MAY 2023
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A nation’s inspiration The outrageous ‘60s throwback 1927 Ford that defined Japan’s hot rod culture CC Cover Apr 23 DO CUTOUT.indd 1
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Contents
is Ju su n 11 e o e ’2 M ns 3 ay al e
Find us on Facebook at mCarMagazine www.facebook.com/Custo
8
Regulars 2
News & reviews Return of Dragstalgia’s CC Invitational
20 Auto Focus The drag racing genius of Norm Wheeldon
32 Centre Spread Back by popular demand
44 The Custom Car Years The Beast emerges from its lair
46 Readers’ Rods
16
22
A very cool patinated Chevy G10 Sportvan
56 Events It’s going to be a very busy summer
64 Next Month One of the rarest customs you’ll ever see
Out and About
46
36
16 NSRA Southern Swapmeet A great way to get the season going
Features 8
Galaxian The tale of a trendsetting Japanese rod
22 Angliaphile
48
www.customcarmag.co.uk
It pays to know your subject inside out
36 IVA Survival Saving a Pop from the wrath of The Test
48 Crowd Pleaser A Beetle (eek) that everyone falls for
SUBSCRIBE! 34 Custom Car subs offer The best value way to get your monthly fix
MAY 2023 CUSTOM CAR 1
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News & reviews
Very inviting
C
Pics: Julian Hunt
ustom Car magazine has been a staunch supporter of Dragstalgia from the outset and has been involved with the RWYB invitational element of the event for a number of years. We are therefore pleased to announce the Custom Car Invitational is back for 2023. The invitational sessions on both Saturday and Sunday will showcase some
Pic: Jon Spoard
Beast of a buy
THE BEAST, JOHN DODD’S ROLLS ROYCE-INSPIRED CAR first hit the roads of Britain in the ’70s. Subsequently destroyed by fire in 1975, the car reappeared in the early ‘80s weacring a fresh body by Bob Phelps at Fibre Glass Repairs, powered by a 27-litre Rolls Royce Meteor engine and fronted by a Silver Shadow front grille. The car’s notoriety is well documented with John ultimately upping sticks and moving to Spain, taking The Beast with him. Annual return trips to the UK for MoT purposes ensued, with the car also taking a trip along the quarter mile at Santa Pod on at least one occasion. John sadly passed away late last year and his family recently listed The Beast for sale through Classic Car Auctions. The hammer fell on a bid of £72,500. The only question now is, will The Beast once again return to these shores to annoy the suits at Rolls Royce?
Gauging the pressure
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of the most diverse vehicles from the UK and beyond. Successful applicants will be eligible to join this invite-only race class throughout the weekend. Spots are available for either day, or even both, and are subject to acceptance.
feature 1/8NPT threaded adaptors. Compatible with most fuel pressure regulators on the market, the two gauges offered suit both carburettor (0-15 psi) and fuel injection (0-8 bar) applications and are priced at £23.75 and £25.07 respectively. www.webcon.co.uk
Spaces are strictly limited, and successful applicants will be notified in time to enable them to purchase tickets. The application process is simple. Apply by emailing 2023@dragstalgia. com specifying your preferred day and including details of your vehicle, along with an image and current PB. Get your application in now and be a part of one of the highlights of a bumper weekend of nostalgia drag racing. www.santapod.co.uk/dragstalgia
Truck off
NOT SO MUCH OFF AS RELOCATED. With the NSVA of the opinion that Gaydon had become unsuitable, they have upped sticks and moved the Truck-In. This year’s celebration of all things vanning will be held at the Drum and Monkey, Gloucester Road, Upton on Severn WR8 0QP on the weekend of 11-13 August. Facebook: NSVA
Lucky break
Supply and demand
INDUSTRY AND SUPPLY IS A NEW AUTOMOTIVE ARTWORK showroom and coffee shop near Northampton. With just under 2000 square feet of display area the showroom is full of artwork and merchandise, along with vehicles such as a ’54 Thames van. There are armchairs to relax in while enjoying a coffee and plenty of parking for visitors’ cars. www.industryandsupply.com
AS THIS ISSUE WAS ABOUT TO GO TO PRESS, news broke of a special guest attending this year’s Hot Rod Supernationals. At the time of writing there had been no official statement from the NSRA, but word is Lucky Burton from Lucky’s Hot Rod Shop in California is popping over for the weekend. What’s more, he’ll be bringing his Model A roadster with him. www.nsra.org.uk
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Ken Schmidt
JOINT FOUNDER OF THE ROLLING BONES HOT ROD SHOP, Ken Schmidt, passed away on 20 March. Since its conception, Ken and partner Keith Cornell established and progressed Rolling Bones into the revered institution it is today. Visiting the Bones’ shop is like travelling back to a bygone era, a true reflection of when wallets were empty and old Fords were in plentiful supply. The ethos of removing everything possible to reduce weight in a bid to increase speed is firmly ingrained in all Rolling Bones builds. The cars have one other thing in common: they were all built to be driven everywhere and often. Ken was also a celebrated artist, such was the diversity of his talents. His passing leaves a great void in the world of hot rodding and he will be missed by so many. His legacy will most certainly live on. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Ken.
Celebr ating 74 years Pic: Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop
It was with sadness that we heard of the passing of British drag racing pioneer Fred Whittle. Fred became involved with the sport in the early ‘60s and debuted his first race car in 1968, a Chevy-powered ’32 roadster named Shutdown. Fred later dropped in a hot 283 motor and ran a 12.01, then carried on running the car until 1970. He then built his version of the Pure Hell Fuel Altered using a hand-crafted Bantam body and also named it Shutdown. With a blown 392 Hemi, it was the first British car to run in the 9s with a best of 9.35 / 158. A rebuilt chassis in 1972 brought down the front end and enabled the car to run 180mph, making it the fastest Competition Altered in Europe. Fred sold the car at the end of the following season to concentrate on building cars for other racers. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Fred.
Pic: Mike Key
Fred Whittle
Harold Bull
BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE ‘King’ Harold Bull has passed away aged 98. Harold ran the very first timed pass at Santa Pod in Stripduster, his slingshot dragster, at the Easter meeting on 11 April 1966. Stripduster was powered by a 950cc Austin engine and Harold ended that year with a best of 12.855. A supercharger dropped that time to 10.89 and in 1968 a revised chassis and direct drive resulted in a best of 10.14 / 133. In 1971, Harold ran Stripduster to a 9.75 / 136, then in 1974 he got to drive the Houndog AA/Fueller. That drive resulted in Harold retiring from racing as he lost vision due to an oil spray, with the car then hitting the barrier and being written off. Thankfully Harold was unhurt. In 1977 Harold’s grandson, Troy Bull, appeared in an A seriespowered recreation of Stripduster at Dragstalgia. What an amazing tribute to his grandfather. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Harold.
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News & reviews
Cars are made to be used Art is all very well, but a car must be a car AS YOU’LL HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW, I’m a firm believer in giving every car a chance. Not everything we include in Custom Car floats everybody’s boats, and I don’t half get it in the neck for that sometimes, but in my eyes if you’ve given it your best shot you deserve praise. Don’t let’s forget that the custom car scene grew up from young lads doing what they could with limited skills and limited money. Most fell by the wayside, some never lost the faith and a few grew into the customising legends of today. One thing they all seem to agree on is that it’s essential for new blood to be encouraged into the scene. Most young kids now head straight for what we like to call chav cars, forgetting that that’s what everyone thought of us when we were young, but so what if that’s where they’re going to learn their skills? You never know when someone’s going to cross over and bring those skills to bear on the next big thing in hot rods – but what you do know is that if their first attempt gets flamed on social media by a baying mob of old hands who think they’re too good for the likes of him, they’re going to go away and find a friendlier bunch to play with instead. So, yes, I think there’s a place for every kind of custom car in this scene, and in this magazine. But even I would draw the
line at cars that aren’t actually meant to be driven. I’m not just talking about trailer queens here. Though every reader I’ve spoken to has told me is that no-one wants to read a magazine full of those. I’m talking about cars built for show and nothing else. A subject that keeps coming up is that this hobby is half about cars and half about art. (Obviously when we were young, cars were 99% about trying to get laid.) I’ve spent most of my life writing about 4x4s, and seeing the dedication to beauty that exists among hot rodders and customisers has been a delight. But when all’s said and done, it does still need to be a car. Cars were made to be used. Turning one into something that can’t be any more is, to me, not so much customising it as bastardising it. So if the world’s most beautiful hot rod has no engine, no seat or whatever, it may be art – but that young lad’s first attempt is more of a car. The goal of course is to create a car that looks magnificent and that you can drive all day. Now that The Beast has a new owner, for example, I’m sure we all hope to see it being used. Anything else would be like buying a Picasso and keeping it stashed in your attic. Alan Kidd, Group Editor alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk
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THE 13TH ANNUAL MARGATE MELTDOWN kicks off at the Ace Café London on Bank Holiday Monday, 29 May. Heading out at 10.30am, the route takes vehicles along the A406, A13, M25, A2, M2 and the A299 into Margate. www.acecafe.com
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WITH LAST YEAR’S EVENT FEATURING THE UK PREMIERE OF SLEEZE LAKE, a film based around the van meet in 1977 when tens of thousands of vanners partied around the lake, the organisers have decided to relocate Vanditos VanJam4. It’s actually still at the same venue as previous VanJams, Fir Tree Fam, Warmington, Banbury, but instead of utilising the rally field it’s moving down the hill to the campsite alongside the lake. The site offers toilets, showers and electric hook-up, while the VanJam organisers offer the biggest and best party yet. Spaces are limited and all tickets need to be pre-booked. There will be no pay at the gate. The all-important dates are 2-5 June. www.vanditos.co.uk/vanjam
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MAY 2023 CUSTOM CAR 5
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News & reviews
Something for the weekend?
Heading back
Collective gathering The Drivers Collection Show takes place at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham on Sunday 30 April. The organiser’s aim is simple: ‘To provide a high2 CUSTOM CAR MARCH quality modifi ed car show 2023 built around the community. Our passion has driven us from the beginning and continues to drive us into the future.’ Public admission tickets are priced at £15, with children under 16 admitted free. Show vehicle entry is by online application. www.thedriverscollection.co.uk
Going retro The Retro Rides Weekender rolls into the Goodwood Circuit on 20-21 May. The event will bring together a mix of retro cars, classics,
Muffle it
restomods, hot rods, race cars, drift cars and show cars. The organisers promise a laid-back atmosphere, together with good food, and if you arrive in a pre2000 car on either day they will find a spot for you to park up inside the show rather than the public car park. www.retroridesweekender.com
Museum pieces On Sunday 28 May, Brooklands museum will once again reverberate to the sound of American V8s. Hosted by the Mopar Muscle Association UK, Chryslers at Brooklands welcomes American cars and hot rods with the show car gates opening at 9.00am. The public gate will be open from 10.00am until 5.00pm and museum charges will apply. The museum is located in Surrey (postcode KT13 0QN), just 5 minutes from M25 junction 10. 07724 752512 / events@brooklandsmuseum.com
DEI’S MUFFLER SHIELD KIT helps solves the problem of heat from the silencer being transmitted to a vehicle’s interior and nearby components. Designed to wrap around just about any size of silencer, the kit includes a set of durable stainless
The Back To Our Roots open garden and vehicle display will take place on Fathers’ Day, Sunday 18 June at Aubourn Hall, near Lincoln LN5 9DZ. Owners of show vehicles must prebook (£5 per entry) to be allocated a space, and on the day public prices are £10 for adults, £5 for children under 16 and £25 for a family ticket, which admits 2 adults and 3 children. All proceeds will go to the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance. www.aubourngardens.com
Deuce of a day Organised by Deuces of Britain, this year’s Deuce Day will be a part of the British Motor Museum’s Old Ford Rally in Gaydon, Warwickshire on Sunday
steel positive locking ties for a secure installation. The shield is made from 10mm dimpled aluminium with an 1/8 inch thick needle glass insulator and can resist heat up to 700°F (approx. 370°C). www.designengineering.com
Overhauling, overhauling WEBCON NOW OFFERS A COMPLETE SERVICE KIT for a pair of Weber 38 / 40 / 45 DCOE carburettors. The kit contains gaskets, seals, ‘O’ rings and needle valves
23 July. A designated display area will be set aside for ’32 Fords, with the Rootes Heritage Day being another aspect of the proceedings. The organisers recommend pre-booking as not only will it guarantee you a place, it will also save you some dosh. Entry on the day could cost £16 per person whereas pre-entry gets you and one passenger through the gate for £9 all in. No brainer really. www.deucesofbritain.co.uk/ deuce-day
Bulls and frogs Presented by HAMC NTH LINCS, the Bullfrog Bash takes place on 21-23 July at the Coach & Horses, Tattershall Road, Billinghay, Lincoln LN4 4DD. The weekend offers a firework display, trade and food vendors and live music from the likes of Broadway Clash and Sandraiser. On-site camping is available and the car and bike event will be judged by Vic and Lin of Destiny Cycles. Tickets are priced at £35 per person. 07921 838694 / bullfrogbash@ hellsangelsmc.co.uk
to overhaul a pair of DCOE carburettors and comes complete with a full part identification guide to facilitate locating and servicing all of the numerous replaceable parts in the carburettors. The price is £81.00 including VAT. www.webcon.co.uk
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Love this…
cast
The latest happenings at the home of UK drag racing – Santa Pod
Junichi Shimodaira opened Paradise Road in 1987 and both he and it are still going as strong as ever. It’s a cross between a rod shop, a museum and the ultimate man cave, and he’s like a father figure to the entire Japanese customising scene
NEAT STUFF The annual NSRA Nostalgia Nationals has become the traditional season-opening nostalgia event at Santa Pod, and the 2023 edition is shaping up to be better than ever! The nostalgia drag racing scene has been going from strength to strength in recent years, with new faces and vehicles appearing all the time. Nostalgia Nationals represents the first big hitout for many of these racers to show off the hard work they’ve put in over the long British winter.
A bumper line-up of invited race classes will be out to put on a show, with last year’s quartet of Outlaw Anglia, Gasser Circus, Supercharged Outlaws and Nostalgia Superstock being joined by the Wild Bunch. After many years as an invited class at Shakespeare County, this will be the first time the famed slingshots, Altereds and Funny Cars that make up the group will get equal top billing at Nostalgia Nationals. Anyone with a classic race or road car can also try their hand at the famed quarter mile, with pre-1973
RWYB open to all comers. One new RWYB group to keep an eye out for will be the Quarter Mile Masters; their collections of 1950s and 60s hot rods thundering down the track will be the envy of many. Off-track will be just as actionpacked; for the first time ever at Nostalgia Nationals, the Historic Aero Engines will be putting on an awe-inspiring show of power from their WWII-era aircraft engines. The pub garden set up from 2022 will make a return, with a livestream of King Charles’ Coronation on Saturday for all the royal watchers among you. The usual fan favourites will also be returning, including the Show Car paddock, live evening entertainment, courtesy shuttle bus to Rushden Lakes, and more. Tickets for the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals are available online now at santapodtickets.com, and through the Box Office on 01234 782828. Make sure to get your tickets in now, as there will be none available at the gate. More event information can be found online at santapod.com.
in this issue
You can change everything on a car, but working trafficators will always add cool point Uh-oh, what’s this… ?
