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News NEC show hailed a success Tuesday, 15 November 2022 at 16:15:00 UTC By Al Suttie Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show back on form It was a welcome return to form for the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at the NEC on 11-13 November. A total of 69,324 visitors attended the show over the three days, taking the attendance back to pre-Covid levels. There were 300 car clubs present and 3000 vehicles made up the show. Clarion Events’ Lee Masters said: ‘What an incredible weekend! The atmosphere was fantastic with passionate enthusiasts filling the halls. I was excited walking around watching the interactions between people. The community coming together made me feel emotional and proud of the movement. Also, the quality of exhibits and displays were off the chart, people went above and beyond. Huge thanks to all the clubs and our partners, exhibitors, and visitors for their continued support.’ On the Saturday, Silverstone Auctions sold £7.3million worth of cars with a 75% sales rate and six new world record price tags. On Sunday, 141 motorcycles went under the hammer with 85% sold for £750,000, while around £100,000 was secured from 72% of the automobilia lots. Richard Morley, from Lancaster Insurance Services, said: ‘There is nothing quite like being back with everyone at the NEC for the season finale and celebrating our shared passion for classic cars. This year truly summed up what our community means to so many, being part of the family, and it’s a family we are proud to be a part of.’ Dates for the 2023 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show have been confirmed for 10-12 November at Birmingham’s NEC venue. http://www.necclassicmotorshow.com

News Mercedes sells Uhlenhaut Coupe for record price Friday, 20 May 2022 at 8:00:00 UTC By CCB staff €135 million price for Uhlenhaut Coupe raises funds for M-B Fund Mercedes has sold one of two 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes from its Classic Collection for a record €135 million (£114 million). The money will be used to set up the Mercedes-Benz Fund to provide educational and research scholarships in environmental science and decarbonisation. The car was sold by auction to a private collector, setting a new world record for the sale of any single car. Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said: ‘The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes are milestones in sports car development and key historical elements that have shaped our brand. The decision to sell one of these two unique sports cars was taken with very sound reasoning – to benefit a good cause. The proceeds from the auction will fund a global scholarship program. With the "Mercedes-Benz Fund" we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in Rudolf Uhlenhaut's innovative footsteps and develop amazing new technologies.’ The price achieved for the Uhlenhaut Coupe beats the previous world record for a single car sale, which was $78 million (£62.5 million) in 2018 when a Ferrari 250 GTO was sold privately.

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News Electrogenic expands EV programme Wednesday, 12 October 2022 at 9:15:00 UTC By Al Suttie EV conversions to be more widely available Electric vehicle conversion specialist Electrogenic is making its EV kits more widely available through selected partners. These partners will use Electrogenic’s ‘drop-in’ conversion kits that have already been developed for cars such as the Land Rover Defender, Citroen DS and Jaguar E-type. Steve Drummond, co-founder of Electrogenic, said: ‘Each kit will incorporate the latest technology, while also drawing upon the accumulated experience from the cars we’ve converted - cars that our customers, in many cases, drive every day. ‘The expansion of our B2B technology business means we will be able to help further accelerate the move to a low-carbon future, getting our EV conversion technology into more vehicles more quickly. It also facilitates exports and will create more jobs in the UK automotive sector. ‘Powered by Electrogenic will be delivered to customers through key partner relationships, so keep an eye out for further announcements.’ http://www.electrogenic.co.uk

News Kingsley switches to cryo blasting Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 12:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Range Rover restorer using dry ice stripping Kingsley Re-Engineered has moved to using dry ice to remove rust from vehicles it’s preparing for restoration. The company says the new method that uses a carbon dioxide granulate can help it save up to 70% more of the original panels and chassis than traditional sand blasting. It will also offer the cryo dry ice blasting service to other specialists. Damon Oorloff, founder of Kingsley Re-Engineered, said: ‘Rust is one of the biggest challenges we have to overcome being Range Rover Classic specialists, but also an issue we’re keen to solve. We’re introducing cryo cleaning to the stripping process as it’s not only a safer, more gentle way to rid cars of corrosion, it’s also less abrasive and that leads to having a better chance of saving original panels and chassis parts that would otherwise be condemned. ‘I’m a big believer in working with other specialists but also opening the doors of Kingsley to others. That’s why we’re not just offering this service for our customers and Range Rovers in particular, but any other specialists are welcome to see the process and request a quote from us to assist with their projects.’ The company has set up a dedicated website for this service to other companies. https://www.iceblasting.co.uk/

