Custom Car October 2026

OCT 2026

£5.99

Chip Foose: In the workshop as his latest creation takes shape

Firenza with benefits

Barry Dacey’s back – with a tribute to the cars he smoked around in when he was young

PLUS After four decades and a long list of other cars, Ian Dawes has finally done the Fordson van he’s always wanted to build

Official Broker of the NSRA Authorised and regulated by the FCA

Contents

i 24 ssu No v Se e o ’2 pt n 6 em sa be le r

Find us on Facebook at mCarMagazine www.facebook.com/Custo

8 52 Regulars 2

News & Reviews

Latest from every corner of the scene

32 Centre Spread

The garage of your dreams…

40

38 Autofocus

The Hall of Fame turns twenty

60 Events

Make a date in ‘28. Yes, really…

64 Next Month

Richard James’ glorious ‘34

Features 8

Golden Arches

Stunning stance on Ian Dawes’ Fordson

18 N ational Hot Rod Show Tales from the red carpet

36

24 Barry’s Back!

And he’s built one mean Firenza

34 Summer Nationals

PBs aplenty and a whole lot of Pod Face

36 Plymouth Motor Show Customs on the South Coast

40 Present Tense

Buying yourself a hot rod for your birthday

18

24

www.customcarmag.co.uk

46 US Truck Nationals

Now evolved into a two-day event

52 Chip’s Shop

Chip Foose opens up about the future

58 Run to the Pub

No Run to the Sun? Let’s go down the pub…

SUBSCRIBE! 16 Custom Car subs offer

The best value way to get your monthly fix

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 1

News & reviews

E&J repros Available from Poole’s B&R Restorations, these reproduction Edmunds & Jones E&J Type 20 headlights feature show-quality polished ali bodies. The re-designed onepiece shells incorporate full-length grooves mimicking the two halves of the originals. The 100% plug and play lights have been upgraded to H4 Halogen bulbs with the addition of side lights. The lights are fitted with glass lenses and are supplied with internal wiring looms and stainless steel mounting hardware. Looking identical to the originals, the lights meet modern safety standards with the re-design featuring a male cup mount suitable for popular aftermarket headlight stands.

The main features are: Polished ali bodies Chromed steel bases Glass lenses Polished brass cast emblems S tainless steel mounting bolts drilled for wiring Each unit weighs approximately 1.3kg, lighter than the cast originals. Priced at £1800 per pair, the headlights are available on eBay or can by email at info@brrestorations.co.uk. A Heritage Series will be available from the end of August with satin finished ali bodies and nickel plated bases, priced at £1600 per pair.

MANAGEMENT

SUBSCRIPTIONS AGENCY

Publisher: Alan Kidd

WW Magazines, 151 Station Street,

editorial@pistonpublications.co.uk

Burton on Trent, Staffs DE14 1BG

Piston Publications Ltd, PO Box 8830, Burton on Trent DE14 9QW

EDITORIAL Group Editor: Alan Kidd editorial@pistonpublications.co.uk Art Editor: Ian Denby-Jones

contents of Custom Car are accurate, but Piston Publications accepts no

01283 742970

responsibility for errors or omissions nor

13 issues of Custom Car are published

DISTRIBUTION

a result of these. When responding to

per annum

Distribution in Great Britain:

UK annual subscription price: £64.87

Marketforce UK Limited,

Europe annual subscription price: £78

121-141 Westbourne Terrace,

USA annual subscription price: £78

London W2 6JR

Rest of World annual subscription

Tel: 0330 390 6555

Tony Thacker

price: £85

www.marketforce.co.uk

Photographers

UK subscription and back issue orders:

SUBSCRIPTIONS

www.customcarmag.co.uk

Every effort is made to ensure the

Contributors Dave Biggadyke, Mike Pye, Keith Lee, James Webber, Olly Sack, Dan Fenn,

Julian Hunt, Vic Peel, Harry Hamm, Richard Hair

ADVERTISEMENT SALES Assignment Media Ltd Colin Ashworth 01283 742969 colin.ashworth@assignment-media. co.uk

2 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

ccsubscriptions@wwonline.co.uk 01283 742970

the consequences of actions made as any advert in Custom Car, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for loss or damage incurred from responding to adverts Where a photo credit includes the note ‘CC BY 2.0’ or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence: details at www.creativecommons.org © Piston Publications Ltd 2026 All rights reserved

Master Cylinders

Master Cylinder Adapter Kits

David Cooper by Paul Croisdale David ‘Coops’ Cooper passed away on 6 June after a long battle with cancer. He was a great man and will be missed by many. A very helpful person to anyone, especially hot rodders, he was also a very keen golfer. His Hiboy roadster graced the cover of the June ’88 issue of Custom Car in a feature titled Cooper’s Henry. Coops had no hesitation in helping out with the rebuild when his good friend Paul Croisdale bought the ex-Tim Hammond Model Y Ford. Over the years, Coops built and sold a number of hot rods and also owned a Jaguar E-Type. Up until his passing, he was driving a black primered Ford Pop. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Coops

67 - 72 Mustangs 67 - 76 Corvettes Compatible with Adapters

Chevy Car 1937-1954 Chevy Truck 1947-1954 Ford Car 1939-1951 Ford Truck 1948-1952, 1957-1962

$85 - $127

$80 - $589

Disc Brake Conversion Bracket Kits

Disc Brake Conversion Kits

Chevy Car 1928-64 Chevy Truck 1928-1954 ½ ton Ford Car 1937-1953, 1957-1964 Ford Truck 1937-1956

Chevy Truck 1928-1954 ½ ton Chevy Car 1928-1964 Ford Truck 1937-1956 Ford Car 1937-1964 Dodge/Plymouth Passenger Car 1937-1941, 1946-1961

$261 - $415

$805 - $1370

streetrodhq.com 01-360-835-9799 Follow us on

Custom Car_2025_12_Winter_Chevs of the 40s_QP.indd 1

22/10/2025 08:58

Pic: Alan Kidd

Brian Crawford

Pic: Alan Kidd

Brian ‘Piel’ Crawford passed away on 10 July, having remained courageous to the end. A lifelong petrol head, Brian’s first car was a Ford Squire which he started modifying before getting into the local scooter scene. Returning to four wheels in the jack-up kit resurgence years, his Hillman Avenger sported porthole windows and metalflake paint. As years progressed, Brian turned his attention to traditional-style hot rods and, thanks to his long-standing best friend Roy Jones, we were privileged to feature his Flathead-powered, fenderless ’32 coupe in the January ’26 issue of Custom Car. Brian will be sadly missed, and his passing will leave a hole in the lives of so many. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Brian

Cylinder head and engine reconditioning Crank Grinding / Balancing Vintage Engine Works Carried Out Rebores Precision Machining Parts Supplier On-site Repairs Hamlins Engineering 64 Monmouth Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 5EJ Tel: +44 (0)1278 422452 Email: info@hamlinsengineering.co.uk OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 3 Custom Car_2024_12_Dec_Hamlins_QP.indd 1

14/10/2024 16:56

News & reviews

Something for the weekend? Into the valley

Get hooked At the time of writing, just 24 weekend camping tickets were available for the Hooked Weekender at Hooke Court in Dorset on 29-31 August, so if you’re quick you may still be able to go. Please note however that all Long House, Round House and Bell Tent accommodation is sold out. Hooked is a laid-back weekend of traditional pre-’75 hot rods and customs set in the grounds of an historic manor house in glorious West Dorset. If you like the sound of that, you need to act now. Facebook: Hooked Weekender

Straight brackets The Straightliners Bracket Bonanza takes place at Melbourne Raceway on 5-6 September. Along with RWYB racing, the track action will include American Super Stock and National Street Car Challenge. Trevor 07971 172210 / Helen 07921 712266 / www.straightliners.events

4 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

The A602’s Autorama is on Sunday 6 September at Fairlands Valley Showground in Stevenage. The show runs from 10.00am to to 4.00pm and show car admission costs £5 per vehicle. Public admission is £3 per person, with children admitted free. Please note it is cash only on the gate. Along with the show vehicles, the day offers live music and trade stands. www.autoramashow.com

Horsepower overload Over 10-13 September, champions will be crowned, history will be made and tyres will suffer. Yes, the Euro Finals will be back at Santa Pod. Nothing comes close to the sound and speed of 300mph Top Fuel Dragsters but they are only part of the spectacle. Top Methanol, Funny Cars, Nostalgia Invitational, Pro Mod, Pro Stock, along with many

Make a date more classes will be taking to the track. Add in flames, fireworks and monster trucks, and there’s an unforgettable weekend in the making. Early bird advance tickets are available until 28 August. www.santapod.com

Top day The Ford Pop Day, Top of the Pops 2, is on Sunday 13 September at Industry & Supply Coffee Depot, Heyford Hills Farm, Northants NN7 3LB. A new personalised event T-shirt featuring your own Pop will be available, while TOTP 1 T-shirts are still available to order. www.industryandsupply.com

For those who like to fill in their calendars well in advance, here are a couple of event dates to jot down for next year. Organised by North East Rod & Custom, the 20th River Run is from 30 April to 3 May, the early May Bank Holiday weekend. Staged in aid of Parkinson’s UK, the venue is Croft & District WMC in Darlington. Full details to follow. Facebook: North East Rod & Custom Celebrating 95 years of the ’32 Ford, Deuce Day 2027 is on Sunday 18 July. As before, it will take place at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Full details to follow. Facebook: Deuces of Britain

News & reviews Jumper

Benevolent supporters

The directors of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame are pleased to announce that the Grand Auction and Sale held during Santa Pod’s recent Dragstalgia meeting raised £4200, which will be donated to the coffers of the BDRHOF Benevolent Fund. This total includes a generous amount of £400 raised by Mark and Lynne Coulsell, who sold some of father Ian’s collection of memorabilia from their pit. It was a very emotional weekend for them. Congratulations to Harley on his win and to the whole Coulsell family for being awarded the Santa Pod Spirit of Dragstalgia award – truly deserved. Thanks are due to Max Frost and the Santa Pod Raceway team for the

provision of the facilities and the permission to use them for fund-raising purposes. The Hall of Fame’s Honorary Chair, Lesley Wright, commented: “We are so pleased that our Hall of Fame activities can help support the Benevolent Fund in maintaining its aims and purpose. It was gratifying that several people over the weekend took the trouble to come up and thank the Fund for the support it had given them in recent trying times.” The directors thank those who generously provided artefacts and memorabilia items to be auctioned or sold, those who placed bids and bought items and the individuals who gave their time in heatwave conditions to help conduct the event.

This high-output 12V/24V jump starter from Laser Tools tackles engines up to 10-litre capacity. Built around modern lithium battery technology, the compact unit delivers workshop-grade cranking power for both 12V and 24V systems while doubling as a multi-output power bank and roadside work light. When used as a portable power bank, three USB charge ports plus a 12V 15A auxiliary output provide device charging and accessory power. www.lasertools.co.uk

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 5

News & reviews Actuation connection

Webcon now offers a fitting kit to allow a throttle cable to connect to a Weber DCOE or Dellorto DHLA rod linkage system. Custom-made by Webcon in the UK, the kit features a cable outer anchor bracket, branded with the distinctive Weber logo. Available to suit single or twin cable operation, each kit includes a 5/16” cable inner clamp assembly, cable outer anchor bracket, three longer top cover screws, and cable outer adjusters. The single cable kits are priced at £59.50 including VAT, and the twin cable kits at £71.94 including VAT. www.webcon.co.uk

Socket to me

T-times

Bob Main’s Challenging Times Funny Car will make its Santa Pod debut at the Hot Rod Drags. To mark the occasion, Craig Dixon at Altered Tees Apparel has designed and produced T-shirts depicting the fresh out car. Available in

Correction

We managed to make a bumper crop of cock-ups in last month’s story on Street Weekend. None of them the fault of the author (DB), we hasten to add, who got it spot on, but during the production process we screwed up with a number of credits for the heroic band of photographers whose work made the feature what it was. This was mainly due to a computer error, and there sure is nothing more annoying than technology that thinks it knows what you’re trying to do better than you know it yourself. But no excuses: the buck stops here. So, our apologies to Callum Turner, Callum Pudge, Marco Proietti, Bradley Haywood,

6 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Sally Woolner, Nigel Swift and in particular Julian Hunt, who gathered all their pics together in the first place. And to you, dear reader, who may have found yourself wondering why the same pictures showed up twice in the same article and, in one case, why one of them turned itself into a white box. We could go into a lengthy spiel about the vagaries of file naming and linking but that would just be a smokescreen because at the end of the day, we’re the ones who didn’t spot that it had happened. We know how to stop it from happening again (you’re always learning, even at this old age). But it did happen and we’re sorry to all concerned. Ed

either black or white, in sizes from small through to 3XL, with the main design printed on the front or back, the shirts are priced at £20 plus £3.50 p&p, or collect in the pits alongside the car. www.alteredteesapparel.co.uk

Laser Tools’ new 20-piece, ⅜in drive socket set is designed for durability, performance and reliability. It combines premium chrome vanadium construction with a comprehensive selection of everyday workshop essentials, all backed by a special 50-year warranty. The kit includes 15 standarddepth single-hex sockets covering the most commonly used metric sizes from 6mm to 24mm, together with a smooth-action 72-tooth ratchet featuring a lever-style reversing switch and comfort grip handle. Completing the set are 75mm and 150mm extension bars, a universal joint and a sliding T-bar adaptor with ½in female drive, all housed in an impactresistant blow-moulded case. www.lasertools.co.uk

Slider rod

The rod-operated throttle linkage has been used to operate Weber and Dellorto side draft carburettors for decades, and when installed correctly it can provide years of trouble-free operation. However if an external return spring is required, there has never been a simple, elegant and effective solution available apart from the Webcon LT5000. Until now that is. Webcon has announced the launch of a rod linkage external return spring kit, which features a modified 5/16” stop bush and a custom-made return spring. This new kit simply slides over the rod, hooks around the rose joint and pushes into the stop

bush, which is then rotated and tightened when the desired return effect is achieved. Suitable for any 5/16” or 8mm rod linkage system, regardless of the carburettors fitted, the kit is available from stock, priced at just £23.82 including VAT. www.webcon.co.uk

V8 “Engine” Parts- see our Website for many more items! All prices include vat. Prices subject to change without notice. Correct at 20-01-26. E&OE. Freight extra.