How to get the best from a ‘59 Caddy headlight bezel? Why, turn it upside down, of course
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Harking back to the rodding style of a bygone age, Galaxian is a ’27 Ford built by a man whose passion has defined the entire Japanese customising scene. And unlike some of the show cars whose style it mimics, it’s a bona fide street machine Words: Tony Matthews Pictures: Tony and Carmen Matthews
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Above: The polished side pipes look sublime, and with their 4-into-2-into-1 headers leaving no room at all for any kind of silencing you can safely assume they’re going to sound pretty nice too. Talking of nice stuff, the paintwork is phenomenal; this is the second look the car has had, after Junichi decided to go the whole hog a coupe of years after finishing the initial build Left: A tri-carb 348ci Chevy is not there just to look pretty. Though it does, and there’s no shortage of detailing going on to make sure of that. Mounted on Model A rails, which Junichi modified heavily to drop the car way down low, it’s more than capable of sending it up the road in a cloud of hot smoke – and however much this looks like the kind of ‘60s show car that was all too often a trailer queen, it has always done plenty of that
‘The style embodies that ’60s custom era, which I love so much’
I
t’s fairly obvious that the whole point of customising cars is to turn them into something unique and personal to you. The hobby is all about expression, creativity and having the freedom to craft a ride that expresses your own personality. As always in this world, there are people who think the only purpose of someone else’s imagination is to give them a target to take shots at, but if you dig the car scene you’ll get that even if it’s not to your taste, a good car is not to be sneered at. And this is a very good car. Very good and very wild, and as far as we’re concerned that makes it even better. In the world of custom car culture, everyone spends their time striving to create something unique. The scene grew up around kids doing what they could with limited skills and even more limited money, but even then some of the results were remarkable. Nowadays, every year sees a new crop of truly amazing vehicles. Even then, though, there are some among us who are not content with merely customising in ways the world has seen before. Every car is unique, yes, but you do see themes running through them. For these elevated individuals, however, their goal is to defy the norm and create machines that are nothing short of incredible.
Yes, there are those who are forever wanting to leave more than just a dent in the universe. They are the ones who defy the status quo of customising and take things to another level. And one of these creative geniuses is Junichi Shimodaira, owner of the famed Paradise Road custom shop in Nagoya, Japan. Prior to visiting Paradise Road, we had already seen photographs of the insane build which Shimodaira san calls Galaxian. Though to be honest, nothing really prepared us for what we were to encounter when we stepped through the door into the automotive heaven he has created on a quiet street corner by the banks of the Akatsu River in the east side of Japan’s third city.
Jewel in the crown
The shop itself is a work of art. But let’s see it as a gallery. Within it are all manner of treasures – with Galaxian as the jewel in the crown. It’s a 1927 Ford Roadster – but that hardly begins to describe what Junichi has created. ‘I got a ’27 Ford roadster body with Model A rails from a friend,’ he explains. ‘I didn’t have clear plans for the finished style at first, but I did have it in my mind to create a ‘60s-style custom rod.’
He might be hiding his light under a bushel a bit there. Most people will tell you that the key to a successful project is to start by getting the basics right, after all. Which is exactly what he did, by kicking off with the frame rails and suspension. At the front, he remade the Model A rails, adapting them to run coil-sprung suspension. Standard ride height coil-sprung suspension? Don’t be silly. Down she went – as did the back of the vehicle, where the frame was cut off and remade to give it a much lower stance. ‘The front suspension changed to chrome coil spring and tube shock style,’ confirms Junichi. ‘I took the components from a 1937 Ford street rod. And for the rear, I used a ladder bar with air bags for a grand slam effect.’ So now he had a chassis, and a nice low stance, so it was about time to give the vehicle an drivetrain. In a slightly unusual move for someone who owns a rod shop, he got this through an online auction. The engine is a 1959 tri-carbed Chevy 348 with Edelbrock polished valve covers, while behind it is the four-speed manual from a ’71 Corvette. So we’ve got stance, and we’ve got grunt. Neither of which are ever going to be the first thing you notice when you first clap eyes on Galaxian.
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‘The roadster body had a lot of rust when I bought it,’ continues Junichi, getting into the good stuff now. ‘The condition was not so good. So I hand-formed sheet metal to make most parts of the body panels. ‘First, I used bent exhaust pipes to outline the upper trim and bottom end of the body panels with the shape I wanted to restyle them into. Then I welded sheet metal to them. The style now embodies that ’60s custom era, which I love so much.’ Makes it sound like five minutes’ work, doesn’t he? The same can be said of the front panel, which takes Junichi’s creativity to a whole new level. You’ll notice the grille, which he made by bending steel rods in a concentric pattern. These are shaped to fit into a housing which he made using four pieces of hand-formed sheet metal – into which is incorporated a ’59 Caddy headlight bezel, mounted upside down but looking for all the world like it was made to go there.
At the blunt end, there’s a tail light. Singular. It looks a bit like the warp drive from some sort of craft in a ‘60s science fantasy series nobody ever heard of again, which just goes to show what you can do with some creative crafting and a sheet of plexiglass. Inside it, you’ll find an array of 500 LED bulbs.
Space-age image
The ‘60s space-age-of-the-future image continues in the cabin. Here, a bank of Suntune digital triple gauges is mounted in an old aftermarket tail light housing, achieving a level of intergalactic kitsch not seen since Luke Skywalker rolled into Mos Eisley aboard his landspeeder and headed straight for the Cantina. Next to it, the steering wheel (if that’s the right word for it; ‘handlebars’ might almost be better) was custom made by shortening the centre section from a 1960s’ Buick then cutting and welding on the outer ring from an aftermarket Grant wheel.
Beneath these is a centre console which, once again, was hand-formed from sheet metal around a frame of carefully bent steel rods. The fuel gauge and speedo are set into this, along with a bank of controls knobs and a gearstick that looks like a couple of snakes either making babies or making war. One has been known to lead to the other. The shifter itself was modified, too, to locate the mount so that the stick would be positioned where Junichi wanted it in the console. With all this to look at, you might not think to turn your gaze upwards. But here is where you’ll find the piece de resistance (no, we don’t know what that is in Japanese) – a roof which opens to let you get in and out, because doors are, like, you know, drone. Galaxian had already made its debut by now, with no roof at all and finished in gold paint. But a couple of years later, Junichi decided to take it that bit further.
That thing you’re looking at is the tail light. Behind the shaped plexiglass lens, an array of 500 LEDs covers everything the car needs for use on the road – brakes, indicators, the works
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Polished Astros are very much true to the ‘60s image, with the whitewalls wrapped around them giving the car a slight rubber rake to go with its down-low stance
Below: Junichi made the grille himself and hand-formed the panel in which it’s housed. The headlight bezel is from a ’59 Caddy… if you don’t think it looks like anything you’ve ever seen on those, that’s because it’s mounted upside-down. The front suspension came off a ’37 street rod that was sitting around the place (we’ve all got one of those, right?), with coil springs helping the vehicle drive nicer than you might expect
Above: Junichi originally built Galaxian with no roof. But later on, he added one – complete with a lift-out tinted panel. The roof is rear-hinged and opens for access to the cabin, which is necessary as doors are something Junichi leaves to other people’s cars Below: Rear axle is bagged for what Junichi describes as a ‘gram slam effect’
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Show me heaven Paradise Road first opened in 1987 as a visionary enterprise with which Junichi Shimodaira hoped to bring US-style hot rod culture to Japan. He started importing cars and parts alike, alongside everyday spannering and project work, as he started to build up a list of happy customers – and a fast-growing reputation as THE man to go to for all things custom. That wasn’t the only collection he was putting together, though. Today, Paradise Road is part workshop, part retail shop – and in its image, all clubhouse and all museum. There’s memorabilia everywhere – posters, neon signs, car parts, merch, books, accessories, more models than you can count… we even spotted a couple of pinstriped toilet seats hanging on the wall. As always, there are the project cars, too, in various states of completion. It’s worth looking the place up on Street View, just to marvel at how at stands out in its surroundings – one look at the cars lined up, parked and stored around the building and you know something good’s going to happen when you step inside. What you might now expect is that you’re going to find yourself in the presence of a legend. That’s not too strong a word to use for Shimodaira san, a man whose passion for hot rods has been right at the heart of Japan’s custom car scene. After 35 years on the road, his vision, business sense and love for cool cars has truly created a piece of automotive heaven on the banks of the Akatsu.
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Once again forming sheet metal around a pipework frame, he created a custom roof with a cantilever folding action which hinges backwards when operated. This has a panel it in made from yet more plexiglass, which is removable so more people can see him while he’s cruising the streets of Nagoya. The final step in the rebuild was to give the car the retro paint scheme it has worn ever since. Which is all very appropriate, of course, because if you’re going to create a ’60s throwback you want it to look like one in every way there is. The influences are there to be seen; the paintwork has lowrider vibes, the body takes you back to the days of old-school show cars and overall, it looks like it should have pride of place in a museum as the definitive example of Japanese rodding culture. Except this is no museum piece. That bigblock Chevy ain’t no static showpiece, and
those two years between builds one and two were spent mainly on cruising, cruising and more cruising. Some of the true show cars that influenced Galaxian’s style were only ever tickled on and off a trailer before being presented to an adoring public who never fully understood that they were barely cars at all in the able-to-be-driven-properly sense of the word, but Shimodaira san is the real deal and so too is his ride. Junichi told us that the car took four months to build in its original form, then another five to completely finish it. Not bad for an expression of his own personality – and for a machine that is indeed nothing short of incredible. Yes, there are indeed those who are forever wanting to leave more than just a dent in the universe. Junichi Shimodaira is among them for sure – and Galaxian is the definitive example of his customising genius.
With its shaped dash and floor console, spaceage instrument pod and a gearstick and steering wheel out of some sort of psychedelic fantasy, Galaxian’s interior is an absolute work of creative art. So what’s with the carpets? Simple answer is that however much this looks like a show car, and indeed however many shows it has won, it’s a real-life street rod with countless hours of cruising under its wheels. Once again, this ain’t no trailer queen
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FROM £1860.47 [Gold Card]
-Zero bump steer & anti-dive built in-
Ford Mustang 1964-70. Billet coil over shockabsorbers [adjustable], tubular suspension arms, complete, manual steering rack assembly, forged spindles for suspension, 11” ventilated disc brakes, Ford bolt pattern, 600lb coil springs, coil over bearings, [makes it easier to adjust height]. ................................................ £2954.76 net.
1937-39 Chevy Pickup, tubular suspension arms, 2” dropped spindles, shock thru coil spring, manual stg rack,300lb coil springs, 11” ventilated disc brakes, 23.375” inside to inside-can fit other models ... £2369.23 net. 1947-54 Chevy Pickup, as above except-std spindles, 350lb spring, anti-roll bar- ............................. £2324.96 net.
1955-59 Series 2 Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup, Rear 4 bar kit. Complete kit with coil over shocks-[black non-adjustable]. Includes, weld on Panhard rod & 250lb springs. One only- ....................... £1116.79 net.
1947-53 Chevy pickup .......... £651.80 net Universal oval-chrm housing £719.40 net 1956 Ford 1/2 ton pickup ...... £581.28 net 1953-55 Ford 1/2 ton pickup . £665.74 net 1957 Chevy car use OE bezel £607.87 net Late 65-6 Must-use OE bezel £623.14 net
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Out & About
Finders keepers
■ Words and pics: Mike Pye, unless otherwise stated
I
n the run up to this year’s NSRA Swapmeet, talk was mostly of thermal underwear, due to some freak snowfalls around the country and daily temperatures only just into the positive side of the scale. I personally quite like North Weald as a venue for this event. Sure, the wind whips through it like the north face of the Eiger, but it’s dry under foot, the access in and out is better than it was at Arena Essex and it’s relatively easy to navigate your way round all the stalls when you’re there. Add in a revolving impromptu car show in the adjoining car park and it’s a cold Sunday very well spent in our book. Like all events of its kind, if you found the part you were looking for – better still found it at a bargain price – then it’s the best day ever. If you found nothing of interest, no matter, it’s just a good social starter for the year to come. We had a great day, meeting up with old friends for the first time this year and finding some of the bits we were seeking for one of our projects. In fact, I’m still amazed now by the sheer fluke of some of what I found to keep my Model A project moving forward. Yep, it was a cold day in Essex, but I went home with a warm feeling inside.
‘A good social starter for the year to come’
Above: You’d have your work cut out, but the seller of this Scottish-built, four-door woodie body assured me it would fit a Ford Model A chassis just as well as the Morris one it currently sits on. It would certainly make a unique hot rod.
Above: Weirdly, there was a whole menagerie of handcrafted metal animals on offer, made from various car bike and scrap parts. I guess all welding practice is good practice.
Above: We were on a strict toy and literature embargo this year, but had that Hot Wheels Orange Crate and Lil’ Coffin in our hand and kinda wish we’d bought them now. Below: The shipping and import tax on vintage 1/25-scale kits make them too expensive to buy through eBay now, so one like this over here is an exciting find. Unfortunately, this ’64 issue ’55 Chevy was part-built, so I passed, but it was still very cool
If you want something other than a Ford for your slammed, patina pick-up project, how about this very complete looking ’46 Chevy? Not cheap at £20,000, but a pretty model to start with.
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Right: There were plenty of cool rocker covers to choose from, but only one set with these magnificent Ed Pink breathers. You’re not going to prise them out of Alby Nowell cheap, but you won’t find another set here in the UK, and they go for serious money in the States. Above: With some of the bigger traders not present, there felt like somewhat less vintage tin on offer this year, but there were still some useful bits, and certainly no shortage of Model A fenders. Below: More affordable was this cute ’64 Ford Falcon Ranchero, priced at £10,995. If the V8 is the original one, it’ll be a 260 Windsor unit. These are great, useable cars here in the UK.
Above: Goliath is producing some of the nicest traditional speed parts around. They’re all handmade here in the UK and Jim is constantly coming up with more useful and beautifully made parts. Support your local speed shop indeed.
Above: Goliath is producing some of the nicest traditional speed parts around. They’re all handmade here in the UK and Jim is constantly coming up with more useful and beautifully made parts. Support your local speed shop indeed.
Right: Early Steel, based on the Kent coast, are a new one on us, but currently have a few cars for sale. The chopped and channelled ’33 pick-up was priced at £22,500 and the rather desirable ’36 phaeton at £13,500. Also in stock in sunny Whitstable are a ’34 roadster and a RHD ’36 five window. Nice. Left: One for the custom fans, a pair of ’53 Buick inner headlight trims. If the outer bezels were there as well, we’re sure these would have been snapped up instantly. Right: These late ’70’s Chevy Malibus are becoming increasingly popular in the States, and this one is a coupe, too. 350, auto’, new wheels and tyres and a great interior, yours for £9,750. You’ve only got to price up some of the components used in a build like this to know this ‘32 roadster was very well worth the £28k asking price. It sold the following day and was last seen heading north to Scotland with Wullie Boyd.
