We are proud to announce that we have joined up with the Sporting Bears and Lancaster Insurance to support fundraising for UK children's charities at this years' Lancaster Classic Motor Show with Discovery and we have a fantastic prize worth more than £100 to give away!

​WIN a pair of free tickets valid for any day of this year's Classic Motor Show courtesy of Lancaster Insurance AND a £50 Dream Ride voucher* courtesy of the Sporting Bears Motor Club. The cost is £5 per entry and the Dream Ride is a passenger ride of approx 10 miles. 

RULES

• enter as many times as you like
• the winner will be drawn at random on 20 October 2018
• the winner will be notified by email
• no cash alternative prizes are available

All monies raised will be donated to the Sporting Bears in support of children's charities. ​

* the price of a ride varies according to the car you select - you may need to add money to the voucher value to make up the required amount

What better way is there to raise money for charity than by taking a ten-mile passenger ride in the car of your dreams?  

The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, works with the charity organisation, the Sporting Bears Motor Club to create the ‘Dream Rides’ garage – a fantastic array of between 70-100 cars that are available for visitors to enjoy a passenger ride taking them out onto the open roads surrounding Birmingham’s NEC.

‘Dream Rides’ offer visitors the opportunity to jump into and experience some of the most spectacular cars in the world and all you have to do is donate to a wonderful cause. The size of your donation depends on the car you want to be taken for a drive in – starting from as little as £10.

The Sporting Bears Motor Club members will on average undertake 1,000 rides over the three-day event, with each person giving their time, their car and covering the cost of their fuel, so every penny of your donation goes to the children’s charities that they support across the UK.

Since Dream Rides began, the Sporting Bears have raised over £2 million in donations, with the 2016 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show raising over £50,000!

Formed in 1989, the Sporting Bears Motor Club is a dedicated group of classic car and sports car enthusiasts with the primary aim - to raise money for children's charities through its own social and touring events, and to support other charitable events. It is to the club's credit that annual subscriptions support the club overheads thus allowing all monies raised from Dream Rides and other events to be directed towards the selected charities.

In 2017, with the help of the members, the marques on offer included Cobras, Ferraris, Maseratis, Porsches, GT40s, Jags, MGs, TR’s, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins and for those of a tender age they even had Noddy’s car!
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There is a Dream Ride for everyone!

This year’s show theme ‘Built to Last’ is epitomised by hard working vehicles which have also contributed to technical advances in motoring.

Standard was the parent company of the Triumph marque after 1945, and in the 1950s was the fifth largest British motor manufacturer. The Standard Motor Club will be celebrating 70 years since the launch of the Standard Vanguard and 60 years since launch of the Standard Atlas on their stand 4-572 at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery.

The engine of the Standard Vanguard family of cars was the precursor to the Triumph TR range of sports cars as were many of their mechanical parts. The Ferguson tractor engine was also derived from that of the Vanguard and many other vehicles also used Vanguard derived engines and parts, notably Morgan, Swallow Doretti, Peerless, Leyland 15 and 20 and even the Indian version of the Rover SD1.

On stand 4-572 you will be able to see the 1952 Vanguard Estate Car KOR 394, an early ‘MPV’ with a gruelling history: First owned by an army lieutenant-colonel who became a pig farmer and later by a firm of Isle of Wight undertakers. Since being preserved it has appeared in several TV programmes and films, including: an early episode of the soap Doctors, a documentary on Ruth Ellis - the last woman to be hanged, a short film docudrama about the theft of Sophia Loren's jewels and a documentary about the Braybrook Street police murders in London. It is pictured in the more convivial setting of Walton Hall, Warwickshire fully loaded with the club’s show material for their annual Standard Motor Club International Rally which took place in June… showing that it is still going strong 66 years after it was built! 

There will also be a 1958 Standard Ensign 6853 JW on display.  A simpler version of the later Vanguard with similar mechanical parts to the earlier car, this example has been owned and greatly loved by the same Black Country family for almost 50 years.

A third vehicle, a 1959 Standard Atlas 9237 CR celebrates the launch of the Atlas range by the Standard Motor Company. The Atlas was one of the first small vans which was not car derived and were therefore able to have capacious bodies in much the same manner as Ford designed the later Transit in 1966. The van on show is a Camper version but there were all types of vehicles in the range including pick-ups and chassis cabs. This vehicle belongs to someone who has rescued some 20 vehicles built by the Standard Motor Company thereby ensuring that they will continue to last into the future.
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About The Standard Motor Club
The Standard Motor Club is dedicated to the preservation of Standard Cars 1903 – 1963. Offering an online 24/7 Spares Shop with the largest stock of Standard Spares available anywhere plus a full-colour monthly magazine. With their active Local Groups and lively UK wide events programme, if you own any Standard, or intend to own one in the near future, you owe it to yourself to join!
Love Standard?  Visit www.standardmotorclub.org to find out more.


