By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

Returning to my focus on classic Japanese motors (3 May) one name I didn’t touch on is Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota.

If truth be known I wanted to save my pick of the Japanese models for special attention. The car in question is the fabulous SC430 convertible.

This sports coupe was launched in 2001, intended as the jewel in the crown of the Lexus line-up

When it came out it was lauded for its head-turning design, but for some it missed the sleek lines of a European coupe.

Talk to any SC430 owner and they’ll tell you it’s a ‘tour de force’ of a car, from its 288 bhp 4.3-litre V8 engine with variable valve timing and five-speed auto transmission to an interior of sumptuous quality and and trim.

In nine years, 72,000 of these coupes were produced – around half of those were made and sold between 2002 and 2003. The great majority went to US buyers. Indeed, their appetite for the car saw the launch of the Lexus SC Pebble Beach edition in 2004.

But, overall the SC430’s journey involved only minimal modifications. In 2005, Lexus added a six-speed automatic gearbox and improved exterior styling including redesigned alloys. Inside the car, Lexus added a new instrument cluster, Bluetooth capability and upgraded trim.

Unfortunately, worldwide sales stalled by the mid 2000s. In 2010, a limited edition ‘Eternal Jewel’ model made for the Japanese market would sadly bring the curtain down on the SC430.

The SC430 also made its mark in motorsport after debuting in the Super GT race series in 2006. Over the next six years it would go on to take a string of GT500 class titles and remain competitive.

There is no doubt this is a car that could divide opinions. Two years after it ceased production, Messrs Clarkson and May (from Top Gear) gave damning verdicts on the 430’s handling, ride and styling. Unfair? Definitely!

Today, it’s a car loved by its owners and one which gets overwhelmingly positive feedback as a driving experience.

To get the perspective of a Yorkshire owner I spoke to Juan Thornes who runs the the UK Lexus SC430 Owners Club. At the time he was getting his 2001-reg SC430 ready for the club’s annual gathering in Coventry (held 24-25^th June).

Juan, runs a motor business in Conisbrough and is certainly a convert to the car. He said: “The SC430 is a wonderful drive for any petrolhead. It’s a refined well-built car, from its bullet-proof V8 engine and reliability to its top-of-range interior trim.  

“It offers a great all year round motoring experience and its retractable hardtop makes Summer driving extra special right now!

“I have been lucky enough to own a number of great performance cars but the SC430 is a bit special! I bought my current one in 2017 and other than a repaint in a green colour scheme from Audi, it’s the original car.

“Like any ageing car there are things to look out for such as underbody rust and water leaks, particularly in the boot area, but all in all the SC430 is very dependable.

“I’m really delighted with the car and won’t be selling any time soon. It’s become part of the family!”

There is a growing number of enthusiasts for the Lexus and finding good condition right-hand-drive SC430s is a bit of a challenge, but they are out there. A quick internet search, shows prices starting at around £5,000 for a high mileage early model. Mint condition facelift cars (from 2006 onwards) can start at £15,000. Not bad when you consider these cars were priced at around £50,000 when new!

For more information on the SC430 click https://www.lexus-sc430club.co.uk/ or visit or join their Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/2010606785672563

Hot off the press, Juan has sent Classic Yorkshire a YouTube video of last weekend’s event in Coventry, made by Dr Will from the owners’ club. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPoMmjIYohE

British Motor Heritage group company Tex Automotive has added a wide selection of fresh products to its line-up of quality items for classic cars and their drivers.

Castrol merchandise and lubricants, including GTX
Castrol is one of the most trusted names within the classic car world and its offerings have already proved very popular with Tex buyers. The following are now available to order online:

• 5-litre cans of Classic GTX 10w/40 oil – £41.63 plus VAT
• Smart Castrol-branded note pads – £6.63 plus VAT
• ‘Mini oil barrel’ pen holders – £4.96 plus VAT
• Ceramic mugs – £7.46 plus VAT
• Classic ‘baker boy’ caps – £15.79 plus VAT
• Classic racing jackets – £66.63 plus VAT

Bonnet straps to interior mirrors
Included among the many other recent additions to the website are:

• Bonnet straps, complete with fittings – £20.83 plus VAT
• 7” sealed beam ‘Tripod’ headlamps with H4 bulbs, £49.00 per pair plus VAT
• Chrome/glass fuel filters – £8.33 plus VAT
• A selection of ‘easy fit’ interior mirrors – from £20.00 plus VAT
• Universal choke and bonnet release cables – from £8.50 plus VAT
• Round quarterlight mirrors, with clamps – £25.00 plus VAT
• Self-adhesive enamel badges – £8.00 plus VAT

Full details of the all the above and many, many more such products available from Tex will be found at www.texautomotive.com.

