvious compromises that come with driving a ’caged and stripped-out car on the road. I’ve done it, and can tell you from experience it doesn’t make for a relaxing drive, and you can forget any hope of a conversation with your passenger. What that racing pedigree means is that the car came with FIA papers stating its eligibility for historic racing. That’s a nice thing to have and adds significantly to the car’s value in certain circles. “Because it’s got the paperwork, we could have made it into an absolute copy of the Chaparral car,” continues Bryan, “but that would have been
a hell of a lot of work and got very expensive very quickly. “I were gonna do it, but then I found out just the Appendix A rollcage were gonna be 15 grand. Fook that, I only go to get a paper on a Sunday in it!” So the decision was made to build it up as a street car, with a nod to the Camaro Vic Elford drove to victory for the Chaparral Chevrolet team at Watkins Glen in 1970. Incidentally, that was the only win for GM in the Trans-Am series that seson, which saw Ford take overall victory for the second year running. Making that decision allowed Bryan to breathe more easily. It doesn’t matter that the car has a Pontiac Trans-Am back axle, stock right through to its disc brakes. Or that
the mill is what he describes as “a worn 350, but fairly lively.” Power output? “No idea, I’ve never dyno’d it.” That’s the spirit. What we can tell you, though, is that Bryan uses a Richmond Super T-10 four speed to get the most out of it, and to give his left leg an occasional workout.
Rubber cheque
If you think drag racing is expensive, historic circuit racing is on a whole different level. Backing that statement up, Bryan notes that “the tyres cost me a fookin’ fortune.” And you don’t just have one set if you’re racing, you need several, and they go out of date faster than a teenager’s wardrobe. The delicious 8.20-15 Firestone Indy Tyres have got some provenance of their
“It’s virtually impossible to drive on normal roads” The interior is all business, with just a pair of bucket seats and harnesses. It’s not meant to be an exact copy of the original race car but it’s definitely in the spirit of things. Consequently, it’s hard work to drive on the road with no interior or sound deadening to cushion the noise
Bryan’s old pal Roger Butterworth had collected a whole bunch of these old race plaques with the intention of building this car, so it’s only right that they should adorn the dash and add their own little bit to its story
Stewart Warner clocks are housed in a handformed aluminium dash, with large idiot lights to warn of any impending oil issues
Switch gear is all mounted on an aluminium panel between the seats, with flip-up covers to prevent anything being accidentally knocked in the heat of battle
Right: While the car does have FIA papers, having previously been campaigned in the UK Thundersaloons series, and things like a plumbed-in fire suppression system, it would take a lot of work (and money) to bring it up to current FIA historics spec. Bryan’s happy to just have it as his going-down-the-shopson-a-Sunday car
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own, being an old set off the Jim Clark Indy 500-winning Lotus Type 38. “That car got restored a few years ago before it went into a museum, and I was able to buy the tyres off it. They still cost a fookin’ fortune!” We both laughed when I asked about the wheels they’re mounted to. “They’re old Superlite wheels. Roger had ’em for about 30 years, and he bought them second hand. They’re probably just some Chinese copies though.” You can always count on Bryan to make you smile. To comply with FIA historic regulations, the suspension needs to be stock – at least in format – though you are allowed to lower it and fit better dampers. However, racers being racers, there’s always sneaky ways to improve things. “Someone altered the
geometry on the top mounts somewhere along the way,” says Bryan, “but otherwise it’s all standard stuff, just with shorter springs on the front and lowering blocks on the back, and some decent gas shocks.” So, what does that all add up to? “A car that’s virtually impossible to drive on normal roads, that’s what,” laughs Bryan. “I love it, but it’s just a difficult car to drive. The only way to drive it is flat out, because then you have to concentrate so hard that you ignore all the bumps, rattles and noise.”
Road and track
If it’s not much cop for the road, any plans to race it? Bernie’s V8s would be the obvious home for it, though Bryan’s probably got enough on his plate at the
moment with the Altered. “Maybe,” he replies. “I’ve got another set of Minilites to put some trackday tyres on, and a pair of acid-dipped doors with no internals, so maybe they’ll go on one day and I can get a time on it. We’ll see.” What no-one can see however, is the future. And between when I did this interview with Bryan and the feature coming out, he had a slight medical setback which put paid to the honeymoon in Italy he was so looking forward to enjoying with his now wife Diane. We’ve no need to go into the details here, of course, other than to quote Bryan’s summary of the situation: “To say I’ve dodged a fookin’ hand grenade is I genuinely think an underestimation!”
