Episode three in our new series ' An Unsung Hero ' is dedicated to Anita Peake , wife of Admin Mike.

Mrs P is a front line NHS worker (much respect) and is often working when our tours and shows happen but it's always a joy when she joins us. It must be said a nice hotel certainly makes the tours more appealing to the ladies of the group. I can't understand why they don't like the idea of a row of tents in a field listening to a large group of middle aged men snoring.

Realising it would be nice to have the car finished and usable before the end of 2019, Anita and the girls gamely helped Mike with body prep, sanding, fitting parts and trim and keeping the tea coming (according to Mike). I particularly love the photo of Anita in the boot; lo and behold Poppy was all shiny and ready for the New Forest tour of September 19. Anita joined us on tour (once luxury accommodation was booked first) and a great weekend was had by all.

On our last very wet and windy tour of the Yorkshire Moors in November Anita wisely jumped into the most modern car in the fleet (mine) and we enjoyed sweets as well as a working heater and CD player! We tried not to be smug at the others with their misty windows and below-par heating.

Anita, those of us who know you adore you to bits and respect the work you do and of course the brilliant support you give the group and hubby Mike. I think we all agree that in the not too distant future Mike should be treating you to a holiday in the sunshine, somewhere hot with no tents, no cooking and definitely no rubbing down of paintwork on old cars 😀

Part 2 of our new series ' An Unsung Hero ' is dedicated to the future of our hobby, the youth. 

​Thomas is your typical car-mad teenager, but has gone further than most. By age 16 he'd helped to restore his grandfather's MK2 Granada and had learned to weld, fabricate and do paintwork. He also organised a charity car show for 2 years running in aid of the stroke association.

Later on that year Tom made a start on improving the paintwork in an eye-catching pale blue, but alas as happens with so many projects funds ran low and the difficult decision was made to let the car go for someone else to put the finishing touches to this lucky old moggy. It was sold through a classic car auction and is currently on the road being enjoyed by it's new owner in Coventry.

While we all do our bit to keep our cars on the road I'm sure you'll all agree this hobby won't survive without the next generation - not the ones who can just buy anything with a cheque from their inheritance, but by those who roll their sleeves up, learn the skills and get their hands dirty saving old cars nobody wants anymore.

Nice one, Tom!

​In a new feature to the group we'll be bringing you a regular series entitled 'an unsung hero ' featuring those quiet enthusiasts who go the extra mile to save a car when others would have given up. Our first hero is group regular and all-round nice guy Ian Woodward.

​It appears our seller had been less than honest and the engine was in fact badly damaged, all valves bent, damaged piston tops and oval bores, in fact it looked like it hadn't ran in the 17 years since it was last taxed ( see photos ) , I never got to see the email Ian sent to the seller but I'm assured it contained a world record for insults per line.

​At this point Ian was offered a V8 engine and gearbox by a trusted friend, and brilliant as V8s are he decided he wanted to preserve the increasingly rare six cylinder.  A replacement head was sourced and sent away for a full recondition, repaired radiator, hoses and a myriad of other small bits and bobs.

A used but good block was sourced from North Wales and the Woodward boys set about removing the old engine and rebuilding and refitting the new one. After a few weeks' work the engine fired into life, a little rough to start but once both carbs had been cleaned and fettled the big six sounded great. Pleased with himself Ian had the alloys refurbished with a new set of tyres and then set about attacking the bodywork which had quite a bit of corrosion, especially in the boot area where the Halfords spoilers had acted as water traps.

​Just this week Ian started the car and was horrified to see clouds of blue oil smoke coming out of the exhaust. ' Why oh why didn't I change the rings when I had the chance?' he wailed to me down the phone. 'That's it I've had enough I'm selling it - someone else can finish it'.

Now we had all collaborated in lying to Ian's wife Sarah that all these parts had only been £20 here and there. The truth is our hero was already past the £2000 point and at this point all seemed lost until several of our members pointed out if the original engine had failed in a spectacular way it may have filled the exhaust and baffles with engine oil and it could be that which was causing the smoke. Following advice Ian ran the engine up to temp for nearly and hour and lo and behold the smoke all but cleared.

​Sensible Sarah then convinced Impulsive Ian to hold his nerve and finish the project, after all he'd only spent £20 here and there she said. 🤔