News Paul Wood 1946-2022 Thursday, 26 May 2022 at 8:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie Paul Wood passes away Rolls-Royce specialist Paul Wood passed away suddenly on Sunday 22 May. A statement from his family says: ‘Paul was so very grateful to spend his whole life doing what he loved, his enthusiasm for all things automotive was infectious. As well as a legend in our community, he was a kind and loving family man, our consort and our hero. ‘Paul was a much-loved husband, father, uncle and of course twin brother. This has come as a huge shock to us all. Please bear with us as we make sense of what has happened and try to come to terms with our significant loss.’ The statement adds: ‘Paul had spent many years future proofing P & A Wood for an eventuality such as this. Not only does he leave behind his family but an expert workforce that he and Andrew have spent years training, he was incredibly proud of what they had both achieved over the years. We know that he would want nothing more than for the business to continue working hard to produce fantastic work to the highest standards and ensure that his legacy lives on here at P & A Wood. Paul’s brilliance will be sorely missed but his determination, dedication and passion for motor cars will forever be held dear in our hearts. All future work will be produced in Paul’s honour.’ Our condolences to Paul’s family, friends, and colleagues.

News New Chief Operating Officer for Barrett-Jackson Friday, 4 November 2022 at 10:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie Joie Chitwood III joins Barrett-Jackson as COO Barrett-Jackson has announced Joie Chitwood III as the auction firm’s new Chief Operating Officer. He will lead the company’s day-to-day operations alongside company chairman Craig Jackson. Chitwood joins the company following a career in motorsports and live events, and he said: ‘Barrett-Jackson’s legacy as the world’s greatest collector car auctions is well-known within the live event community and I’ve long held a deep admiration for what Craig and his family have built over the last 50 years. ‘The opportunity to join a world-class organization, and to do so shortly after the partnership announcement with IMG, a global leader in events, is an exceptional one. I look forward to working alongside Craig and the entire Barrett-Jackson team as we accelerate into 2023 and beyond.’ Craig Jackson said: ‘Joie has had an incredibly accomplished career and I look forward to him bringing his well-respected enthusiasm, leadership and ingenuity to Barrett-Jackson. Joie’s experience coupled with the recently announced IMG partnership confirms the future is as bright as it’s ever been at Barrett-Jackson, and I look forward to what’s in store as we continue to grow and engage the collector car community.’ http://www.barrett-jackson.com

News Custodian aims to offer free-to-use classic vehicle archive Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 9:15:00 UTC By Al Suttie Classic vehicle management firm looking to free use future Classic car vehicle document management firm Custodian is seeking to crowdsource the future of specialist cars by pooling specialist knowledge. The firm says its unique software will allow it to offer unbiased information to its users and the wider classic car world. It says this information will help increase the value of a car, and make it simpler to find the right specialist to work on a car. Charles Clegg, CEO of Custodian, said: ‘As a lifelong car enthusiast, I know that the collective information that exists within the community has been largely subjective, anecdotal, disparate and unstructured. With our proprietary software, we’re applying the very latest data science and technology to make it objective, peer-reviewed, centrally held and organised. ‘Using our platform, all that priceless knowledge and insight that’s currently scattered across the classic car world could be untangled and organised; safe, secure, transparent and accessible, helping everyone make more informed buying and care decisions - and, we hope, prevent people from making the costly mistakes nearly every classic or specialist car enthusiast has made along the way. As our community grows, so does the library of knowledge that previously risked being lost forever.’ http://www.custodian.club