Pic: DB
To put that comment into context, this ’32 coupe with a Tony Theron ’glass body from 1979 on a boxed ’32 frame with a 350 / 350 / 9-inch combo was up for £39,500. You’d still be hard pushed to build it for that, but it makes the roadster seem crazy cheap.
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Above: It’s a long way from a complete car, but you have to start somewhere. In this case offers around £2.5k would have got you the main body panels of a ’28 / ’29 RPU, with a ’glass tailgate thrown in for good measure.
Pic: DB
This chopped Moggy has a 40+ year history in the UK kustom scene, having previously belonged to Ritchie King, among others. Its latest, widened and 350 Chevypowered evolution might be a bit radical for some, but we love the fact it’s still out and about.
Below: With the price of parts these days, there’s close to £500 (or is it £400?) in the fuel system parts thrown in with this complete Chevy small block dual quad set up.
Above: Cool, two-tone ’60 PA Cresta with a RV8 conversion was being sold as an unfinished project, but looked like it didn’t need much at all to complete it. We’d be surprised if this didn’t sell at the £3,195 asking price.
Above: Slightly less useable (but how much fun would it be when you did?), this RHD, ex-Canadian market, 1917 T roadster was an up and running older restoration, priced sensibly at £11,750. Would make a great Wimble-style bucket, huh?
Above: If you’re worried about fuel economy, you might have been more interested in this complete EFI system for your small block. Mind you, you’d have to cover some serious miles to recoup the much higher initial outlay.
Above: It’s clearly spent some time under trees, but this complete ’36 Ford chassis looked remarkably solid. The guy in the pic was trying to buy it for £500, but the seller was looking for a little more than that. Not a lot though.
Above: If you want to go Nostalgia Superstock racing, Jim Chandler’s old ’65 Dodge Coronet 500 is a hell of a place to start. Well sorted car has everything needed to be competitive, just add big block Mopar motor and transmission and go. Fast. £14,500.
Above: Significantly more expensive, but also more exclusive, this set of So-Cal Speed Shop 16-inch knock offs was up for £3,000. That’s about what they cost new in dollars, but then you’ve got to get them here, which ain’t cheap these days.
Right: We’re a sucker for mag’ wheels and, if we owned anything that would suit 13-inch wheels, would have been sorely tempted by this set of gennie Minilites for £500.
Above: One for the barbeque fans. If you’ve just got to have Snap-On.
Right: If a small block is too predictable for you, how about a GM Northstar? All aluminium construction, DOHC, 32-valves and a minimum of 300bhp, Roland Frost had this 4.6-litre one up for a measly £250, with a pair of spare heads thrown in. Far right: In my experience, old Cragar S/S have better chrome than new ones, and these older 6 x 14s looked to have held up well. You’re also not buying a new set for anywhere near the £400 being asking for these.
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Above left: This 307-powered ’71 Chevy Nova was as clean as a whistle and a fantastic colour combination. The sign said one owner and 80k miles from new, and it looked it, but a £26k price tag. Above right: Alongside it was this slant six-powered ’73 Dodge Dart Swinger, again said to be one owner, and with a hopeful £24k ticket. If you follow the Car & Classic auction website, you’ll understand the use of the word hopeful there.
Thanks to Dave Biggadyke for talking the time to walk around the car park and snap a few of the many and varied cars and trucks that hardier souls than us turned up for the day in.
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Auto focus ■ Words and Pics: Keith Lee
Norm Wheeldon
C
ertain cars can attract much attention before they even move a wheel. One of those is the Two Much dragster of Norm Wheeldon, which truly is in a class of its own. Harking back to the days of twin-engined gas dragsters, in the days when the NHRA banned nitro, this stunning creation is only one of the cars created by Norm over some 50 years. Norm’s own exposure to drag racing first came at the momentous July 1973 International, where funny car racing came to life; but it was a certain Jag powered Minivan with the exhaust pipes exiting the roof that served as inspiration for the young spectator. The following year, ‘Its the Wheel Thing’ was born. Originally, Norm had been putting together a crashed E Type with a Chevy motor, but instead decided to use it in a Minivan to have a go at the Comp Altered class, with the help of Phil Baskerville. Not being able to afford a ‘proper’ Chevy, Norm soon did a deal with local racers Sue and Dave Coles. They took the Chevy bits, and handed over their Jag parts for Norm to play with. The van body made way for one of Geoff Jago’s tee buckets, which was mounted on a shortened chassis. Now running in the Junior class, the aim was to challenge class leader Brian Mondey. One thing that aided this, was hidden inside the Allan Herridge-made steel bell housing, which was fitted at the end of 1975. A Herridge billet flywheel and an American clutch unit proved invaluable.
Above: Norm stood behind the two Donovan Chevy motors. Left: Early days in Junior Comp Altered, as Norm runs his Jag-powered tee at Snetterton. Below: 1977 saw Norm down into the mid nines, as he made a permanent switch to Chevy power.
Norm commented that it was ‘Just so strong, with massive clamping pressure - and it did not suffer the usual problem of cooked clutch plates.’ To ensure nobody got wise, the clutch unit never saw the light of day at the track! This helped the car get down into the low eleven second bracket by the end of 1976, with Norm winning the RAC championship in his division, as he took over as the man to beat in his class. The Jag was sold to Tim Claxton, to make way for a new car - and a step up in class. It was back to Chevy for motive power, but this 350 small block was no clunker. Norm bought the Rowatt brothers first nitro motor, and
their home built 2-speed. He only ran four or five meetings, and hit 9.5s/150mph. The small block motor would become a mainstay for Norm’s racing career, for the simple reason that, as he sees it; “A blown small block Chevy is the best horsepower you can get for the buck.” He set about lengthening the chassis -
Left: An unexpected return to racing with the front engined Plan-X dragster produced equally impressive times for a methanol burner. Above: Unfortunately, the impressive Rifle Jeans sponsored Pro Comp entry did not last the 1980 season, as engine breakage issues saw the partnership split - but it did set a new record.
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Two Much can lay rubber with the best of them. It has only run to half track under power, clocking 7.4s/150mph.
and having a crack at taking on the Page brothers. However, the introduction of Super Comp, which involved handicap racing, was not to Norm’s taste. He is a heads-up racer, and the car was not run, as he shelved his plans. That unraced machine would be sold on to Mike Kason. Sometimes, an unravelled plan can lead to something even better coming along. Norm teamed up with Tim Claxton, and it resulted in Norm building his first dragster chassis. The impressive rear-engined, blown Pro Comp Wrangler Jeans-sponsored entry would make its first outing in the middle of 1979. Powering it was a motor built and raced by US racer Dale Hall, who Norm somehow persuaded to sell him the powerplant when he met up with him at a race. It was a good move on his part, as they needed to hit the track running. Pro Comp produced exciting racing at this time, and there was a fierce International rivalry between the UK and Scandinavian racers, which was at fever pitch. It built up to a crescendo at the 1979 finale at Santa Pod. Norm was not considered to be a big threat in the new car, in amongst a very strong 16 car eliminator. That wasn’t the way it panned out, as Norm shut down Vic Hammond, Steiner Stolen, Jim Read and then the championship winner Krister Johansson in the final! The crowd went wild for a home win, as the team put in a series of strong runs - hitting a best of 7.36/190. A revised car, with better transmission, plus
Above: There is a lot to check between runs on a twin! At centre is Vince Shaw, who sadly passed in 2021. At right is Herb Andrews, who was crew chief for several years. Left: The new Wheeldon and Charman Gotavit slingshot made an impressive debut at last year’s Nos Nats. James Charman at left, and Nigel Charman over the car. The odd name is in memory of their late cockney racer friend, Vic Hammond.
sponsorship from Rifle Jeans, meant that 1980 was looking good. However, engine issues would lead to the partnership breaking up before the end of the year. Highlight was running the first 6 second/200mph Pro Comp pass, when Norm clocked 6.98/201 in May. It took a couple of years before Norm made a return to competition - and his next outing would be very left field. Plan-X was the name on the side of the stark, black slingshot, fielded in partnership with Steve Rose. It was reminiscent of Don Garlits’ 1967 car, with its abbreviated bodywork. Running on methanol, as always, he would push this combination into the high 6 second zone, which was quite a feat - as he ran an early shutoff 6.94s/174 at Blackbushe! Sadly Norm had to pack up shortly after, at the end of 83, but could look back with satisfaction at running a best of 6.85s at Santa Pod during the dragster’s short spell on track. There would be a rear-engined Plan-X machine in the early 90s, which would later be bought by Nigel Charman. When the California Hot Rod Reunion got going, Norm took a keen interest. It sparked an idea to build a twin-engined slingshot dragster. Forming the basis of the build would
Sometimes, an unravelled plan can lead to something even better coming along
be a pair of 359 cubic inch Donovan Chevy motors. This stunning car first broke cover late in 2009. Although it has been around for a good few years now, it has only been seen on a relatively small number of occasions. Norm’s chassis and body construction is top notch, and during his working career he started working at March Engineering in the early 80s. Later he would also work at Benetton, where he was kept busy fabricating exhaust systems! Of his drag racing builds, Norm reckons he must have constructed more than 20 cars over the years - although a few never appeared. One of the best is the very quick dragster campaigned by the Bond, Hannis and Osborne team. Another new creation appeared at last year’s Nostalgia Nationals, in the form of the mean looking ‘Gotavit’ slingshot from the Wheeldon and Charman team, in conjunction with Nigel Charman and his son James. After a shakedown by Norm, James Charman took to the hot seat at Dragstalgia. To complete a trio of team cars, race fans can look forward to Nigel driving a real nostalgia shorty dragster, for which he has been collecting parts for some time. Nigel has been helping Norm since the early days of Two Much, but this season looks like being a very busy one at Santa Pod’s nostalgia events!
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W
hen speaking with Stewart Johnston it is immediately apparent that he has a penchant for all things early Ford. We’re not talking Ts, As or Bs though, Stewart’s focus is most definitely on sit up and begs that were assembled in Dagenham, and the earlier the better as far as he is concerned. The seed for Stewart’s passion was sown many years ago, with hot rodder and Outlaw Anglia racer Colin Millar having a hand in things. Together with the late Gerry Treit, Colin formed the Fife County Cruisers. Regularly seeing Colin driving his rodded Morris Minor in the locale Stewart decided he wanted a piece of that fun and joined the club. His first rod was a yellow Ford Pop, followed by the ex-Shug Hanchard Pro Street ’32 coupe which Stewart returned to its previous guise. He then took on ownership of the ex-David Byers chopped Pop that was featured in the October ’08 issue of CC. Having subsequently sold on that Pop Stewart began to regret it and tried to track it down and buy it back but to no avail. Nor could he find anything else he really liked and that was the cue for him to start from scratch and begin planning a fresh build. A couple of years or so researching the build to make sure it ended up exactly as he wanted, then a similar period of time amassing the parts he would need and finally work could begin.
Early start
The basis of the build is a ’39 Anglia that Stewart came across on eBay and bought for £1,800, together with the remains of a Pop that was rodded a good number of years ago. The shell of that was destined to become a donor of repair panels for the Anglia. Stewart’s comprehensive research before embarking on the project included identifying the right people to carry out various aspects of the build. The first point of call was the soda blasters, after which the Anglia was dropped off at Shorty’s Fabrication Shop in Essex where Jedd Guy completed urgent remedial work on the bodyshell. Stewart headed south once again to pick up the Anglia from Jedd and transport it to Wayne Clark at Oddrods Customs near Heathrow. Bear in mind that Stewart resides in Fife meaning that trek saw him heading off the night before and sleeping in his van. Wayne was charged with fabricating a new rolling chassis for the car, with Covid then
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It’s always a bonus to know your chosen subject like the back of your hand. For some though, it goes a lot deeper
Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Richard Hair
Back in the day, Stewart wearing his Fife County Cruisers club jac ket posing with his first Ford Po p.
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Helping hands
The Anglia that Stewart
1. bought through eBay.
3. Soda blasting revealed a different story however, so it was coated in primer to help prevent further deterioration.
On the face of it
9. The bulkhead box section frame will provide mounting points for the steering column, dashboard and heater.
9.
3.
2. the bodywork didn’t look too bad.
11. …as did the sheet steel for the rear wheel tubs. Note the chassis kicks in as well as up to keep the wheels tucked inside the stock rear wings.
11.
12.
10. The new firewall made a number of passes through the bead roller before being welded into place…
10.
12. The next stage was to fabricate and fit the rear firewall and floor pan…
16.
16. The underside shot shows the full extent of the fresh floor panels fitted to the Anglia shell.
17. 17. With the running gear removed the bare chassis was sent off for powder coating.
18. 18. Despite still being in need of further work on the bodywork the shell was bare metalled…
19. …and then coated in primer.
24.
25.
27. 26.
27. The Anglia on the road once again, this time leaving Oddrods and heading off to KZ Kustomz.
26. …whilst the bonnet with its top freshly louvred by Buckland Automotive Engineering was trial fitted.
24. Also still at Oddrods, the car was wired using a kit from Down To Earth Custom & Classic Wiring.
25. The bare bones of the refurbished split bench seat were installed…
28. Kevin House set about cutting out the rot and replacing it with fresh steel.
28.
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7. 4. 4.The first round of bodywork repairs was handled by Shorty’s Fabrication Shop. 5. Stewart arrives to make a delivery to Oddrods Customs. You just never know what’s in the back of a Mercedes van.
5.
13.
13. …followed by the remainder of the floor pan. The removable cover provides access to the brake master cylinder.
6.
8.
6. Stewart’s engine of choice arrived at Oddrods in a similarly unceremonious fashion.
8. Note the kick-up in the rear chassis rails and the extensive bracing to keep the body square.
7. With the Anglia sitting squarely on the chassis table Wayne Clark began fabricating the new box section frame.
15.
14.
14. The transmission tunnel came next…
21.
22.
21. The rolling chassis was detailed and reassembled, right down to the Oddrods fabricated 22. The bodyshell was 20. Oddrods is well known for its in-house ali fuel tank and Optima then reacquainted with independent front suspensions so it will come as no surprise to find one fitted to the Anglia chassis. Red Top Battery mounted the rolling chassis. under the boot floor.
15. …with an under-dash parcel shelf with a centrally mounted heater completing the interior sheet metal work.
23.
20.
29.
31.
23. Note the bulkhead was painted body colour at Oddrods to save the engine having to be removed at a later stage.
33.
34. 29. The holes in the cut out metal provide evidence that rust was a problem in certain areas.
33. After final trimming, the patch panels were ready to be welded in. 31. …as when the Anglia roof had to be cut up to rectify dips above the doors…
30.
30. Fortunately Stewart had the foresight to hang on to the previously rodded Pop bodyshell he cut up…
35. Metalwork magician Ricky Beasley was called upon to form replacement roof rails…
32.
32. …the Pop shell provided some very handy patch panels.
34. The welds were ground down in readiness for body prep.
35.
36.
36. …which Kevin welded into place to finish off the roof restoration.
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In the foreground is the small block Chevy-powered chopped Pop that Stewart owned a few years back.