If you’re wondering why the car is on a T-plate, it’s because it came into the country in 1978, at a time when the DVLA were assigning year of entry reg numbers regardless of the year of manufacture
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Further reading Trans-Am, or Trans-American Sedan Championship to give it its original title, is a fascinating race series to study. As American as apple pie, it claims to be the longest continually running series in America. That said, it’s definitely had its ups and downs over the years. Forged in 1966 by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), it began as a manufacturers’ championship, pitting primarily the rorty V8 products of General Motors against Ford against Chrysler against AMC. As has been written, road racing was a sport but Trans-Am was very much a business.
And that business was promoting and selling the new lines of phenomenally successful pony cars. Though it’s hard to prove, as much of the development was done as ‘skunkworks’ operations, it has been estimated that the big four US manufacturers threw around $6 million between them at the 1970 season to try and win the Trans-Am championship. That’s how important they felt it was. Engine size was limited to 5.0-litres (305ci), which led to some fantastic, pure race bred, high winding small blocks and some now highly desirable special edition road cars like the Challenger T/A, AAR ’Cuda
We were extremely pleased to hear that, as I’m sure every one of you reading this will be. Particularly in light of the comment Bryan made at the end of our interview. “I’ve got zero intention of building anything else. Diane is adamant I need to slow down, and I know she’s right. We’ve even got a gardener now!”
Gardening aside, Bryan’s achieved what he set out to do with this car, which was to finish it and honour Roger’s original intention in the process. Whether he ever gets on a track with it is somewhat irrelevant now. He’s done his old pal proud, and there will be a lot of people to whom that gesture means a great deal. Nice one, Bryan. CC
and Z/28 Camaro, all of which brought the Trans-Am racing spirit to the street. On track, the cream of the world’s saloon car drivers were recruited to wring the cars’ necks and fans lapped up the bumper-to-bumper, argybargy action. What’s not so well known is that there was also a sub 2.0-litre category for European cars, and all raced on track together. Even Ford of Britain backed the series, entering Lotus Cortinas. Fun fact: the inaugural championship wasn’t won by a rorty V8 at all, but by an Alfa Romeo GTA. That must have upset a few people.
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1968-’72 is considered the championship’s golden era, with 1970 being the undisputed high water mark. After that, it fell apart a bit, largely due to the sudden demise in the US muscle car market thanks to the oil crisis and skyrocketing insurance costs. Manufacturers pulled their support and Trans-Am yo-yo’d between single and split classes and different regulation sets for the next few decades. It continued through the 1980s’ turbo era and on into the 2000s, the cars becoming more sophisticated all the time, with tube frames and silhouette bodies taking it ever further away from the series’ original production-based ethos.
Ownership of the Trans-Am brand changed multiple times over the years too and, as of 2017, it was owned by SCCA Pro Racing and the Trans Am Race Company (TARC), with paperwork in place to ensure it will continue until 2041 and plans to expand it into other territories, including New Zealand and Australia. As this is Custom Car you’re reading here, as opposed to Racecar Engineering, the era we suspect will be of interest to most readers is 1966-72. And while a number of books have been written on the subject, Trans-Am Era by Daniel Lipetz is our recommended read.
The tall rear spoiler developed in the wind tunnel for the Trans-Am race cars was actually a Pontiac device originally, a slightly toned down version of which made its way on to the Camaro option sheet for the 1971 model year
Left: 10-spoke wheels were the thing to have in Trans-Am in the ’70s. The factory racers would have run magnesium versions but these 8 x 15-inch aluminium Superlites are well over 40 years old and definitely look the part. Helped no end by the vintage 8.20-15 Firestone Indy rubbers they’re wrapped in
Right: The Camaro is an original SS / RS big-block car, so the distinctive nose and split bumpers have been there all its life. The Perspex front spoiler (the ones on the original cars were Lexan, and the company was a sponsor), with vents to allow cooling air to reach the front brakes, is a copy of the ones used by teams in Trans-Am competition in the early ’70s
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Colin lighting up the track at the start of one of his trademark burnouts
Auto Focus The Flyin’ Fyfer ■ Words and Pics: Keith Lee
F
ollowing on from my last feature on Al O’Connor, it seemed a good time to look at Colin Millar, who has also made his name with a sit up and beg Anglia. He too has a penchant for flamed cars and in this scribe’s mind, his could be seen as a successor to Al’s Gasser. Both know how to put on a great show. Indeed, Colin does look forward to the times he gets to run against Al. Although he has a lot more firepower, it is all down to comparing their reaction times. Colin knows he is really on the ball if he can match Al’s lightning reactions. For Colin, it all started when his friend Gerry Triet persuaded him to come down
to Santa Pod with him in 1984. That was a very long haul from his home in Kinross, Scotland. Both youngsters had got hold of Morris Minors when they were just 14, which kept them busy sorting out and modifying. Colin’s customised Morrie would become his first road car in 1981. Significantly, this was followed by his first Anglia in 1984. Colin’s maiden trip down the quarter came at a Santa Pod RWYB in that first Anglia, back in ’86. Driving the tweaked machine, he managed to run in the 14 second bracket. He had various hot rods over the years; but when he got married and had kids, he only managed to get along to the drags sporadically.