News RHD Shelby Cobras for UK Tuesday, 14 December 2021 at 0:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Clive Sutton brings Shelby-licensed Cobras to UK Right-hand drive Shelby Cobras will now be imported to the UK by Clive Sutton. The cars are built by Superformance and will be offered in MkII, MkIII and MkIII-R shapes with 5.7- and 7.0-litre V8 engines supplied by Roush. Clive Sutton said: ‘We have a long history with the Cobra, so it holds a special place in our hearts. Offering the world’s only Shelby-licensed Cobras is a source of great pride and we can’t wait to share these special vehicles with enthusiasts everywhere.’ Superformance’s Lance Stander added: ‘We are delighted to welcome UK retailer Clive Sutton to the Superformance family. The Clive Sutton team has a long history of importing American sports cars to the UK, including Shelby Cobras. We look forward to building right-hand drive Superformance MkIII's for the UK market and growing our Superformance presence there.’ Prices start at £123,950 for the MkIII. https://www.clivesutton.co.uk/

News Swindon offers turn-key EV battery packs Wednesday, 12 October 2022 at 9:45:00 UTC By Al Suttie Off-the-shelf EV batteries for classics Swindon Powertrain now offers readymade classic car EV battery packs. The company has aimed to make the new battery packs affordable. Swindon Powertrain’s HED is believed to be the first commercially available ‘off the shelf’ battery pack available, developed specifically for such users to buy as a single unit or in low, mid or high volumes. Available from September, initially in either 30kWh or 60kWh options, HED is an automotive grade lithium-ion unit. Designed and developed according to ECE 100-03, it measures 1000mm long * 420mm wide and either 375 or 615mm tall, depending on battery capacity. Compact and light (from 190kg) HED comes supplied with Battery Management System and Manual Service Disconnect in an enclosure for thermal management and damage protection. A 12-month warranty is standard. Swindon Powertrain’s managing director Raphaël Caillé said: ‘Niche manufacturers and conversion specialists told us they couldn’t source new, industry-grade batteries from the big suppliers who aren’t interesting in low-volume supply. ‘This has led to some recycling parts from used EVs, often of unknown provenance. HED means they have a fresh, turnkey battery pack complete with the peace of mind that comes from over 50 years of supplying to the motorsport and automotive markets.’ http://www.swindonpowertrain.com

News Gateway’s first sale exceeds expectations Monday, 27 February 2023 at 16:15:00 UTC By Al Suttie New timed-online auction records 72% sale rate Gateway Auctions Classic Cars’ first timed-online auction exceeded the firm’s expectations for the number of cars entered and sold. The auction had 340 registered bidders for its first sale and 72% of the lots were sold, with others under negotiation post-sale. There were 58 lots entered, which was double the number of cars that Gateway had expected to see in its first sale. David Sunderland, Gateway Auctions’ Managing Director, said: ‘This sale went way beyond our expectations. While Gateway’s reputation has been established over 20 years, it wasn’t until last month that we decided to launch the Classic Cars side of the business, and the response has been staggering. ‘This all bodes well for the future and proves that our combination of a timed-online system, use of six major online bidding platforms, and ability to physically present lots for viewing on our purpose-built site – a unique feature in the North West – has been an instant hit with buyers and sellers.’ Among the star lots at this sale were a former British Touring Car Championship BMW 1-Series that had been driven by Tordoff and Collard. It sold for £56,000, going well above its £40,000-£50,000 estimate. A Rolls-Royce Corniche coupe sold for £40,600 to beat its £30,000-£35,000 estimate. Gateway Auctions Classic Cars next timed-online auction starts for bidding on 20 March and closes on 22 March. http://www.gatewayauctions.com

News Skoda restores historic Coupé Tuesday, 8 February 2022 at 0:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Skoda restores historic race car with traditional and new tech Skoda is marking the 120th anniversary of its motorsport involvement with the restoration of its 1100 OHC Coupé racing car that was built in 1959. The 1100 has been completely restored using the original chassis and engine, and Skoda has documented the entire process as part of the car’s history. Using preserved documents from Skoda’s archive, the team were able to accurately measure and restore parts. The work found the car had remarkably little wear, though a new radiator and fuel tank were made. During the restoration, Skoda Museum’s workshop used the company’s Prototype Centre to make full-size 2D drawings. This allowed the team to compare what they had with original images and discern where work was needed to return the car to its original shape and specification. The Coupé, which was acquired from a private collector in 2014, will now join its open-cockpit sister model as part of Skoda’s heritage fleet. https://museum.skoda-auto.com/