Lotus Evora by Johnny Tipler

This history of the Lotus Evora traces the genesis, context, manufacture and evolution of the Type 122 Evora and its derivative models.The Evora’s prowess as a grand touring sports car is demonstrated with the author’s international road trips, and its essence is detailed through in-depth interviews with leading personalities at Lotus involved with the design, development, construction and marketing programmes. The book concludes with the launch of the Evora’s successor, the Type 131 Emira in 2021.

Johnny Tipler has a long association with the Lotus marque, having run the John Player Team Lotus Motorsport Press Office during the halcyon JPS era, as recounted in his 2019 book ‘Black and Gold’. He has authored many automotive books, notably on the Lotus Elise, and also wrote for the Club Lotus International publication between 2005 and 2011. He is a good friend of Classic Team Lotus boss Clive Chapman (son of the Lotus founder Colin Chapman) and regularly attends historic races such as the Goodwood Revival where CTL’s F1 Lotuses are in action.

ISBN: 9781787117679
UPC: 6-36847-01767-5

£50.00(UK), $80.00(US), $105.00(CAN)

Porsche Boxster and Cayman by Brian Long

The definitive history of the Porsche 981-series Boxsters and Caymans, with all major markets looked at in detail to cover all variants and to put the story into perspective. Illustrated throughout with contemporary photography sourced from the factory, this book serves as the perfect guide to this generation of open and closed cars in all its forms. Written by an acknowledged Porsche expert, with the full co-operation of the factory.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman by Brian Long
ISBN: 9781787117938
UPC: 6-36847-01793-4

£55.00(UK), $80.00(US), $104.00(CAN)

The longest edition in the history of the 1000 Miglia has come to an end as the crews crossed Italy covering 2200 kilometres over the five days of the race. Passing from the insistent rain before the arrival in Rome to the scorching sun in Alessandria, the participants completed a tour de force that saw them stop off in Cervia-Milano Marittima before the turnaround in the capital, to drive up to Parma and finish in Milan, with a Passage Control in Piazza Duomo and arrival in City Life, for the last night of the race before the arrival in Brescia.

In the end, the reigning champions did it: having overcome a few hiccups in the first afternoon of the race, from the start of the second leg they confirmed themselves as the crew to beat, leaving the fight for the second and third step of the podium to their rivals. Andrea Vesco thus won his fourth consecutive title (out of six in total), while Fabio Salvinelli equalled Giuliano Canè with a string of three victories. “At the beginning there were challenges”, declared Vesco with the engines switched off, “then we performed consistently with a low number of penalties. Only when I took part with Dad had I achieved such a good result, I am very proud to have achieved this historic result”.

Behind the 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS Zagato of the winners, two Lancia Lambda Spider Type 221 are also on the podium: Gianmario Fontanella and Annamaria Covelli preceded Andrea Belometti and Gianluca Bergomi. The best all-female crew was Silvia Marini and Irene Dei Tos in a 1929 Bugatti T 40, who took the Ladies’ Cup by finishing 27th overall.

The 1000 Miglia Green was won by Paolo Piva and Matteo Ferraglio on Tesla Model Y ahead of Mirco Magni and Laura Confalonieri on Polestar 2 and Antonino Azzarello and Stefano Orlandini on Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Finally, Andrea Milesi and Giordano Mozzi won the Ferrari Tribute 1000 Miglia with an F8 Spider, second Fabrizio Macario and Giovanna Di Costanzo with a 2019 488 Pista. Third were Celestino and Antonio Sangiovanni in a 2021 Ferrari Roma.

To see the classification:
https://1000miglia.it/crono/2023/

Well, they are coming thick and fast now. New performance cars turning electric and retro fit kits for classic cars. Now Caterham has revealed its EV Seven – their concept for a future fully electric Seven.

The concept will test the feasibility of a lightweight electric Seven and enable Caterham to move a step closer to bringing a battery electric model to market that is as driver focused as its petrol counterpart.

EV Seven is being engineered in collaboration with Swindon Powertrain Ltd – and is based on the larger Seven chassis and features a bespoke version of Swindon Powertrain’s E Axle, combined with an immersion cooled battery pack.