ALTERNATORS

1 wire or 3 wire, Ford or Ch evy 100a up to 140a. + M o p a r 100a.

WEIAND INLET MANIFOLDS

TSP DISTRIBUTORS Electronic 3 wire

FORD 302 fr£214.38gc CHEVY SB & BB fr£216.14gc

Chev 100a fr £191.21gc

Ford & Chevy from £283.70gc

PONTIAC Book

CYLINDER HEADS

Rebuild Pontiac V8 £15.45

SBC fr£1471.23pr gc

Alum’ Rkrs fr £170.38gc

ARP BOLT & STUD KITS-

PERFORMANCE LONG-ENGINES

CRATE ENGINES

Chev 340bhp Chev 435bhp Ford 330bhp Ford 393bhp

Many types-Call us

AFR CYL HEADS

TSP IGNITION

various models

MSD 6AL- Digital

302 Fr £3324.78 GC

ELECTRIC FANS

10” to 16”-

MSD 6AL DIG’ £347.99gc

12” reversible £64.44gc

ALUMINIUM WATER PUMPS

AUTO TRANSMISSIONS

TH350

SBC Long £124.80gc

£926.30gc

SPIRAL-CORE LEADS Best Available!

Black-Red-Blue 8mm- from £41.83gc

SELF TUNING EFI

SNIPER 2

>650bhp £1723.10 gc

CARBURETORS

Holley & Edelbrock

Carbs-from £454.03gc

WIPER MOTORS

-ELECTRIC-convert from vacuum! 2 spd, self parking

Other ready to run models in stock, not HEI! together with MSD boxes etc

Chevy HEI £99.53 GC

Unit above is-

FORD V8 LONG ENGINE “5.0L”

example-Ford 302cu in

From £5357.58 GC

Capacitive Discharge -135145mj per spark! built in adjustable rev limiter. 530v to coil!

Ford+Chev fr £2421.21 GC

VALVETRAIN Roller rockers-

Dakota Digital

1948-50 F1 Ford Pickup

Std H.D.

fr£1921.36gc fr£2173.50gc

1954-58 Cadillac in picture-

From £284.09

Building a project, or an engine? Check our website & join our Gold Card Club[£40yr]-SAVE 10%-check exclusions. Over 6000 parts in stock. Owner in this business 40 +years.

REAL STEEL-

Unit 9, Tomo Ind Estate, Packet Boat Lane, Cowley, Middx, UB8 2JP Tel: 01895 440505 Fax: 01895 422047 E-mail: sales@realsteel.co.uk Web: www.realsteel.co.uk

Custom Car_2025_03_March_Real Steel_FP.indd 1

27/01/2026 10:32

ARCH ENEMY

When you have a focused vision, there is no room for compromise. It is that or nothing Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Matt Richardson

8 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

The vehicle that had such an influence on Ian Dawes over 40 years ago, Larry Buchanan’s Thames panel

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 9

Summit Racing supplied the chrome tilt column and the smooth dash houses a centrally mounted Kaiser Willys speedometer cluster. A couple of ancillary gauges are mounted under the dash. Having quizzed Ian about the screen mounted on top of the steering column, I was surprised by his answer. It is fed by a door pillar-mounted camera as an aid to visibility when making left turns at T-junctions. Maybe Ian isn’t as strictly old school as you might think…

The multi-point rollcage is the handiwork of Geoff Cousins, with Ian telling us it was so easy to fit thanks to multiple slip joints

A pair of original Pop bucket seats are mounted on sliders and have been retrimmed in black vinyl tuck and roll. They, along with the rest of the interior trimming, was crafted by Neil Tadman at Neil’s Auto Interiors in Essex. A B&M shifter is mounted on the trans’ tunnel between the seats

Geoff Cousins fabbed the untrimmed ali centre section which conceals the ali fuel tank that lies beneath, with the front central flip-up cover revealing the filler cap as Ian didn’t want it protruding from the side of the body

The fuse box is mounted behind the glove box door, out of sight but readily accessible

n the feature on his Henry J in our Winter ’24 issue, author Mike Pye mentioned that Ian Dawes had already embarked on a fresh project: a Fordson van. What wasn’t mentioned was that Ian had a very specific vision of the build style. “I was mid-way through building my ex-race car ’41 Willys coupe when I got totally blown away,” Ian, a self-confessed short wheelbase nut, enthused with a glint in his eye. “One of the many US magazines I subscribe to dropped on to the doormat and in it was a feature on Larry Buchanan’s Thames panel with its radically cut out rear wheel openings. “I’d never seen anything like it before. I couldn’t get the damn van out of my head, and the centre spread picture went up on the living room wall. No frame, just Blu-Tac

keeping it in place. Every time I went into that room, it greeted me as a reminder that I would build one like it for myself. “I still have that picture today and here we are – 40 years on and after several other builds, I did it. And I did it in true American style, left-hand drive.” That makes it a true Thames panel then, I guess. Having sourced an original van, Ian decided that he really couldn’t be doing with the rust. “I contacted Mark Slater at Pro-Laminates in Sawbridgeworth and was offered one of the company’s fibreglass Fordson bodies. It wasn’t exactly the body I wanted, however.” Next came the most challenging part of the build. It was as if the van’s original rear ‘arches posed some sort of threat to Ian, and he had to dispense with them at all costs.

I

10 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

“Drawings and templates were provided and, after much deliberation, Pro-Laminates agreed to produce a body for me with radically altered rear wheel and tyre beltline openings. They didn’t have a mould for this body style, so fair play to them for being determined to succeed and making me a happy man. The icing on the cake was the finish mouldings around the rear arches.”

Cranking it up

Steel linings have been installed around the inside perimeter of the ‘glass doors to provide added strength and mounting points for the hinges. In turn, the hinges then bolt through the body pillars on to brackets fitted to the roll cage. As a hint to modern creature comforts, electric window mechanisms and runners

The rear doors are from Pro-Laminates as the ali ones Ian bought didn’t fit. Mounted beneath them are original-style rear lights

“If you haven’t got the looks and the stance, you’ve failed” OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 11

Paul Davies at Alpha Rapid Repair in Ashford handled the body prep and paint, with the colour being Ford Race Red

“Box section rails with a substantial rear kick-up” Now that Ian has got the dimensions correct, the custom radiator by Collin Reay at Creative Aluminium Fabrications fits perfectly and, supported by an electric fan, keeps the temperature down

Ian bought the old school 327 Chevy from Peter Baker in Felixstowe. It had been rebuilt so, save for an Edelbrock black dress-up kit, it’s not been touched. Nor has the rebuilt TH350 trans’ it came with. The engine spec includes a COMP Cams Magnum 280H camshaft, Camel hump heads and a Holley 600cfm vacuum secondary carb on an ali manifold. Geoff Cousins at GC Engineering fabricated the stainless steel tubular headers, along with the side exiting exhaust system and silencers

12 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Thames link 1. This is how Pro-Laminates sold the bodies before Ian came along and broke the mould

2. Ian’s van also looks different on the inside. This is a stock body…

3. …while Ian’s has far more pronounced wheel tubs

4. The substantial rear chassis kick-up. Note the originally fitted axle track locator

7. The dry assembled rolling chassis prior to the final build and detailing

were grafted inside the door panels. That created an issue when it came to the door furniture, as Ian wanted to retain the original position of the exterior and interior handles but the window glass was in the way. A solution was provided by Carolina Custom Hot Rod Parts in North Carolina. The company offers a bellcrank linkage kit with rods running down and up either side of the glass to the handles, linked near the bottom of the door by a bellcrank pivot. Designed for Model A and ’32 Fords, Ian found them to operate just as well on a Thames. The front wings and bonnet are NOS panels sourced from Julian Russell at Pop Parts Plus. The body needed a custom chassis to sit on and for that, Ian turned to Charlie Emerick, who fabricated the box section rails with a substantial rear kick-up. The chassis then went to Specialised Welding Southern Ltd in Ashford for engine mounts and additional bracketry.

5. Stopping the van is taken care of by Wilwood discs and calipers on each corner

8. The difference between a stock and a Dawes spec body is clear to see in this shot

Up front, there’s a complete 6-inch drop tube axle package sourced from builder and parts collector Greg Bronn in California. Ian and Greg struck up a telephone friendship and the deal they made included shipping all the parts to the UK. Ian then called on Hauser Racing to narrow the axle to suit the Fordson’s track and add batwings and shock mounts. Having opted for a Vega steering box to guide the wheels, Ian investigated a number of Pitman arms to determine the right one for his application. Settling on an arm from Pete & Jakes, delight suddenly changed to dismay when it arrived as the spline didn’t match that of the box. During a frantic call to P&J, Ian was asked what brand of Vega box he was using and where did he source it from? Having replied “the internet,” he was duly informed that was the problem as the tooling used wasn’t quite OEM. “They asked me to return

6. The engine and box as bought, before being dressed in black

the arm, together with one I had that did fit the splines, so they could make me another one. It proved a perfect fit and best of all I was never charged for it. Thanks Pete & Jakes.”

Going Dutch

In a move away from the norm, Ian was adamant he didn’t want another Ford 9-inch rear axle. Instead, he yearned for what he considers to be the true Gasser axle. “I contacted a couple of the big racecar chassis builders over here, telling them I wanted an Oldsmobile axle under the van. They both responded in the same vein, saying it was a no-goer as you can’t get the parts for them. “I wasn’t having any of that though, so I called a friend over in LA and he gave me the numbers for J&S Gear Co in Huntington Beach and Fabcraft Gears in Wyoming. I spoke with John at J&S and immediately

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 13

struck lucky as they’d got multiple Olds 9.3-inch axles in stock. So I ordered one; it’s fantastic and has got Dutchman Axles shafts.” A propshaft from Robinson Race Cars links the axle with the TH350 auto transmission bolted to the back of the old school Chevy V8. As with any hot rod build, there were hiccups along the way. Like the ali radiator Ian had fabricated to his own spec, only to find it didn’t fit. “I hadn’t allowed enough room for how the top of the grille leans towards the engine,” Ian confessed. “It was a costly mistake, God damn it. The second one I had made proved more suitable.”

The electrics were sorted with a loom from EZ Wiring and it was then time for Ian to savour that special moment. “For me,” he tells us, “the most memorable moment of any build is the first time I fire it up and drop the trans’ into drive. I’m really pleased with how this one has turned out, and if I ever did it again the only thing I would change is the colour. It’s not the most powerful car I’ve ever built, but that was never my intention.” There’s no sniff of a Hemi or big block Chevy with this build, and certainly no whine of a blower. Ian quantified his thinking: “You can have all the power there is to offer, but

if you haven’t got the looks and the stance you’ve failed.”

Inside job

Things move on in life and that’s exactly what’s happened to the Thames. Ownership has now transferred to Ian Cherry, the man behind Nottingham-based Car & Coach Trimmers. His plan is to use the van as a promo vehicle, which unsurprisingly means a fresh interior is on the cards. It’s by no means the end of the road for the septuagenarian, however, as Ian has his finger firmly in another pie. In that 2024 issue, along with the Fordson, Mike

“It was a costly mistake, God damn it”

It took Ian more than four decades to achieve his vision of how a Thames panel should look, but it was well worth the wait

“Thanks to Pro-Laminates, Paul Davies at Alpha Rapid Repair, Geoff Cousins, Greg Bronn, Neil Tadman, Specialised Welding and J&S Gear.”

14 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Right: Built and supplied by J&S Gear, Ian considers the narrowed Olds 9.3 inch to be a real hot rod axle. It is fitted with 31-spline Dutchman shafts and Wilwood discs and calipers, along with an inboard handbrake, and is installed using a 4-bar link and Protech coilovers. The installation originally featured a purpose-fabricated track locator, which has now been replaced with a more conventional Panhard rod that is better suited for road use

also mentioned a ’40 Willys coupe that Ian had just brought in. “It’s a car with history,” chirped Ian with that familiar glint in his eye. This one will have a motor that shouts, a big block, with a tunnel ram. The bright yellow paint is something else that will shout out.” You can’t keep Ian Dawes quiet for long, eh?

