Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i Custom Car

Lesley Wright (formerly Lesley Digby) was recently appointed Honorary Chair of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, succeeding founding chairman, the late Stuart Bradbury. Lesley has enjoyed a long and distinguished association with British drag racing. Having initially served on the BDR&HRA committee, Lesley went on to master mind the formation of the Santa Pod Racers Club into a limited liability company for the protection of members. She also worked with the SPRC's Technical Committee to revise the rule book and introduce SFI safety measures to Europe. Lesley also helped found the Hall of Fame itself and, in recognition of her contributions to the sport, was elected a member in 2017. Lesley commented, “I am in complete shock at being asked to be the Chair of the BDRHoF. It…

On 9 November, Arcadia Publishing will release the latest title in its Images in America series, Bonneville Salt Flats. Penned by ‘Landspeed’ Louise Ann Noeth, with a foreword by Alex Xydias, the book is driven by photos, not deeds and speeds. With nine chapters and over 200 images, the 128 pages offer a chronology of racing on the salt from 1914 up to the present day. Specific chapters pay homage to women racers, motorcycles and thrust-powered machines. Reputedly for the first time in print, every car and motorcycle that ran at the inaugural 1914 time trial will be illustrated. Priced at $21.99 plus postage from America, a limited number of autographed copies can be reserved online. www.landspeedproductions.biz…

Christmas is coming! At least, that's the plan unless Boris cancels it. And even if he does (don't hold your breath) most people will still want to embrace the gift giving Christmas spirit with presents for their family and friends, their nearest, dearest and maybe even the next-door neighbours. Assuming you have an enthusiasm for the sort of motoring and motor racing activities that CustomCar covers, you might just discover a veritable Aladdin's cave of baubles and trinkets to satisfy your Christmas tide needs, and a fair bit more besides, in the glittering store house of treasures that is the Santa Pod Race way Merchandise Shop. Hyperbole, and joking, aside, who could resist a bottle of VP Racing's finest Octanium Octane Concentrate (just£19, though you've got to be over 16…

Landing light On an extremely empty motor sports calendar, Bonneville Speed Week 2020 stood out like a shining beacon, and all of us who race there kept our fingers crossed until the very momentwe rolled off what they call ‘Land's End' onto the salt that it would not be cancelled. Thankfully, it wasn't, and the sanctioning body, g39:172 SCTA-BNI.org, did a magnificent job of adhering to the regulations, and ensuring attendees did likewise. Because of Covid-based travel restrictions, entries this year were more or less restricted to domestic racers, but a fewKiwis made it and, for the most part, it was great. The weather was a comfortable 35degC, the track surfaces were okay and the staging lines were empty enough that everybody was able to make asmany passes as they…

In her first Comp Eliminator run, Elaine Hancock (7.43 index) piloted her Zephyr to a 9.902 / 140.75 putting her in second spot. Despite improving with a 9.773 / 119.78 in round three, she dropped a place, with Kev Slyfield (7.16 index) on 6.002 / 237.23 and Kevin Jenkins (7.58 index) on 9.880 / 140.24 taking the top two spots. In the solitary elimination round, Jenkins fouled as Hancock took the win with a 10.574 / 141.18, whilst Slyfield ran a 5.976 / 239.48 bye.…

Callum Swinchatt, Austin Jaques, David Evans, TomAtkinson, Alan Didwell and Scott Hauser played leapfrog throughout the four qualifying rounds. In the end, though, it was Hauser (7.42 index) on top spot thanks to a 7.420 / 177.06, Atkinson (8.98 index) was in second place on 8.982 / 148.56 and Didwell (7.75 index) holding third on 7.757 / 172.38. All three were victorious in the initial elimination round, as were John Tebenham, Ashley Bell, Austin Jaques and Steve Johnson, who grazed the wall with a slick after crossing the finish line. That made him a no show in the next round, putting Atkinson through on a bye, with Jaques, Didwell and Hauser also on a bye making it through to the semis. Those last two pairings proved as far as the…

Mark Todd was the man to watch in qualifying, his 7.115 / 205.20 PB being topped by a 7.057 / 198.99. Jason Weir got his Suburban into the sevens, qualifying second with a 7.962 / 175.75, while third spot went to Joe Stevens on 8.517 / 153.13. Todd and Stevens took elimination wins, but Weir lost out to Ashley Cooper, with Alan Williamson and Phil Drewitt also progressing. In round two, Williamson’s 8.474 / 157.38 proved too much for Cooper’s 10.418 / 111.11, an 8.132 / 168.53 from Stevens saw off Drewitt’s 9.586 / 139.44, while Todd ran an awesome 7.014 / 209.85 bye, oh-so-close to a six, and check out that terminal speed. In the semi-finals, Stevens dropped below the eights with a 7.891 / 174.41 charge, but that…