Immersion battery cooling uses a dielectric fluid, the fluid is in direct contact with the cells enabling better thermal management during charge and discharge cycles. This cutting-edge technology is at the forefront for battery electric vehicles and, until now, has typically been employed to cool super computers that generate enormous amounts of heat.

Any electric Seven must be useable on both the road and track. For the latter, this means being capable of a repeatable 20-15-20 drive cycle: the ability to drive on track for 20 minutes and recharge in 15 minutes with enough energy to drive for a further 20 minutes.

Building a Seven that’s capable of a Sunday morning drive is achievable with current battery technology, but the challenge is for track use where the energy consumption is greatly increased. At the moment, immersion battery cooling is one of the best solutions in terms of coping with the rapid charge and discharge cycles that would be experienced on a race track.

The weight increase is less than 70kg compared to the current production Seven* it is based upon (meaning a total mass of just under 700kg). Its 51kWh immersion cooled battery is housed in the engine bay and transmission tunnel and is capable of DC rapid charging speeds of up to 152kW. It has a useable capacity of circa 40kWh, safely allowing the battery pack to withstand demanding track use followed by rapid charging without causing premature degradation.

The concept uses a bespoke version of Swindon Powertrain’s E Axle based on the HPDE family. It produces 240bhp at 9,000rpm and instantaneous peak torque of 250Nm. This will deliver a predicted 0-60mph time of approximately 4.0 seconds. The powertrain has been engineered to closely match the performance characteristics of the current production Seven* to ensure EV Seven shares similar driveability to the ICE model.

EV Seven will remain true to the guiding principles of Caterham’s DNA, which is fun, simple and lightweight with an absolute focus on delivering a fantastic driving experience. Chasing performance figures has not been a motivating factor during development, but remaining true to Caterham’s intrinsic values has.

EV Seven will also benefit from a limited slip differential, adjustable Bilstein dampers from the Seven 420 Cup, regenerative braking and quad-piston brake calipers.

The EV Seven concept will make its public debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK this July. Caterham is also developing another fully electric sports car concept that it will reveal this year. The design of this project is being led by the brand’s new Chief Designer, Anthony Jannarelly, and further details will be announced in the coming months.

To find out more about the Caterham EV Seven, click here: https://caterhamcars.com/en/models/evseven

A century ago, a Bentley 3 Litre would become the first British car and the first Bentley to compete at the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours race in its debut year. Today, as this iconic race – a 24-hour full- throttle test of man and machine – celebrates its centenary, that very first Bentley has been sold to a British enthusiast for in excess of £3m.

This car represents the beginning of the Bentley legend, and the establishing of the tradition of ‘The Bentley Boys’. Kidston, Clement, Duff and others like Sir Tim Birkin, Dr Dudley Benjafield or one-time Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato would become known as The Bentley Boys for their hard-charging racing lifestyle. As company founder W.O Bentley said of this group’s antics: “The public liked to imagine them living in Mayfair flats. Drinking Champagne in nightclubs, playing the horses and the Stock Exchange, and beating furiously around the racing tracks at the weekend. Of several of them, this was not such an inaccurate picture.”

This car, Chassis 141, was entered and driven by Canadian WW1 veteran, adventurer and Bentley dealer John Duff at the Double 12 Hour Record at Brooklands (24-hour racing was banned so locals could sleep), covering 2,082 miles at 86.79mph and setting 38 international records. He then asked W.O Bentley to prepare his dependable car for a new 24-hour race to be held at a place in France called Le Mans. Although Bentley thought it mad, he agreed and lent factory test driver Frank Clement to co-drive. After 24 hours at the wheel – during which they set the lap record of 66.69mph, in a car with rear brakes only – they finished joint 4th, despite having run out of fuel due to stones puncturing the tank

Bentley and The Bentley Boys would return to Le Mans for the following year’s 24-hour race. And this time they would win. From 1927 to 1930, Bentley won the Le Mans 24 Hours four times in succession, marking one of the most dominant runs in the history of the race. And it’s all down to the pioneering achievements of Chassis 141 in convincing company founder, W.O. Bentley, that his cars were capable of not only completing a 24-hour race, but winning it.

W.O himself said that he owed a great deal to John Duff and Chassis 141. Following the Le Mans 24 Hours races in 1923 and 1924, Bentley sold 700 vehicles in two years – all of this from a young manufacturer that had only delivered its first car in 1921. It’s not an overstatement to say that the success of the Bentley brand as a whole can be traced back to these achievements.