Above right: The van rolls on polished Weld Racing Draglites measuring 4½ x 15 and 12 x 15. The 145R15 front tyres are by Nankang, while the rears are 32½ inch diameter PRO-TRAC 375/60/15s. Pro-Laminates did a great job with dramatically reprofiling the rear wheel arches, right down to the finish mouldings

Under the front of the Thames lies a 6-inch drop tube front axle fitted with Ford spindles and Wilwood disc brakes and calipers actuated by a same make dual circuit master cylinder. The axle is installed using 4-bar location and Protech coilovers. The headlights and front grille are original items, with Ian having painted the grille bars silver

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 15

Untitled-1 1

08/12/2025 15:20:33

Untitle

5:20:33

Untitled-1 1

08/12/2025 15:21:06

Words & Pictures: Dave Biggadyke

Marquee

de grande The National Hot Rod, Custom and American Car Show hit Lincolnshire Showground for the fourth consecutive year at the end of June. As always, it was staged in conjunction with the Modified Nationals, meaning pretty much every square inch of the 270-acre site was put to good use. There really is so much happening over the weekend, you have to keep on your toes to take it all in. Modified vehicles spanning all genres are displayed in the Greenlight Plaza, the Eurostance Paddock and the Exo Centre. Of more interest to CC readers are the hot rods, customs and American vehicles displayed within the Best in Britain Pavilion and the outdoor show areas surrounding it. The attractions and entertainment on offer are second to none and include the Ink and Oil tattoo convention, a rally experience, monster truck rides, stunt plane aerobatics, bike stunt shows and lawnmower racing. There’s even more music-wise, with the outdoor live stage operating from 10.00am each day, DJs from 7.00pm, tribute acts to artists including Ed Sheeran, Eminem and Amy Winehouse and a dozen live acts performing in the hot rod marquee – plus even a rave arena for those brave enough to enter.

18 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

“Exhibits vie for the prestigious title of Best in Britain” The focal point of the National Hot Rod, Custom and American Show is the red carpeted pavilion, where exhibits vie for the prestigious title of Best in Britain. This year, it was sponsored by the Black Bee Rum Company – thanks to whose generosity, along with a trophy, each

pavilion winner received a bottle of rum and a T-shirt, with the Best in Britain top three receiving a little extra as well. Boosted by brilliant sunshine, it really was a weekend to savour. The dates for next year have been confirmed as 2-4 July. www.hotrodandcustomshow.co.uk

Hanging out the front of this ’73 Mini van is a 1700cc twin cam engine pirated from a Harley Davidson. Power is transferred to the 1980’s Alpha 75 transaxle via a constant-drive shaft and a 5-speed gearbox

BEST BIB AND TUCKER

BEST IN

BRITAIN

Competition was strong in the prestigious Best in Britain line-up and the judging panel had its work cut out in deciding on a top three. After much debate and deliberation, the decision was made… Right: Fresh from our series of build-up features, Steve Cook’s Jaguar Atlantis, with its unique handcrafted woodie body, took Best in Britain honours

Pic: Bob Sheppard

1ST

RUNNER UP

Put together by the team at Williams Bros Speed Shop, Graham Weakes’ fresh out Model A features exquisite paintwork and interior trimming. We’ll be taking a closer look at this stunning coupe in a future issue

2ND

RUNNER UP

Last year’s BiB winner, Kevin Barnaby’s Mk1 Ford Zephyr Zodiac, proved its worth by featuring in the top three again this year. Under the bonnet lurks a Gen IV big block Chevy, and the body wears Rolls Royce Wild Berry paint

LAID BACK SATURDAY

The outdoor show on Saturday is an informal affair with no judging or trophies on offer. It does still, however, attract a good mix of rods, customs, American cars and pickups, with the owners chilling out and enjoying the glorious sunshine and on-tap entertainment.

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 19

THE LOW DOWN

Once again, the show played host to the Lowrider Nationals, with the cars on display wowing the crowd with displays of almost choreographed bouncing

Show organiser Mark Needham had his ex-CC featured Lexus / Toyota 1JZ-GTE-powered ‘49 Dodge Wayfarer displayed on the stand of indoor show sponsor Black Bee Rum

Phil May’s recently featured Fad T features a sculpted and diamondstitched interior, Peugeot Red paint and 15-inch diameter American Racing rims. The engine came from a fire-damaged ’89 Corvette C4

20 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

A former CC feature car, Rob Shipley’s Pro-Street ’32 coupe took the trophy for Best Engine. Its menacing and highly detailed Dave Billadeau-built big block Chrysler is topped off with a Weiand tunnel ram and twin Holley carbs

In Sunday’s outdoor show, the Best Engine trophy was awarded to Mark Burton for the blown 440 in his ’32 Chevy roadster

GIMME FIVE

Sunday’s outdoor show attracted an extensive mix of vehicles. This was typified in the judging panel’s choice of a top five, from early Fords through to English and American classics and even a Volkswagn Andy Chaddock – ’68 VW Splittie James Black – Model A pick-up

Pic: Colin Hanton Shane Smith - ’55 Chevy Bel Air

Carl Powles – ’40 Ford convertible

Andy Churchill – ’52 Austin Atlantic

The award-winning ’49 Chevy of Clint Wildish picked up more silverware at the weekend – this time, the trophy for Best Interior As if to prove the show isn’t all about mile-deep paint and sumptuous interiors, the Judges’ Award went to Steve Jones of Old Bones Fabrications for his ST turbo-powered Hillman Husky

If anyone heeded the sign at the front of Luke Hopson’s Commer pickup, they would have encountered a mid-mounted Mercedes OM605 TD 5-cylinder diesel. You can read the full feature in our July ’26 issue

A louvred bonnet, a great stance and whitewall tyres. This ’37 Ford coupe has a lot going for it

OCTOBER 2025 CUSTOM CAR 21

Dan Clarke’s stunningly aggressive-looking ’68 Chevy Nova SS was on the red carpet display in the marquee…

…alongside the far more subtle ’60 Humber Super Snipe of Paul Bidwell. There’s a small block Chevy under the woody’s bonnet

Kevin Black’s tough-looking Mercury won Best American in the outdoor show

The owners of the vehicles displayed inside the marquee were invited to vote for the car of their choice. With the votes counted, the silverware was presented to Graham Slater for his phantom Mk7 Jaguar Right: John Proctor presents Lian Vayro with the outdoor show Best Retro award for his Ford 100E

Paul Tressider’s ’54 F100 oozes trick features such as a forward tilting bonnet. The pick-up rolls on 20-inch diameter Rocket Racing Booster Hyper Shots and power comes from a built and dressed 351 Cleveland

Blown Model A rat rod came out of the Lucky Gunner Garage in New Hampshire. And yes, it is on air before you ask

22 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Bottom right: Another outdoor show winner was Ian Barber, whose Morris 8 won Best British / Euro

Pic: Bob Sheppard

Pic: Bob Sheppard

Firenza like t Bazza’s back. And his front, too! And to those lifelong friends that remember where he started his custom car journey, it’ll be a familiar sight Words: Mike Pye Pics: Alan Kidd

24 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

e these

B

arry Edwin Dacey. If you’re of a certain age, those three words should immediately strike, if not fear into your heart, the vision of a yellow 1976 Chevy Vega into your mind. It was in the October issue of Custom Car in 1987 that we brought you what then Editor Keith Seume referred to as: “the toughest Vega outside the USA. More at home on Woodward Avenue, such a beast represents the true spirit of Pro-Street.” Lyrical waxing aside, Barry’s old yella terror did make quite an impact. Not least on the then-teenager now writing this. But while the car Barry put together with friends in 15 months in a lock-up garage in downtown Addiscombe (which, incidentally, was painted by another former CC Editor, this time Kevin ‘the gerbil’ Elliott) is the one he’s best known for, the Vega was not his first effort at building a hot street car. That honour belongs to a certain yellow Vauxhall Firenza. “I’ve actually had three Firenzas now,” the loquacious south Londoner tells me, while pottering about in the man cave he’s built in his chosen retirement location of Snowdonia which he shares with wife and best friend Eileen. “I got my first one when I was 16, a red, square hood version with an 1159cc motor that I put Appliance Turbo Vecs on. I really wanted Appliance spokes but couldn’t afford them at the time.” He sold that one a couple of years later, bought a blue 1800 and that car became the yellow V8 one, which he sold when he was 21 to buy a bodyshell and chassis off Shane Powell that became the infamous Vega.

Tribute act

Suddenly, Barry’s latest build starts to make sense. “That’s right, this one is a tribute to the car I had when I was 18, or 19. They were the best times of my life.” As anyone that knows or has ever met Barry will attest, he becomes quite animated when you get him on a subject he’s passionate about, and Firenzas certainly fall under that heading. “I just love ’em. I think they’re ten times better than a Capri, a proper little muscle car shape. They were sold in Canada as Pontiacs, you know…” In fairness, I don’t mind a chat myself. I don’t get out so much these days, you see. And so it was that Barry and I talked away a very enjoyable two and half hours, covering everything from his street racing for cash days in Bromley, Crystal Palace and along

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 25

Right: Engine is a 30-over 3.5-litre Rover V8. It’s got a Crane cam, Edelbrock Performer inlet and 500cfm carb, MSD 6AL ignition and Blaster coil, Accel leads and gold painted Moroso SBC valve covers on fettled Whengparts adapters. The exhaust comprises tubular Land Rover headers, reversed, and a homemade 2½-inch system with a pair of Cherry Bombs and stainless tips. It’s all kept cool by a re-cored Rover SD1 radiator with Kenlowe assist

Far right: Nitrous was Barry’s secret weapon in his old street racing days, so he’s put a 125 horse NOS Powershot system on to this one too, just for old times’ sake

“A tribute to the car I had when I was 18, and the shenanigans we got up to back then”

26 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Wellesley Road in Croydon (the road that runs perpendicular to Dingwall Avenue, Link House and CC’s spiritual home) through to his current car collection. If you’re hoping to find out the ‘what happened to the Vega?’ part of all that, we’re saving it for when we pay Barry a return visit in a few months’ time.

Gas from Gary’s

To precis the whole Firenza thing, Barry ended up buying a 3.5-litre Rover V8 and, as he puts it, “rebuilding it on my dad’s lawn. It was proper though, all balanced, blueprinted, everything.” With the addition of a 125 shot of gas, courtesy an NOS kit bought from Gary’s Shack, he had the makings of a pretty tasty street car. “With the nitrous, I’d beat all the big Yanks and V8s with that car,” he says with a grin. “And it got me my first fiancée, too. She wanted to go out with the fastest guy in the pub, and at the time that was me!” Barry’s the first to admit the car was “a 20 footer”, a term he also applies to this one, believe it or not, but that wasn’t the point. “I had some good friends at school, but I never kept in touch with any of them afterwards.

I met all my mates on the street, or in pubs, through cars. And we built them in lock-ups with what we had back then. Over 40 years later, we’re all still great friends. I think you’d have to go a long way to find a hobby that glues people together like hot rodding and custom cars does.” So, with a bit more time on his hands after bringing a career in the heavy construction industry to an enviably early close, a whiff of nostalgia on the wind and a fresh pair of rose-tinted shades, Barry went looking for another Firenza to re-live that formative part of his youth.

Rolling ’shell

The car he found in late 2016 was already well along the path to becoming a street machine, and the fact it had a Rover 3.5 V8 and Borg Warner 65 auto’ ’box stuffed under the bonnet made it the perfect candidate. Same year, too. The story goes the car had been through the hands of Nigel Jenkins (of UK Blowers fame), Lance Driscoll and then Darren Flint, and probably a few others too, though Barry is pretty sure it was Nigel who did the running

Back axle is Jaguar, but not one of the usual-for-a-’70s-custom IRS units. Instead, it’s a Salisbury live axle, a.k.a. Dana 44, with an LSD, hung off a 4-bar with triangulated links, Powerflex bushes and Gaz adjustable coilovers. No red light? I asked. “Well… I might yet do that,” grins Barry

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 27

gear swap, some time in the 1990s. Certainly, it’s had V8 on the logbook since ’97, so its history is sound. Either way, it was exactly what he was looking for. And so he set to work. “I can’t take the credit for the engine, trans’ and rear end transplant,” notes Barry honestly. “But I can tell you the car had been fucked up somewhere along the way. The whole dash had been chopped out, right back to the bulkhead, so it was basically a rolling ’shell. “I paid £2300 for what really was a piece of crap. But it was what I wanted. Everything that’s been done to it since I’ve done. And I do mean everything – welding, rust repairs, body,

paint, engine rebuild, interior, wiring, plumbing. I even fitted the glass myself.” Making the assumption all products of Vauxhall’s British factories in the 1970s rusted quicker than they could be sold, I asked Barry what it was like finding parts for the car. “Really difficult,” came the answer. “The dash I got from a guy in Denmark, pretty much everything else I had to get off eBay.” That included a replacement boot, bonnet, door cards, rear light units, bumpers, door handles and doors – though the latter turned out to be Viva HC estate ones, so Barry had to cut the old coupe window frames off and weld them in to get them to fit.