The Fyfer sported an updated body design for 2023, but the colours and flames remained
It was in 2007 that he came back to try his hand in a quick ’32 three window coupe. Powered by a big-block Chevy, with an added 150 shot of nitrous available, it was a fun car. Come 2008, Colin bought a flamed Pop in order to go racing in Outlaw Anglia. This quickly served to whet his appetite for more, as he ran it for a couple of years. When Pete Ashworth’s Dayglo Twister 4 came up for sale, it would prove to be the perfect basis for what has become a star performer over many years now. I asked Colin if the car had stayed fairly much the same over the past fifteen years. “No, not at all,” he says. “There have been four different engine combinations and
Waiting in the lanes prior to another run. The paint scheme is reflected in Colin’s race suit
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A head-on view of our driver ready to rumble
two gearboxes. Andy Frost has serviced the trans for the past 15 years. “Everything on the car has changed, except for the chassis. That was built by Andy Robinson. When he sees the car, he says it was never built to go that fast! But there has never been a cracked weld in all these years.” A good number of us may think we have a long trip to Santa Pod, but most will pale when taking on board that Colin enjoys a round trip of 800 miles to each race meeting! On that note, he did say to me that he always seems to have to replace the shockers on his Anglia much more often than anyone else. Then he mentioned that he has racked up many runs, and a staggering 170,000 miles towing the Flyin Fyfer to events; which maybe gives a clue as to why the shocks don’t last! Over the years, as Colin had a body mould, he has produced at least 17 Anglia shells for other racers. This is quite remarkable, given that he hates messing around with fibreglass! In 2015, Colin and his partner Lyn headed out on their longest trip, and a very memorable one it was too, which was to take the car to California for six weeks of racing in the sport’s homeland. They packed in a lot of racing in that time and returned with a coveted NHRA ‘Wally’ at Las Vegas, for Best Appearing Team, to round off their US adventure. The Flying Fyfer team consists of Colin and partner Lyn Purvis, who were joined some eight years ago by a young Aaron Springford. “In the early times together,” says Colin, “I made all the calls with the car. But Aaron is a clever lad. He absorbs all the information – and never puts a foot wrong.” In recent times, Colin has been seen competing in the 7.60 class. “I tried many
A real treat was seeing Aussie star John Willard racing at Santa Pod in 2023. He’s pictured here on his last pass against Colin in a real North-South battle
Aaron strides out front, as you get a clue as to how much nitrous is available from the nitro purge!
changes to tame the car and get the right consistency. This then allowed me to go and do Pro Street in Scandinavia.” During 2025, a mammoth tour took Colin and Lyn on a 161-day trip of more than 9000 miles, which included races in Norway, Sweden and Germany. “Winning Pro Street at Malmo on our last day in Sweden was the icing on the cake.” He took a mountain of spares with him, including the spare motor – and needed nothing on the whole journey! The 632 cubic inch Scott Shafiroff motor puts out 1250hp, before a healthy dose of nitrous is pushed into the huge motor – adding another 800hp to the mix in the 101-inch wheelbase car. The 5-port nitro purge on the line is an impressive display, and the motor consumes nine pounds of gas per run. ICE now services the motor, following many years with Ian Whitworth. To date, Colin has hit a best time of 6.90s, with a terminal speed of 199mph, just a fraction behind class quickest runner Jedd Guy on 6.88. Colin admits that he does not see himself being able to push his best ET mark by any appreciable amount, however he will be trying all out to get that elusive 200mph ticket. You can be sure that the Flyin’ Fyfer himself will be out to hit new heights in 2026 – and, as always, with a big smile on his face.
