Indice dei contenuti per November 2024 in Custom Car

It almost slipped under the radar that the iconic Jaguar V12-powered Ford Model T built by the late Gary Belcher was listed in the Goodwood Revival Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia auction in early September. When we did get wind of the listing, it was too late to give readers advance notice. We can tell you that the Model T now has a new owner though. Having made its debut in 1979, the car features a scratch-built chassis, Jag V12 engine and manual transmission, a dropped I beam front axle and a Jaguar IRS. Every part of the car is detailed to the max, and the T debuted in 1979 – winning many awards at the Custom Car Show and gracing the cover of that year’s May issue. The T…

Back in 1981, Kevin Barnaby had a warmed-over Mk2 Ford Zephyr and spent many a weekend running it at Santa Pod. Often, he was paired against one of the Z car legends of the era, the Harris brothers, but never managed to card a win. Time moved on and Kevin was on the lookout for a Mk1, but that never became a reality. He came very close on one occasion, but his haulage business always came first. About to seal the deal, one of his lorries broke and the funds had to be diverted to get it back on the road and earning its keep. One thing Kevin did do though, was to introduce his stepson Stuart Laird to colourful character and hot rod builder, the late Dave Haskell. Stuart…

The peace and tranquillity of the Northamptonshire countryside was once again shattered when the MPH Vintage Sprint rolled into town at the end of June. This time round though, the rumble of V8s reverberated through the air for a full three days. Following the success of last year’s inaugural one-dayer, Deenethorpe Airfield played host to a whole weekend of hot rod indulgence. Friday was arrival day, with people chilling out and cars getting scrutineered. Things were more serious on Saturday as the cars took to the eighth-mile sprint track. No times were recorded though, as this was all about the bragging rights for crossing the finish line first. Pairings were either random, decided by whoever happened to pull alongside at the start line, or by privately arranged grudge matches. The…

In the feature on his Pop pick-up that we ran in the August issue of CC, Mike Pye made reference to owner Steve Smith being a director of a tyre company. Mike went on to say that Steve can be seen in one of a number of different cars at shows promoting the Nankang tyre brand. The Pop pick-up is one of those cars, another being this tasty ’62 Chevy II Nova. Steve’s association with the Nova began way back in mid-2010, following a late-night dalliance with the Rods’n’Sods internet forum. “I came across a Ray’s Classics ad for a ’62 Nova,” he recalled. “This was a car I’d had in my head for quite a few years and, having told my wife Caroline it was cheap and just needed…

In a pleasing contrast to the weather that has blighted so much of this year’s meetings, Santa Pod managed to stage three Championship events over the summer with just one brief shower of rain to interrupt proceedings. June’s Sportsman Nationals and Summer Nationals were followed up by the Greenlight Nationals in August, with each even showcasing a huge variety of cars and bikes. We’ll start with the latter, where Eliminations in the Greenlight Nationals saw a lengthy delay on Sunday afternoon after Chris ‘Bois’ Reed’s Super Street Bike lifted its front wheel around half track, threw him to the ground then carried on to complete the run without him. Thankfully, he was as alright as you can be with fractures to your ribs, shoulder and pelvis, but at the time of…

New from Laser Tools is this user-friendly battery and alternator tester, suitable for use on both 12V and 24V DC systems. Featuring an easy-to-read LED display, the tester is used with the vehicle’s engine running by connecting the black crocodile clip to a suitable earth point and then pressing the red positive probe on to the battery positive terminal. It offers two alternator readings: alternator over-charging and alternator OK (13.5V), as well as three battery status readings: Good (≥ 75%), Fair (≥ 25%), and Poor (<25%). It is fitted with a large magnetic strip on the rear allowing for it to be attached to the inside of the engine bay or bonnet for hands-free operation and is supplied with an 820mm red positive test lead with probe and a black…

Event: Kings Lynn Kruisers Extravaganza Date: 26-28 July 2024 Venue: Walpole St Andrews One of the UK’s longest-running rod runs, hosted by Kings Lynn Kruisers, was held in glorious sunshine at the end of July. While the main focus of the weekend is the Sunday show, nowadays known as the Extravaganza, for many regulars it is a must-do weekender. The old school approach and atmosphere are a throwback to the eighties when such events were held the length and breadth of the country. The Kruisers aren’t living in the past, though, and the weekend has kept up with the times. Entertainment, a cruise out on Saturday and plenty of laughs combine to make the weekend what it is. On Sunday, the focus shifts to the show, and this is when…

Every now and then, we come across a car that straddles the border between classic and custom. There’s the scale of wild to mild, of course, but on the mild side of mild there are those which are, perhaps, personalised rather than customised. Obviously, the less radical a car is, the less chance it has of appearing on these pages. But when something is as good as Ritchie Gee’s ’57 Lincoln Premiere, it hardly seems right to start splitting hairs. Though he’s done loads to it, he hasn’t changed anything fundamental – but that’s not the point. The point is that it’s jaw-dropping. It’s also dripping in details, which car builders are forever telling us is where the devil is. If details maketh a kustom, that’s what this is. ‘I…

SEPTEMBER 2024 27-30 Fort Paull American, Rod & Custom Show End of Season Bash. Hull. yancs1@yahoo.co.uk 28 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 28 Drag & Drift Dakota Raceway, Honiton, Devon. www.straightliners.events 28 Kustom Kulture Hillsborough Arena, Sheffield. Trade space, text Chris on 07908 809001 28 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 29 Yorkshire American Car Club Show Fort Paul, Hull. www.vhra.co.uk 29 VHRA Swap Meet Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. yancs1@yahoo.co.uk OCTOBER 2024 1 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 2 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 3-7 Rhythm Riot Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth www.rhythmriot.com 5 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 5-6 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www.straightliners.events 6 Victory Wheelers Hayling…