Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Custom Car

It’s in the blood, isn’t it?” says Mark Belcher in reply to my question about what got him into hot rodding in the first place. I knew he had form from previous cars he’s owned and built, but didn’t realise how far back it went. “I started building a Pop when I was 19 after seeing a programme on television with Janet Street-Porter around the time Hot’n’bothered was around. It was the usual sort of thing – y’know, blown V6, Jag IRS – but it never got finished because I needed the money to buy a house. Then there was the business, kids and I ended up having about a 20-year gap.” A visit to the NASC Nationals in the mid-’90s re-ignited his passion for hot rodding and a two-tone…

Date: Sunday 28 May Organiser: Peter Kemp Distance: Approx 70 miles Number of vehicles: 15 Start Time: 10.00 am Starting point: Evegate Business Park, Ashford Stop-off points: East Kent Railway Museum near Dover, Solley’s Ice Cream Parlour near Deal Finish point: Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum, Manston Airport…

Date: Sunday 11 June Organisers: Mia and Jason Smith and Terrie and Dave Cowler Distance: Approx 35 miles Number of vehicles: 23 Start Time: 10.30 am Starting point: Birchanger Green Services Stop-off point: Gosfield Lake, Halstead Finish point: Colne Valley Railway…

Although run in conjunction with the Sportsman Nationals and a round of the Straightliners Championship, Street Weekend was a stand-alone event in its own right. The rationale behind this new competition for 2023 was to find out who really is the king of the street. The format was a nod to Hot Rod Drag Week in the States, with competitors setting a time at Santa Pod on Friday, another at Melbourne Raceway on Saturday and then a third back at the Pod on Sunday. The track conditions differed each day, with the first day’s runs being part of the Sportsman Nationals Test Day. It was then an 1/8-mile challenge on a no-prep track at Melbourne, followed by a full championship-prepped track at the Pod on Sunday. There was also the…

Things were looking good for Niamh Frances Smith during testing on Friday. A PB 12.52 was followed by a 12.9, but things went pear-shaped next time out with the rattling noise that developed being traced to a broken big end bearing. Simon Glenn, however, was faring much better with his fresh blower installation. A string of PBs culminated in a best of 10.48 at 128mph, and he qualified in second spot but then dropped water after the burnout in the first elimination round. Steve Matthews qualified at the top of the ladder, Ray Irish took the third qualifying spot, Nick Hewison the fourth and Jason Picket the fifth. Andy Cobb was running his Bad 2 The Bone Model A coupe and qualified on the bottom rung with a 14.2976 /…

Date: Saturday 10 June Organisers: Chris and Ali Taylor Distance: Approx 100 miles Number of vehicles: 8 Start Time: 10.00 am Starting point: OK Diner, Oswestry Stop-off points: National White Water Centre near Bala, Denbigh Finish point: Mold…

Date: Sunday 11 June Organiser: Mike Garratt Distance: Approx 65 miles Number of vehicles: 11 Start Time: 10.30 am Starting point: Sapcote Stop-off point: Sywell Aerodrome Finish point: Sapcote…

Date: Saturday 3 June Organisers: Mark Dunn, Ray Ramsay and Brian Daly Distance: Approx 130 miles Number of vehicles: 31 Start Time: 10.00 am Starting point: Nick Grant’s house in Dunblane Stop-off points: Loch Katrine, Callander Finish point: TJ’s American Diner in Tyndrum, with an optional additional 25-mile journey to the Falls of Orchy…

Every year, the East Coast Pirates Car Club goes above and beyond to organise Pirates and Planes, a fantastic little event at Flixton Aviation Museum on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. This is open to anything that wishes to attend, so you can be pretty sure that there’ll be a wide variety of interesting cars to look at. This year’s was set for 14 May, so as always we travelled early to claim a parking space among the planes. Just as well we did, too! I arrived not long after 9am, thinking that would give me plenty of time to park up and start snapping away – only to find that half the museum grounds were already full. By the time it got to 10am, when the event was intended to start,…