“I paid £2300 for what really was a piece of crap. But it was what I wanted”

Body is completely stock, save for the Magard front spoiler, a period perfect accessory from the late ’70s. Barry painted the car himself in Lamborghini Giallo (yellow) and opted to keep all the factory trim this time, whereas his old yellow Firenza had it blacked out. Here’s a useful tip for any would-be Firenza restorers: Barry used more readily available MK1 Escort rubbers for the side glass and windscreen

28 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Curiously, the mohair headliner in the car was in there when he bought it and has survived all the welding, grinding and painting that’s gone on since.

Built not bought

Talking of which, Barry is clearly proud that he did all of that work himself, not least because this is the first full car paint job he’s ever done. “You really have to do it yourself to understand why paint shops charge what they do these days. I did all of it, from stripping it back to bare metal right through to colour sanding from 1000 to 2500 grit. It’s fuckin’ hard work, I can tell you.”

The colour, if you’re wondering, is from the Lamborghini colour chart, and the stickers in the windows, while not exactly what Barry had in his old yellow Firenza, are a deliberate nod to those times. Likewise, the ones that surround the aluminium fuel cell in the boot. And yes, we’re proud of Barry for sharing his allegiance to CC with Str**t M*ch*n* (RIP) as both magazines were formative influences on all of us as teenagers. “It’s all meant to be back to the ’70s. Simpler times,” he says wistfully. Because of that, the car’s overall styling, and some of the details, might look a bit dated now. But that’s exactly the point. “That

was what I was going for,” says Barry, “though it hasn’t stopped Kev [Elliott] having an opinion about some of it. But then Kev’s always been opinionated.” They’re still good mates by the way, and in regular contact, so we’re not speaking out of turn. That ‘of its time’ philosophy extends to the running gear. It’s unusual to be writing a feature for CC about a car with Viva front suspension that was actually fitted from the factory. It’s just been lowered and upgraded with Ventora calipers and modified Ventora hubs, now in Chevy 4¾ PCD. Likewise, the steering

Here’s one I made earlier… 1. This is actually the second Firenza Barry owned, the first one being an 1159 in 1978 when he was just 16. The Turbo Vecs he put on that car were transferred to this 1800cc version, bought at age 18, in 1980

2. The blue one, thanks to paint by Steve DeSouza, became the first yellow one, fitted with a Rover V8 and nitrous. Barry sold this one when he was 21

Open the boot and you’re greeted by a 10-gallon ali fuel cell with Speedway Motors cap, Quick Fuel Technologies pump and regulator, battery and the nitrous bottle. Here’s a neat detail: the pink CC sticker was the free cover mount on the issue his old Vega was featured in

3. Fast forward to 2016 and Barry buys himself another one, this time already fitted with a 3.5 Rover, Borg Warner ’box and Jag rear axle

4. The car needed a lot of replacement panels and bodywork repairs before Barry could even think about turning it yellow. First though, it needed a set of Cragars

5. The interior was in a right state, having had the entire dash area hacked out at some point as well as some rather agricultural welding to the transmission tunnel

is original, while the rear discs are the Jag units that came on the Salisbury axle, albeit now with Ford Sierra calipers and handbrake.

Furry dice

When it came to the interior, Barry sourced some ready leathered chairs from a Vauxhall Tigra and made a base and seat back for the rear out of 12mm ply, covered in quarter-inch foam and carpet – pretty much as he did in his old yellow Firenza, except this time there’s a full coating of Dynamat throughout. He laughs when he says he spent ages looking for a pair of the same Delco speakers he had in that car, before eventually settling on some

period Sony ones. They’re close enough. Other details include Auto Meter gauges, a Grant Tuff wheel and the obligatory pair of furry dice. I’m in full agreement with Barry when he says it’s hard to build a car like they were built in the ’70s today, as we’re all a bit wiser, certainly older, and have access to so much more now. Could you imagine there being an online auction site that connects you to the whole world, where parts can be sent direct to your door within a matter of days back then? Never mind a small, hand-held device you can talk to and ask questions, and look up videos on how to do things when you’re lying on your

Rake. ’Nuff said. And if anyone ever says you can’t band Cragars without ruining the chrome, send ’em to Steve Feathers at Banded Custom Wheels

“Thanks? To me! For completing its build when the others who had a hand in it didn’t manage to. And thanks for the fabulous memories it brought back when doing it of the street racing and other shenanigans I got up to in my first V8 Firenza.” 30 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

back under your car. Mind-boggling stuff back then, daily life today. Yet what Barry has built here is a wonderful thing. A fun, usable reminder of the way things were, but with enough attention paid to ride height and wheelarch gaps to let you know it’s a modern interpretation. “It ain’t a show car, it was never meant to be. It’s a nice 20 footer,” he says. “But I love it and I’m very proud of the fact I did this one all myself. Every time I get in it, it reminds me of the good times and the good people I spent those times with. “Yeah, it’s about nostalgia, but it’s a bit more than that. I just bloody love Firenzas.”

Barry sourced the dash and original clocks in Denmark but then had to build a whole structure behind to mount it. The steering wheel is a Grant version of the Mopar Tuff wheel, fitted to a modified Magnum GT boss. Shifter is a B&M Quicksilver, additional gauges are by Auto Meter and a pair of furry dice dangle overhead

Keeping things Vauxhall, the leather seats are from a Tigra and there’s a back seat delete, as that’s how Barry’s old yellow Firenza was built. Speakers are period Sony units with, ahem, bespoke covers on their backsides. There’s also a six-point, bolt-in ’cage in the mix

Chinese LED headlamps, four of them, light the way, while the NOS 2300 badge on the grille is a nod to the top-of-the-line Sport SL and HP Firenza models that came out in 1972 and ’73, powered by the biggest version of Vauxhall’s slant four

“Every time I get in it, it reminds me of the good times and the good people I spent those times with”

Barry resisted the urge to fit Appliance wheels again, instead settling on timeless Cragar S/S, 4.5s with 155 Galaxies and – get this – 7 x 15s banded to 10 x 15s, with 295/50-15 Cooper Cobras hangin’ out the ’arches, just the way we like ’em

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 31

In the good old

SUMMERTIME 2026 Summer Nationals • 10-12 July • Santa Pod Raceway Words: Olly Sack Pics: Julian Hunt

The days of Pod Face were back with a bang at the Summer Nationals in July, which took place during one of the many heatwaves we’ve experienced over the last three months or so. The event featured the latest round of national competition in a dozen different four-wheeled classes and

saw a wide variety of cars taking to the strip alongside a range of two-wheelers. Highlights of the weekend included the welcome return of Frankie Taylor to the Wild Bunch fold aboard the much-loved Banshee Topolino, as well as a first-ever 6-second pass for Robin Orthodoxou – who

ran a storming 6.9561 / 189.77 in the third qualifying session in Comp Eliminator. Also celebrating a new milestone was Laura Baynton, who arrived at the event with a PB in the low 10s but, with a new torque converter helping get the best from her Powerglide trans, opened up with a 9.9372

Left: David Vegter sets off for another fast run in Pro-Mod Q3. Unfortunately, a few seconds later his car was looking less pretty and his engine was toast, sending him out of the event and home to the workshop Right: Robin Orthodoxou had a better time of it in the third qualifying session, vaulting to the top of the board in Comp Eliminator by driving the Chaos Bros altered to a 6.9561 / 189.77 pass – his first ever in the 6s

34 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Sportsman National Results Pro ET: Lee Huxley (8.69) 8.7914 / 159.02 beat Stuart Thompson (9.66) 12.0432 / 75.77 [red light] Super Pro ET: AC Bell (7.96) 9.0655 / 91.79 beat Scott Hauser (7.31) [broken car] Super Gas: Jazmine Tunstall 9.8969 / 151.07 beat Paul Brown 9.8777 / 149.63 Super Comp: Geoff Cowley 8.8928 / 142.48 beat Nathan Hulkes 8.8529 / 153.68 Street Eliminator: Joseph Baxter 8.0855 / 200.61 beat Andy Bond 10.5383 / 138.97 Comp Elimintor: Dan Williams 9.9835 / 120.55 beat Nic Williams 10.6925 / 98.40 Pro Modified: Michel Tooren 5.7975 / 245.51 beat Jean Dulamon 6.1752 / 230.18 VW Pro: Danny Bean (11.90) [no time] beat Chris Waterhouse (12.10) 15.8206 / 67.60 [red light] VW Sportsman: Jordan Clark (12.99) 13.2786 / 95.44 beat Lily Stevenson (13.85) 14.0911 / 97.97

in Pro ET and a 9.9216 in Super Gas. Every run of the event was in the 9s, with her new best standing at 9.8189 – it came on a breakout run, as she exited both classes in E1, but plenty of reason there to be going home very happy. Joe Baxter went one better in Street Eliminator, laying down a marker in Q4 with a speed of 210.83 – his first time over 210. The following morning, he followed this up with a new 7.1098 / 211.89 PB in E1 – before putting away Jack Petley, Anthony Higgs and finally Andy Bond en route to the class win. There was yet another landmark run on the Sunday, as Mark Coulsell’s 7.9818 / 159.08 saw him push his times into the 7s for the first time ever. This came on a

breakout run, but not a bad way to end your weekend all the same. In Pro Mod Q3, on the other hand, David Vegter’s event came to an early end. ‘We lost oil pressure and two rods decided to exit,’ his team explained. ‘The wheels locked up and that, in combination with oil on the tyres, forced David to do some steering. ‘He was up on the side and touched the top of the nose on the wall but kept it from rolling over. Unfortunately, we wrote off a complete engine, damaged the front and broke some chassis tubes.’ These are the momoment which remind you that flesh and blood is sacred and cars are made of metal. Frustrating nonetheless but he’ll be back – as, no doubt, will those record-breaking cases of Pod Face…

Sportsman ET: Gary Lake (12.42) 12.4203 / 108.95 beat Peter Walters (12.61) 12.5402 / 106.27 Wild Bunch: Alan Schofield 8.9837 / 145.74 beat Marie Mills [no time] Junior Dragster: Lola-Belle Kent (7.90) 7.9013 / 80.93 beat Kai Cooper (7.93) 7.8436 / 81.95 [red light]

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 35

Out & About Phill Potterton turned up in his previously featured Ford 100e

Mike Couch brought along Lil Hemi Hunter – which, along with About Time, did cacklefests throughout the weekend

Words & Pics: James Webber Event: Plymouth Motor Show Dates: 20-21 June 2026 Venue: Newnham Park, Plymouth The annual Plymouth Motor Show returned on 20-21st June, moving to its new home at Newnham Park after outgrowing its previous venue at Plymstock Albion Oaks Rugby Club. The larger site welcomed an impressive variety of vehicles, from classics and modern performance cars to club displays. Alongside the vehicles, visitors enjoyed a packed weekend of family entertainment, with a wide range of stallholders, children’s activities, live music and catering. Attractions included the Fire Brigade, live steam engines and thrilling trials riding displays from the West of England Trials Club. Awards were presented at the end of each day, recognising some of the standout vehicles and exhibitors.

36 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Bigger and better Jack Groves debuted his fresh About Time dragster. More details to follow…

This Ford F-100 was a fresh build, with the owner having done a large amount of custom chassis work and fitted a mild racecar interior. Watch this space for more details…

A word from the organisers: “A huge thank you to everyone who attended, exhibited, volunteered and supported this year’s Plymouth Motor Show. We hope you all had a fantastic weekend and enjoyed everything the event had to offer. “We are delighted to be supporting St Luke’s Hospice as our chosen charity for 2026 and look forward to presenting them with a cheque once the final collection has been completed. “Thank you once again for your continued support – we look forward to welcoming you back in 2027. Date to be confirmed!”