But, in time, Chassis 141 lived a more mundane life. It was later used as a tow vehicle, and then had its rear bodywork altered into a shooting brake by the local undertaker. During the late ’40s it was used by its lady owner to transport her St. Bernard dogs to shows. And then it was forgotten, only resurfacing again in the early 1980s when the owner of the Donington Car Museum, Tom Wheatcroft, received a call from a 97-year-old lady offering him two old cars in her barn, a Bentley and a Voisin.

He bought them with no idea of the Bentley’s history, and it sat as a project until a motoring journalist identified it as the long-lost first Bentley to race at Le Mans. A deal was eventually reached with Australian collector Peter Briggs, whose Brabham Formula 1 car was on loan to the Donington Museum. The Brabham stayed at Donington, and the Bentley headed to Australia to be restored and eventually become a centrepiece of Briggs’ York Motor Museum near Perth. Its return to Britain brings its history full circle.

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

Classic car buyers are in for a treat with one of the biggest vehicle sales of the Summer taking place in the Midlands this weekend (17^th June).

Classic Car Auctions have over 180 vehicles going under the hammer including 48 British and American models, packaged as the Warwickshire Collection.

They include a 1960 Jaguar XK150 S 3.8 litre Drophead Coupe, finished in black with tan leather upholstery and chrome wire wheels. The car’s log shows just three previous owners and less than 44,000 miles recorded.

I particularly like the look of a 1965 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 litre in Opalescent Silver Blue with chrome wheel trim. Inside, the Jag is finished in Magnolia leather, taken from an XJ40, and wood-rim wheel.

A rare 1960 Daimler SP250 Dart in cream with red leather interior catches the eye too.  At the time, the name ‘Dart’ was quickly dropped after Chrysler who owned the Dart model name had threatened legal action. The SP250 is for sale with a modest guide price of £25,000 to £30,000.

If American styling is more your passion, the collection includes a 1946 Pontiac Streamliner Coupe with a stunning chrome grille and a 1949 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. The Roadmaster model would have several regenerations, running until 1996.

Also in Saturday’s sale is a 1971 Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible, once owned by TV personality, Bruce Forsyth.

The Ming Blue finished Rolls comes with a matching blue leather interior and just 39,719 miles on the clock! Estimated at between £50,000 and £60,000, will the ‘price be right’?

The Summer sale takes place at the Warwickshire Events Centre and starts at 10.30am.

For more on the sale go to https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/the-summer-sale-2023/2023-06-17

I am a frequent visitor to Italy and love their cars, food and coffee.   So, it is a surprise that I haven’t visited the National Italian day organised by Club Alfa before.  The event promises all the above plus Italian bikes too. 

The first thing to say is that this is a club event and not a classic car show, so many of the vehicles on display are current models, particularly from the Ferrari and Alfa ranges.   However, there were a number of classics from Lancia, Fiat and Alfa. 

To start with, the venue.   Newby Hall is located near to Ripon and we didn’t experience any difficulty finding it or getting in and parking.   There didn’t appear to be many stewards but there were enough to keep things running smoothly.  We parked immediately adjacent to the show, admission was £10 for the show, more if you wanted to visit the Hall.

The first displays you come across were motorcycle based.   In my teens I was a keen biker, mostly Japanese bikes, though I did start on a Garelli Rekord (and finished with a BMW).  Bikes such as the racing Garelli’s,  Laverda Jota and Moto Guzzi Le Mans brought back many memories from nearly 40 years ago.

Next came an impressive display of Ferrari’s, all of them relatively new and included the SF90 Spider.  The Lancia’s were largely classics (hardly surprising since they spent a long time out of the British market) and included a Stratos (almost certainly a recreation).  Surprisingly there was only one classic Fiat 500 though the modern 500 Abarth had a strong presence. 

Feeling the need for a double espresso we headed to the food concessions.   Unfortunately, the food and drink offer was disappointing there was little choice and long queues.  What would really lift this event would be an Italian food and drink festival running alongside.

We spent about an hour looking round the show and I doubt that it would hold many people’s attention for much longer than that.   For the classic car enthusiast there wasn’t enough to make this event a must attend.  For some the £10 admission might be a problem but knowing the costs involved in putting on shows I doubt it could be free.  You will need to decide if it is worth the price of admission.  But if your interest is in Italian cars and bikes, new and old, then this could be a good show for you.   And as a club meet for the various clubs involved it was a very good event for its members.

http://www.clubalfa.co.uk

The chance to have your car perfectly recreated as a Hot Wheels die-cast toy is back along with new opportunities for all UK fans to be a part of the growing Hot Wheels Legends Tour.