Watching the launch for any issues, as the big block machine takes another crack at 200mph
The packed engine compartment, with its maze of nitrous fittings
Inside the cockpit, where it is all about functionality
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Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Steve Cook
There must be something in Yorkshire water, other than what’s good for brewing a cuppa. It’s an element that makes hot rodders look outside the box and create something unique
PROGRESS REPORT: PART 4
P
revious instalments in the story of the one-of-a-kind Atlantis being created by Steve Cook and Graham Slater have described the shaping of the polyurethane buck used to form the body. It was a painstaking process – but now at last we can look on as the body itself is formed by covering the buck with fibreglass matting. The fibreglass was then coated with fibre-reinforced filler, which adds additional strength while helping to iron out minor discrepancies. While that process sounds simple, it involved many hours of long block sanding between coats. Although the body was formed as one piece, the plan from the outset was for it to have detachable wings. That added to the workload for Steve and Graham as, while cutting off the wings was a fairly simple process, making good and bonding in steel strengthening was far more time-consuming. You may have noticed that at this stage, there is no visible means of accessing the interior. Rest assured that apparent oversight has already been dealt with, and we’ll cover
how the doors and tailgate were cut out and the shuts were formed in future issues. As for a real-time update regarding how the project is progressing, when we spoke to Steve regarding this instalment, the duo had
already made a start on the interior. What’s more, the day before we called, an autoelectrician had made a start on installing the wiring. Well, you can’t expect Steve and Graham to tackle absolutely everything.
With the buck for the body finished, it was time to begin the lengthy process of laying down the fibreglass matting…
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…and with a body this size, it’s easy to understand why it was so timeconsuming
The only areas not coated with fibreglass matting were the original Atlantis bonnet…
The buck was coated with three layers of 450gsm matting infused with marine-grade polyester resin
…and the triangular-shaped areas at the rear of the side panels, along with the panel sections of the rear tailgate. More of those later
The wing top mounted indicator pods were formed from polyester and foam before being cast in fibreglass. The lenses are off-the-shelf modern-day side repeaters
The first attempt at forming the rear light pods was given a resounding thumbs down
As the plan was for removable wings, once the resin had fully cured the rears were cut off
Understandably, that left the sawn edges in need of refinement
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With the edges smoothed out, the flanges on to which the wings would be mounted were formed using UPVC window trim
For maximum strength and rigidity, the flanges run around the full length of the inner arches
The front wings were next on the hit list, and they too unceremoniously parted company with the main body
The window trim was bonded to the body with fibreglass matting and resin, and the flanges will be strengthened by bonding in steel rails and bracketry
The internal shape-forming foam and polystyrene sheet will be removed and the edges of the wings tidied and strengthened with steel before they are bolted back in place
“No visible means of accessing the interior” The returns of the running boards on the leading and trailing edges were formed from more of that domestic window trim
The process of coating the fibreglass body and panels with fibre-reinforced filler had already begun at this stage
…the returns were carefully coated with fibreglass matting and resin
With the running board returns formed, and the edges of the wings trimmed and shaped…
NEXT TIME: Beefing up
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05/01/2026 12:50
Out & About
Presentable gathering
Words & Pics: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Lyndsey Challis and as credited
Event: NSRA Hall of Fame Celebration Evening Date: 29 November 2025 Venue: Mitchell Hall, Cranfield University
The inaugural NSRA Hall of Fame Celebration Evening took place at Cranfield University on Saturday 29 November. Over 100 members and guests gathered to honour all those
who had been inducted since the HoF’s inception in 2012. Against the backdrop of a collage for each inductee, a citation for each was read out, glasses were raised and those in attendance were called up to be presented with an engraved tumbler and a commemorative lapel badge. Four of the five most recent inductees, pictured here, were also presented with their coveted Hall of Fame plaques. The recipient of the 2024 Street Rod inductee, the Geoff Cousins-built ’34 coupe, could not be present on the evening.