Below: Jason White entering the show field in his ’34 Sunbeam hot rod

Left: A COE is cool anyway, but this one is a travelling bar

Custom Car Insurance Providing specialist car insurance for 40 years

Call today for a quote on

01395 255 100

www.graham-sykes.co.uk Graham Sykes Ltd. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 37

Some of the first 2006 inductions were on the Santa Pod start line for those unable to attend the awards evening. With Stuart Bradbury are Dave Stone for father Dennis, Roz Prior, Dave Riswick for Clive Skilton, and Dennis Priddle. Picture courtesy of Sharkman

Auto Focus Hall of Fame at 20 n Words and Pics: Keith Lee

W

hile Santa Pod celebrates its 60th anniversary, this year also featured a milestone for the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame. This was formed 20 years ago, when the much prized Bootsie crystal tablets were presented to new inductees for the first time. The possibility of establishing a hall of fame was first discussed in the winter of 2005/6, with the aim of honouring those who had made their mark in the sport – which by that time already had a history spanning more than four decades. It would be the well known figure of long time chief starter Stuart Bradbury who would be the driving force, as the founding Chairman, in establishing and growing the fledgling group. Stuart led the organisation right up to his sad death in 2020 from the effects of cancer, which he had fiercely battled for many years while still doing all he could to ensure the organisation continued its mission. Throughout the history of the HoF,

his wife Bev has worked as treasurer and on the awards gala. “I couldn’t have carried on what Stuart did,” says Bev. “It was Robin Jackson who suggested Lesley Wright to be the new chairperson for us; she has more of a business mind and is pushing us forward in new directions.” It is fitting that Lesley is now in the position, having been the partner of the much loved character that the HoF award is named after – Allan ‘Bootsie’ Herridge. Lesley was also part of that initial group which led to the formation of our own British Drag Racing Hall of Fame back in 2006. Sponsorship has been a vital aid for the organisation to fulfil its aims. The Santa Pod Racers Club has always sponsored the crystal awards and US Automotive was the other long term sponsor. Originally, the presentations took place as part of the SPRC/APIRA awards evening but in 2013, Geoff Stilwell came in as a benefactor with a substantial donation to

promote the standing of the organisation in the drag racing world. This resulted in stand-alone gala evenings, which was a major step up as they were held around the Heathrow airport area – with Geoff inviting top-line American racers to attend the annual events. Many of these took part in some memorable afternoon bench racing sessions during the next few years. It certainly served to elevate the HoF profile across the drag racing world. Much work has gone into broadening the influence and relevance of the HoF over the past twenty years. The organisation has a panel of twelve selectors who meet during the early part of the year to carry out the annual selection of new inductees. There is a 15-strong management and advisory group, some of whom are also selectors, which who looks after everything to do with the running of the organisation. One might think that it is just a case of selecting worthy HoF members, but there is a lot more to it than that! Stuart looking stunned, after just being inducted into the Hall of Fame at Dragstalgia 2017, in the VIP area. With real fears for his health at that time, and against his rules, he was unanimously awarded a well deserved Bootsie. Happily, he would stay in charge for another three years

The first solo awards ceremony was in a marquee at Santa Pod in 2013, during the European Finals event. John Bennett, left, was the first chairman of the British Hot Rod Association and the lead member of the Santa Pod team in its early years. He’s talking with Roy Phelps, who would also lead Santa Pod

38 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Lesley Wright on left now heads the HoF and Bev Bradbury continues in her role as treasurer. Paul Wright keeps order during the gala evening

Still smiling in the sweltering heat of the historic marquee at this year’s Dragstalgia, the HoF team are: back row, Jon Crawford, Jerry Cookson, Phil Cottingham, Robin Jackson and Ian Messenger. Front row, Bev Bradbury, Graham and Carolyne Beckwith

The HoF is a limited company but the reason this came about was in order to establish a drag racing benevolent fund, to be able to offer help to members of the drag racing community in need. For best effect, it would need to qualify for charitable status with the charity commission. This took no small amount of work to achieve, as it is not common for charities with ‘British’ in their name to qualify. Luckily, Simon Groves, who is best known for his work at Eurodragster, was also the man professionally qualified for the job of wading through the reams of paperwork to allow establishment of this worthy addition to the prime role of the organisation. As with everyone else who is involved in the organisation, he did all of this on a purely voluntary basis. Any surplus profits generated by the HoF are transferred to the benevolent fund. Charitable status was gained in 2016, and Nikki Marshall came on board as the benevolent fund co-ordinator. Following Stuart’s sad passing, Lesley Wright had the job of picking up the work of guiding the HoF forward in a new postCovid era, with reduced sponsorship. To help in this area, Colin Theobald has been a much appreciated addition to the team and has performed a fine job in raising

The American stars brought over in the Stilwell era were fascinating to hear in the afternoon bench racing sessions

Cars and bikes have featured at some galas and in 2023, the restored sixties’ injected fuel dragster of Allan Herridge and the Beadle brothers was unveiled as part of the proposed Santa Pod museum

A chance to celebrate a freshly earned British victory in America at the 2017 gala, as the Havoc team showed off their prestigious California Hot Rod Association fuel altered trophy following a hard fought elimination

sponsorship and drumming up support for the benevolent fund. Dragstalgia is a busy time for the HoF, as the new inductees are announced at Santa Pod’s premier nostalgia event. The team are also kept busy running the auction and sale of racing memorabilia donated for the purpose. All of the money raised during the long weekend goes to the benevolent fund. One of the first things Lesley did was introduce the new Junior Class racers’ prizes, in the shape of the Stuart Bradbury Junior Dragster and Drag Bike Awards. In a nice

touch, to honour the founding chairman, his trade mark stetson, boots and start flags are incorporated into the crystal awards. Lesley is keen to focus on it being a British awards ceremony and to bring in some younger helping hands, to ensure continuation of the organisation into the future. This year marks a new step for the HoF as the gala is moving to a new venue. Following several years in Weybridge, it will be held at a new home in the Midlands, the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, near Coventry, on Saturday 21st November.

Taken at the first gala black tie evening, which saw drag racers out of their natural habitat. Geof Hauser, left, has kept racers going for many years. Alongside him is long time commentator John Price. Steve Read is again currently back racing in Top Fuel dragster, down under in Australia

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 39

PRESENTS OF If you’re going to buy yourself a 60th birthday present, make it a good one. If it turns out to need a whole load of work… well, that’s just the gift that keeps on giving Words & Pictures: James Webber

T

wo years ago, Richard Holland (‘Squeaky’ to his friends) attained the ripe old age of 60. Such a momentous event will always be worthy of celebrating and he did it in style – by treating himself to something that had been on his bucket list for as wrong as he could remember. “I’d always wanted a Model A hot rod, all steel and correctly registered,” he says. “That was my dream.” It was a lifelong dream but he already had some previous in the custom game. Prior to this big moment in his life – 39 years prior, to be exact – Squeaky bought a Triumph Stag to run around in. It wasn’t long before the hot rodder in him started to make some changes, such as throwing away the 2.5-litre straight six and replacing it with a Rover V8 and 5 speed box. It served him well and he still owns the car to this day. A spell of drag racing followed, on a bike in RWYB and in a Pop in Outlaw Anglia, but that was only for a few years before the inevitable sabbatical came along. Fast forward to 2024, 13th July to be exact, and Squeaky found what he’d been looking for. “I saw this orange Model A for sale on Unusual Car Sales on Facebook and it was exactly what I wanted: all steel, correctly registered and most of the work done. The seller sent me a lot of pics and it all looked fine and dandy so I went for it. It was my 60th after all!” The day after it arrived, he took it out for a spin to see if everything was okay with the car. “We went to the NSRA Fun in the Sun

40 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

OF MIND

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 41

Above: Squeaky bought the car with a 350ci small-block Chevy already in place and, unlike so much other stuff about it, this needed nothing more than a general clean up and a new dizzy to make it run right. With the chassis getting some serious upgrades as part of the project, though, it also sits on a new set of mounts Right: You can’t really see it without getting the car up on ramps, but Peanuts stripped it right down and rebuilt its chassis, boxing it, extending it, adding new new front and rear crossmembers and finally shaping it to accommodate a Model B fuel tank. Louvres add to the image, and the tail lights have been relocated to aid the appearance of width Below: It’s the sort of hot rod you could drive every day, this – which is an achievement when you consider that when he picked it up, Squeaky discovered pretty much straight away that it was the sort you don’t want to drive at all. He could shell out heavily for a dress-up kit, a top-end paint job, a load of pinstriping and a fully trimmed interior – but when you’ve come home from Stonham Barns with a Top 10 trophy sitting next to you, nobody’s got the right to say you’ve got anything to prove

28 CUSTOM CAR APRIL 2026

The axle is a Chevy 10-bolt with new halfshafts from Hauser Racing. Squeaky binned the old bracketry; in its place, he and Peanuts installed a rose-jointed 4-bar set-up. The brackets it came with were only 4mm thick, so Peanuts used them as templates to cut 6mm ones instead, and the bars themselves were shortened by an inch and a half to centralise the wheels in their arches. The brakes were rebuilt with all new drums, mechanisms and back plates. And if you look carefully, you can see the bottom of two Gaz shocks

event at Great Yarmouth. The show was great and there’s a couple of pics of the car parked up on the seafront, but she drove horribly and suffered with really bad bump steer. When we got home, I parked her up and left her there while I looked into sorting the issue out.” Enter 2025 and Squeaky came across a master and wizard at all things 1930s by the

name of Peanuts. The pair met and had a discussion about sorting the Model A, which was duly delivered to Peanuts’ garage so he could set about diagnosing the bump steer.

Mission creep

After a partial stripdown, it became apparent that there was more than just this going on. So much more, in fact, that what was

The Model A had independent front suspension when Squeaky bought it, and even without catastrophic bump-steer that was always going to be going on a date with the scrap bin. Here you see an altogether more satisfactory 4” dropped I-beam, which went on with shorter shocks to help make the car sit right. New discs, calipers, copper lines and flexi hoses mean it’ll stop right, too. Obviously, having gone to all that work Squeaky and Peanuts wanted everyone to be able to see the results, so they removed the splash apron. It might even distract you from the 9” headlamps they installed

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 43

It’s not a show car interior but it’s far more than just a functional space to sit in. You might not see the symmetry in the gauges’ layout until you start looking for it, for example. We can all appreciate the tags showing what the switches do, though; when he first got the car, Squeaky had to find that out by trial and error. They do their work via a full new wiring loom, too. Down below, the floor has been dropped by 20mm. This was deemed necessary as the roof chop meant Squeaky couldn’t sit in the car without it pressing down on his head

supposed to be a quick in-and-out weekend fix instead turned itself into a total stripdown and rebuild. With Squeaky helping out, Peanuts started by rebuilding the chassis. He boxed it in, extended it and shaped it to take a Model B fuel tank, as well as bracing it with new front and rear crossmembers. All the old brackets were cut out and new ones fabbed to take a Chevy 10-bolt rear axle – which, after being mocked into place, was sent to Hauser Racing for new halfshafts. A 4-bar link at the rear was rose jointed and cut down to bring the rear wheels forward inch and half to centralise them in the arches. The brackets that came with the 4- bar were 4mm thick but the boys wanted to make them 6mm thick for extra rigidity so, using the old ones as templates, plasma-cut their own. Elsewhere, new engine mounts were fabricated, the rear suspension gusseted and custom removable propshaft loops fabricated and fitted. The car had come with a steering rack, which was far too short, so Squeaky purchased a Vega box and the boys

44 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

mounted it using fresh brackets made up from 6mm plate. Something else the A came with was independent front suspension. This was a big no-no as far as Squeaky was concerned, so he ditched it in favour of a more traditional 4” dropped I-beam for that proper hot rod stance. The brakes were completely rebuilt with fresh drums, back plates and mechanisms at the back and discs, calipers, copper lines and flexi hoses up front. On the damping front, shorter shocks were fitted up front and Gaz units at the back.

Brushing up

Once all this was done, the chassis was treated to a coat of Hammerite Black. The axles, meanwhile, were painted the same shade of orange as the body. Under the hood, the 350ci Chevy motor that came with the car was luckily in pretty good condition. A simple clean up and a new distributer and it was good to go back in. Attention then turned to the body – which, after re-mounting on the fresh chassis with

wood mounts and rubber shims, acquired a fair amount of work. The first job was to relocate the battery under the seat for ease of access, then the floor was cut out and lowered 20mm to compensate for the roof chop as, when Squeaky got in the car, his head was touching the headlining. Fresh genuine Model A door handles and mechanisms were then fitted, the rear lights were relocated, a new oil cooler was mounted and new tags were put in place to indicate what the previously blank toggle

Left: The car came to Squeaky with a steering rack that was miles too short (that’ll be the bump-steer, then). So this became more scrap metal to be taken away and the wheel and column now turn a Vega box on Peanuts’ own 6mm fabricated mounts Right: Plywood lining around the rumble seat mirrors what you’ll find to either side of the footwells up front. As do the speakers, oddly, though they’d need to be pumping it out pretty lustily for you to be able to hear the music. It’s opened using a newly installed handle

switches actually did. In addition, in went a set of 9” headlights and a proper handle to open the dickie seat. The splash apron was removed to show off the I-beam axle, and finally an off-the-shelf wiring loom was purchased and set up. The result? You’re looking at it (obviously). As were a whole lot of people when Squeaky

took the Model A to last year’s Knuckle Busters at the Barns – judges included, clearly, because he drove home with a Top 10 award keeping him company on the passenger’s seat. “I didn’t anticipate so much work needing doing,” admits Squeaky. “I’d like to thank Peanuts for all his hard work and knowledge

and my partner Piggy for all the cleaning, painting and fetching bits. “I’m so pleased we did it – and did it in such a way that there shouldn’t be any issues with it again, which means I can get in the car and just enjoy driving it and having a laugh. It was my birthday present to me, after all!” CC

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 31

Out & About

Say it with Roses

Words and Pictures: Alice Fairhead

Event: American Truck Nationals Date: 7 June 2026 Venue: The Rose Inn, Shotley The American Truck Nationals is now in its fifth year, and in that time it has grown into a really well established event. It has evolved with every staging, even expanding into a two-day event for the first time this year. Saturday evening, we had a short cruise out to the Orwell Bridge up the A14 and back again, just to stretch our legs together before the main day. Unfortunately it rained pretty much all day

The long-distance award went to Ray Thomas, who started his journey on Thursday and travelled from Dalkeith on the south side of Edinburgh Saturday evening’s cruise, led by Mikey Evans

46 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

on the Saturday, which continued into the evening and was accompanied by strong winds, making it a little less fun. But it was still great to get out together – after all, trucks are for driving. Sunday morning came and so did the sun, with blue skies, little wind and a constant flow of trucks arriving in the little village of Shotley. The show is open to all trucks, new and old – they only have to be American. This year, we even had special guests from America in the form of Bryan Ashley and his family from Tennessee. Bryan runs his own event over the pond, the South Eastern Truck Nationals, and it was great to have him along. During the day, we had live music from Biff Country and

Although not in a truck, we tagged on to the back of the cruise to take photos. Not that we managed to captured much apart from spray…

line dancing from Country Nights, as well as an abundance of traders to keep us all busy and burgers served by The Rose Inn in Shotley. Mid-afternoon, we had a small prize giving for the top 10, in no particular order, picked by the organising team. And then just like that, it was over for another year. Huge thanks to Paul Ward, Mikey Evans, Wayne Allen and James Stanley, who are the main crew behind it all, as well as everyone who helped in the bad weather on Saturday and marshalling Sunday, and Kev Bridges for making the trophies. For future event details, check out American Truck Nationals UK on Facebook and hopefully we’ll see you next year.

