LANCASTER CLASSIC CAR NEWS
FIVE UNDERRATED JAPANESE CARS FROM THE 70S
In the 70s, the Japanese motor industry was on its way to world domination. Buyers were hooked on the enticing promise of generous standard equipment and turn-key dependability; innovative though British cars were, industrial action sabotaged build quality, and ruined any chance of getting a new model when it first appeared.
THE NATIONAL CAR CLUB AWARDS RETURN TO NEC TO CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CLASSIC COMMUNITY
Following the success of 2022, The National Car Club Awards, sponsored by Lancaster Insurance, will once again be held at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with discovery+, held at Birmingham’s NEC from 24-26 March 2023. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday afternoon on the Classic World stage – with all visitors invited to attend.
VAUXHALL’S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT ESTATE CAR
One of the many joys of watching Talking Pictures Television is spotting various cars that are now less frequently encountered than Halley’s Comet. Calculated Risk is a rather good 1963 B-film, and the final reel boasts a guest appearance from a Victor F-Type Estate.
40 YEARS OF COMPULSORY SEAT BELT WEARING
Forty years ago today, the BBC broadcast this footage of motorists remembering – or not – to obey the new seat belt regulations.
A second set of eyes can save lives
Lancaster Insurance Services urges owners to ensure their classic is checked annually by an independent expert. The discussion of MOTs is once again in the spotlight with the announcement that a consultation has been launched into whether new cars may be exempt from needing an MOT for the first four years, an extension of a year from the current rules.
Leylandprincess.co.uk seeks new staff to avoid closure
President and treasurer call it a day after 20 years; club could close if replacements not found. Britain’s largest club for the Austin-Morris-Wolseley 18-22 Series, Leyland Princess and Austin Ambassador, Leylandprincess.co.uk, needs your help.
Car Club Corner: Is a Triumph Toledo worth the investment?
Simply put… yes! The Triumph Toledo is the 70s saloon worth investing in for 2023. In a world of rising costs for 60s and 70s classics, the Triumph Toledo is the classic car which has quietly not budged too far out of the savvy buyer’s budget in the last few years.
Staff Car Story - Triumph after Disaster: how a £30 engine saved my motor! By Steph Hoy
Classic car owners are supposed to be the more sensible people in the car community. We aren’t the ones doing burn outs, madcap speedy adventures and taking the risks some of the pluckier members of the car community seem to take.
60 Years of the Humber Sceptre by Andrew Roberts
On the 15th of January 1963, the Rootes Group made bold claims about their latest Humber. “Never before has there been a car so superbly equipped… with such performance… at so modest a price”.
SADLY MISSED - THE LITTLE CHEF
In 2017, a friend and I visited a Cambridgeshire branch of Little Chef to ask permission to stage a photo shoot in their car park. After two minutes, it became evident we could have produced a re-enactment of The Wicker Man outside their front door, and no one would have cared.