The proceedings paused as those present enjoyed a three-course buffet meal before continuing after all had eaten. Acknowledging a total of 48 recipients was always going to be a challenge, but the six NSRA committee members who undertook the task handled it with style and panache. Slick doesn’t do it justice. We at Custom Car feel privileged to be part of it all and thank the NSRA for recognising the magazine’s contribution to hot rodding by inducting it into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
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Pic: DB 2024 inductee – NSRA Member: Rob Whitwell, presented by Alison Milward
Pic: DB 2024 inductee – Individual: Derek Chapman, presented by Anne Owen and collected by Tim Horsfall
Pic: DB 2024 Special Inductee: Nick BrookeLangham, presented by Grant Pinney
Pic: DB 2024 inductee – Supplier / Organisation: Dave Haskell, presented by Matthew Stanley and collected by Stuart Laird
Pic: Donna Atkinson
A collective shot of all those presented with NSRA Hall of Fame accolades, embracing 12 years of inductee
Health reasons dictated that Ian Armstrong was unable to attend the celebration evening, so Julian ‘Acker’ Atkinson deputised. Acker then visited Ian and Julie to relocate the tumbler and badge to their rightful home
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Out & About
One Hall of a show
Words and pictures: Olly Sack Event: Drag the Halls Date: 27 December 2025 Venue: Great Northern Classics
We visited Great Northern Classics in Derby a few months ago for Lay’n’Play’s Lowrider show (Dec ’25 issue). That was a nicely busy event – but Drag the Halls, a post-Christmas blow-out of hot rods and drag racers, was on another level altogether. Arriving a little while after the doors opened, we were met by a helpful chap on the gate who apologised that the venue itself was already packed to the rafters with show cars and visitors’ parking. So too was the industrial park road on which Great Northern Classics is located, and the main road running past the venue (a former foundry once operated by Rolls-Royce) is all yellow lines, so we ended up parking a couple of streets away and enjoying the sounds of V8s singing away as we walked back round. That’s how busy it was at the start of the day. The event attracted a huge number and variety of cars and with free entry for all, the outside show area was all go – and inside, the upstairs café was absolutely
mobbed. Attractions here included former CC feature car Russo’s Rat, brought by Chris Goodale – one of a good number promoting the Nostalgia Super Stock and Street Eliminator race series in the main building. First thing you’d see on the way in the front doors, indeed, was Victoria Smith’s superbly presented Buick GS, front body off to display its 540ci mill. There was a future feature car on display upstairs too, in the shape of LOA 24, a well known ’32 coupe from the 1980s whose owner Rob Shipley’s recently put it back on the road after a long rebuild. Look out for it in next month’s issue of Custom Car. It’ll be joined in our pages by a few other local vehicles which we spotted at the show and now have photoshoots pending, including Andy Taylor’s TVR-powered ’38 Standard Flying 9 and, lined up next to it alongside the Great Northern Classics building, a Lanchester LA11 Sport brought back to life by Richard Oldfield and Ste Morecroft after decades in storage and revived as a beach racer. It’s a car, and a build, with a hell of a story, one we look forward to covering in the near future. There was plenty of other British tin on display too, alongside a mixture of traditional rods, pick-ups, Dubs, vans and a smattering of modern muscle. Things did
start to thin out quite early, however – it seemed like a lot of visitors were using it as an opportunity for a couple of hours’ winter catch-up with their rodding mates, and latecomers would have missed out on many of the best cars that attended. The indoor show was still there, though – and on a day that stayed dry but was definitely not warm, good news is that so was the café! It may have quietened down a bit early, but Drag the Halls was a huge success. It woke a whole lot of people from their post-festive slumber – and best of all, it showed off to the world what a healthy rod and custom scene there is in the Midlands. Safe to say we’re all hoping that it’s going to become an annual fixture in the Great Northern Classics calendar.