Unfortunately, the cruise got spilt in two, but we did manage to regroup at the services

Juliette Dixon in the Ford F1 and Paul Rutter in his soon-to-be-featured Suburban arriving on Sunday morning. Orwell Bridge makes a great background Just some of the traders at the show site

Car based trucks are also welcome at the Nationals…

The only thing better than heading to a show is heading to a show with friends

…as are panel vans

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 47

You can buy whole trucks or just truck spares. There’s something for everyone

Everyone’s partial to a rummage through a box of Hot Wheels

48 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

The top 10 was announced in no particular order. Here’s a selection of the trucks that were placed

38186

FRIENDLY STORES NATIONWIDE OPEN 7 DAYS TRADE & PUBLIC

SAVE £££s ON THIS WEEK’S

£

BRITAIN’S TOOLS & MACHINERY SPECIALIST

FIND YOUR LOCAL STORE ONLINE

SELLING TO PUBLIC AND TRADE FOR OVER 40 YEARS

PRICE CRASH

SEE ONLINE FOR LATEST DETAILS

CREATE YOUR DREAM WORKSHOP

MODULAR STORAGE SYSTEMS

FREE DELIVERY

PRICE CUT

PACKAGES FROM

2998.80

£

inc.VAT WAS £3118.80 inc.VAT

SAVE UP TO

£375 COMPARED TO INDIVIDUAL PRICES

CUSTOMER PICTURES

CREATE THE PERFECT FITTED GARAGE/WORKSHOP HEAVY DUTY, PROFESSIONAL PACKAGES ALL UNITS ALSO AVAILABLE SINGLY FOR CUSTOM BUILD

MODEL SHOWN: 25 PIECE SYSTEM COMBGSM01 - 070112893 WAS £3118.80 inc.VAT NOW £2998.80 inc.VAT

A CHOICE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR WOODEN WORKTOPS

10 PACKAGES

PRICE CUT

SEE FULL RANGE

ONLINE

AVAILABLE

SEE ONLINE & IN STORE

FULL EXTENSION ROLLER RUNNERS FOR SMOOTH OPENING ACTION

CTC109C 070113211

155.98 inc.VAT

£

CTC600C 070116037

286 inc.VAT

CTC700C 070116009

PRICE CUT

PROFESSIONAL 1/2" DRIVE SOCKET SET

32

191

CTC103C 070113016

CTC900C 070110903

PRICE CUT

£

95.98 inc.VAT

CLARKE PRO TOOL CHESTS & CABINETS

FROM

inc.VAT 179.98

Order Code 070118032 070118057 070113042

WORKBENCHES CLARKE 5 DRAWER WORKBENCH EXTRA LONG 1700MM WORK TOP

MM1 Custom Car 275x200 pg1.indd 1

IDEAL FOR TOOL STORAGE

CLARKE WORKBENCH WITH PEGBOARD Pegboard back wall with 30 hooks supplied CWB-R1B 040317706

BEST

3

394.80 inc.VAT

PRICE CUT £ 2

PIECE SET

SELLER

£

inc.VAT £179.98 £322.80 £214.80 ‡ WAS £227.98 inc.VAT

91

inc.VAT WAS £131.98 inc.VAT

PRO378 040810784

1

£

129.59

£

.59

inc.VAT WAS £65.99 inc.VAT

88.79

Description 9 Dr Chest 7 Dr Cabinet 13 Dr Combi

PRICE CUT

63

£

£

Model 1 CBB209C 2 CBB217C 3 CTC1300C ‡

PRO394 040218394

PIECE SET

inc.VAT WAS £89.99 inc.VAT

SEE ONLINE Superb professional quality, heavy duty, lockable tool chests & cabinets Ideal for use in automotive & industrial workshops

PROFESSIONAL TOOL KIT WITH CANTILEVER TOOLBOX

PRICE CUT

.98

inc.VAT WAS £197.99 inc.VAT

HUGE RANGE OF TOOL STORAGE

PIECE SET

222

.80

227.98

inc.VAT WAS £236.40 inc.VAT

300 PIECE SET

£

PRICE CUT £

CHT859 040213859

742.80 inc.VAT

CTC107C 070113126

COMPARED TO INDIVIDUAL PRICES

DIY & PROFESSIONAL

£

Superb quality & value for DIY & professional workshops

£129

AF/ METRIC HOME GARAGE REPAIR KIT

PRO396 040218396

95.98 inc.VAT

1234.80

SAVE UP TO

HUGE RANGE IN-STORE & ONLINE

TOOL SET WITH 7 DRAWER TOOL CABINET

£

£

£

inc.VAT WAS £1270.80 inc.VAT

TOOL SETS

MECHANICS/PROFESSIONAL HUGE RANGE TOOL CHESTS/CABINETS DIY & PROFESSIONAL

PACKAGES FROM

MODEL SHOWN: 19 PIECE CORNER SYSTEM COMBGSM05 - 070113909 £1678.80 inc.VAT

347.98 inc.VAT

WAS £358.80 inc.VAT

83.98 inc.VAT

£

CWB1700P 040315510

AVAILABLE IN RED OR GALVANISED FINISH

CLARKE ENGINEERS HEAVY INCLUDES DUTY STEEL WORKBENCH SINGLE CWB2000D 040317807

Durable powder coated finish Sturdy lower shelf

LOCKABLE DRAWER

Shown fitted with optional 3 drawer unit Only £143.98 Inc VAT

17/06/2026 11:27

3818

38186

CLARKE DIAGNOSTICS

CLARKE ANGLE GRINDERS

Professional Engine Diagnostic & EOBD/OBD ll Fault Code Reader

CON1150 060514015

PRICE CUT

† WAS £41.99 inc.VAT

NOW FROM

33.59 inc.VAT

£

WAS £34.79 inc.VAT

TIGER 8/260 000119490

.98

•

4

• •

CEOBDPRO 010911130

SELLING TO PUBLIC AND TRADE FOR OVER 40 YEARS

AIRMASTER TURBO AIR COMPRESSORS Superb range ideal for DIY, hobby & semi-professional use

95 inc.VAT

£

BRITAIN’S TOOLS & MACHINERY SPECIALIST

Model Motor Order Code inc.VAT CAG800B 800W 060512110 £33.59 CON1150† 1150W 060514015 £39.59

BEST

SELLER

GARAGES/WORKSHOPS

FROM

LENGTH UP TO 40’

PROTECT YOUR PRIDE AND JOY

125.99 inc.VAT

£

M 01

SEE

FULL RANGE ONLINE

TIGER 16/550 000119510 Model 8/260 11/550 16/550 16/1050

Tank 24L 50L 50L 100L

Order Code 000119490 000119505 000119510 000119515

WAS inc.VAT £191.98 £275.98 £334.80

NOW inc.VAT £125.99 £183.59 £263.98 £323.98

ZIP CLOSE DOOR

CTJ1250AC 020111818

Quick lift Non-marking nylon wheels

MODEL SHOWN CIG81220 140613576 FROM

1.25T

1.8T CTJ1500QL 020112633

1.5T Model CTJ1500QL CTJ1250AC CTJ2500QLGB CTJ1800AB

Lifting Cap. Order Code 1.5T 020112633 1.25T 020111818 2.5T 020112803 1.8T 020113202

WAS inc.VAT £125.99 £151.19 £191.98 £227.98

NOW inc.VAT £124.79 £149.99 £185.99 £215.98

PRICE CUT NOW FROM

CTJ1800AB 020113202

CLARKE 1 TONNE STRUT SPRING COMPRESSOR

CLARKE £ 1 TONNE FOLDING WORKSHOP CRANE

Hydraulically powered, foot control operated device Adjustable spring retainers Springs up to 400mm diameter & 520mm in length Tough steel safety guard

PRICE CUT

209.99

263 inc.VAT .98

inc.VAT WAS £215.98 inc.VAT

£

Model CIG81212 CIG81015 CIG81216 CIG81020 CIG81220 CIG81224 CIG1432 CIG1640

Fully tested to proof load

CFC100 020110142

Order Code 010617095 010611103 010617117 010612302 010617130 010617135

HIGH OUTPUT

LOW NOISE AIR COMPRESSORS

FROM ONLY 62DB(A)

BUILT TO COMBINE ULTRA-QUIET OPERATION WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE

SHHH 50/350 000112450

Model Shhh 24/150 Shhh 50/150 Shhh 50/350

3 PRODUCTS IN THE RANGE

MM2 Custom Car 275x200 pg2.indd 1

inc.VAT £167.98 £215.98 £334.80

8bar 116psi

FROM

Order Code 000112440 000112445 000112450

Max Amps Model Charge/ Boost BC125 20/120 BC190 38/180 WBC180 35/180 WBC400 60/350

MAX VEHICLE WEIGHT 2700KG

167.98inc.VAT

£

Order Code 010310125 010310190 010311500 010311515

JACKS IN STOCK UP TO

5 TONNE

inc.VAT 105.59

WAS £107.98 inc.VAT

WAS inc.VAT £107.98 £125.99 £179.98 -

NOW inc.VAT £105.59 £119.98 £161.99 £239.98

£

CL SE

G

To ch

1 R C

R

Di Ad

I tig &

CL &

P

WA

06

PRICE CUT NOW FROM

53.99

£

CTJ2250LP 020113070

2.25T

inc.VAT WAS £55.18 inc.VAT

J

O

VIS m OR OF ST

CTJ3000GB 020113032 Model CTJ2250LP* CTJ3000GB CTJ2QLP

Type Low Profile Pro Garage Low Quick Lift

Tonne 2.25 3 2

Order Code 020113070 020113032 020111820

inc.VAT £53.99 £131.98 £179.98

CLARKE PETROL & DIESEL PRESSURE WASHERS

*CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets PLS265B 050411367

TIGER1800B 050412202 Pressure Motor WAS NOW Model BAR/Psi HP Order Code inc.VAT inc.VAT 050412202 £322.80 £311.98 Tiger1800B 110/1595 3 PLS195B 180/2640 5.5 050411362 £574.80 £562.80 PLS220 050410347 £766.80 £718.80 230/3335 9 PLS265B 225/3263 13 050411367 £837.60 £814.80 PLS360 248/3600 13 050410375 £1174.80 £1138.80 DLS360 050410376 £1438.80 £1342.80 248/3600 9

PRICE CUT NOW FROM

£

311

E

.98

inc.VAT WAS £322.80 inc.VAT

Built for tough daily use Full steel frame

The range covers air displacement values up to 16.9cfm Maximum working pressure of 8bar Input supply of 230V/50Hz Adjustable airflow regulator Tank and outlet pressure gauges ALL CLARKE COMPRESSORS ARE FULLY TESTED & EU COMPLIANT

NOW FROM

£

Multi-position charge regulator Overload protection on charging cycle Ammeter

3T

IG4000 010617130 WAS NOW inc.VAT inc.VAT £274.80 £262.80 - £279.60 £375.60 £370.80 £454.80 £418.80 £838.80 £718.80 £1918.80 £1798.80

PRICE CUT

010310125

VPJ300 020114101

262.80

IG2300 010612302 Fuel Runtime Tank @ 3/4 load Weight KG 10L 8 hrs 22 2L 2.8 hrs 13.4 5.6L 5 hrs 20 5.6L 6.25 hrs 21 10L 6.25 hrs 52.8 26L 8.25 hrs 114

BRIGHT, WHITE INTERIOR KEEPS INSIDE LIGHT

CLARKE BATTERY CHARGERS/ENGINE STARTERS BC125

CLARKE 2 & 3 TONNE TROLLEY JACKS

Max Output 1700W 1050W 2000W 2200W 3800W 7500W

UV treated & waterproof cover for protection against rain and sun Rugged ratchet tight tensioning Heavy duty steel frame

149.99

£

Rec Cap 24L 50L 50L

NOW inc.VAT £275.98 £310.80 £358.80 £382.80 £442.80 £550.80 £1282.80 £2758.80

PRICE CUT

inc.VAT WAS £274.80 inc.VAT

Air Disp. 7cfm 7cfm 16.9cfm

WAS Order Code inc.VAT 140613584 £287.98 140613570 £331.20 140613574 £378.00 140613572 £406.80 140613576 £466.80 140613578 £574.80 140613594 £1294.80 140613596 -

CLARKE VEHICLE POSITIONING JACK

NOW FROM

IG1100 010611103

inc.VAT

£

PRICE CUT

Model IG1700F IG1100 IG1900 IG2300 IG4000 IG8000

Dims LxWxh 3.6x3.6x2.5m 4.5x3x2.4m 4.9x3.7x2.5m 6.1x3x2.4m 6.1x3.7x2.5m 7.3x3.7x2.5m 9.7x4.3x3.65m 12x4.9x4.3m

OFFERS THE PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE.