He did everything he said he would and more
hitting just after work began. That meant lots of long-distance phone calls and videos instead of personal visits. That didn’t prove an issue though, with Stewart enthusing, “what Wayne did is totally brilliant. He did everything he said he would and more. He’s a top man and I cannot praise him enough.” Forward planning had been the order of the day though, and before the car left Oddrods the body and chassis were separated and the running gear stripped down. The rolling chassis was detailed and reassembled and the body coated in primer. The really clever bit then being that the bulkhead, inner wings and dash were finished off with colour coat, meaning the latter and the engine and trans’ didn’t need to be removed for final paint when the time came. A shrewd move indeed.
Shouldering the burden
After collecting parts for more than 2 years Stewart had quite a stash in his shed, including a Fordson van and a couple of Ford 7Ws. What wasn’t used in the build has since been sold on to Julian at Pop Parts Plus.
Next port of call was KZ Kustomz in East Anglia. It was there that Kevin House was to carry on with the great work already carried out. You know the sort of thing; cutting out the rot, welding, panel beating and fettling panel gaps. Stewart’s collection of parts was a major help, but there was still a lot for Kevin to tackle. The task was made all the harder by Kevin and his girlfriend having been involved in a car accident which had not been kind to his shoulder just before the Anglia’s arrival. Kevin affectionately nicknamed the car Twisted such was the task that lay before him. The roof needed cutting and shutting to remove the dips above the door frame, handy then that Stewart had held on to that donor bodyshell. The sills were replaced, the new roof rails lovingly formed by Ricky Beasley were grafted on and panel distortion was put straight. Eventually, it was all prepped and Kevin was left with
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Above: Another rarity as only deluxe models came with a factory-fitted opening front ‘screen, with Stewart having the surround refurbished and freshly chromed. Right: Stance is everything and thanks to the cleverly designed chassis the Anglia is bang on the button. Up front there’s a scratch-built IFS whilst at the back a narrowed Ford Explorer axle with LSD is located by a 4-bar and Panhard rod.
no option but to change the nickname to Untwisted. The final job was for Kevin to paint the shell and panels in Stewart’s colour of choice, Porsche Graphite Blue Metallic, and a fine job he made of it. The panels that Kevin painted are worth a mention in their own right as many of them are rare items, with each adding an element of uniqueness to the finished car. We did say that Stewart has a thing for early British Ford tin. The beadless wings were only in production for a 2 year period and fitted to 7W then 7Y models, along with the earliest Anglias. Stewart handed over £300 to Pop Parts Plus for the 3-hole front grille then had the trim work rechromed.
Stewart suffered a major blow during this stage of the build, losing both his parents to Covid within 10 days of each other. We can only imagine the trauma and stress that must have created, but despite that he persevered with the project.
Material matters
It was back on the road again to collect the Anglia from KZ Kustoms and deliver it to Evesham, the home of Chris Vining at Custom Coach Trimming. Stewart had a preconceived vision of how he wanted the interior to be finished, right down to the fabrics and colours. Chris took those thoughts on board and then worked his
magic, and more besides. The end result is nothing short of stunning. The materials used and their colour combinations are a work of art, reminiscent of an exclusive gentleman’s club in the heyday of opulence of such establishments. Chris’ execution of Stewart’s ideas is exquisite. With the interior trimmed you would expect it to be plain sailing to get the car finished off and on the road. That didn’t prove to be the case though and things turned full circle with one of the major influences in Stewart’s hot-rodding adventure coming to the fore once again. “I needed a final push to get the car on the road,” Stewart readily confessed. “Collin
The 3-hole front grille is from a 7W as is the re-chromed smiley front bumper, although that could equally be from a 7Y. The 7-inch headlights sit on early chromed teardrop bases and sport genuine bulbous glass lenses - £300 a pair if you can find them. The headlights incorporate indicators, whilst the export model sidelights below were sourced from Anglia Obsolete in the States and are fitted with Harley Davidson internals.
Gorgeous art deco heater dating back to the early 1930s is by McCord Radiator Manufacturing and was sourced by Stewart through eBay USA.
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Left: With the rear wheel tubs seriously impacting the available space the decision was taken to dispense with a rear seat. Instead, a leather-trimmed oversize parcel shelf covers the storage area below. The Bakelite rear window surround came with the car and Stewart stipulated camel Mohair be used for the headlining.
Above: The super rare original Ford split bench seat was available on export models only. We’re guessing they never looked as good as this one, sourced from Pop Parts Plus and sumptuously upholstered in Cognac leather by Chris Vining. Right: The early Ford steel dashboard is home to a complement of Stewart Warner Wings gauges. The shifter is by Lokar, as is the floormounted handbrake. The polished steering column and banjo wheel came from Limeworks Hot Rod Parts.
Right: The polished Rocket Racing Igniter rims on the front measure 41/2 x 15 and wear 185/60 rubber, whilst the 8 x 16 rears are shod with 225/60 tyres.
Above: Interior trimming continues into the boot area and includes a period look leather tool roll.
Below: Engine is a 383ci Chevy stroker, built by Dan and Abe at D&A Auto Engineering in Kent, topped off with an Edelbrock carb and finned rocker covers. Tubular headers feed the Oddrods fabricated stainless exhaust system, whilst a radiator from Serck Motorsport keeps things cool. Transmission is a 700R4 automatic.
Below: Working trafficators are original, now restored and converted to 12 volt operation.
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‘...rescued me when my head was down.’ Millar rescued me when my head was down. He took the Anglia to his Flyin’ Fifer workshop and sorted out all the niggly bits for me, something I just couldn’t face doing at the time. We took in the NSRA Scotland North Spring Rumble in May last year, the Anglia’s first real outing, then drove together down to Hot Rods and Hills in the Lake District a few weeks later.” The Anglia is one man’s vision brought to fruition by numerous specialists in their field. Stewart didn’t build it, but there is nothing wrong with that. He did, however, have a major role in the project. Without his penchant, obsession, fetish – call it what you will, the finished product just wouldn’t be the same. Beadless wings and bulbous headlights may not mean that much to some, but to others they are everything and we admire Stewart for that. We always say the devil’s in the detail, and there’s an abundance of detail in this build. Okay, it’s
a play on words, but Stewart would be the true definition of angliaphile if there were such a thing. In saying that, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating so we had to ask the inevitable question as to how the car drives. That was a touch tongue in cheek as with the underpinnings it boasts we pretty much knew the answer. It’s always best to get it straight from the horse’s mouth though. “Excellent, it really is spot on. It’s the most comfortable hot rod I’ve ever been in and if I take my hands off the wheel at 60 it runs straight as a die.” It’s more than obvious that Stewart is well happy with how the car has turned out so he’s no plans to change anything. He has a Fordson van to tinker with though. “That’s going to stay pretty much stock,” Stewart confided. “The Anglia build was pretty full on and I need a break now. I do have some vintage Aquaplane goodies though…”
The angliaphile himself, owner Stewart Johnston.
Below: Rear lights are repro Prefect units from Small Ford Spares, the early model number plate light features a split lens, and the winged boot lid handle is from an early Prefect. Note the rare beadless wings front and rear that were only fitted for a 2-year period. The door hinges are pretty unique too as, unlike on many other models, they feature ball and spring movement.
Thanks In no particular order all those who have helped with the project; Kevin House at KZ Kustomz, Chris Vining at Custom Coach Trimming, Wayne Clark at Oddrods Customs, Jedd Guy at Shorty’s Fabrication Shop, Ricky Beasley, Adrian Smith at Buckland Automotive Engineering, Julian at Pop Parts Plus, Colin Millar and Deckers and Donnie. Special thanks to Diane, my other half, for never complaining once about any of the cars in my life, and mum and dad for all their help over the years – this one’s for you.
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Identity crisis The threat of an IVA haunts every corner of car culture. But even when a vehicle’s identity is taken away, there can still be hope Words: Dave BIggadyke Pictures: Trevor Gardiner
H
opefully it never will. But the reality is that it could happen to any of us. Just imagine you get a tug from the DVLA for whatever reason and they insist on inspecting your car. That alone sounds bad enough. But what if the outcome is that the people with the power removed your car’s right to its registration document?
With that, your car’s identity has disappeared. It no longer has a registration document so it can’t be driven and it can’t be sold as a road-going vehicle. That’s it then – it has instantly become a worthless entity as it is and the only option is to part it out for spares. Don’t make a rash decision, though. There may be another alternative. Without doubt, best practice is to stay under the radar. But should the worst
happen, as in the case of the Ford Pop pictured here, all may not be lost. We cannot stress enough, however, that this scenario is by no means definitive, as each case will undoubtedly be different. The Pop we’re looking at here had been a hot rod for a good few years, with the build based around a heavily modified Jago chassis. Up front there’s a Vitessse IFS, out back a Jag IRS, and in between a Chevy 350 / 350 combo. We won’t go into the whys and wherefores but a couple of years or so ago,
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the then-owner received notification from the DVLA that the car’s identity had been called into question and its registration document had been confiscated. With the car’s future in jeopardy, it was listed as a lot by Matthewson Auctions in North Yorkshire. Richard Hall came across the listing and, realising the Pop’s potential, placed the winning bid. The only thing he needed to do then was to generate a new and bulletproof identity for the car. Like it is with most things these days, Richard’s first port of call was the internet. His surfing turned up the name of Mark
Harley. Mark has first-hand experience of getting a hot-rodded Pop through BIVA approval, having already achieved that with his own Pro Street car. When Richard said he was looking for someone to do the work for him, Mark pointed him in the direction of Ipswich-based Gardiner Fabrications. The man at the helm here, Trevor ‘Digger’ Gardiner, also has experience of building IVA compliant hot rods – and that was good enough for Richard. A wise choice as, with the fresh VIN number clearly stamped on its driver’s-side chassis rail, the Pop passed IVA inspection on 30 January this year.
Here’s a look at the work that was done to convert the car with no name to one that very definitely has a name. Okay, not every detail is pictured here, but most of them are. Shots of the extra clips on the plumbing pipes and wiring to ensure they are secured at every 300mm would be pretty boring anyway. At the time of writing, the paperwork confirming the car’s new identity as a Jago Pop Rod was still being processed. But when it arrives, the Pop will be back on the road. The difference being it will now be untouchable. There is hope after all.
Above left: Pro-Trac N50 tyres may suit the build style perfectly but they don’t tick the box on the IVA inspector’s sheet. Tyres must carry an E or DOT marking, along with speed and weight ratings and recognised format sizes Pic: Dave Biggadyke Above right: When we came across the Pop, Trevor had already removed the non-compliant glass Pic: Dave Biggadyke Far left, top: The front screen has since been replaced with mandatory E-marked laminated glass, as has the rear window… Far left, bottom: …while toughened glass has been fitted in the door and side window apertures LeftT: he Pop had already been fitted with Model A-style duo lamps, which conform to IVA requirements. However, approved rear reflectors had to be added, as did a dual-purpose LED reverse / fog light, with the latter biased to the driver’s side. Regulations stipulate an approved size dedicated number plate mounting be fitted for the inspector to test with a standard size plate. Exhaust tail pipes must have radiused edges, so no slash-cut pipes allowed
‘The car’s identity had been called into question and its registration document had been confiscated’ MAY2023 CUSTOM CAR 37
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Left: Regulations state that indicator side repeater lights must be visible to the inspector when viewed at an angle of 15 degrees from the rear of the vehicle. The removable pair that Trevor added did the job just fine Above: The IVA people aren’t happy with inside headlight-mounted indicators, so Trevor added dedicated lamps to the wings Above right: The edges of the Pop’s standard spoon badge on the top of the front grille were not IVA compliant, so it was switched for this smoothed-out version
Above left: Essentially, the regulations state that rear-view mirrors have to give a clear line of sight. So peep mirrors are pretty much a no-no. These alternatives came from Car Builder Solutions (CBS) and do the job nicely. Trevor also reprofiled the door hinge edges to ensure their radius was within the set parameters Above centre: Likewise the edges of the interior rear-view mirror have to have the correct radius. The one is from CBS Right: Also from CBS is the fuel filler cap, non-protruding and lockable just as the IVA inspector likes it
‘Without doubt, best practice is to stay under the radar’
Above left: As the original Pop door handles didn’t cut the mustard, they were switched for modified handles with a return of no more than 3mm to the door skin Above right: Trevor fitted a brake fluid reservoir with low-level warning indicator, which he modified to feed the Chevy master cylinder mounted under the floor
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Above left: Originally, the Pop was fitted with a single above-screen mounted wiper. Now, thanks to a classic Mini motor and mechanism, it sports twin cowl mounted wipers. The regulations state wipers must be two-speed with self park and accompanied by a screen washer Above centre: Obligatory windscreen demist is handled by an aftermarket blower, ducting and vents from CBS Above right: One of the most involved and difficult tasks was repositioning the steering column to the left and up, and the brake and accelerator pedals to the right. Previously the arrangement had dictated left foot braking – but the regulations stipulate that the foot pedals need to be operated in a normal manner
Above left: Steering columns have to be collapsible, but the one fitted in the Pop wasn’t. The solution was to incorporate an aftermarket crushable boss which Trevor modified to suit. The plastic shroud below the boss is simply to help conceal the indicator switch Above centre: Maybe not to everyone’s taste, but the steering wheel has all the right radiuses which means the IVA man likes it Above right: As headrests are mandatory, the low-back Corbeau buckets previously in the car were switched for seats from a Smart car. Seat belts are also a must; the easiest way to provide top point anchorages to suit the set-back driving position was to fit a roll cage Left: To be IVA compliant, the switchgear needs to be clearly marked with approved logos and fitted with warning lights as required. There can, of course, be no sharp edges either Below left: Here, the Pop is all cleaned up and waiting for owner, Richard Hall, to collect it. In its IVA-approved state, it still looks very much like a hot rod should to us Below right (inset): All that’s needed now is for the V5C confirming the car’s new identity to arrive in the post, and the Pop will be back on the road. This time, though, it will be bulletproof
Disclaimer
This is in no way meant to be a definitive guide to putting a car through IVA. Some build styles will undoubtedly require far more work than this. It is possible, however. Do your research, approach it methodically and you may find it is not such a daunting task. We recommend the Basic Guide to BIVA by Kev Rooney, which will give you a good insight into what’s involved.