These days, when you see the Stars and Stripes you need to check that you’ve not just been invaded. But this ’69 El Camino is the kind of takeover we can all get behind
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This incredibly rare Lanchester LA11 Sport languished for decades as an abandoned project before Richard Oldfield and Ste Morecroft got their hands on it with the idea of finishing it off as a beach racer. As always, it was a much bigger job than it looked – but they got it out in time for last year’s Race the Waves. There’s some proper hot rod engineering in it – those headlamps are made from dog bowls, for instance. We snapped this pic in one of the rare moments when there wasn’t a crowd around it
There was an excellent collection of competition cars from Nostalgia Super Stock and Street Eliminator on display within Great Northern Classic’s big, sprawling two-storey building. Chris Goodale had brought former CC feature car Russo’s Rat, which was taking pride of place upstairs, but the first thing you did on the way in the front door was get an eyeful of Victoria Smith’s gorgeous 540ci Buick GS
David Hollick cruised up to Derby from nearby Swadlincote in his ’57 Chevy 3100. The not-verymini Mini alongside it is a rebodied Daihatsu F20, which was a hilariously rust-prone 4x4 with a 1.6-litre Toyota engine
Andy Taylor must be the only person in the world with two 1938 Standard Flying 9s. One of them has been restored back to original: this is the other one. Get under the skin and it’s all TVR Chimaera, with a 4.0litre V8 making around 240bhp
’32 Most people were clapping eyes on this Q-plated Jago of lookalike and thinking Milner’s Coupe. There are a lot differences, in fact, but either way there wasn’t a lot more there in the way of eye-catching motors
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BRENTACRE CUSTOM CAR & HOT ROD INSURANCE
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 editorial@pistonpublications.co.uk
JANUARY 2026 18 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 18 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 25 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 20 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 31 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
FEBRUARY 2026 4 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 15 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 15 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 17 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 20-22 Race Retro Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. www.raceretro.com 22 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com
28 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
28 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
28-1 March Straightliners Speed Show Elvington,West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
28 American Car Cruise Porthcawl seafront, South Wales. Facebook: Gary Morgan / Ifan Miller
MARCH 2026
29 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
4 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 8 NSRA Southern Swapmeet North Weald Airfield, Essex www.nsra.org.uk 15 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636 15 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 17 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 20-22 Classic Car and Restoration Show NEC, Birmingham. www.necrestorationshow.com 21 Drag’n’Drift Dakota Raceway, Smeatharpe Airfield, Devon. www.straightliners.events 22 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 22 Straightliners Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
29 Spring Shakedown Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events 30 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
APRIL 2026 1 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 3 Wheels Day Newbury Showground, Berkshire www.surreystreetrodders.com 3-5 Festival of Power Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 3-6 Velocity Spring Drags Manston Raceway Park, Kent. www.velocityvintagedrags.racing 7 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 11-12 Spring Nationals Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events
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19 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 22-25 The Main Event Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 26 Gathering of Geezers. Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield. www.whitewebbsmuseum.co.uk
12 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Silverstone Grand Prix www.berniesv8s.com
MAY 2026
25-31 NSRA Fun Run Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park Isle of Wight. www.nsra.org.uk
1-3 Nostalgia Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
29-1 June VanJam Fir Tree Farm, Warmington. www.vanditos.co.uk
2-3 Pendine Speed Weekend Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire www.straightliners.events
30 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
3 BHP Show Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone. bhpshows.com 5 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach
12 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
6 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
13 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
9-10 Melbourne Mayhem Melbourne Raceway www.straightliners.events
18-19 Springspeed Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
11 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
19 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636 19 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 19 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 21 Drag’n’Drift Dakota Raceway, Smeatharpe Airfield, Devon. www.straightliners.events 21 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 23-26 Isle of Man Ford Fest www.iomfm.com 25 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 26 FBHVC Drive-It Day www.driveitday.co.uk 26 The Fast Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
24 Throttle Bicester Motion, Oxon. www.vhra.co.uk
15-17 Doorslammers Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 16-17 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Thruxton (British Truck Racing Championship) www.berniesv8s.com 16-17 Duchy Ford Show Watergate Bay, Newquay, Cornwall www.duchyfordclub.co.uk 16-17 Motor Madness Festival Great Yarmouth Seafront / Joyland American Diner Facebook: East Coast Pirates Car Club 17 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636 17 Classic Wheels Rutland Showground, Oakham www.classicwheelsrutland.co.uk 17 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