For the first time, the Hot Wheels Legends UK final will be open to the public to watch, taking place at RADwood at Bicester Heritage on 2nd September. Fans of all ages will have the chance to appreciate the incredible car builds in the metal and listen to the judges deliberate. Also new for 2023 is the first-ever fan vote, with enthusiasts having the power to select one entry to be fast-tracked to the UK final.

To become a part of the Hot Wheels story, which has witnessed over eight billion toy vehicles roll off its production lines over the past 55 years, entrants simply need to upload a short video and brief description of their build, highlighting its creativity, authenticity and ‘garage spirit’. Vehicles can be new or classic, road or track, with the winner entering the hallowed Hot Wheels Garage of Legends and securing a firm claim to fame in popular car culture history.

The difficult job of judging the 2023 Legends Tour at RADwood will be down to a panel of expert judges handpicked by Hagerty. Guiding the panel will be a Hot Wheels designer, who will be aided by Hagerty’s experts including modified car creator and TV presenter Helen Stanley, presenter and avid car collector Paul Cowland and Sniff Petrol’s Richard Porter.

Entry is quick and easy: simply upload a short video and brief information at www.hotwheelsuklegendstour.co.uk before 4th August 2023.

The UK winner will be announced on Hagerty’s Facebook channel, with a video covering the live final, judging, and result announcement to follow. The UK finalist will go on to face winners from nearly 20 other countries including for the first time, France, that will run its Tour live at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Grand Final will take place in the US in November.

To learn more about the Hot Wheels Legends Tour in the UK visit www.hotwheelsuklegendstour.co.uk and follow #HotWheelsLegendsTour.

Previous winners: 
2018 – Luis Rodriguez with 2 Jet Z
2019 – Greg Salzillo in his 1957 Nash Metropolitan, AKA ‘THE NASH’
2020 – Riley Stair and a 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 
2021 – The UK’s own Lee Johnstone and his 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser, dubbed ‘Ain’t No Saint’
2022 – Craig Meaux’s monster truck, Texas Toot

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

This year’s Father’s Day weekend is being marked with a number of interesting classic car gatherings in our part of the world.

At the stunning Castle Howard, near York, Classic Shows and RH Specialist Insurance are hosting a big display of vehicles in the grounds of the 300-year-old stately home.

As well as hundreds of classic cars, visitors can enjoy a ‘retail village’ featuring trade, craft and vintage stalls as well as a host of food and drink outlets. Organisers expect up to 50 vintage motorcycles to join the fun too and a number of motor clubs will be represented.

For more information and tickets visit: https://classicshows.org/events/sunday-18-fathers-day-classic-car-motorcycle-show-at-castle-howard-7

On the East side of York, a collection of vintage and commercial vehicles will head for Murton Park open-air museum. The event runs from 10.30 to 4pm on Sunday, 18^th June.

In South Yorkshire, Brodsworth Hall is the setting for a two-day gathering for classic car enthusiasts. Organisers are also laying on a remote control car race! For more details click:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/brodsworth-hall-classic-car-fun-for-fathers-day-17-18-june-2023/

Just a hop into Cumbria and with the weather set fair the Windermere and Ambleside Lions Club are expecting another great turnout for the Lakes Classic Vehicle Show at Staveley Recreation Ground.

The event attracts over 2,000 visitors each year. Organisers say there is some overnight camping available on the Saturday night – advanced booking needed. Gates open at 10.30am for the Sunday show. For more information visit http://lakeslions.co.uk/lakes-classic-car-show/

Meanwhile, Trent Valley MOC are inviting Mini owners and other classic car owners to Seven Lakes Country Park in North Lincolnshire for a special Father’s Day get together. The event runs from 10 to 4pm. 

Whatever your plans, have a great fun-fuelled Father’s Day!

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

The team behind the popular TV auction house are getting ready to host a two-day classic car event in North Yorkshire in August.

Visitors will get the chance to meet Derek, Paul and Dave Mathewson and the rest of the crew from the hit UKTV series, Bangers & Cash.

The event takes place at Scampston Hall near Malton (12-13 August, 10am – 8pm) which is just a few miles from the family-run motoring business in Thornton-le-Dale.