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High quality tungsten steel Supplied in metal storage case (except 16pce)
BRIGHT WHITE INTERIOR
DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £28.79 inc.VAT
145 Bar 2103 psi
PARTS WASHERS FROM ONLY
59
£ DOUBLE .98
CW2D
£214.80 inc.VAT
179EXC.VAT .00
CW1D
Ideal for garage mechanics
10 TONNE BODY REPAIR KIT
ONLY HEADER
.98 179EXC.VAT
£
£215.98 inc.VAT
FAST ACTION PUMP
CS10SBRK
320 Nm
INC 17, 19, 21, 22MM SOCKETS & CASE
Model Tank Cap. Type exc.VAT inc.VAT CW2D 10Ltrs Bench £59.98 £71.98 CW1D 45Ltrs Floor £149.98 £179.98 CWM20 22.5Ltrs Floor £189.00 £226.80 CW40 75Ltrs Floor £229.98 £275.98
FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .99 DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £68.39 inc.VAT
56
•• WAS £89.99 inc.VAT Model Power Torque exc.VAT inc.VAT CEW520 1/2" 520W 320Nm £56.99 £68.39 CEW1000 1/2" •• 1000W 450Nm £72.99 £87.59
Fast snap connector attachments for quick & easy assembly Hydraulic pump, ram & hose with various tubes, pieces & connectors Includes metal case
FROM ONLY
ALUMINIUM RACING JACKS
44
£ DOUBLE .99
DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £53.99 inc.VAT
Quick lift Non-marking nylon wheels Rubber contact pad - helps protect vehicle undersides
LOW ENTRY ONLY 85MM
CTJ1250AC FROM ONLY .99 DOUBLE
134 EXC.VAT
£
DOUBLE £161.99 FOOTER inc.VAT
Lifting Cap. 1.25T 1.5T 1.8T 2.5T
DOUBLEEXC.VAT DOUBLE £694.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
HARRY 2 HOT WEIGHS ONLY WASH 27KG
DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £71.98 inc.VAT
≈ WAS £227.98 inc.VAT • WAS £298.80 inc.VAT Tank Flow Rate Model Volume Req. exc.VAT inc.VAT Type exc.VAT inc.VAT CPSB100B ≈ 32 litre 6-25 cfm £179.00 £214.80 £24.99 £29.99 CPSB200B • 63 litre 6-25 cfm £229.00 £274.80 CHT203 16pce Metric £23.99 £28.79 CHT302 24pce UNC/UNF/NPT £29.98 £35.98 CHT303 28pce Metric CORDED IMPACT CHT304 33pce Metric/UNF/BSP £37.99 £45.59 WRENCHES £57.99 £69.59 CHT527 32pce Metric CHT775 52pce Metric/UNF/BSP £61.99 £74.39 CEW520 £79.98 £95.98 CHT776 76pce Metric
BIG
579
£ FROM ONLY .00
FROM ONLY HEADER
£
23
CAR RAMPS
INCLUDES SANDBLASTING GUN, DELIVERY HOSE, 4 CERAMIC NOZZLES AND SAFETY HOOD
FROM ONLY
£ DOUBLE .99
• Lift cars safely and quickly FROM ONLY • Tough £ DOUBLE .98 39inc.VAT EXC.VAT angled DOUBLE PER £47.98 steel PER PAIR construction Model Capacity exc.VAT inc.VAT CR2 2000kg £39.98 £47.98 CRW25 2500kg £47.99 £57.59
CDP102B
* WAS £478.80 inc.VAT # WAS £502.80 inc.VAT FROM ONLY HEADER ‡ WAS £634.80 inc.VAT £ .00 FROM ONLY ◆ WAS £838.80 inc.VAT 279EXC.VAT £ .99 DOUBLE £334.80 inc.VAT Power packs DOUBLE 36 EXC.VAT ▼ WAS £958.80 inc.VAT FOOTER £44.39 inc.VAT Pressure Engine † WAS £47.98 inc.VAT JSM200 Model BAR/Psi HP exc.VAT inc.VAT ** WAS £67.19 inc.VAT £279.00 £334.80 Tiger1800B 110/1595 3 Peak Max £379.00 £454.80 Model Boost Engine exc.VAT inc.VAT Tiger2600B* 180/2610 4 £399.00 £478.80 200/2900 6.5 Tiger3000B# £36.99 £44.39 JSM180† 360A 3L 180/2640 5.5 £499.00 £598.80 £52.99 £63.59 PLS195B‡ JSM200** 400A 4L £679.00 £814.80 230/3335 9 £69.98 £83.98 PLS220◆ JSM300 500A 6L 225/3263 13 £769.00 £922.80 £87.99 £105.59 PLS265B ▼ 248/3600 JSM350 500A 6L 13 £998.00 £1197.60 £99.98 £119.98 PLS360 JSM400 800A 6L
DIAGNOSTICS Ideal for use as a garage/ FROM ONLY AUTOMOTIVE workshop Extra tough triple £ DOUBLE .99 ZIP CLOSE DOOR DOUBLE WHEEL DOLLY SET 31 EXC.VAT layer cover Heavy duty powder FOOTER £38.39 inc.VAT AWD1 coated steel tubing Ratchet tight tensioning size (LxWxH) WAS NOW PRO EOBD FAULT Model m exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT CODE READER CIG81212 3.6 x 3.6 x 2.5 £259.00 £346.80 £310.80 †† WAS £105.59 inc.VAT exc.VAT inc.VAT PRICE CUT CIG81015 4.5 x 3 x 2.4 £279.00 £370.80 £334.80 Model £NOW FROM .99 £31.99 £38.39 CIG81216 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.5 £329.00 £430.80 £394.80 EOBD Fault Code Reader 63exc.VAT CIG81020 6.1 x 3 x 2.4 £349.00 £466.80 £418.80 Professional Engine Diagnostic & £85.99 £103.19 £76.79 inc.VAT WAS £80.39 inc.VAT EOBD/OBD ll Fault Code Reader†† CIG81220 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 £399.00 £514.80 £478.80 3" CASTORS PER PAIR CIG81224 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5 £499.00 £646.80 £598.80 Four non-marking castors for easy £1318.80 2 & 3 TONNE CIG1432 9.7x4.3x3.65 £1099.00 – movement in confined spaces Heavy duty steel CIG1640 12x4.9x4.3 £2899.00 £3838.80 £3478.80 TROLLEY JACKS construction - load rating 500kg per dolly
Model CTJ1250AC CTJ1500QL CTJ1800AB CTJ2500QLGB 33287LH
Peak Boost 900 1100 1500 1000
Model 910 JS1100C STARTS VEHICLES 4000 UP TO 6L JS12/24
through 360˚ Fully tested to proof load ■ WAS £89.99 inc.VAT ● WAS £105.59 inc.VAT CES680F ▲ WAS £131.98 inc.VAT PRICE CUT O S L exc. NOW FROM A .99 ■ WAS £47.98 inc.VAT £ Capacity VAT inc.VAT MECHANICS Model 37inc.VAT exc.VAT ● WAS £47.98 inc.VAT £45.59 SEAT ONLY CES340 ■ 340kg £72.99 £87.59 ▲ WAS £47.98 inc.VAT WAS £47.98 inc.VAT £45.59 £101.99 CES450 ● 450kg £84.99 £125.99 *Folds for Model Description exc.VAT inc.VAT CES560 ▲ 560kg £104.99 £139.98 £167.98 CES680F 680kg storage £37.99 £45.59 CMC36■ Car creeper CMC45● With adjustable headrest £54.99 £65.99 BATTERY CHARGERS INTELLIGENT CMC60▲ Car creeper reclining £49.98 £59.98 seat & mechanics seat /ENGINE STARTERS BATTERY Ammeter BC210C CHARGER/ ANGLE GRINDERS Multi-position charge regulator MAINTAINERS INC. DISC CON1150 Overload FROM ONLY IBC20 & HANDLE £ DOUBLE .98 protection DOUBLE 19 EXC.VAT on charging FOOTER £23.98 inc.VAT ‡ WAS £55.19 inc.VAT FROM ONLY FROM ONLY cycle £ DOUBLE .98 ^ WAS £117.59 inc.VAT £ DOUBLE .99 DOUBLE 29 EXC.VAT DOUBLE 93 EXC.VAT Max. FOOTER £35.98 inc.VAT FOOTER £112.79 inc.VAT Model Volts Charge exc.VAT inc.VAT Model Disc (mm) Motor exc.VAT inc.VAT ¥ WAS £211.19 inc.VAT £19.98 £23.98 IBC4 6/12V 1A/4A £35.98 ~ WAS £233.99 inc.VAT CAG800B 115 800W £29.98 £39.98 £47.98 IBC7‡ 12/24V 7A £45.59 CON1150 115 1150W £37.99 £49.98 £59.98 IBC15 12V 15A Msx Amps £87.59 Model CAG2350C 230 2350W £72.99 £69.98 £83.98 IBC20 12/24V 20A Charge/Boost exc.VAT inc.VAT £89.98 £107.98 IBC25^ 12/24V 25A £93.99 £112.79 BC125 20/120 HEAVY £112.99 £135.59 BC190 38/180 DUTY SANDBLASTERS £149.98 £179.98 BC210C 25/200 LONG REACH £159.98 £191.98 WBC180¥ 35/180 Heavy duty steel construction £189.98 £227.98 WBC240~ 45/240 JACKS sandblasters for the quick CTJ2GLS WBC400 £219.00 £262.80 60/350 removal of surface rust, paint, £259.00 £310.80 BC520P 50/510 dirt/grease etc. CPSB100B
Model Tonnes exc.VAT inc.VAT CTJ2GLS 2 £269.00 £322.80 FROM ONLY HEADER £418.80 £ .00 CTJ3GLS 269EXC.VAT CTJ5GLS 53 £349.00 £469.00 £562.80 £322.80 inc.VAT CTJ10GLS 10 £639.00 £766.80 GARAGES/WORKSHOPS
PRICE CUT NOW FROM
EXTRA LONG 1m LEADS
* WAS £418.80 inc.VAT # WAS £418.80 inc.VAT ‡ WAS £946.80 inc.VAT
Motor (W) model Speeds exc.VAT inc.VAT £99.95 £119.94 CDP5EB 350/5 CDP102B 350/5 £115.95 £139.14 CDP152B 450/12 £209.98 £251.98 CDP202B 450/16 £269.00 £322.80 CDP352F* 550/16 £339.00 £406.80 550/16 £339.00 £406.80 JUMP STARTS CDP452B# CDP502F‡ 1100/12 £779.00 £934.80 Provides essential home, garage and roadside HEAVY DUTY assistance Integral PETROL work light 910 includes Honda & air compressor Long life Diesel POWER battery engine WASHERS models CAN in stock Max DRAW Engine exc.VAT inc.VAT OWN £96.99 £116.39 3L NEW WATER £96.99 £116.39 3L £164.99 £197.99 6L £179.98 £215.98 PLS265B 8L
Britain's Tools &
inc.VAT
Motor Tank WAS Model HP CFM ltr exc.VAT exc.VAT 8/260 2 7.5 24 £119.98 £155.98 11/260 2.5 9.5 24 £129.98 £179.98 8/550 2 7.5 50 £159.98 £215.98 11/550 2.5 9.5 50 £179.98 £251.98 16/550 3 14.5 50 £249.00 £334.80 16/1050 3 14.5 100 £309.00 £419.98
£
DOUBLE 99 EXC.VAT FOOTER £119.94 inc.VAT
65SUPERSTORES NATIONWIDE
.98 119 exc.VAT £143.98 inc.VAT
£
B = Bench mounted F = Floor standing
FROM ONLY
£ DOUBLE .95
PRICE CUT NOW FROM
exc.VAT £134.99 £109.98 £199.98 £179.98
inc.VAT £161.99 £131.98 £239.98 £215.98
PRO SANDER/ POLISHERS
79
JACKS ALSO IN STOCK UP TO 5 TONNE
CP185
MM2 Custom Car 275x200 pg2.indd Mart_3 1 Custom Car_2023_05_May_Machine x FP.indd 2
3 forward and reverse gears
Inc. hook &
£
pad and wool polishing bonnet
Dual action combines rotary & orbital motions to produce an excellent polished finish CP150
150MM PAD DIA.
69
£FROM ONLY .98
DOUBLE EXC.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £83.98 inc.VAT
1 TONNE FOLDING WORKSHOP CRANE
BRUSHLESS FROM ONLY HEADER
.98 109EXC.VAT
180MM loop backing PAD DIA.
CTJ2250LP
## WAS £195.59 inc.VAT Model Type Tonne exc.VAT inc.VAT £44.99 £53.99 CTJ2L Long 2 £46.99 £56.39 CTJ2000LPB DIY Low Profile 2 CTJ2250LP* Low Profile 2.25 £52.99 £63.59 CTJ3000GB Pro Garage 3 £109.98 £131.98 CTJ3000QLB Quick Lift 3 £119.98 £143.98 CTJ2QLP## Low Quick Lift 2 £159.98 £191.98 * CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets
£FROM ONLY .98
DOUBLE EXC.VAT DOUBLE FOOTER £95.98 inc.VAT
BEST
SELLER
18V ½" IMPACT 450NM WRENCHES
£131.98 inc.VAT
Folding and fixed frames available Robust, rugged ONLY HEADER construction £ .98 219EXC.VAT Overload safety valve
CIR18LIC
2 2AH X
Model Desc Batteries exc.VAT CCIW160 Cordless 2X 2AH £109.98 LI-ION CIR18LIC Cordless, 2X 2AH £122.99 Brushless LI-ION
inc.VAT £131.98 £147.59
£263.98 inc.VAT
Fully tested to proof load
CFC100
01/03/2023 10:14 15:53 28/03/2023
PAY Monthly
EASY TO USE WEBSITE
Spread the cost over 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months Any mix of products over £300 5 MIN APPLICATION! 17.9% APR
PRODUCTS ONLINE!
R W OVE
NO
section on
PRICE CUT NOW FROM .99
WAS £44.39 inc.VAT
Max. exc. WAS Model Output VAT inc. VAT PROPANE Devil 2000PTC 2kW £33.99 £44.39 IN STOCK FROM DOUBLE 94 EXC.VAT £224.40 inc.VAT FOOTER £113.99 inc.VAT GAS FIRED Devil 2850 £52.79 £42.99 2.8kW Devil 2800PTC 2.8kW £53.99 £68.39 Max. Output Model kW exc.VAT inc.VAT ELECTRIC £94.99 £113.99 Little Devil II 10.3 HEATERS £119.98 £143.98 Devil 700 15 £159.98 £191.98 Devil 900 24.9 BEST DEVIL SELLER £189.98 £227.98 Devil 1600 36.6 6003 £269.00 £322.80 Devil 2100 49.8 PRICE CUT £479.00 £574.80 Devil 4000 131 NOW FROM FROM ONLY
DOUBLE.00 229 EXC.VAT
Ideal for fast efficient heating Extra-long run fuel tanks – up to 53 litres Variable heat output XR80 with thermostat control MAX WAS NOW model output exc.VAT inc. VAT inc.VAT XR60 14.7kW £229.00 – £274.80 XR80 20.5kW £279.00 – £334.80 XR110 29.3kW £329.00 – £394.80 XR160 46.9kW £399.00 £502.80 £478.80 XR210 61.5kW £459.00 £574.80 £550.80
SOCKET SETS Top quality chrome PRO360 vanadium steel. 18 Sockets 8-32mm Reversible ratchet Comfort grip handle
29
PETROL GENERATORS
PG3800A
WAS £173.99 inc.VAT
150AMPS
239
£ FROM ONLY .00
DOUBLEEXC.VAT DOUBLE £286.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
Model MIG102NG* MIG106 MIG145 * no gas PRO90 only MIG196 135TE Turbo 151EN MIG240
ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHERS
Makes easy work for washing vehicles, patios, stonework, etc. JET7500 & JET8500 include hose reel 180 Bar
135TE 130AMPS
2610 psi
219 DOUBLEEXC.VAT DOUBLE £263.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
£ FROM ONLY .98
PRICE CUT NOW FROM
£
Honda engine £99.59 inc.VAT models available WAS £101.99 inc.VAT For a * WAS £358.80 inc.VAT # WAS £394.80 inc.VAT brilliant shine ‡ WAS £694.80 inc.VAT Dia. WAS Model KVA HP exc.VAT inc.VAT PG2500A 2.2 5.6 £225.00 £270.00 Model (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT PG3800A* 3 5.6 £289.00 £346.80 CBB150 150 £82.99 £101.99 £99.59 PG3800ADV# 3 5.6 £309.00 £370.80 CBB200 200 £94.99 £119.98 £113.99 PG6500ADVES ‡ 5.5 9.7 £549.00 £658.80 CBB250 250 £174.99 £215.98 £209.99 V
DOUBLEEXC.VAT DOUBLE £167.98 FOOTER inc.VAT
MMA200A
NEW
INC. ELECTRODE HOLDER, EARTH CLAMP, & BRUSH/ HAMMER
Min/Max Electrode Output Dia. Model Current (mm) MMA140A 20A-140A 1.6-3.2 MMA200A 20A-200A 1.6-3.2 AT165 10A-160A 2.5/3.2/4.0
ACCESSORIES
AUTO DARKENING WELDING HEADSHIELDS FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .99 DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £44.39 inc.VAT
36
7 MODELS IN RANGE
FROM ONLY
exc.VAT inc.VAT £104.99 £125.99 £139.98 £167.98 £219.98 £263.98
ARC WELDERS
115N
For home user, automotive and industrial applications.