THE LANCASTER INSURANCE CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW, WITH DISCOVERY 2018 IS DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST GATHERING OF CLASSIC VEHICLE CLUBS WHO BRING JOY AND KNOWLEDGE TO THE SHOW ALONG WITH THEIR BEAUTIFUL VEHICLES.
Click here to see the full list of classic car clubs attending.

Nominations are now being taken for the Classic & Sports Car Club Awards 2018. After another fantastic season of events, this is our chance to reward the owners and enthusiasts who form the heart and soul of the UK’s classic car community. And yes, we’re talking about you. Every one of you.

So, if you think our club/group deserves recognition, click on the big button below to nominate us in one or more of the categories. The closing date is 22 October 2018.

Midlands classic motoring specialist RBW Classic Electric Cars has joined forces with world-leading names to secure the future of classic motoring with the launch of two limited edition electric recreations.

"Our aim is to make these great classic cars better for the modern age and to do that, we have been fortunate to be supported by great companies who share the same ethos". Managing Director, Peter Swain explained that the company is working closely with Zytek Automotive, who provide world championship winning technology applied to Formula E racing cars!

These rare and hand-built models were launched this September to the motoring trade, there will be a public launch at this year's Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, where enthusiasts can reserve their very own vehicle with a small deposit at their stand (2-248)! 

Continuing our previews of the 2018 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery

2018 marks the 80th anniversary of Jensen Motors first exhibiting at the Earls Court Motor Show. A fantastic recreation of the display will be showcased on the Jensen Owners' Club stand (1-545) with two vehicles that were at that particular show including an S-type and an H-type (the car that is regarded as the first true Jensen created by the brothers Alan and Richard).

This elegant 1935 model known as the White Lady was exported to Canada in 1957 and used for a few years before being stored. Having recently resurfaced it will be making its only public appearance at the show before entering a full restoration, giving you an exclusive opportunity to see this unique vehicle... warts and all.

The final vehicle on the stand will be a Jensen SP, the most powerful vehicle they ever produced. Featured at the restoration show in 2015, the car has been the subject of a full nut and bolt restoration after over 20 years literally abandoned in a barn. Be sure to pay it a visit!

Would you like to see your cherished pre-85 British classic motor gracing the club calendar for 2019? We are looking for entries right now - but choose carefully as only the best photos will make it onto the calendar. ​

A few rules:

• Closing Date 30 September 2018
• 1 entry per person
• The motor (cars, commercials and motorcycles are all welcome) must be yours - or was yours at the time the photograph was taken
• Images must be in landscape orientation, not portrait (meaning it must be wide and short, not tall and thin)
• High resolution images are essential for printing - minimum 300 dpi
• Your photograph must either be taken by you or you have legal right to use it

by Admin

We're back! Following our successful first-ever appearance in 2017 at this most prestigious of UK classic car events, we have been invited to return for this year's show. The important dates for your diary are 9-11 November.

As usual, club discount price tickets are available and you can book now. Click here to access the special codes you need.
Club offer Ts & Cs:

1. The codes are valid for Saturday or Sunday Adult tickets and Saturday or Sunday Family tickets, only when booked in advance. 
2. Family ticket gives access for 2 x adults and up to 3 x children (aged 5-15).
3. Club discounts will be applied to on-the-door prices: Club Adult £24.50 (£30 on-the-door) and Club Family £68 (£80 on-the-door).
4. Ticket prices include a free show guide.
5. All bookings are subject to a single transaction fee of £1.95.

Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer is looking forward to this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, for more reasons than usual as it will be the very first time he sees the final results of #ProjectMGA – the restoration of his 1959 MGA Roadster.

Found in California and shipped to the UK, Mike asked the MG Car Club (stand 3-370) for advice on what to do with the MGA and after a public vote at a previous NEC show, the decision was made to restore the car back to its former glory.

Mike and the MG Car Club have teamed up with Rally Preparation Services to manage the restoration and Moss Europe to provide all the parts. The car is undergoing a full restoration, with the #ProjectMGA team looking to unveil the finished car to Mike at the NEC in November.
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Continuing our series previewing this year's Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery. Taking advantage of this year's show theme 'Built to Last', the Morris Register club will be displaying a motor that beholds such great history within the traditional British farming industry.

​Back in 1938, a Morris 8 van was bought as new for a dairy business and still to this day is in use! The dairy was formed that year by Harry Workman and has now expanded to be one of the largest independent dairies in the country, 'Cotteswold Dairies'. The founders son Roger, will be in attendance over the weekend standing in for his father, who sadly passed away in 2016, aged 98.