Owning a hot rod or custom car is one thing. Building it is another. That’s what prompted Robin Deacon to create this baremetal ’31 Ford Tudor. He had plenty of experience as the owner and driver of a wide range of rods, customs and classic American, but the itch was strong to do one of his own. ‘I’ve been into American cars, hot rods and Harleys for a good few years now,’ says Robin. ‘I’ve owned many classic cars and trucks.’ These include a ’62 cortina, ’61 Pontiac Bonneville, ’53 Chevy truck and ’63 Chevy Nova wagon. Right now, he’s going about in a stock ’46 Ford coupe and has a ’64 Chevy C10 truck which he says is ‘another massive project and possibly my last.’ We’ve heard THAT before……

The final round of the FIA and FIM-E European Drag Racing Championships touches down at Santa Pod Raceway this September. Regarded as one of the most prestigious drag racing events in Europe, the weekend boasts an incredible lineup of high-octane action. Evening qualifying sessions kick off on Friday with Top Fuel Dragsters, Funny Cars and Jet Cars all taking centre stage to create a spectacular nitro-powered flame show. The four-day racing extravaganza delivers an impressive lineup with 18 thrilling drag racing classes, including 300mph Top Fuel Dragsters and the vibrant and fiercely competitive Pro Mods, who will be battling it out for the prestigious title of FIA Pro Mod European Championship winner. With an array of exhilarating races and fierce rivalries, the on-track action provides an unforgettable experience for all.…

Date: Saturday 27 May Organiser: Richard Lyon Distance: Approx 80 miles Number of vehicles: 14 Start Time: 10.30 am Starting point: Humber Bridge Garden Centre, Barton-upon-Humber Stop-off points: Wright’s Ice Cream in North Willingham, Biscathorpe Ford for photos, We’ll Meet Again Museum near Boston Finish point: Boston Bowl…

Date: Sunday 28 May Organiser: Kev Bridges Distance: Approx 35 miles Number of vehicles: 65 Start Time: 10.30 am Starting point: Krazy Horse, Bury St Edmunds Stop-off points: Bottisham Airfield Museum near Cambridge Finish point: Judes Ferry public house, Bury St Edmunds…

It feels like it was only yesterday that I was in high school. That because as of late, my memories are seemingly taking me back more and more to days gone by. Why? because we are currently living in some very strange times and the kid inside me is thinking back to the days when having fun was what life was all about. I remember riding my BMX to school, grabbing bags of custard cream sweets from the tuck shop, playing Solitaire in my computer class and joining chess club just because that way I’d get to be first in the lunch queue and have the choice of the best slices of pizza. Those were the days of fun things I did at school and it clearly wasn’t the maths…

The Sportsman Nationals was part of an action-packed weekend at Santa Pod Raceway in mid-June. Staged alongside Street Weekend and the Retro Show, this was a National Drag Racing Championship round. Action on the strip was provided by no less than seven car classes and even more for two-wheeled competitors. Interspersed with those were passes from the two-seater thrill ride and the FireForce 2 jet Funny Car. Off track there was the usual mix of evening entertainment, stunt shows, trade stands and even vintage garden games. Here’s a look at just some of what happened…

The seven-car Supercharged Outlaw field included a specially invited guest, Australian John Willard in Aussie Outlaw. Willard repaid that invitation in the only way he knew – a storming 6.7374 / 206.05 with crowds erupting at the spectacle. Needless to say, he was the number 1 qualifier at the end of the day. Paul Dale was part of that experience as he was running alongside Willard on that run and came oh so close to a 7 with an 8.1533 / 169.80. He edged even closer on Sunday with an 8.0950 / 169.16. Arron Windridge was also running the numbers and put in a trio of 7-second passes the quickest being a 7.7608 / 172.50 which made him the number two qualifier. The next spot was bagged by Ian Merryweather…