Innehållsförteckning för September 2021 från Classic American

Slap-bang in the middle of July’s sweltering heatwave, Historics hosted its largest sale in its 10-year history which was held at the picturesque 100-acre site at Windsorview Lakes, Berkshire. The total entry offered in hall, on the phone and online was 201. Known for representing the wide breadth of the classic and collector car market, Historics opened its consignment window still wider here with a selection of classic motorcycles, a duo of notable classics boats – including a Riva Junior motorboat – and even a brace of shepherds’ huts looking entirely at home in the classic surroundings. A total of 50 classic car marques spanning 10 decades were represented, the earliest consignment being an eye-catching 1910 Cadillac Model 30 Roadster, resplendent with its brass fixtures and fittings, which sold for…

There has rarely been a shortage of Chevrolet Corvettes modified by tuning firms. However, by definition they’re invariably located in the US. The car pictured here, however, was an exception to the rule in that it was modified in Weybridge, Surrey. What’s more, it wasn’t strictly a Corvette. If only in the eyes of its creator, that was merely the donor car. To the rest of us, it remains one of the most spectacular makeovers ever perpetrated on the C4-generation model. The Tempest was conceived by Robert Jankel, a man well-versed in making extreme cars for the super-rich. A former saloon car racer, this likable motor mogul earned a certain amount of fame (infamy) during the Seventies for the many creations offered by his Panther Westwinds concern. However, in the…

In order to win at NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing), one needs a great driver, a great car and a great engine. Richard Petty is the winningest driver in NASCAR history with a record 200 wins, and the Petty Enterprises organisation built and prepared excellent race cars over the years. The Petty family was based in Level Cross, North Carolina, located about 10 miles south of Greensboro. Lee was the father, and his two sons were Maurice and Richard. Richard Petty on his brother Maurice “LOT OF TIMES, CHIEF DIDN’T EVEN COME INTO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE WITH US. HE’D JUST START LOADING THE TRUCK AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE ‘LET’S GET READY FOR THE NEXT RACE.’ THAT WAS JUST THE WAY HE WAS, AND IT WAS GOOD FOR…

The weather gods must have been looking favourably down on the Pre-’50 American Auto Club, as there was nothing in the way of rain for their 55th annual Rally of the Giants, despite heavy downpours the week preceding it. The event has settled well into its home at Blenheim where it’s been held for almost a decade since moving from Knebworth, with this year having probably one of the biggest turnouts of vehicles ever. Although this show is always noted for the number of older prewar cars in attendance, this year saw fewer than previous years. Onlookers wondered if it was due to Covid (older owners shielding etc.) or just the fact that fewer youngsters were getting into the old car hobby as reasons for the diminishing number of veteran…

Welcome to the 2021 Glovebox Guide. This user-friendly, indispensable guide has been created with any and every American vehicle owner in mind and is in two formats: firstly, an alphabetical listing of each and every business that we’re aware of related to American vehicles; and secondly, a listing according to business type. So whatever type of business you’re looking for, you’ll find the information right here! The idea behind the Glovebox Guide is to create an exhaustive resource to all the services and businesses that are related to the American automotive and associated markets; from dealers to garages to parts suppliers and much, much more. It’s been designed in a format that should fit in the glovebox of any American vehicle, but really you can keep it anywhere you might…

With its mid-engine configuration, redesigned chassis and coilover suspension, the C8 Stingray marks the biggest rethink of the Corvette formula since the car’s inception in 1953. Making its public debut just a few months before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the C8 has been impacted by production disruptions, parts shortages and price hikes. Even at a base price of $62,195, the 2022 Stingray offers a lot of bang for the buck stateside. Offered in three trim levels, 1LT, 2LT and 3LT, the 2021 model is offered as either a coupe (with removable targa roof panel) or a convertible. Behind the seats is an all-aluminium 6.2-litre V8 cranking out 490 horsepower at 6450rpm and 465ft-lb of torque at 5150rpm in US trim. Featuring dry-sump oiling, direct injection and an 11.5:1…

Viper fans may disagree, but there’s no doubt that the Chevrolet Corvette is America’s quintessential sports car and certainly the longest running. With the exception of 1983, it’s been in production continuously for 68 years and attracted a worldwide following, even embraced by enthusiasts in countries where it’s never been officially sold. With such a lengthy production run and so many variations, picking a favourite can, as I’m sure you’ll agree, prove exceedingly difficult. Here, I’ve attempted to whittle down my choices to the top five Corvettes I’d love to park in my garage. 1957 Corvette The early solid axle ’Vettes are a unique breed and among them, I’ve singled out the ’57. Its styling is clean and functional, a more mature version of the original 1953-55, plus it has…