This beautiful classic will be on show on the Morris Register stand (3-472) joined with milkmaids, old dairy memorabilia including a cow and a few extra surprises.

by Lancaster Insurance Services

The first five finalists in the coveted Autumn Final of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership have been revealed, with organisers facing tough decisions after receiving more entries than ever before! 

Held at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, nearly 100 classic car owners have applied for one of the 20 spots available.

The finalists include Richard Pinkett and his 1939 MG TB, Michael Jones’ 1960 Jaguar MkII, Andy Nash’s 1966 Morris Mini Traveller, Mark Stewart’s 1988 Ford Escort XR3i Cabriolet, and Mandeep Sandhar and his 2000 Nissan Skyline.

With 15 places still to be decided, don't miss out on entering your pride and joy, enter before the closing date of Friday 14th September. The winner and two runners up all receive trophies, with the overall winner offered the chance to display their car at the next event held by the organisers!

by Gar Cole

The line up is taking shape for our stand at this November's classic Motor show with Discovery. Let me introduce the stars:

• 1926 Morris Bullnose pickup owned by Matt Harris.
• 1948 Rover 16 six light saloon owned by Alan Crown.
• 1958 Standard Penant owned by the Brooks Brothers.
• 1962 Morris Minor owned by Bernard Owen.
• 1964 Crayford convertible mini owned by John & Elaine Fisher.

Come and see them all on our stand in Hall 8

from Admin

More about what to expect in this years Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery.

Joining as part of the brand new 'Debutant and Special Displays' hall, Ford Enthusiasts Club are set to present an impressive display demonstrating original classics which are 'Built to Last'.

A beautiful classic 280 Brooklands Capri which has been totally restored to pristine condition by it's owner will be unveiled along with two other Fords, including an Escort Cosworth which gets plenty of attention wherever it goes, sitting on nearly 100,000 miles.

If it's everyday used cars you like to see that have had plenty of love, this is the club for you. Be sure to pay the Ford Enthusiasts Club a visit at this year's show on stand 8-420.

More news from the 2018 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery.

As part of the 'Classic Loan Project', the Pre-War Austin Seven Club will be displaying a 1934 Austin Saloon which has been bought by the club as part of a new initiative to support the next generation of owners.

This classic motor, which will be on display on their stand (3-470), is being put up for loan along with several other classics and offered to budding new entrants to the classic car fraternity who have garaging facilities and a modest aptitude for all things mechanical.

This inspiring project undertaken by the club allows new drivers to have the opportunity to have a taste of 'owning' a classic in this modern day world, and experience the joy of driving one of these treasured beauties. 

by Admin.

Fancy winning a stunning MK1 Golf GTi? Our club sponsors Lancaster Insurance Services are offering you the chance to do just that - simply click the button below to go to the competition page, fill in your details then keep your fingers crossed!

From Admin

Here are the official Facebook stats for the period ending 20 August 2018. Activity levels in the group have picked up from the low point that coincided with the spell of hot weather in the UK. Membership numbers continue to rise but slowly as is usual at this time of year. Pleasingly, the numbers of active members is remarkably high at over 17,000.

Official Press Release

With an estimated 35% of its original production run of 25,939 still surviving, the Triumph Stag has proved it is ‘built to last’ despite its reputation during production and after its demise, of being the “Snag”! This has been achieved thanks to an army of owners and specialist parts suppliers who have engineered the foibles out of the car and further developed it into the reliable and prestigious car that it was always destined to be. 
 
On the Stag Owners Club stand 4-490 at this year’s show, you will however find a totally unrestored 1974 Triumph Stag. In its first year, unfortunately the paintwork was vandalised and needed a respray in its original lovely ‘Mimosa’ yellow colour (some jealous person with paint stripper maybe). But apart from the paint, this Stag has only ever needed routine maintenance work over the last 44 years.
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They certainly don’t make them like this anymore!

Official press release

Wheeler Dealers Mike Brewer and Ant Antstead are heading back to Blighty this November to host the Discovery Live Stage at this year's Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery. Currently working on their biggest season ever of Wheeler Dealers in California, the dynamic duo will make the journey home in time for the annual season finale.

Sharing stories from season 15, Mike will also unveil his latest project while Ant talks about his brand new book, Cops and Robbers: The Story of the British Police Car. Joining them on stage will be a host of special guests along with classic car parades, interactive debates, Q&A sessions for your burning motoring questions, and the much-loved game shows with fantastic prizes up for grabs.

So sit back and be entertained for hours by these motoring legends for free, all you simply need to do now is book your tickets to the show!