FROM ONLY
11
£ DOUBLE .99
FROM ONLY £ DOUBLE .99 DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £116.39 inc.VAT
DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £14.39 inc.VAT
96
GAS
BEST
SELLER
WIRE 0.6, 0.8
& 0.9mm 5DOUBLE EXC.VAT SIZES IN FOOTER £7.19 inc.VAT
£ DOUBLE .99
GWH7
HUGE RANGE!
STOCK
FROM ONLY
EXETER 16 Trusham Rd. EX2 8QG 01392 256 744 GATESHEAD 50 Lobley Hill Rd. NE8 4YJ 0191 493 2520 GLASGOW 280 Gt Western Rd. G4 9EJ 0141 332 9231 GLOUCESTER 221A Barton St. GL1 4HY 01452 417 948 GRIMSBY ELLIS WAY, DN32 9BD 01472 354435 HULL 8-10 Holderness Rd. HU9 1EG 01482 223161 ILFORD 746-748 Eastern Ave. IG2 7HU 0208 518 4286 IPSWICH Unit 1 Ipswich Trade Centre, Commercial Road 01473 221253 LEEDS 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. LS4 2AS 0113 231 0400 LEICESTER 69 Melton Rd. LE4 6PN 0116 261 0688 LINCOLN Unit 5. The Pelham Centre. LN5 8HG 01522 543 036 LIVERPOOL 80-88 London Rd. L3 5NF 0151 709 4484 LONDON CATFORD 289/291 Southend Lane SE6 3RS 0208 695 5684 LONDON 6 Kendal Parade, Edmonton N18 020 8803 0861 LONDON 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton, E10 020 8558 8284 LUTON Unit 1, 326 Dunstable Rd, Luton LU4 8JS 01582 728 063 MAIDSTONE 57 Upper Stone St. ME15 6HE 01622 769 572 MANCHESTER ALTRINCHAM 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 0161 9412 666 MANCHESTER CENTRAL 209 Bury New Road M8 8DU 0161 241 1851 MANCHESTER OPENSHAW Unit 5, Tower Mill, Ashton Old Rd 0161 223 8376 MANSFIELD 169 Chesterfield Rd. South 01623 622160 MIDDLESBROUGH Mandale Triangle, Thornaby 01642 677881
#Turbo fan Model Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT cooled 115N 30-110 £96.99 £116.39 CW145ND 40-140 £109.98 £131.98 235TEN# 40-210 £169.98 £203.98
SEE THE FULL RANGE LEATHER DOUBLE EXC.VAT ONLINE & IN-STORE FOOTER £8.39 inc.VAT GAUNTLETS
6
£ DOUBLE .99
MON-FRI 8.30-6.00, VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE OPEN SAT 8.30-5.30, SUN 10.00-4.00
BARNSLEY Pontefract Rd, Barnsley, S71 1EZ 01226 732297 B’HAM GREAT BARR 4 Birmingham Rd. 0121 358 7977 B’HAM HAY MILLS 1152 Coventry Rd, Hay Mills 0121 7713433 BOLTON 1 Thynne St. BL3 6BD 01204 365799 BRADFORD 105-107 Manningham Lane. BD1 3BN 01274 390962 BRIGHTON 123 Lewes Rd, BN2 3QB 01273 915999 BRISTOL 1-3 Church Rd, Lawrence Hill. BS5 9JJ 0117 935 1060 BURTON UPON TRENT 12a Lichfield St. DE14 3QZ 01283 564 708 CAMBRIDGE 181-183 Histon Road, Cambridge. CB4 3HL 01223 322675 CARDIFF 44-46 City Rd. CF24 3DN 029 2046 5424 CARLISLE 85 London Rd. CA1 2LG 01228 591666 CHELTENHAM 84 Fairview Road. GL52 2EH 01242 514 402 CHESTER 43-45 St. James Street. CH1 3EY 01244 311258 COLCHESTER 4 North Station Rd. CO1 1RE 01206 762831 COVENTRY Bishop St. CV1 1HT 024 7622 4227 CROYDON 423-427 Brighton Rd, Sth Croydon 020 8763 0640 DARLINGTON 214 Northgate. DL1 1RB 01325 380 841 DEAL (KENT) 182-186 High St. CT14 6BQ 01304 373 434 DERBY Derwent St. DE1 2ED 01332 290 931 DONCASTER Wheatley Hall Road 01302 245 999 DUNDEE 24-26 Trades Lane. DD1 3ET 01382 225 140 EDINBURGH 163-171 Piersfield Terrace 0131 659 5919
£ FROM ONLY .98
• Compact & lightweight • Efficient inverter technology • Variable output
SELLER
Model Tonne exc.VAT inc.VAT PRICE CUT CSA4B# 4 £169.98 £203.98 NOW FROM CSA10BB*◆ 10 £289.00 £346.80 £169.98 exc.VAT CSA12F*# 12 £379.00 £454.80 £203.98 inc.VAT CSA20FBT 20 £499.00 £598.80 WAS £209.99 inc.VAT ◆ WAS £358.80 inc.VAT
139
MMA & ARC/TIG INVERTER WELDERS
AT165
PROFESSIONAL QUALITY Built for tough daily use in automotive/industrial workshops * Available with/without 7 pce pin, bracket & pressing plate kit safety screen # Economy BEST model
.99 82exc.VAT
Min/Max WAS Amps exc. VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT 35/90 £134.98 £173.99 £161.98 £214.80 40/100 £179.00 £286.80 35/135 £239.00 £298.80 24-90 £249.00 £334.80 40/180 £279.00 £356.39 30-130 £296.99 30-150 £259.00 £311.98 £310.80 50/240 £489.00 £598.80 £586.80
JET8500
BENCH BUFFERS/ POLISHERS CHECK FRAME TYPE WHEN ORDERING
PRICE CUT
.98 DOUBLE 134 exc.VAT £161.98 inc.VAT
£
MIG 102NG
MIG145
HYDRAULIC CSA4B PRESSES
29
WAS £286.80 inc.VAT
SELLER
DEVIL 7003 Heat WAS Output exc. inc. Model Voltage kW VAT VAT inc.VAT Devil 6003 230V 1.5-3 £64.99 £83.98 £77.99 £69.98 £92.39 £83.98 Devil 7003 230V 3 £97.99 £118.79 £117.59 Devil 7005 400V 5 Devil 6009 400V 4.5-9 £119.98 £149.99 £143.98 Devil 7009 400V 9 £149.98 £183.59 £179.98 Devil 6015 400V 5-10-15 £179.98 £227.98 £215.98 Devil 7015 400V 15 £219.98 £275.98 £263.98
Max. exc. WAS inc. Model Motor Pressure VAT inc.VAT VAT JS1850 1400W 1523psi £64.99 £83.98 £77.99 JS1950 1600W 2030psi £99.98 £131.98 £119.98 Jet7500 1600W 2030psi £159.98 £203.98 £191.98 Jet8500 2100W 2610psi £199.98 £251.98 £239.98
ONLY £ DOUBLE .98 DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £35.98 inc.VAT
PRICE CUT NOW FROM
See www.machinemart.co.uk
90AMPS
.99 42exc.VAT
64exc.VAT
5" Extension bar 1/2"-3/8" adaptor 28-210 Nm
.00 225exc.VAT £270.00 inc.VAT
BEST
£51.59 inc.VAT
£77.99 inc.VAT
1/2" TORQUE WRENCH - CHT141
Professional type torches Easy to set up & use
135TE
DOUBLE.99 296 EXC.VAT 239.00 FOOTER £356.39 inc.VAT
£
£
WAS £83.98 inc.VAT
LIFETIME GUARANTEE
“Excellent machine and exactly as described. Easy to set up and comes with everything you need to start welding straight out of the box”
WAS £52.79 inc.VAT
PRICE CUT £ DOUBLE .99
HUGE RANGE OF RATCHETS, SPANNERS AND SOCKET SETS
£
NOW inc.VAT £40.79 £51.59 £64.79
FROM ONLY
£ DOUBLE .99
DOUBLE £274.80 FOOTER inc.VAT
ONLY £ DOUBLE .98 DOUBLE EXC.VAT FOOTER £35.98 inc.VAT
MIG GAS/NO GAS WELDERS
33exc.VAT
£
£40.79 inc.VAT
230&
£
0844 880 1265
BRITAIN’S NO. 1 FOR WELDING
FAN HEATERS 2kW
DIESEL/PARAFFIN HEATERS
• IN-STORE • ONLINE • PHONE
machinemart.co.uk
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NORWICH 282a Heigham St. NR2 4LZ 01603 766402 NORTHAMPTON Beckett Retail Park, St James’ Mill Rd 01604 267840 NOTTINGHAM 211 Lower Parliament St. 0115 956 1811 PETERBOROUGH 417 Lincoln Rd. Millfield 01733 311770 PLYMOUTH 58-64 Embankment Rd. PL4 9HY 01752 254050 POOLE 137-139 Bournemouth Rd. Parkstone 01202 717913 PORTSMOUTH 277-283 Copnor Rd. Copnor 023 9265 4777 PRESTON 53 Blackpool Rd. PR2 6BU 01772 703263 SHEFFIELD 453 London Rd. Heeley. S2 4HJ 0114 258 0831 SIDCUP 13 Blackfen Parade, Blackfen Rd 0208 3042069 SOUTHAMPTON 516-518 Portswood Rd. 023 8055 7788 SOUTHEND 1139-1141 London Rd. Leigh on Sea 01702 483 742 STOKE-ON-TRENT 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley 01782 287321 SUNDERLAND 13-15 Ryhope Rd. Grangetown 0191 510 8773 SWANSEA 7 Samlet Rd. Llansamlet. SA7 9AG 01792 792969 SWINDON 21 Victoria Rd. SN1 3AW 01793 491717 TWICKENHAM 83-85 Heath Rd.TW1 4AW 020 8892 9117 WARRINGTON Unit 3, Hawley’s Trade Pk. 01925 630 937 WIGAN 2 Harrison Street, WN5 9AU 01942 323 785 WOLVERHAMPTON Parkfield Rd. Bilston 01902 494186 WORCESTER 48a Upper Tything. WR1 1JZ 01905 723451
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*
MM3 Custom Car 275x200 pg3.indd Mart_3 1 Custom Car_2023_05_May_Machine x FP.indd 3
01/03/2023 10:15 15:54 28/03/2023
the Custom Car years Crystal Voyagers MAY 1977: A dip into history from Custom Car and the rest of the world Istanbul, 1 May: 36 people are killed in Taksim Square when rightwinch gunmen open fire during Labour Day celebrations.
Tel Aviv, 18 May: Menachem Begin becomes Prime Minister of Israel.
Paris, 19 May: After 94 years, the direct Orient Express service to Istanbul sets out from the Gare de l’Est for the final time.
Nevada, 25 May: The US detonates a 51 kiloton nuclear bomb half a kilometre below the desert surface as part of the Operation Fulcrum test programme. Not to be outdone, the USSR carries out a test of its own at Semipalatinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan, four days later. Exeter, 27 May: Prime Minister James Callaghan officially opens the M5, following completion of the final section of the motorway. Valdez, 31 May: The final weld is completed on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, less than ten years after the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay.
CRYSTAL PALACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE NICER VENUES FOR CAR SHOWS IN LONDON, and this year’s Drag Show attracted something like 12,000 visitors over two days. Most noticeable newcomers at the show were the pair of Rolls-Royce Merlin-engined monsters, owned by John Dodd and Paul Jameson. The Dodd car has been completely rebuilt by Fibreglass Repairs after it burnt out in Sweden, and it now sports a ’glass estate car body styled by Roy Phelps and lengthened to 18.5ft. The old chassis was rebuilt with a 20in insert, and the most amazing thing about the car is that John still uses it for day to day transport – and reckons it uses less petrol than his stock Roller. Paul Jameson’s rear-engined car, which has been seen around in the nude for quite some time now, has finally been dressed up by FGR in a body developed from one of the winning entries in last year’s Motor magazine sponsored competition. It’s, uh, interesting – looks like a cross between one of those 1930s powerboats and something out of a Dan Dare comic strip. Still, with 27 litres of supercharged V12 Merlin behind the driver I wouldn’t like to pick an argument with it at the traffic lights. On the drag racing side, it was nice to see the Fast Lady, Roz Prior, with some com-
petitive machinery at last. I’ve always had the feeling that with a competitive engine and chassis, she’d be more than a match for the top men, and now it looks as it she’s got the chance to prove it. The new chassis is virtually identical to those built tor the Alleygator and Highway Patrol Pro-Fuel rails, and features the same trick front suspension as the other two. For the show, one of Roy Phelps’ Ed Pink engines was temporarily installed, but eventually the Priors will be using their own 426in iron motor. I’ve got my money on Roz going out and doing a Shirley Muldowney on the rest this Easter. Who knows, maybe the first lady outside America in the fives? My personal favourite among the dragsters though was All Shook Up, a Daimler-powered Comp Altered owned by Liz and Tony Puttick. Didn’t seem to be getting much attention, which was a shame because it was something of a rare gem. Tony’s basic intention was to create a modern day replica
of the old Californian Lakester from which modern dragsters evolved. He certainly succeeded – and what’s more, it’s British-engined, with a 4.5-litre Daimler Hemi V8. Up in the gallery, it was beginning to took as it Team Readspeed had done a takeover bid, with an impressive lineup headed by the Pro Comp rails of Jim Read, Le Patron himself, and his son Steve. Ironically, Steve’s new car, which was formerly Clive Skilton’s Revolution II, has now ended up in the same team as that of arch rival Dennis Priddle’s Tudor Rose, alias Le Patron. Other Readspeed entries were Sue Cole’s brand new Hellzapoppin’ Altered, in which she’ll be continuing her winning ways running Senior Comp Altered this year, and Robin Read’s Volvo-powered Graduate junior dragster. Add associated cars such as Barry Bowles’ Blonde Bombshell rocket car which was also at the show, and you’ve got yourself the biggest team in British drag racing.