.98 WAS

inc.VAT WAS £155.98 inc.VAT

CLARKE INVERTER GENERATORS

Clean & stable power source, ideal for sensitive electronic equipment

NOW 287 275.98inc.VAT

Folding and fixed frames available Robust, rugged construction Overload safety valve

SSC1000G 020411030

£

124.79

£

inc.VAT WAS £125.99 inc.VAT

£

FROM

CLARKE ALUMINIUM RACING JACKS

Motor 2HP 2.5HP 3HP 3HP

PLS360 050410375

HONDA & DIESEL ENGINE MODELS IN STOCK

BAR BIRM BIRM BOL BRA BRIS BUR CAM CAR CAR CHE CHE COL COV CRO DAR

Cal

17/06/2026 11:28

MM3

T

9

VAT VAT

on tor oad on cle ter

OW VAT 5.59 9.98 1.99 9.98

MIG120 010115601

MIN/MAX AMPS

Range of precision bench & floor presses for enthusiast, engineering & industrial applications

MIN/MAX AMPS

20/120

Xtra section

CLARKE HOT WASHER

40/100

Break down stubborn dirt, grease and oil much faster than cold water

HARRY 2 050412181

FROM

101.99 inc.VAT

PRICE CUT

£

658.80

£

inc.VAT WAS £694.80 inc.VAT

145 Bar 2100 PSI

CDP102B 060715512

B = Bench mounted F = Floor standing

FULL RANGE OF

SEE ONLINE FOR

£

NOW 199 191.98inc.VAT £

.19 WAS inc.VAT

CLARKE SOCKET BEST SETS & WRENCHES SELLER LIFETIME GUARANTEE

18 Sockets 8-32mm Reversible ratchet Comfort grip handle

NOW FROM

Automatic safety locks engage as the lift rises Hydraulic flow divider for precise, equal lifting Corded remote control

£

Tank Model Cap. CW2D 10Ltrs CW1D 45Ltrs CWM20 22.5Ltrs CW40 75Ltrs

52.79

£

inc.VAT Ideal for tightening bolts & nuts to a desired torque value

CLARKE SANDER & POLISHER

CW1D 050810030 WAS NOW inc.VAT inc.VAT Type Order Code £71.98 £65.99 Bench 050810031 £167.98 £163.19 Floor 050810030 £209.99 £203.98 Floor 050810020 £262.80 £239.98 Floor 050810920

CLARKE WARRIOR WINCH UP TO

BEST

6 stage variable speed control

WAS £83.98 inc.VAT CP185 060310185

95.98 inc.VAT

£

Model 20SPS12 25SPS12

20SPS12 020110281

Order Code 020110281 020110296

SELLERS

JUMPSTARTS

FROM

ONLINE

HUGE

RANGE

In Store 116.39 inc.VAT & Online

£

VISIT machinemart.co.uk OR HEAD TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY STORES TODAY!

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

EXTRA LONG 1M LEADS

BEST

‡ WAS £173.99 inc.VAT ◆ WAS £197.99 inc.VAT Starts Engines Peak Model up to Amps Order Code inc.VAT JS1100C 3L 1100 010310015 £116.39 JS1224LiN‡ 6L 1200 010318905 £167.98 6L 2200 010311030 £191.98 JS4000◆ JS1224 6L 2000 010311224 £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

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

PRICE CUT

79.19

£

*Folds for storage Order Code 020110124 020110121 020110123 020110122

PRICE CUT

BRUSHLESS

NOW FROM

113

£

.99

2 2Ah

inc.VAT WAS £81.59 inc.VAT

inc.VAT WAS £119.98 inc.VAT

WAS inc.VAT £81.59 £95.98 £119.98 £163.19

‡ Auto Express Best Buy 2024

NOW inc.VAT £79.19 £87.59 £113.99 £155.98

x

Model

Desc

Order Code

inc.VAT

CCIW160

Cordless 2X 2AH LI-ION

060210658

£113.99

CIR 184LIP‡ Cordless 2X 4AH LI-ION

060210619

£173.99

Batteries

MICRO JUMPSTARTS Compact enough to fit in a vehicle glove box STARTS PETROL ENGINES UP TO

STARTS PETROL ENGINES UP TO

5

LITRES

PRICE CUT NOW FROM

57.59

£

inc.VAT WAS £59.98 inc.VAT

CLICK & COLLECT

JSM1000 010319025 ◆ WAS £71.98 inc.VAT Model Start Boost Peak Boost * AUTO EXPRESS JSM600 300A 600A CHOICE JUMP 500A 1000A JSM1000*◆ STARTER 2024 JSM1200‡ 600A 1200A

VISIT

CALL

5.5

Order Code 010319020 010319025 010319030

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

www.machinemart.co.uk

Rotates 3 forward and 450NM through reverse gears 360˚ Includes batteries CCIW160 and charger 060210658

CES680F 020110122

NOW FROM

JS4000 010311030

CLARKE JUMPSTARTS JS1224 010311224

Fully tested to proof load

Model Capacity CES340 340kg CES450 450kg CES560 560kg CES680F* 680kg

inc.VAT £95.98 £142.80

WAS £1498.80 inc.VAT

LOW-PROFILE FRAMES

CLARKE ENGINE CLARKE 18V ½" STANDS IMPACT WRENCH

7.9T

LINE CAP.

FROM

77.99 inc.VAT SELLER

“long hoses and remote cord for easy positioning and making sure everything is okay when lifting”

1438.80 inc.VAT

£

inc.VAT WAS £71.98 inc.VAT

040215238

EASY WAYS TO BUY...

CCL2250 020110146

PRICE CUT

NOW FROM

65.99

SOLID STEEL CONSTRUCTION

inc.VAT

PRICE CUT

35.98 inc.VAT

£

HUGE RANGE OF RATCHETS, SPANNERS & SOCKET SETS PRO238

£

HYDRAULIC CAR LIFT

.98 WAS

CW2D 050810031

Top quality chrome vanadium steel

PRICE CUT

£

INC. CONTAINER FOR DETERGENT

FOR CARS UP TO 2.25 TONNES

SEE IN STORE & ONLINE

NOW 203 197.99inc.VAT

WAS NOW inc.VAT inc.VAT - £101.99 £131.98 £119.98 £214.80 £203.98 £346.80 £334.80 £810.00 £778.80

CLARKE PARTS WASHERS

PRO360 040810766

Digital Torque Adaptor

£

Motor (W) Model Speeds Order Code CDP5EB 350 / 5 060712030 CDP102B 350 / 5 060715512 CDP152B 450 / 12 060715522 CDP452B 550 / 16 060715575 CDP502F 1100 / 12 060715592

ARC ACTIVATED HEADSHIELDS

MIG107 010114012

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES

MIG, TIG & MMA WELDING ON MIG120

VAT VAT

6 11:28

For 15,000 hard-to-find items visit the

CLARKE

9

VAT VAT

DOWNLOAD NOW

DRILL PRESSES MIG WELDERS ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT MACHINES

T

T

machinemart.co.uk

Our gift cards & e-Vouchers can be redeemed in any of our superstores nationwide, online & by phone 0115 956 5555

5 MINUTE APPLICATION

M

8

THE PERFECT GIFT

FOR EXCLUSIVE IN-APP OFFERS

FROM

ER

PAY Monthly • SPREAD THE COST OVER 12, 24, 36, 48 OR 60 MONTHS • ANY MIX OF PRODUCTS OVER £300 • 19.9% APR

FROM

ST

38186

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

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

JSM1200 010319030 LITRES inc.VAT ‡ WHAT CAR £57.59 BEST JUMP £69.59 STARTER 2024 £83.98

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

17/06/2026 11:29

Chip’s shop

52 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Words: Tony Thacker

When Chip Foose invites you round to his workshop, you go. Better yet when it’s to get an eyeful of the cool new ’27 T he’s building

C

hip Foose says we’ve known each other since 1984 and I know I’ve known Brit John ‘Biffo’ West even longer. So imagine my surprise when I heard the two of them were working together again on Chip’s latest personal project – a banger-powered ’27 T for short strip vintage racing. Chip, of course, needs no introduction: you’ll know him from the TV show Overhaulin’ and numerous great hot rod builds. We shared his studio at Boyd Coddington’s Hot Rods by Boyd in the midnineties, until Boyd’s went belly up. It was then that Chip hooked up with John West and collaborated on Chuck Svatos’ 0032 that won the AMBR in 2000. John, meanwhile, had grown up near Heathrow and gained a reputation working at Nick Butler’s Auto Imagination before emigrating to California in 1988. He worked initially for Chuck Lombardo’s California Street Rods before joining Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. In 1998, John was awarded Crew Chief of the Year and went on to be crew chief in the 1999 and 2000 Indy Racing League for driver Stan Wattles. “It was a great experience,” he said. “But after seven years on the circuit, it was time to hang it up and return to my first love.” It was then that John began working with Chip and fellow Brit Mick Jenkins of Mick’s Paint in Pomona.

First Impression

Later, John built the chassis for Chip’s 006 AMBR winner, Impression, a ’36 Roadster built for Ken Reister Fast forward a quarter of a century and I bumped into Chip at the RPM Barona Drags, helping his good friend Seth Hammond race his DOHC Hal-headed Model B-powered time trial car, fashioned after an early sprint car. Seth, a member of the Bonneville 300 MPH Club (as are his wife, daughter and son), went on to win the Four Cylinder Race class. As we were chatting, Chip pulled out his phone and said: “This is what I’m building to

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 53

“I’m just struggling with the cost of today’s builds and how to charge customers $1 million or more. It just doesn’t feel right” The duo were already working together twentysomething years ago. John built the chassis for Impression, Ken Reister’s ’36 Roadster which put a 2006 AMBR trophy on Chip’s mantlepiece

race.” Now, I’ve always loved ’27 Ts but on the screen was a typically Foose, exquisitely rendered ’27-bodied Modified. “I’m building it right now,” said Chip. Come by the shop and take a look – John West is working on it with me.” Within days, I was heading to Chip’s shop in Huntington Beach where, sure enough, John was hard at work on the as yet unnamed ’27. Unlike a lot of T-based Modifieds that use a more-or-less stock T frame, Chip used 1915 Model T truck rails measuring 5 x 2 inches and about 3/16 thick. He then took a sweep of one of the four original ’27 T bodies he has and heated and curved the rails to fit the body profile.

Lying low

The car is based on 1915 Model T truck rails, which measure 5 x 2 inches and about 3/16 thick, curved to fit the profile of a ’27 T body. You can see the sweep on both here

54 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

The body will then hug the rails, unlike most Modified bodies that just sit atop them like a pimple. “I want it to sit low but on those tall 30-inch Buffalo wheels,” said Chip. The frame is held aloft by a dropped T axle on a transverse leaf up front that Jim ‘Jake’ Jacobs found at the Model T Swap Meet. In the rear is an original Ruckstell two-speed axle on a T leaf spring in the

Chip’s aim is for the T’s body to hug the chassis rails rather than sitting perched on top of them. His render for the car shows what he’s going for – and that it’s going to be something worth getting excited about

Big old 30” Buffalo wheels could easily put it up in the sky. All the effort with the chassis and body was done with the specific purpose of sitting it down low with the wheels not below but around it

rear. The Ruckstell axle was one of the few Ford factory-approved accessories for the Model T. Something particularly cool are the ‘mini’ Buick finned drum brakes. These are actually 1970s’ Datsun 240Z finned aluminium drum brakes, which are ideally sized for this application. For power, Chip is using a Model B 3-bearing banger fitted with a C crank supplied by Seth. The engine was built by Pat Gary of Paso Robles, CA and is fitted with a Centurion XX two-piece billet aluminium cylinder head furnace-brazed together. The engine also features a Pat Gary one-piece billet front cover that accommodates the FS Ignitions distributor and the water pump. Currently, there is a Zepher dual intake for a pair of Stromberg 97s and a Hi Torque mini starter from Performance Products. Behind the engine is a ’32 trans with ’39 gears.

Incidentally, besides the frame, Chip built his own engine cradle and various other parts before work took him away and John stepped in from his day job developing prototype chassis for Chip.