The Jaguar Spitfires to Sports Cars Tour provides a unique insight into the operation of Castle Bromwich during the '40s and you will learn the secrets of car and airplane manufacturing, visiting many areas of the factory that are being opened to the public for the first time.

Over three fascinating hours learn the secrets of car and aeroplane manufacturing at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich home.
Castle Bromwich has a rich history and it's a history that's still being made as the manufacturing base of Jaguar cars. From the high performance F-Type to the advanced XJ, nearly all of Jaguar's luxury and performance cars have their home at Castle Bromwich.
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It is at Castle Bromwich where Jaguar continues to develop its unparalleled expertise in advanced aluminium manufacturing, a skill which also served the nation during the war years, when the factory was a primary location for building Spitfire fighter aircraft.

An exclusive group visit to the Jaguar factory in Castle Vale, Birmingham where the XE, XF, XJ and F-TYPE models are built. Numbers are strictly limited, so it's "First come, first served". The intention is to enjoy lunch together at a nearby hostelry straight after the tour (not included in the tour price);

If you decide to cancel your booking:

• Within fourteen (14) days from the date of your booking confirmation, we will refund you the full price paid for the Experience;
• Twenty eight (28) days or more prior to the Experience, we will refund you the price paid for the booking by the method you used for payment, however, we may deduct any sums, including expenses, which have already been paid by us or our suppliers in relation to the Experience and which are non-refundable; or
• Less than twenty eight (28) days prior to the Experience, you will be charged the total price for the Experience.
• We will make any refunds due to you as soon as possible. If you are exercising your right to change your mind your refund will be made within fourteen (14) days of you telling us that you have changed your mind.

From Admin

Organiser Linda Tipper says, "We have had to cancel the Lupin Farm Gathering this year as Edwin has had a health issue and a major operation seven weeks ago so it proved impossible to consider this years event. Is it possible for you to put something on your site to say it isn’t on but we will run again in 2019. That would be a huge help to us. Edwin progressing well! Thank you."

We are sorry to hear of Edwin's health problems and wish him well - looking forward to next year.

The talented and entrusted Practical Classics team take to the Discovery Live Stage at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, once again to accept a brand new restoration challenge this November. In tune and on topic with the show's theme this year of 'Built to Last', watch as these experts bring a 1951 Riley RMA back to life!

The car, known as 'CFB' is itself a survivor having been put into storage decades ago by previous owner and Practical Classics reader Rob Jones. The team will be leading the restoration of this quintessential British Classic over the three days at the show, aiming to have the car up and running for the first time in over 40 years.

Danny Hopkins, editor of Practical Classics explained: “I first spoke to Ron in the summer of 2015. He sounded like a decent sort and certainly had decent taste in cars. Ron had a 1951 RMA, a car he’d owned since 1972 and it needed a new home. Ron’s late father (an ex Rolls Royce engineer) bought the car as a potential father/son project, but unfortunately he passed away before the project could get under way.”

This year, in perfect keeping with the show's theme, the Gordon-Keeble Owners' Club stand 3-142 will feature two cars, each in their own way emphasising the renowned longevity of the marque.

The first of the displays, chassis no. 81, was built at the Eastleigh factory at the airport and was one of the last cars to be assembled in the spring of 1965 before the company folded. This classic was the subject of a complete restoration some 5 years ago, with the justifiable expectation that it is now '(re)built to last'!

The second car carries the number 100 which was painstakingly built in 1970 by one of the marque's concessionaires from spare parts left over following the collapse of production.

Join us at the show in uncovering commendable classics presented by the world's biggest gathering of classic vehicle clubs!

Lancaster Car Club Manager Dave Youngs says:
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"Lancaster offers up to 25% discount for club members and can arrange a whole range of policy extras that you'd expect such as agreed value and breakdown cover.  We  aim to take a realistic view when it comes to modifications, so do give us a try. We welcome feedback - good or bad - to help us to develop the scheme going forward

If you do try us for a quote, please use the bespoke telephone number 01480 400903 and let us know that the introduction has come from the club. Quote discount code DISC15 for an additional £15 discount on any new policy with Lancaster

​We make a payment to the club for each and every policy sold as a result of their introduction which helps keep the club going. I'll stick my head round the door every now and again and pick up any queries that crop up. If you'd like for me to arrange a callback for a quote then i'm happy to sort it - I can be contacted by email dave.youngs@lancasterinsurance.co.uk"

by Admin

For the first time, we are pleased to offer club baseball caps in a range of colours with our logo printed on the front.
Click on the button below for more information and to order online. The price is £12.99 + shipping - we ship worldwide except South Africa. The shipping cost will be calculated when you enter your delivery address (before you commit to buy)

For those that missed it - here is the link to the new photo gallery from last weekend's group meet at the Gloucester Vintage Extravaganza.