XK 120 SPECIAL

 

Mike has been restoring Jags for years and this is his personal car, 5 years in the making and still not quite finished. Its a 1953 original all steel body, chassis and axle but has a few little modifications.... a 4.5 motor with a stroker crank, cams, triple webers, 5 speed box, rack and pinion power steering, suspension and discs all round off XJS, all new electrics with alternator and for European touring air conditioning and electric windows.

FADE TO GREY

A sea of grey haired collectors seem to keep the over restored classic vehicle world alive by selling them to one another without ever using them, im sure a few bombed yesterday though, if it wasnt rusty it generally underachieved.


Both Speedway bikes made well under £2,000.




These glorious trucks were on the road and both fetched £6k +, brilliant for next years Hayride (with hay !)


Festering XK Jag went to a brave man for over 8 grand.



and the bike that a lot of people had gone for, a seized solid relic of a Manx with Gold Star motor made £12,075...



The full catalogue with photos and auction results is still on Bonhams
website

STATE OF A GOLD STAR NATION

For as long as i have wanted a bike i have wanted a Gold Star, i can even remember certain times and places i saw them when i was in my teens, once i even went to buy one, a 350 CB32 trials, it was £20 but i didnt get it as my "mate" said the engine rattled too much. Every now and then (like when i saw this DBD34 at Scorton on Saturday) i think about selling all my bikes and buying one. Of course like everyone else i follow auctions for bikes on ebay just for interest and always look at Gold Stars knowing that now they are fetching £15,000 i will never have one.
But...has the bubble burst? at least it's leaking, two genuine DBD34s last week failed to make more than £10,500 and a 32 sold for under £8k. Could be just the time of year but a guy who has been bringing in British bikes from the US for the last few years told me he isnt importing any more as he has sold hardly any of the last batch, and these are cheapies not big money stuff.
Prices have been hiked over the last few years as a result of people wanting to invest cash that would bring in little interest at the bank, maybe they have all spent up. Unless you were in at the start that may not have been such a wise move. I could be wrong but i reckon if you bought a classic in the last year at market price you are in for a good kick in the bollocks.
I will keep following Goldies but by the time they are back in my price range my own bikes will probably be worth more for scrap.
There is a big Bonhams auction at Harrogate next month, i'm taking my purse.

ALRIGHT COCK ?

BRIARDALE

I could live in George and Rob's workshop.

ALI'S ANGLIA

For a couple of years Ali had this 105E, it had a 1500GT motor, Classic struts and discs, the usual stuff. Fun little car but although it looked pretty on top underneath was getting too much like this weeks header photo so it had to go. I know when she sees this she will be wanting another..

BIKES AND CARS

Two generations of classics. My A10 with a Bentley down at Robs early last year and my old mans SS1 with his friends Venom sometime in the late '60s.

GLE

George Laycock Engineering. George, helped by Tom and Lorraine, meticulously rebuilds restores and maintains vintage (and older) racing cars and bikes in a workshop nearly as cold as mine. He also does all my little engineering jobs but im not telling you where he is or how to get hold of him as he is far too busy already.











A few years ago he built and raced the best Commando you have ever seen, watch this space......

RAC RALLY

Massive respect to everyone involved with making this rally run over the last 3 days and nights in pretty excepional conditions, to the 43 crews that made it to the finish (and the ones who didnt) and to the people who took these photos.


Former works Ford driver Phil Collins was 5th and first non Escort.

Bob Bean was competing on the first rally i ever went to watch as a lad is and still competitive and enthusiastic as ever.

Believe it or not this is Olivers Mount.

One of several Porsches from Belgium

Winner Stefan Stouff.

Local man Warren Philliskirk finished 15th.

Steve Perez finally finished the event in his wonderful Stratos.

RALLY

Dalby forest 11.00pm friday night. Cold.

RAC RALLY

In 2004 a group of folk organised a Rally for Historic cars based on the old time RAC rally of GB with stages in the forests of North Yorkshire, Cumbria and South West Scotland. Because of the expense of competing on such an event entries were a bit sparse for the first couple of years but now it has taken off properly with entries from UK, Belgium, France and Spain and is possibly the biggest rally in the UK (in terms of spectators at least). It takes place this weekend and if you are anywhere near the North of England you should be out there freezing your bollocks off in a remote forest or at Olivers Mount racing Circuit on Saturday morning..


Old cars being gently driven in a manner befitting their value..



There is a real good little film of 2006 event, part 1 here, try part 2 also.
Details entries and stage times http://www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org/index.htm

What else are you going to do on a cold weekend in November?

PEUGEOT

1952/53 Peugeot 125 (ish). Its been propped up against a wall in the corner of my shed for 4 yrs, doesnt run but very sound. If you are nice to me i may sell you it.

THE TUESDAY TRITON

Heres one to prepare you for the cold...

COLOURS

Lots of people (someone) wanted to know where i got the colour from for my Shovel. Take a look at Pre 67, top site with some beautiful cars.

TRITON TUESDAY

Click a few times and you should be able to read what MCM thought of the Ian Kennedy Triton in 1968.

AVON ROADRUNNER ADVERT 1983

One day i am going to sell everything and buy a Gold Star..