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Blydenstein’s Monster VAUXHALL TUNING GURU BILL BLYDENSTEIN HAS A THEORY that that the most efficient engine is a four cylinder of approximately 2.0 litres. His newly built Chevette explores another – that an engine is at its most efficient when taken to the largest feasible internal dimensions within its casting. This way you add little if anything to the vehicle weight, don’t upset its handling and, if you do things right, get a faster, more economical car. All Chevettes have a 1256cc OHV pushrod engine producing 58.5bhp at 5600rpm. Lift the lid on Bill’s car and it looks standard, apart from a Lumenition electronic ignition sticker, but in fact it delivers some 77bhp (DIN) at 5000rpm at the flywheel, around 60 of which make it to the rear wheels. Even the standard single 12in Stromberg carb is retained. How does he do it? At the heart of the matter is a special nitrified steel stroker crank,
which gives 11mm more throw than GM’s 61mm item and is coupled to modified 81.75mm Mk 1 Cortina GT pistons by special short con-rods, giving a capacity of 1511cc. A Blydenstein Stage 3 cylinder head is fitted, having standard-size exhaust valves with the largest possible inlet valves almost touching them. The cast inlet manifold is untouched, except to ensure the carburettor lines up properly. The compression is actually lowered very slightly to around 8.5:1 to prevent pinking on four-star, a quick check with a compression gauge on number one pot (access to the others is dreadful) revealing a mere 110psi building up. Camshaft and exhaust are standard and the only mod to the cooling system is to substitute a 92°C thermostat for the standard 88° job. And amazingly, the only thing done to the carb was to set it half a turn richer, because Vauxhall
are setting them on the lean side at the factory for good economy. Driving the car, it didn’t feel quick so much as uncannily smooth and quiet. But it soon proved that these latter characteristics masked its performance. It wound over and indicated 100mph very quickly and without fuss, where the standard car starts gasping for breath at 80. Even this is not as remarkable as the acceleration figures in top gear, though; 30-50mph in 7.7sec is little short of astonishing, a whole second faster than a BMW 633 CSi, and 50-70 in 9.5 is equally amazing. Whatever the figures show, the car felt at its best above 50mph in top, flying past everything with just a whiff of throttle. And we got 31.7mpg, using the performance as much as possible on the road – which compares to the 30.7 a standard Chevette gave us back in ’75.
San Francisco, 1 May: Star Wars gets its first ever public showing in Northpoint Theatre – the same venue which, four years earlier, also hosted the first screening of American Graffiti. London, 7 May: Marie Myriam of France wins the 22nd Eurovision Song Contest with L’oiseau et l’enfant. Lynsey De Paul and Mike Moran come second for the UK with Rock Bottom. New York, 19 May: Radio City Music Hall hosts the world premiere of Smokey and the Bandit. Within two years, sales of the Pontiac Trans Am (driven on screen by Burt Reynolds) have come close to doubling. Paris, 28 May: Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting take the stage together for the first time as part of a band called Strontium 90. Immediately afterwards, the trio leave to become The Police.
HIT PARADE UK Top 10, 1 May 1977 1 (3)
Free Deniece Williams 2 (4) Sir Duke Stevie Wonder 3 (2) Red Light Spells Danger Billy Ocean 4 (13) I Don’t Want To Talk About It Rod Stewart 5 (12) Whodunit Tavares 6 (6) Have I The Right Dead End Kids 7 (1) Knowing Me, Knowing You Abba 8 (9) Pearl’s A Singer Elkie Brooks 9 (5) I Don’t Want To Put A Hold On You Berni Flint 10 (20) How Much Love Leo Sayer
New entries this month:
• Fanfare For The Common Man (Emerson Lake and Palmer) • Too Hot To Handle (Heatwave) • Naughty Naughty Naughty (Joy Sarney) • In The City (The Jam) • Disco Inferno (The Trammps) • Written On The Wind (Roger Daltrey) • Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Ramones) • Peaches (The Stranglers) • Telephone Line (ELO) • Halfway Down The Stairs (Muppets) • Spot The Pigeon (Genesis) • God Save The Queen (Sex Pistols) • Good Old Fashioned Loverboy (Queen)
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S D O R ’ S R E D A RE post to Custom Car, alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk, or Email photos and details of your car to 5 0YZ. Please include Business Park, Bretby, Derbyshire DE1 by Bret , 1.08 se Hou ton Rep Ltd, ia Assignment Med size you have available ing digital pictures, use the largest file your contact details – and when send
Van Damn cool…
O
f all the American cars you can think of owning or importing, a 1968 Chevrolet G10 Sportvan 90 is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But it certainly was for Tanz Lees when he was looking to purchase a car in 2018.
Words and Pics: James Webber
‘It was then moved to California, where it received a full recommission including new power plant and ancillaries. That was in 2017. ‘I purchased it in June 2018. The owner was concerned that it was just going to be flipped and moved on, but to this day I keep
‘The first job was to give it a thorough going through to check there were no issues,’ Tanz continues. ‘All the bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and drag link were all replaced. The diff was drained and given a through cleaning. ‘I decided to have the axles flipped, which slightly lowers the car… and allows it to fit into my garage! She still sits on her original leaf springs and gas struts, which are surprisingly soft – until you hit a pot hole!’
‘Every time I walk away, I look back and say to myself “damn, that’s cool”’ ‘The story is that it was first registered in Arkansas,’ says Tanz. ‘Then it goes a bit hazy, until it was rescued from a field in Kansas where it had lain for around seven years.
sending him pics and updates on what’s happened to it in these intervening years.’ Hope you’re pleased to see it in this here issue of Custom Car, then, sir…
Patina blending
Elsewhere, a couple of panels needed attention and were blended to match the
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S e4.1-litre straight six runs a 250cfm singl Interior barrel Rochester and three on the tree. it apart is is all original – the only thing setting seat rear the on et blank can a Mexi
14-inch Rallye rims are wrapped in 195 red lines up front and 205 at the back
patina already on the van. Not as easy as it sounds. The cargo floor was Raptored, which is pretty much the opposite of patina
but very much the definition of longevity. Other than that, anyway, Tanz says it was all rock solid. Down below, the wheels are 14-inch Rallyes all-round. They’re wrapped in red line tyres measuring 195 up front and 205 at the rear. Drum brakes at every corner mean, in Tanz’s words, ‘planning ahead with the driving.’ Power comes from the aforemention new engine, a 4.1-litre straight six with a single-barrel Rochester 250cfm carb and three on the tree. ‘It’s interesting in modern traffic,’ admits Tanz of the gearbox. ‘But I may swap to a tried and tested TH350 auto, which is a straight replacement.’
Inside, it’s all original. Really. The rear seats have been covered in Mexican blankets, but that’s as far as it goes – why mess with perfection, right enough? All the work on this side of the Pond was carried out by Ben Lewis and his team at Evil Ben’s in Chacewater near Truro. And a fine they’ve done of it, too. ‘I’ve named the van “Van Damm,” explains Tanz. ‘Cos it’s a van, and every time I walk away and look back I say to myself, “damn that’s cool.”’.
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We don’t often do Volkswagens in Custom Car these days. But people are always telling us that hot rods are half car, half art – and while this here Beetle is more about show than go, it’s a work of automotive creativity that pulls a crowd wherever it goes
Words Robbie Ronson
Pictures Vic Peel
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S
ince the age of four, for Martyn Lee owning a Beetle was always a fantasy. Until one day, at long last he became the owner of the kind of Beetle that IS a fantasy. Martyn lives in a town with a lot of seagulls, which is tremendously hazardous when your car has no roof. But the upside is that he can go cruising by the seafront whenever he wants. That’s what he was doing on the sunny Sunday afternoon when we hung out with him, just a week or two after the Beetle of Dreams had become his. The car had only
just been finished a couple of months before that, having been built by its previous owner, David Southam. David is one of these people who, by his own admission, ‘always has to have a project on the go.’ And he had always wanted a split-screen Type 2. Martyn had a Splitty but wanted a Beetle. You can see where this is going, right? The Type 2 set sail for David’s workshop, where its new owner got down to the job of fitting independent rear suspension to create the necessary space for a bigger engine. The Beetle went in the other
direction; Martyn soon started adding some touches of his own to what was already a fully fledged work of art, but mainly he just spent his time loving the attention it got him every time he took it for a drive. I met Martyn at his first show with the Beetle, where he magnanimously told us that all the credit for it was due to David – and gave me its builder’s phone number so I could get the full story from the horse’s mouth. He in turn explained that the story doesn’t even begin with him, as a previous owner had already chopped the roof off and lowered it to within an inch of its life.
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The seats aren’t actually hide-clad, but the material covering them almost looks more like leather than leather itself. David chose the colour after seeing something similar on a Karmann Beetle, and in the event he was so pleased with the result that he got the door cards done to match. The chromed hoops on the rear seat are from a Peugeot 206 Coupe-Cabriolet and very much succeed in being something you don’t see every day
Bit of a photographic fail, this one. The Thump Thump ‘LOW’ steering wheel is a classic in its own right. Would have been worthy of getting Martyn to give it a turn into the upright position, possibly…
‘I was looking for something a bit different,’ explains David. ‘Its paintwork was in good condition, the bodywork was a little bit loose on the back but the majority of the modifications to body had been done and seemed to have been done well. The interior was pretty shabby, with a roll cage that meant the back seats couldn’t be used, and the rear was so low it was almost scraping on floor, but I thought I could do something with it. Really, it just needed some effort, and some money spending on it.’ Spending money on cars is of course very easy indeed, at least if you’ve got some. To do this, David went to his friend Martin Cox at Musclebus and in the twinkling of an eye the 1300cc engine was sitting on the workshop floor.
Screams of pain
Next thing you know, David and Martin are walking around the showroom at Kingfisher Kustoms like a couple of kids in a sweet shop, loading up with chrome goodies and
As the interior was nearing completion, David hit on the idea of injecting some life into the dash panels by bombing them. With the red seats and blue bodywork providing a colour combo that didn’t need messing with, he made the slightly unconventional decision to use mono stickers; imagine them looking like the cover of Disraeli Gears and you can see why this was a very smart choice. The same material finishes off the top of the A-posts and door pillars where they were chopped, too
David’s mate Martin Cox at Musclebus, who was the main man throughout the project, created a rear shelf to mount a bank of Vibe speakers and an In Phase sub. As if the adoring comments of all who see the car wouldn’t be music enough to anyone’s ears
trying to ignore the screams of pain coming from David’s credit card. ‘When you get two people who’re into Volkswagens and chrome and put them in a shop like that, it’s dangerous!’ David confirmed to me. ‘We kept picking stuff off the self and saying “yeah, put that in, put that in…” Martin even found this billet aluminium fuel tank and went “wouldn’t this look good in there…” I had to agree!’ One of the first jobs was to add some strengthening around the back end of the car, to make up for what it had lost when the roof came off. After that, it was time to do something about its ride height. As well as being dropped on its suspension, the body had been remounted a couple of inches lower, putting it too close to the ground for David’s liking – especially at the back. Happily, they were able to get its stance right simply by adjusting the existing suspension, though the body drop also meant that the rear valance was fouling on the exhaust.
The remedy was to bend up a custom exhaust to sit lower – though even this had so little clearance that the paint on the valance quickly started to blister. A custom panel could have looked supremely ugly, so David took the more elegant route and simply removed it altogether. ‘Not having the valance helps on the cooling side,’ he said, ‘because with all that chrome the engine might get a bit hot. Besides, you can see the exhaust and that there’s a lot of chrome, and it intrigues you. A lot of people ask if you’ve got a really big engine in there, but actually it’s only a 1300!’ The exhaust finishes off in a stinger and without wasting any time on details like a silencer, it makes a lovely, throaty noise. ‘As soon as you back off, it really gurgles down the road,’ says David – and having followed Martyn through town, watching as every head turns to regard the little Bug with delight, we can confirm that it definitely gets its voice heard.
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THE VOLKESWAGEN EXPERTS
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Want to visit us? Unit 5, Oldbury Road, Smethwick, West Midlands | B66 1NU
Tel: 0121 558 9135 | Email: sales@kkvw.co.uk | www.kingfisherkustoms.co.uk facebook.com/KingfisherKustomsVW
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Ray’s Classics
San Carlos CA since 1980
California Collector Car Export Sales Specialist 1963 FORD RANCHERO - $9,850
Original 260v8/auto truck with power steering, now running a v8/4spd manual trans with power steering, gt rally wheels, dual exhaust, very straight body, on the button california drive.
1963 MERCURY COMET 2 DOOR HARDTOP 6CYL/AUTO - $9,250
One former owner, new gas tank/sender, fuel pump, rebuilt carb, new tyres, runs & drives great.
1965 FORD THUNDERBIRD 390ci/AUTO,P/S, PDB, WIRE WHEELS, P/W, A/C, ONE CALIFORNIA OWNER , EXCELLENT RESTORED CONDITION - $22,750
1949 CHEVY 3100 PANEL VAN - $22,750
6cyl/3spd , one California family owned since new, documentation since 1949, bone stock, runs and drives excellent.
25 VEHICLES UK REGISTERED READY FOR PURCHASE IN THE SW OF ENGLAND POA Prices include shipping from Oakland CA to UK mainland. Check the website for complete inventory list.
WE CAN LOCATE LOCA THE CAR OF YOUR DREAMS
Vehicle shipping to the UK inspection services available in the Western States
Custom Car_2023_05_May_Rays Classics_FP.indd 1
650-361-8083
Tel: e: raysclassics@earthlink.net www.raysclassics.com
28/03/2023 10:02
The 1300cc engine is standard inside but definitely not as you look at it. David made what turned out to be a very productive (and not very cheap) visit to Kingfisher Kustoms which yielded more or less as much chrome as it was possible to put in a Beetle’s engine bay. In his words, ‘we went for the most dressy bits we could get, to make it all nice and shiny and looking good.’ Even the fuel tank is billet aluminium. A Flame Thrower coil from Pertronix gets the engine firing and a chromed stinger, unencumbered by annoying details like silencers, makes it sound as good as it looks
One knock-on effect of removing the rear valance is that it’s where the deck lid sits. So David fitted a latch on the bumper for it instead. Not that this was ever going to be a problem for Martyn, whose answer was just to lift the lid right off instead and cruise with the engine on full display. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And flaunting it is exactly what this car is all about. David bought a set of chrome Empi 5s from a guy who’d never got round to fitting them on his own Beetle, then went around the whole car basically making sure that everything about it was as cool as it could be. Like the engine, which is chromed but not modded inside, it’s all about making an impression. ‘We went for the most dressy bits we could get,’ he told us, ‘to make it all nice and shiny and looking good.’ The bonnet ornament, for example, came from Limebug. ‘I’d seen it on a few cars before. If you’re going to try and bling it up, you might as well go for it. The bonnet ornament and mirrors were all just that extra
bit of extravagance. It’s something a bit more for people to look at that’s different to normal.’