Coronavirus (Covid-19): With events still being cancelled or rearranged due to the ongoing pandemic, these listings should only be regarded as provisional dates Please adhere to current government guidelines, and always check the status of events before travelling. OCTOBER 31 Flame&Thunder. Santa Pod Raceway.www.santapod.co.uk NOVEMBER 1 RWYB. Santa Pod Raceway. www.rwyb.com 4Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 7 Fireworks Frenzy. Santa Pod Raceway.www.santapod.co.uk 7-8 Classic Vehicle Restoration Show. The Royal Bath andWest Showground, Shepton Mallet, BA46QN. www.bristolclassiccarshows.com 8 MidKent’s Autojumble.Lockmeadow MarketHall, Maidstone ME168LW. www.midkentsautojumble.co.uk 13-14 ClassicMotor Show. NEC, Birmingham. www.necclassicmotorshow.com 28 StationWagon Special. Ace Café, London.www.acecafe.com 29 Ink&Iron Tattoo Convention& CustomShow. The New Bingley Hall, Birmingham B185PP. www.inkandiron.co.uk 29 The Restoration Showand SparesMarket. East of England Showground, Peterborough. www.restoration-show.co.uk. DECEMBER 2Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 26 All…

Whilst 2020 will most likely be remembered as the year that wasn’t, I wonder if 2021 will be remembered as the year that was? I’m writing this mid-October, the day after Boris Johnson unveiled the government’s three-tier system for future lockdowns, and so right now, none of us know what the situation for future shows, car meets and drag racing will be. It’s pretty evident the festive period this year will be far from normal, but let’s all be positive and look forward to a full calendar of rodding and racing in 2021. What a year that will be, eh? Events will be plentiful and very well supported. We’ve all missed out this year, so it’s only natural we should max out when things begin to resemble normality once again.…

Fireworks Frenzy is Santa Pod’s annual family attraction, but its Covid-secure 2020 edition will reach an altogether higher level. With pyrotechnics by Titanium Fireworks, Fireworks Frenzy Drive-In will feature a bespoke display and accompanying soundtrack. The all-aerial show and socially-distanced drive-in facility will ensure a spectacular display within a safe environment. Admission is by car load, with a maximum of six occupants, with each vehicle then allocated a parking bay with space for people to stand alongside. Socially-distanced grandstand viewing is also available, along with toilets and limited catering facilities. As you may have guessed, the date is Thursday 5 November, with gates opening at 5:30pm. Tickets cost £45 per vehicle and must be booked in advance. There will be no admission on the gate. https://santapod.co.uk/frenzy.php…

Cat’s out the bag Dear CC, in the midst of Remember when… in the October issue you asked for comments to your letters page. Well, here goes. One of the interesting things about the early years of Custom Car is how opinionated you were, a trend I’m pleased to see is creeping back. This, of course, is okay if one agrees with the view expressed, perhaps not so if you don’t. I agreed with David Hamill’s comments back then, and time has only confirmed it. There are many ways that UK hot rodding has not grown up or moved on and the use of trailers is a more obvious one. Great Britain is not a huge area and, if you can’t build a street car that will get you at…

Despite these trying and uncertain times, the Vintage Hot Rod Association was able to hold GOW! over the August Bank Holidayweekend. Therewere two main reasons the event could go ahead. Firstly, it’smembers-only, with no public admitted, so with a strict pre-entry policy it was easy for the club to keep track of attendees. Secondly, the venue, the Prescott Hill Climb track at Gotherington, Gloucestershire, is a private facility owned by the Bugatti Owners’ Club, which every year turns the track over exclusively to the VHRA for the weekend. With the VHRA races at Pendine Sands cancelled this year, members were keen to fireup their hot rods and have some fun at Prescott. It’s a very different experience, the twisty, quarter-mile track with its tight hairpins winds up a steep hill,…

Initially, James Wotton was number one qualifier with a 10.166 / 140.72 but, despite improving to a 9.978 / 143.47, he dropped to second spot when Danny Pike scored his first ever nine, 9.832 at 139.40mph. Third spot was occupied by Stuart Hodgson on 10.375 / 131.43. Pike’s 10.950 / 131.78 bye saw him through the first elimination round, whilst Hodgson laid down a 10.381 / 132.83 to defeat Adam Lowe. Wotton didn’t hold back on his bye when Darren Shephard didn’t show and banged in a stout 9.916 / 143.94. With David Swift also a no show, Paul Bate ran an 11.435 / 120.44 bye. Hodgson then saw off Wotton with a 10.245 / 132.84 vs 10.025 / 145.31, with Pike, the other potential finalist putting in an even…

The final qualifying table saw the top two close to the 9.90 class index, Andy Harrison on 9.920 / 141.58 and Mark White on 9.966 / 130.31. Slightly further off the all-important mark was Tim Adam on 10.265 / 143.93. Sunday’s eliminations saw Harrison card a 9.910 / 142.93 bye, Mark White sent packing by Dave Fulton’s 10.157 / 141.27 and Simon Fulton recording a 9.820 / 145.76 bye when Adam was a no show. Had it been run, it would have been an all-Fulton final, with Dave running a 10.118 / 141.66 bye, whilst Simon’s 9.939 / 143.48 dispensed with the break-out 9.816 / 143.58 from Harrison.…