There will be the chance to see some of ‘star’ cars and bikes from previous episodes and also vehicles from up-and-coming sales as well as exhibits from local classic car clubs. A series of live Q&As with the Mathewsons is also lined up.

Another highlight of ‘Bangers & Cash Live’ will be a car and memorabilia auction, led by Derek, of course. There will also be talks from guest speakers.

Some of the area’s finest food and drink vendors will join in what promise to be a memorable and fun weekend. 

Tickets cost just £15, plus booking fee and £5 for Under 16s. Under 5s go free.

For more information and tickets go to https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/article/bangers-and-cash-live/

For fans of the show, a new series is planned for later this year.

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

A Leeds-based car company is celebrating 10 years in business with a healthy order book of restorations and a portfolio of successful finished projects. 

Classic and Iconic Cars Ltd is run by Trevor Hill, who has built a career working on prestige restorations and repair work.

From starting out as a young apprentice technician with Appleyard Jaguar, Trevor went on to work for JCT 600’s specialist repair business in Bradford working on marquees such as Porsche, Ferrari, Lotus and Maserati. He further developed his skills working on Aston Martins.

A move followed to the Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell before Trevor decided to return to his Yorkshire roots to set up his own restoration business.

Trevor is joined by Steve at Classic and Iconic, who is also vastly experienced in the motor trade.

Last week, I had the pleasure of looking around the business with Trevor and seeing some of the current projects. 

We started our chat as Trevor was busy re-fitting the rear wheel to a stunning 1969 Porsche 911T. The car had been brought in for restoration by its local owner after he’d bought it in Beverley Hills.

The left-hand drive Porsche is powered by its original 2-litre engine, which was based on a new design at the time using cast-iron cylinder heads and came with a four-speed gearbox.

Next to the Porsche is a 1961 Chevrolet G-10 van. The rare Chevy was brought to Trevor and Steve as a shell and in need of a major rebuild. Over the last few months, the guys have been busy rebuilding the mechanics including fitting a new engine and gearbox, axel overhaul, a brake system restoration and electrical rewire. The interior works included fitting leather heated seating.

The van owner is arranging a full body respray soon to bring the restoration to a happy ending!

Trevor explains his approach to reviving the vehicles that come through the door, saying: “No job is too big or too small and a great deal of our business is ‘word of mouth’. 

“We specialise in the mechanical side, from full engine strip downs to gearbox repairs. In terms of the exterior works we can call on some of best local specialists around to apply that top quality finish.”

In another part of the workshop, Trevor shows me a rare 1973 silver Aston Martin V8, which is currently having a major service.  Production of the Series 3 Aston Martin ran for 5 years to 1978 with only 967 models being  made.

Trevor is also an experienced race car builder, having prepared and maintained vehicles for many big UK events. He’s also run a few race cars in the famous open-road Mille Miglia in Italy.

Currently, the company support and maintain a BMW 116i Trophy car ready for the famous 90-minute endurance race series. This is the third car they have built for the series and each one has been very successful with many podium finishes.

He then tells me about one of his restoration highlights – a 1959 Mercedes 190SL which is now back with its delighted owner.

The two-door roadster was brought to Trevor in a very poor state with a ceased up engine, peeling paintwork and shoddy interior. The owner had brought the Merc over from Poland and an old tax disc, stuck to the windscreen, revealed it was last on the road in 1978!

In its day, the 190SL was heralded as a stylish, yet affordable alternative to the bigger engined 300SL, a car it shared much of its engineering with.

Fast forward five decades on and the coupe facing Trevor and Steve was a major rebuild and mechanical overhaul, involving reviving a 1900cc engine, gearbox rebuild, electrics and trim works down to fixing its hood mechanism.

Restoring the exterior was equally challenging but a white finish and red leather interior would transform the car.

Trevor said: “The 190SL has been one of the longest restoration we’ve been involved in but it’s been very rewarding.

“At Classic and Iconic Cars we share the passion of our customers to bring their cherished motor back to life and deliver a bespoke restoration and repair service suited to their needs.

“We pride ourselves on our ‘open-door’ approach – whether it’s a restoration you need doing or just advice on a project we can help.”

For me, it was a great to spend sometime looking at and hearing about some fabulous restorations. Thanks Trevor and Steve for sparing your time.

To get in touch with the team ring 0113 3183380 or email enquiries@classicandiconic.co.uk

1959 Mercedes 190SL – Before.

1959 Mercedes 190SL – After