Classic look
Ironically, one of the first things Martyn did after taking the car on was to swap its swan-neck mirrors for more standard round ones. ‘I prefer the classic look,’ he explained, which just goes to show that there’s nothing so personal as taste. Inside, the chrome theme continues with a shifter and handbrake lever from Kingfisher and a very cool retro Thump Thump ‘Low’ steering wheel which Martin stumbled upon via a friend. It might date from more than a quarter of a century ago, but it looks mint on a car which has been around for something like twice as long as that. These were the finishing touches, though. First, David and Martin had to address the aforementioned shabbiness bringing down the whole of the car’s interior. It had a couple of Porsche seats which were ‘in a very poor condition,’ and the dashboard was
similarly crummy. David wanted to turn it back into a four-seater, as well, so that he could go cruising with his wife and son. But there was a problem. ‘When a car has been body chopped, suddenly everything stops fitting. Everything has to be custom made.’ Easier said than done, as it turns out. He even bought a welding kit with a view to fabricating his own rear seat frame. Well, you live and learn: ‘It soon became apparent that it was going to take a serious amount of time and skill to do this.’ So back to turned to Martin at Musclebus, a man with exactly that kind of skill. ‘In the end, he used a standard Beetle seat he’d got and modified it to go in the back of the car at the right sort of height, cutting it to fit the tunnel to get it low enough.’ He also fabricated a frame to go inside the seat, allowing David to mount a pair of chromed roll hoops he’d sourced from someone who was scrapping a Peugeot 206 Coupe-Cabrio. ‘I like people to look at my car and see things they’ve not seen before,’ is his rationale for those.
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Chrome Empis came from a guy who had never got round to fitting them on his own vehicle. File under things you’ll regret selling one day
‘It just gets loved by everyone. I think because it doesn’t come across like it’s trying too hard. It’s good natured – there’s a good vibe about them. It pulls people in wherever you park it!’ 54 CUSTOM CAR MAY 2023
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The hood ornament is described by David as ‘that extra bit of extravagance.’ Details make all the difference, and as details go this is definitely a good one
Staying with the theme of extravagance, David fitted the Beetle with lush swan-neck mirrors… which Martyn promptly replaced. ‘I like the more classic look,’ he told us, though this doesn’t appear to extend to the rest of the car
speakers behind the seat. With this done, it was shipped off to Rugs for Bugs who carpeted it all out in readiness for the seats going back in. Now it was looking more like a show car. Except the dash, which was still looking like a pig’s breakfast. David was faced with the choice of respraying it, or covering it up with something interesting. As you can see, he found something very interesting indeed, and it’s a unique touch that really sets the car off. ‘Sticker bombing had become more and more popular in the VW scene,’ he says. ‘So I looked into what kind I would do and I thought the best way would be to do it in black and white. As soon as you start to bring too many colours in, it could get a bit busy. ‘So I found some black and white material, and again Martin at Musclebus took the panels out, covered them and then put them all back together. We finished off the top of the pillars in it too, so it matches the rest of the car.’ And with that, David’s Beetle was finally ready to go cruising in all its roofless glory. Cue the rainiest summer of all time. ‘If you wake up and it’s sunny, the first thing you want to do is go out and drive. But I could never be more than about thirty minutes from home! One time I was out and it started to thunder, and I had to shelter under the canopy in a petrol station!’ Not that he was going to compromise on the vehicle’s style. ‘People would say
to me that I could get a roof made for it. But someone went to lot of time and effort to take the roof off and get it looking like it looks. If it’s raining, well, it’s not the car you’d choose to drive. No-one’s going to have something like this as their only car, are they?’ Which brings us back to Martyn. When we met him, the Beetle did seem to be the only thing on his driveway, but he assured us that he did have another car too. This one was a drag racer. Even more practical, then. If you were being enormously meanspirited, you could accuse Martyn’s Beetle of being all show and no go. You’d be right, but you’d also be a next-level curmudgeon. There’s a man here who feels the need for speed, anyway, and what’s wrong with having one car for that and another for taking it easy? No man with a good car needs to be justified, after all, so a man with two cars needs to be justified even less. Besides, it’s much easier to pull a crowd when you’re not leaving them standing with the noise of your V8 ringing in their ears. We all love fast cars, but onlookers don’t much care so long as it looks cool. Which this Beetle certainly does. ‘It just gets loved by everyone,’ Martyn told us. ‘I think because it doesn’t come across like it’s trying too hard. It’s good natured – there’s a good vibe about them. It pulls people in wherever you park it – and I kind of like that!’
All very well, but there was still the small matter of trimming the interior. David shopped around and discovered that every Volks specialist he could find was either way out of his price range or booked up so far in advance that he was going to miss the upcoming show season. But then he got a stroke of luck. ‘A friend of mine told me about a company across the way from his workshop that did interiors for coaches, minibuses and so on. They don’t normally do cars, but they were really good guys.’ The colour was inspired by a Karmann Beetle David had seen in silver with red leather seats. ‘As soon as I saw it, I thought I’d love to do something like that. And when I got the blue Beetle, I thought the blue and the red would go well together.’ The material itself looks for all the world like leather, and a very classy aged leather at that, but in fact it’s just a very close replica. It’s a little cheaper than the real thing, and easier to clean, so you could argue that it’s even better. Most importantly, as David observed, ‘it has the look of olde-worlde leather, which I like.’ So much so, in fact, that he got them to do the door panels too, working to a template supplied by Martin.
On the shelf
While the seats were being trimmed, the car itself was back with Musclebus where a rear shelf was being created to hold a bank of
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BRENTACRE CUSTOM CAR & HOT ROD INSURANCE
NB: We advise you to double check with organisers that the event or show as listed is still going ahead, to avoid any wasted journeys. To submit an event, email alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk
APRIL 15 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15-16 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 15-16 Wagon UK Offset Show Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge. www.wgnuk.com 17 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
29 Barnstormer Weekend. Kay’s Barn, Dunnington, York. www.backfirepromotions.com 29 Spitfire Raceway Drag’n’Drift. Parranporth Airfield, St Agnes, Cornwall. www.perranporthdrivingcentre.com 29–1 Springspeed Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 30 Drivers Collection Show. Wakefield city centre. www.wakefieldbid.co.uk
5-7 Nostalgia Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 7 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne 13 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 13-14 Spring Autojumble Beaulieu. www.beaulieu.co.uk 13-14 Springbreak Kustom Kulture. Stonham Barns, Suffolk. www.stonhambarns.co.uk
18 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
30 Wakefield Classic and American Car and Bike Show. Magna Centre, Rotherham. www.thedriverscollection.co.uk
20-23 Race the Waves Bridlington. www.backfirepromotions.com
MAY
22 Drag & Drift Dakota Raceway, Honiton, Devon. www.straightliners. events
1 BHP Show Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone. bhpshows.com
15 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
3 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
16 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
5-7 Spring Fire Up Lepton Highlanders, Huddersfield. Facebook: Flat Caps and Ferrets
19-21 Doorslammers Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
22 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 25 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
13-14 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events
Wheels on the Waterfront – Eastbourne, first Sunday of the month from April to October
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20-21 Custom and Classic Show Earlswood, Solihull. www. motormayhemcc.co.uk 20-21 Duchy Capri Club Show Constantine Bay, Padstow, Cornwall. www.duchycapriclub.co.uk 20-21 Retro Rides Weekender Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.retroridesweekender.com 21 Herts Auto Show Oaklands College, St Albans. www. hertsautoshow.co.uk 26-29 The Main Event Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
3-4 NSRA Fun on the Beach. Great Yarmouth. nsra.org.uk 4 Plus Four Four Show Hartham Park, Wiltshire. www. plusfourfourautomotive.co.uk 4 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 4 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne 7 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
27 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
8-11 Hot Rods and Hills Park Foot Holiday Park, Pooley Bridge, Cumbria. parkfootullswater.co.uk
28 Chryslers at Brooklands. Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey. www.brooklandsmuseum.com.
9-11 Retrofestival Newark. Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.retrofestival.co.uk
28 Lincoln Castle Classic Car Rally. Lincoln Castle, Lincoln. castlerallylvvs@ gmail.com
10 Run What Ya Brung Saturday Night Special Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
29 Margate Meltdown. London to Margate. www.acecafe.com
11 Bespoke Show West Malling, Kent. bespokeshows@gmail.com
JUNE
11 BHP Fuel Fest Westpoint Arena, Exeter, Devon. bhpshows.com
2-4 VanJam Fir Tree Farm, Warmington. www.vanditos.co.uk
11 Bromley Pageant of Motoring Norman Park, Bromley. www. bromleypageant.com
3 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 3-4 Classic and Performance Car Spectacular. Tatton Park, Knutsford. www.tattonclassiccarshow.com
16-18 Sportsman Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 17-18 Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races Pendine, Carmarthenshire, South Wales. www.vhra.co.uk
17-18 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 18 Back to our Roots Aubourn Hall, Lincoln. www.aubourngardens.com 18 Custom and American Show Beaulieu. www.beaulieu.co.uk 18 Retro Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 19 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events 20 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 24 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 24 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 24-25 Top Speed Meeting Machrihanish Airport, Campbeltown, Argyll. www.straightliners.events 25 Fast Show Reloaded Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 25 MPH 1/8th Mile Vintage Sprint RAF Deenethorpe, Corby, Northants. www.mphvintagesprint.co.ukk 30-2 Summer Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
JULY 1-2 Stars and Stripes Car Show Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire www.tattonstarsandstripes.com
MAY 2023 CUSTOM CAR 57
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BRENTACRE CUSTOM CAR & HOT ROD INSURANCE
29-30 Mopar Euro Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 29-30 Ten Of The Best Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
AUGUST 2 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 4-6 Ultimate Street Car Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 2 Festival of the Dead. Burghley House, Stamford, Lincs. www.festivalofthedead.uk
17 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
2 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne
18 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
5 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 6-8 Västerås Summer Meet Västerås, Västmanland, Sweden. vasterassummermeet.se 7-9 Dragstalgia Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 7-9 The Weekender Bardwell, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. www.krazyhorse. co.uk/pages/krazy-horse-festival 8 Drag & Drift Dakota Raceway, Honiton, Devon. www.straightliners. events 8 Spitfire Raceway Drag’n’Drift. Parranporth Airfield, St Agnes, Cornwall. www.perranporthdrivingcentre.com 8-9 Historic Vehicle Gathering Powderham Castle, Exeter, Devon. historic-vehicle-gathering.info 8-9 Kernow Old Vehicle Rally Penhallow. KOVC Facebook 13-16 Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 15 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15-16 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 16 Ford Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
21-23 Bullfrog Bash Coach and Horses, Billinghay, Lincoln. bullfrogbash@hellsangelsmc.co.uk 21-23 Bug Jam Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 21-23 Rock’n’Ribs Festival Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset. www.rocknribsfestival.co.uk 22-23 National Hot Rod and Custom Show Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln. www. hotrodandcustomshow.co.uk 22-23 Carrot Town Garage American Car Show. Stonham Barns, Suffolk. www.stonhambarns.co.uk 22-23 Straightliners Race Meet Llanbedr Airfield, Llanbedr, Gwynedd. www.straightliners.events
5-6 Festival of Wheels Trinity Park, Ipswich. www.motorshowevents.com 5-6 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 6 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne 7 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events 10-13 NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals Old Warden Park, Biggleswade. www.nsra.org.uk 11-13 Huccabilly Run Hexworthy, Devon. facebook.com/TheAbbotsCC 11-13 NSVA Truck-In Drum and Monkey, Gloucester Road, Upton on Severn. Facebook: NSVA 11-13 Retrofestival Newbury Showground. www.retrofestival.co.uk 12 Best of British Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
23 Deuce Day Gaydon, Warwickshire. www.deucesofbritain.co.uk/deuce-day
12 Drag & Drift Dakota Raceway, Honiton, Devon. www.straightliners. events
28-29 Weekend of Wheels Moorgreen, Nottingham. www.coffencars.club
13 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
28-30 KLK Extravaganza Walpole St Andrew, Norfolk. www.kingslynnkruisers.co.uk
13 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
28-30 Hotrod Hayride Bisley Shooting Ground, Woking. www. hotrodhayride.co.uk 29 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
15 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 18-20 Greenlight Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 19-20 Passion for Power Classic Motor Show. Tatton Park, Knutsford. www.tattonpassionforpower.com
58 CUSTOM CAR MAY 2023
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60 CUSTOM CAR MAY 2023
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25-27 GOW! Speed Hill Climb Prescott Hill, Cheltenham, Cotswolds. www.vhra.co.uk
16 Spitfire Raceway Drag’n’Drift. Parranporth Airfield, St Agnes, Cornwall. www.perranporthdrivingcentre.com
25-27 Knucklebusters Car Show. Stonham Barns, Suffolk. www. stonhambarns.co.uk
17 American Car Show. Stonham Barns, Suffolk. www. stonhambarns.co.uk
26 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
17 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
28 Drive and Jive Auto Show. Whitstable Bends, Whitstable, Kent. www.driveandjive.uk
19 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
SEPTEMBER
22-24 National Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
1-3 Blue Ridge Runners Show West Huntspill, Somerset. www.blueridgerunners.co.uk
22-24 Flat Caps and Ferrets Lepton Highlanders, Huddersfield. Facebook: Flat Caps & Ferrets
1-3 VW Action Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
23-24 ACU/UKITA Records Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
2-3 International Autojumble Beaulieu. www.beaulieu.co.uk 2-3 Jurby Drag Racing Jurby, Isle of Man. www.straightliners.events 3 Brooklands American Day Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey. www.brooklandsmuseum.com 3 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne 6 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 7-10 European Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 8-9 Hindenberg Dirt Track Races www.hindenberg-dirt-track.com 8-10 Goodwood Revival Goodwood Estate. www.goodwood.com 9-10 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 10 VHRA Swap Meet Ramsey, Cabridgeshire. www.vhra.co.uk 11 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events 15-17 Hot Rod Drags Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15-17 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring www.iomfm.com 01732 879153
30 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
www.santapod.co.uk 22 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 22 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 28 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 28 Flame & Thunder Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 29 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
NOVEMBER 1 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 19 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 21 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
30 Drag & Drift Dakota Raceway, Honiton, Devon. www.straightliners. events
25 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
30 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
25 NSRA AGM. Venue TBC. www.nsra.org.uk
OCTOBER
25 Spitfire Raceway Drag’n’Drift. Parranporth Airfield, St Agnes, Cornwall. www.perranporthdrivingcentre.com
1 Wheels on the Waterfront Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne. Facebook: The Waterfront Eastbourne
DECEMBER
4 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
6 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
7 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
10 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
7-8 Straightliners Race Meet Melbourne Raceway, York. www. straightliners.events 9 Top Speed Monday Elvington Airfield, Elvington, West Yorkshire. www.straightliners.events
19 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 30 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
14 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15 Straightliners Race Meet Santa Pod. www.straightliners.events 17 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 21 Run What Ya Brung Saturday Night Special Santa Pod Raceway.
Mopar Euro Nationals – Santa Pod, 29-30 July Pic: Julian Hunt
MAY 2023 CUSTOM CAR 61
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Vintage Hot Rod Supplies Ltd
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