Anticipation was at fever pitch, but so was the trepidation. Even just a few days before the weekend, it was by no means a certainty that the 32nd staging of the Hot Rod Drags would go ahead. The government had just introduced the rule of six, and that had nothing to do with quarter mile timing tickets. Go ahead it did, though, and what a weekend it proved to be. We asked the man behind the scenes, Keith the list of PBs run throughout the weekend is extensive Bartlett, for his thoughts on the event: “The 2020 Hot Rod Drags was held in the current environment of Covid-19 virus restrictions and the demands that all areas of the facility and its events are 100% Covid-19 compliant – which in itself was…

Back issues: £4.99 per issue, including postage & packing (UK delivery only) August 2019 Austin Twelve pick-up Updated ’65 Mustang ’37 Plymouth pick-up Pendine Beach Races NSRA Fun Run January 2020 Mr Torquer Fordson Model A sedan '32 coupe GOW! hillclimb California Hot Rod Reunion June/July 2020 Naked Willys Chopped Mercury Nailhead-powered coupe Willys Wars NSRA Swap Meet September 2019 Swedish ’57 Ford ’36 Ford coupe Porky ’47 coupe Summer Nationals Dragstalgia February 2020 Bagged Chevy pick-up '56 Ford custom '40 Ford convertible SEMA The Trip Out Summer 2020 50th anniversary issue Al's Gasser Mustang Pro Mod The Duster story Stripped down Modifieds October 2019 ’48 Ford F-7 Big Job Model A coupe Rocket ’32 roadster Mopar Euronationals Hot Rod Supernationals March 2020 2,400bhp daily driver Father and son race…

The Restoration Show & Spares Market has moved venue. Scheduled for Sunday 29 November, the show will take place at the East of England Showground, Peterborough, from 9am through to 3pm. The show’s main draw is the autojumble, with this year offering even more traders in the outdoor areas. Understandably, strict social distancing measures will be a priority. Limited classic car and motorcycle preferential parking will be available on a first come, first served basis, along with a reduced entry fee of £5 for drivers. Passengers will need to purchase a ticket in advance at £8 per person. On-the-day admission price for visitors is £10. www.restoration-show.co.uk…

It was almost like old times on the last weekend of September when Don Garlits once more stepped into the Top Fuel winners’ circle at the re-scheduled NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Florida. Understandably, now 88 years old, ‘Big Daddy’ wasn’t actually driving the winning Top Fueller that current NHRA champion, Steve Torrence, had decked out in a 1970’s-era Garlits livery as a tribute to the great man. But he was on the start line for each round, and Torrence carried the Garlits colours all the way to victory. Most definitely a déjà vu occasion for anyone there who witnessed any of Garlits’ own impressive achievements over the years.…

After the first qualifying round, Bob Molden (9.68 index) occupied top spot with a 9.685 / 136.50. He hadn’t improved on that when it came to Sunday’s elimination rounds and had dropped a rung, with Guy King (10.18) on 10.181 / 129.78 heading up the ladder. Rick Denny (10.97 index) was in third position on 10.977 / 121.43. The top three qualifiers all made it through the first elimination round, with King on a bye, along with James Forster, Gino Bernadine, Neil Hunter, Brian Huxley, Thomas Watkins, Amy Watkins, Elaine Hancock, Dave Fulton and Nic Williams. Next time out, Forster, Huxley, Hunter, Molden, Fulton and King all took wins, and in the third round Fulton ended Forster’s racing, Molden dispensed with Hunter and Huxley defeated King. In the semis, Huxley…

Two of the initial early runners, Adrian Portelli and Chris Goodale, hung on to their top three spots throughout qualifying, with Jim Smith joining them in the final session. The times on the ladder read Portelli (11.16 index) 11.162 / 120.41, Smith (11.80 index) 11.804 / 113.78 and Goodale (10.67 index) 10.679 / 123.73. Goodale lost out to Stuart Thompson in qualifying, as Portelli and Smith both took wins, along with Jack Bishop, Dave Billadeau, Don Scott, Victor Parsons, Chris Lyram, Rick Denny and Guy King. The next round netted wins for Bishop, Portelli (on a perfect light), Thompson, Billadeau and King. Bishop (9.93 index) then put in a 10.022 / 127.22 to defeat Billadeau, Thompson (9.94 index) a 9.991 / 132.46 to see off King, whilst Portelli (11.12 index)…

Flip-flop, Eerie-dess, Glowble, Mirraflake… This month's cover car in 1979 had it all goin' on. Along with Dralon, shag pile, Pos-A-Traction Torque Twisters and a lot of handmade nuts. Leicester's Rob Stone was the man who put a Mk10 Jag IRS under a Gen 1 Camaro, though the feature gave scant detail on the car he started with. Was it a factory Rally Sport, or did it just have RS bumpers fitted? Either way, said Mr. Stone went to town on it and pictures of it at early '80's custom car shows still pop up on social media from time to time. Elsewhere in Leicester, brother Steve - as in the brother of the aforementioned Rob, not a man of the cloth - also had Pete Carter wave his gun…