After a gap of two years due to Covid-19 and lockdowns, the CCCUK (Classic Corvette Club UK) once again returned to the Sharnbook Hotel, Bedfordshire, for their annual jamboree to celebrate all that’s best about this legendary marque. For many ’Vette heads it’s a weekend to celebrate and enjoy Bowling Green’s finest. On Saturday there was a run out to Santa Pod, only a stone’s throw away, to watch the drag racing. This was followed by the club AGM back at the hotel, followed by the evening dinner, a charity auction and talk by the Keech Hospice, followed by socially distanced dancing, with music provided by DJ Rob Haston of Petrol Head Art. Owner of the hotel and avid car enthusiast Ciro and his staff certainly did their very best…

This year’s Stars & Stripes show proved, as many had suspected, that the desperation to get out and do normal things overruled everything else… even downpours of biblical proportions that would normally see punters staying away in droves. And we don’t just mean show cars (the show field looked as full as usual) but also the public coming to visit the event, who also turned up en masse. Once one had got over the shock of not seeing Noah and his ark on the show field, there were plenty of interesting and unusual cars on display. Setting up early on Friday lunchtime were two gentlemen from Liverpool who’d brought along a very enticing 1941 Buick Special that very much looked as if it had seen military service during the war…

The good news is (and it’s only good news in Classic American this month!) that shows are back in full swing. Pent-up demand, a glorious summer and the necessity for staycations means they were busy, busy, busy, as Keith Harman discovered at this year’s Pendine… It was with a collective sigh of relief that the Vintage Hot Rod Association’s members, friends and families, and spectators of course, were able to return to Pendine again after a two-year lockdown absence. Entrants arrived on Friday, with the afternoon set aside for scrutineering the cars, as the anticipation and excitement of returning to the hallowed track built up. Overall the number of entrants was slightly down from previous years, with cars from Europe particularly conspicuous by their absence. But at least this meant…

This stunning concept made its debut at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show and offered a glimpse of an alternative Corvette C7 or C8 even, had GM chosen to take a different direction to the one it did with the C7 and then its current mid-engined C8 offering. In many ways this concept chimes more with current automotive engineering values, offering as it did a hybrid powertrain, with a V8 engine featuring cylinder deactivation and mild hybrid technology. Introduced four years before the C7, the Stingray concept not only showcased the last front-engined Corvette, but it echoed the legendary 1963 Corvette Stingray, with its split rear window treatment, as well as the 1959 Stingray Racer. The concept came about as the result of an internal design challenge for a retro-styled but…

Stock or modified Dear Classic American, In response to Huw Evans’ article in the August issue headed Stock or modified?, if I owned the beautiful red and white ‘55 Bel Air, it would stay stock for sure as a time capsule to a glorious time of the 20th century, so I think it depends on the car you start with. In my experience American classic owners tend to fall generally into two distinct groups, traditionalists or hot rodders, and I would fall into the second category. After selling my 10-year-owned New Zealand assembled RHD 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air (slightly modified, but it was like that when I purchased it), I was on the hunt for something different from the ubiquitous ‘57 Bel Air or ‘65 Mustang, and stumbled across my…

What did it say on that old poster? Careless talk costs lives. Well happily, that’s no longer a danger for us, but careless talk can certainly cost a lot of money – and bring a lot of joy. Rob Symons tells us how it happened. “My dad was just finishing off the restoration of the green 1965 car you see in the photos when I made a throwaway comment about how nice it would be to get the whole set – one of each Corvette generation from C1 to C3. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but my dad must have taken it to heart.” It’s not much of a spoiler to say that they did indeed wind up with the full set. But we’re getting ahead…

If you drew up a list of the top 10 most recognisable American brand names – Coca-Cola, Holiday Inn, McDonald’s and so on – it is likely that Cadillac would feature fairly near the top of that list. But America’s gold-plated, diamond-studded, luxury automotive status symbol has a surprisingly English heritage connected to its famous sales slogan, ‘Standard of the World’. During the Forties and Fifties, Cadillac’s advertising agency had taken to using the Standard of the World slogan on neon signs, billboards and dealership displays, as well as in brochures and national advertising copy. But if it hadn’t been for a far-sighted and enterprising young entrepreneur in London, named Frederick S Bennett, that slogan might never have been used. To further enhance the test, members of the RAC Committee…

SHOWS 2021 AUGUST 13 MOCGB AT SANTA POD The premier Mustang event back for the third year running. MOCGB Santa Pod day is for members to have some fun, seeing how fast they can go down the drag strip. Booking is now open for MOCGB members only – for full details please visit the forum at www.mocgb.net AUGUST 14-15 BRIDGWATER CLASSIC AND VINTAGE SHOW Morganians Rugby Club, Chedzoy Lane, Bridgwater, Somerset TA7 8QW. Public entry from 10am-5pm. Entrants from 9am. Classic vehicles of all shapes and sizes with American cars very welcome. Trade and craft stalls, live music on Sunday. Hopefully also a Second World War aircraft flypast! It is a show for all types of classic vehicles and we welcome American cars but please pre-book. For more details please…