JUNE 2026 2 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 3 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 4-7 Hot Rods and Hills Park Foot Holiday Park, Penrith www.parkfootullswater.co.uk 4-7 Street Weekend Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 5-7 Hot Rod Rumble The Camp, Ramsey, Huntingdon www.hotrodrumble.co.uk 6-7 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Brands Hatch (Speedfest) www.berniesv8s.com 6-7 Street Weekend Melbourne Raceway www.straightliners.events 7 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 8 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events 12-14 The Old Race Clairmarais, Pasde-Calais, France. www.theoldrace.com 13-14 Sportsman Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 16 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
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19 VHRA Swap Meet The Camp, Ramsey, Cambs. www.vhra.co.uk
20-21 Argyle Mile Campbletown Airfield, Scotland www.straightliners.events
21 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
21 BHP Fuel Fest Westpoint Arena, Exeter, Devon. bhpshows.com
24-26 Bug Jam Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
21 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636
24-26 Weekend of Wheels Moor Green, Nottingham www.coffeencarsuk.club
21 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
9-12 Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www. goodwood.com
27 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
10-12 Summer Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
26-28 Dragstalgia Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
11-12 Jet Fest Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events
27-28 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Donington Park GP www.berniesv8s.com
13 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
JULY 2026
17-19 Rock ‘n’ Ribs Festival Bath and West Showground, Somerset. www.rocknribsfestival.co.uk
1 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 3-4 Hangar Rockin St Stephan Airfield, St Stephan, Switzerland. www.hangarrockin.com
18 In the Mood, Presenting Wings & Wheels South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum Doncaster Facebook: Mick Tebbs / Les Andrews
3-5 MPH Vintage Sprint Denethorpe Airfield, Corby. www.mphdrags.co.uk
18 Mustang Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
3-5 National Hot Rod, Custom, & American Car Show Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln. www.hotrodandcustomshow.co.uk
18-19 American Auto Club UK Summer Nationals. Upton Upon Severn Worcestershire www.american-auto-club.co.uk
3-5 V8 Brothers Village Gits, Belgium. www.v8brothers.be
19 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636
4 Drag’n’Drift Dakota Raceway, Smeatharpe Airfield, Devon. www.straightliners.events
19 Deuce Day British Motor Museum, Gaydon www.deucesofbritain.co.uk/deuce-day
25 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25-26 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Snetterton USA 300 www.berniesv8s.com 26 No Guts, No Glory Manston Raceway Park, Kent. Web: 4bk00h-0u.myshopify.com 26 Summer Drags Manston Raceway Park, Kent. www.velocityvintagedrags.racing
AUGUST 2026 4 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 5 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 6-9 NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals Old Warden, Bedfordshire www.nsra.org.uk 7-9 Mopar Euro Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 7-9 Retrofestival Newbury Showground. www.retrofestival.co.uk 8-9 Midsummer Nationals Melbourne Raceway www.straightliners.events
7 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach
19 Ford Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
9 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
9-12 European Street Rod Nationals Sillé-le-Guillaume, Sarthe, France. www.esra-rod.eu
19 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
10 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
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20 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 25-27 National Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 26 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 26 Drag’n’Drift Dakota Raceway, Smeatharpe Airfield, Devon. www.straightliners.events 26-27 Sywell Classic: Pistons and Props Sywell Aerodrome, Northants www.sywellclassic.co.uk 15 Drag’n’Drift Dakota Raceway, Smeatharpe Airfield, Devon. www.straightliners.events 16 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636 16 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 18 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 22 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Oulton Park US Autoshow www.berniesv8s.com
6 A602’s Autorama Fairlands Valley Showground, Stevenage. Facebook: A602’s CC Autorama Show 10-13 Euro Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 10-13 Race the Waves Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. www.backfireinfo.weebly.com 11-13 Goodwood Revival Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 12-13 Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races Pendine, Carmarthenshire. www.vhra.co.uk
22-23 Greenlight Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
13 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
23-24 European No-Prep Nationals Manston Raceway Park, Kent. Web: 4bk00h-0u.myshopify.com
13-14 Locked and Loaded Manston Raceway Park, Kent. Web: 4bk00h-0u.myshopify.com
23 Ford Fair Silverstone Circuit www.fordfair.co.uk
15 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
29 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
17-20 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring www.iomfm.com
SEPTEMBER 2026
17-20 Speed and Wheelies Week Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events
1 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 2 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 4-6 The Trip Out Euston Park, Suffolk. www.thetripout.co.uk 5-6 Bracket Bonanza Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events
18-20 Hot Rod Drags Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 19-20 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Brands Hatch GP www.berniesv8s.com 20 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636
OCTOBER 2026 3-4 Firework Finale Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events 5 Full Throttle Monday Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events 6 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 7 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 11 King of the South 1/4-mile RWYB. Manston Raceway Park, Kent. Web: 4bk00h-0u.myshopify.com 11 Restoration Show and Spares Market Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. restoration-show.co.uk 18 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636 18 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 18 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 20 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25 Straightliners Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 31 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 31 Flame and Thunder Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
FEBRUARY 2026 CUSTOM CAR 63
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