First time out

Target for the ’27 is the RPM Nationals at Santa Margarita Ranch in September. But if that doesn’t work out, the next target is Seth’s own F.A.S.T. event, also at Santa Margarita, in late October. We can’t wait to see it run. Beyond his own T racer, Chip is as busy as can be running his shop, developing new products and working on his own personal projects. “I’m working a lot on my own stuff,” he told me. “My wife and I have four beach buggys, a couple of originals and a couple of ‘Classic’ bodies from the new Meyers Manx company, for

Left and above: The engine is a Model B 3-bearing banger fitted with a C crank from Seth Hammon. It was built by Pat Gary of Paso Robles

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 55

Left: The first and last thing a flying bug will see if it manages to make it past the T’s grille is a Pagaent one-piece billet front cover from engine builder Pat Gary Right: Up top, the engine features a furnace-brazed Centurion XX two-piece billet aluminium cylinder head

The engine is destined to sit behind a rare Whippet grille

Rear axle is an original Ruckstell two-speeder on a Model T leaf spring. As approved by Ford itself when the T was new

56 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Another view of the grille – and in the foreground, the finned aluminium drum brakes from a Datsun 240Z. The axle here is a dropped unit on a transverse leaf

whom I’ve done some design work. None of them are electric! “I still have Rob and Jeannie Hilardie’s Foosenberg Straight-8 Duesenberg on the go – it’s kinda of a ‘Big Deuce.’ Also on the go is Pat and Linda Valasco’s LS3-powered ’56 Continental Mk II that we turned into a roadster, but really I’m not looking for more projects. I’m diverting my efforts toward product development and working with some of my existing industry partners such as Magnaflow. Unfortunately, it’s too early to talk about any of these new products but they’ll be released soon. “The shop part of the business is in transition as I’m just struggling with the cost of today’s builds and how to charge customers $1 million or more. I feel guilty – it just doesn’t feel right.” CC

Chip now owns four Beach Buggies. Two are originals and two revival models made by Meyers Manx. Chip has done some design work for the company – an area he says he’s concentrating more on as the cost of building cars now, which he’s uncomfortable with passing on to his clients, pushes him further away from taking on new workshop builds

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 57

Out & About

Mark Thatcher’s Austin has been around for many years in many different guises. He won Best Rat award

Words and Pics: James Webber

Event: Run To The Pub 2026 Dates: 29-31 May 2026 Venue: Royal Standard, Gwinnear

When the news came in that Run To The Sun 2025 had been cancelled, it hit a lot of people hard. However, all was not lost. Thanks to Chris Hyland, landlord of The Royal Standard pub in Gwinnear, and his friend Don, a plan was formulated – and with just three weeks until that weekend, Run To The Pub was born. This year, they had more time to plan and make a weekend of it. Friday and Saturday were for camping and setting up pitches; evening entertainment was provided by The Hoodle on Friday and Excession on Saturday, both followed by a disco. Sunday was show’n’shine day, with vehicles arriving from 10am and paying £10 – of which £5 went to charity and £5 towards the cost of the trophies made especially for the show. Bristol Detailing Supplies sponsored the Landlord’s Choice award with a selection of cleaning goodies. The show was open to all classics, Volkswagens and hot rods, as well as

58 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

Pub crawlin’

a selection of suitably interesting modern vehicles. During Sunday, live music was provided by solo singers Raf and Ben Joseph at alternating intervals. Then at around 2.30pm, the awards were announced and the show ended.

Mike Squires almost dailies his Chevy-powered Hudson pick-up

Landlord Chris Hyland’s ’49 Chevy is soon to get some lowriding treatment

This year’s winners were: Best Rat: Mark Thatcher Austin Best Club: South West Car Alliance Best Daily: Kev Triggs Audi Beer Mat: Alex Bunt Isuzu powered VW van Best Custom and People’s Choice: Dean Cole BMW-engined Sunbeam Stilletto Landlord’s Choice: Alex Waterston Barn Door Split

Martyn Pollard of Blackout Autofab’s Chevy pick-up has more subtle changes than meets the eye

Next year’s dates have already been set for 28-31 May 2027, with tickets to go on sale imminently. Follow Run To The Pub and Royal Standard Gwinnear for details.

This roadster was featured on the cover of CC in June 2003 and still looks as good as it did then

Most unusual vehicle you’ll ever see was this Fiat 850 Camper on full Smart car running gear

Buddy is a genuine ice cream van that now lives in Cornwall, actually serving ice cream at events

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 59

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

AUGUST 2026

2 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com

28 The Drink Hot Rod Meet The Artisan, Tring Facebook: The Drink Hot Rod Meets

4-6 Blue Ridge Runners All Makes Motor Show West Huntspill, Somerset www.blueridgerunners.co.uk

28-31 Hot Rod Hop Scald End Farm, Thurleigh, Beds Facebook: Cannibals Car Club – UK 29 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 29-30 Bank Holiday Weekend Manston Raceway Park, Kent www.manstonracewaypark.com

4-6 The Trip Out Euston Park, Suffolk. www.thetripout.co.uk 5 Only Fools and Motors Tydd St Mary, Wisbech, Cambs Facebook: Only Fools and Motors 5-6 Bracket Bonanza Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events

29-31 Hooked Weekender Hooke Court, Dorset Facebook: Hooked Weekender

6 A602’s Autorama Fairlands Valley Showground, Stevenage. Facebook: A602’s CC Autorama Show

30 Kuckle Busters at the Barns Stonham Barns, Stowmarket, Suffolk www.stonhambarns.co.uk

6 Flames ‘n’ Dice Car Show Wearmouth Colliery Welfare, Sunderland. donna.wilkinson14@ virginmedia.com / 07970 669909

31 V8 Hotrods pre-72 gathering The Cross Keys, Redgrave, Suffolk Facebook: V8 Hotrods

SEPTEMBER 2026 1 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach

60 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

11-13 Goodwood Revival Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 12-13 Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races Pendine, Carmarthenshire. www.vhra.co.uk 13 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 13 Top of the Pops 2 Industry and Supply, Northamptonshire Facebook: Industry and Supply 15 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 17 Spur Gear Car and Bike Meet The Spur, Slindon, West Sussex Facebook: Spur Gear Car and Bike Meets 17-20 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring www.iomfm.com

6 Sunday Breakfast Hop Barley Farm, Eccles, Manchester Facebook: Breakfast Hop

17-20 Speed and Wheelies Week Elvington Airfield, West Yorkshire www.straightliners.events

10-13 Euro Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk

18-20 Hot Rod Drags Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk

10-13 Race the Waves Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. www.backfireinfo.weebly.com

19-20 Bernie’s V8s and Historic Outlaws Brands Hatch GP www.berniesv8s.com

20 American Car Show Stonham Barns, Stowmaket, Suffolk ww.stonhambarns.co.uk

27 American, Rod and Custom Show Fort Paull, Hull. yancs1@yahoo.co.uk

20 Breakfast with the Reapers Boar Inn, Moddershall, Staffs 07928 214543 / 07976 655636

27 The Drink Hot Rod Meet The Artisan, Tring Facebook: The Drink Hot Rod Meets

20 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey

28 The Station Wheels Wisbech St Mary Cambs. Facebook: Wisbech St Mary Station Bar Restaurant

25-27 National Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk

OCTOBER 2026

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

3-4 Firework Finale Melbourne Raceway. www.straightliners.events 4 Sunday Breakfast Hop Barley Farm, Eccles, Manchester Facebook: Breakfast Hop 4 Victory Wheelers Hayling Sunset Hayling Island. www.facebook. com/groups/VictoryWheelers 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 10-11 King of the South Manston Raceway Park, Kent www.manstonracewaypark.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 17 Spur Gear Car and Bike Meet The Spur, Slindon, West Sussex Facebook: Spur Gear Car and Bike Meets 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 Newbury American Auto Jumble Woodside Farm, Newbury. Facebook: Newbury American Auto Jumble 25 Straightliners Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 31 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com

OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 61

BRENTACRE CUSTOM CAR & HOT ROD INSURANCE

31 Flame and Thunder Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 31 Whitby Kustom West Cliff School, Whitby. Facebook: Paul Kustom 31-1 Nov Halloween Fancy Dress Special Manston Raceway Park, Kent www.manstonracewaypark.com

NOVEMBER 2026 4 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 8 Sunday Breakfast Hop Barley Farm, Eccles, Manchester Facebook: Breakfast Hop 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 21 British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala and Awards Dinner Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, Coventry www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk 28 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com

15 VW Air-Cooled Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 20 Krispy Kreme Cruise Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey

JUNE 2027

26 All American Cruise In Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com

10-13 Hot Rods and Hills Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater www.parkfootullswater.co.uk

27 Cold Turkey Run Cromer, Norfolk, Facebook: Bod Here

20 BHP Fuel Fest Westpoint Arena, Exeter, Devon. bhpshows.com

FEBRUARY 2027

JULY 2027

19-21 Race Retro Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. www.raceretro.com

MARCH 2027 19-21 Classic Car and Restoration Show NEC, Birmingham. www.necrestorationshow.com 26 Wheels Day Newbury Showground, Berkshire www.surreystreetrodders.com

APRIL 2027 11 Kickback Show Three Counties Showground, Malvern www.kickbackshow.com

15-12 Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 16-18 Rock ‘n’ Ribs Festival Bath and West Showground, Somerset. www.rocknribsfestival.co.uk 18 Deuce Day British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire Facebook: Deuces of Britain

AUGUST 2027 5-8 NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals Old Warden, Bedfordshire. www.nsra. org.uk

SEPTEMBER 2027

DECEMBER 2026

30-3 May River Run Croft & District WMC, Darlington Facebook: North East Rod & Custom

17-21 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring www.iomfm.com

2 Hot Rod Night Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com

MAY 2027

AUGUST 2028

13 Sunday Breakfast Hop Barley Farm, Eccles, Manchester Facebook: Breakfast Hop

15-16 Duchy Ford Show Watergate Bay Touring Park, Newquay www.duchyfordclub.co.uk

62 CUSTOM CAR OCTOBER 2026

TBC European Street Rod Nationals Old Warden, Bedfordshire. www.esra-rod.euk

ƵƐƚŽŵ ^ƚĂŝŶůĞƐƐ džŚĂƵƐƚƐ &Ƶůů Žƌ WĂƌƚ ZĞƐƚŽƌĂƚŝŽŶƐ ^ƵƐƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ hƉŐƌĂĚĞƐ &ĂďƌŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ŶŐŝŶĞ ^ŚŽƉ ^ŚŽƉ KƉĞŶ ůƚĞƌŶĂƚĞ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJƐ

Over 25 years experience building many show winning cars 2025 NSRA Supernats Best in Show Winner Specialists in full custom builds, Roof chops, engine swaps, air ride, full stainless custom exhausts and much more Unit 3, Little Cliffsend Farm, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5HP - Jay: 07738 566514 @deepsouthkustoms_jay

jay.deepsouthkustoms@gmail.com

Custom Car_2024_12_Winter_Retro Classic Clothing_FP.indd 1

05/11/2024 10:53 Custom Car_2025_12_Winter_Deep South Kustoms_EP.indd 1

UK's best buyer of Hot Rods, Classic American & Modified Cars

If it 'Drives, Flies, Rides or Sails' Trimmania has the solution

Classic & Vintage | Classic American | Prestige | Campers & Motorhomes | Boats & Planes Carpets | Custom Retrims | Leather & Vinyl Repairs | Seat & Dash Repairs | Convertible Hoods & Tonnaeus Roofs: Glass, Steel, Fabric | Motorcycle Seats Trimmania Ltd, Shepperlands Copse, Park Lane, Finchampstead, Berkshire RG40 4QE Tel: 0118 9734999 Email: epg@trimmania.co.uk

www.trimmania.com

INSTANT DECISIONS & PAYMENTS

YEARS

Contact Andrew on: 07836 226228 | 01245 248888 | sales@standrewsautos.co.uk www.standrewsauto.co.uk

OUR ADVERTISING CONTACT DETAILS HAVE CHANGED

Custom Car_2025_03_March_Trim Mania_EP.indd 1

29/10/2025 15:28

30/01/2025 15:09 Custom Car_2024_01_January_St Andews Autos_EP.indd 1

24/11/2023 11:27

To advertise in Custom Car, please contact Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 742969 email: colin.ashworth@assignment-media.co.uk OCTOBER 2026 CUSTOM CAR 63

MAY 2024 £5.99

on ’26 Nov sa iss le ue 24 Se p

h t n o m t x e n g n i Com sue, visit shop.assignmentmedia.co.uk

mber is To pre-order the Nove

AIM TO TAKE THE STRESS HILL WE& STRAIN FROM SHIPPING SHIPPING

Lupton Twin Blues Brothers Copcarsuk are proud to work with Hill Shipping who offer the best door to port service. If you are wanting genuine American police vehicles for filming, promotions and videos, please contact us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/18htYFtpfs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Everybody needs somebody to Love

Tel: 01795 876000 Mob: 07885 600226 www.hillshipping.com sales@hillshipping.com

LIFTING PLATFORMS

TWIN BUSCH

242 M-G

127 P-G