Group News

Enthusiasts Grille Badge Update

17/1/2021

One of our all-time best-sellers, the Enthusiasts Grille Badge is now held in stock & available for immediate despatch.

New for 2021
For the first time, we can now include on request a stainless steel badge bar clip with fixing screws.

Our Grille badges are a bit special, being manufactured by a West Midlands-based company with 35 years’ experience. Each badge is handmade and finished, the body is steel. After being cut out they are stamped with the logo designed by our own Gar Cole in 2017. The red, blue and white enamel paint is added by hand, then after heat treatment in the furnace they are plated with rose gold. Each badge is then polished using a finishing wheel.

Modern car and Home insurance

14/1/2021

New offers from our sponsors, Lancaster Insurance.

Modern car insurance for existing clients

We can beat your everyday car insurance quote

If you insure your classic vehicle with us, and providing you fit the scheme criteria, we guarantee to beat your renewal price for your modern daily driver, whether that is from your current provider or a competitor. This means you can enjoy the benefit of having your classic and your modern daily driver under one roof. Our insurer panel understand your passion for motoring and the care and dedication you put into your classic car and keeping it safe and as such have made this pledge to our classic car insurance customers.

With many of us spending more time in our everyday cars, ensure they have the right cover in place too. Speak to the team today on 01480 400 903 and challenge us to beat your renewal price.

Home insurance

Home truly is where the heart is and as we have been spending more time than ever at home this year, it’s as important as ever to make sure it is properly protected!
At Lancaster, the insurance policies we can arrange for Buildings and Contents mean you can be safe in the knowledge that your home and belongings are covered. All risks are considered and policy benefits may include; buildings cover up to £1m, contents cover up to £100,000, alternative accommodation cover as well as accidental damage cover, bicycle cover and cover for your
possessions whilst away from the home*.

To find out more information and see how we can help you, call the team today on 01480 400903 or visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

*Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may vary between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. An additional charge may be payable.

Classic Car Insurance - discount offer

12/1/2021

From our sponsor Lancaster Insurance Services.

Up to 25% off your classic car insurance.

Call 01480 400903 or

enquire online - click here

Lancaster Car Club Manager Dave Youngs says:

"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"

Group Shop Reopens

5/1/2021

We are pleased to let you know we have today reopened our online shop. A great range of merchandise is available from stock and can be seen here.

Regarding deliveries, Royal Mail advises that both UK Domestic and international mail services have resumed and are operational although for the duration of pandemic restrictions some additional delays on top of usual delivery times are to be expected.

Today's Royal Mail status update:

Tuesday 5 January 2021.
Deliveries and collections should take place across the UK today.
Royal Mail is working hard to deliver the most comprehensive and high quality service we can to all our customers, large and small. The combination of greatly increased uptake of online shopping, and the ongoing COVID restrictions, mean that all delivery companies are experiencing exceptionally high volumes.
Every single parcel and letter is important to us. Despite our best efforts and significant investment in extra resource, some customers may experience slightly longer delivery timescales than our usual service standards. This is due to the exceptionally high volumes we are seeing, exacerbated by the coronavirus-related measures we have put in place in local mail centres and delivery offices to keep our people and customers safe. In such cases, we always work hard to get back to providing our usual level of service as quickly as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

RIP John H Page

4/1/2021

Written by Gar Cole.

On behalf of the Admin team I'd like to offer our condolences to the family of long-time member John H Page. John sadly passed away over the Christmas period; he was a lovely chap and very knowledgeable about cars , especially his beloved Rover P4 that he called SBO.

Whilst not lucky enough to have met him I did share many an online laugh with him. John was blessed with a very dry sense of humour peculiar to his generation; for example he posted the picture below of himself one time with the caption ' I'm sure you would all prefer Pamela Anderson, well you'll have to make do with me '

It obviously struck a chord with everyone as the photo received over 600 'likes' and went on to be the most popular post of the year. John expressed his surprise by saying ' I never thought I'd be a pin up at my age '

SBO like all long-term owned classics became part of John's family life, most recently taking his granddaughter to her Prom. Our thoughts are with his wife Carol who he always affectionately referred to as ' she who must be obeyed', his son Andy and the rest of his family, we will miss John but we wont forget him.

A last word from the man

We will give John himself the last word with just a few of his posts in the group over the past year or so. They reflect what mattered most to him - first and foremost his family and of course his lovely Rover, SBO.
Rest In Peace, John.

Got fed up with lockdown today so I took SBO for a spin down a few country lanes. The car had been sitting in the garage since lockdown started but apart from turning over more times than usual she soon settled down to that lovely Rover burble. Had the drive and came back home. The only problem it had was the oil warning light flickering on and off on tick tickover slight adjustment to the tickover speed and it was cured. Let's hope that this lockdown doesn't last much longer. I don't like Rover withdrawal symptoms.

Right then, pin back your lug holes matey peeps.
You have 3 guesses at the next question.
Which dozey plonker put 17 ltrs of of BPs finest diesel fuel in his Rover P4 this afternoon?
Go on, have a guess.

That's SBO all ready for granddaughter number two and her prom tomorrow.

SBO will be celebrating it's 60th birthday on Sunday. Better condition than I am.

Finally got SPO back from the bodyshop. Now has a front wing with no rust in it. All the knocks and dings that old cars pick up over the years have now disappeared. The doors now shut without having to slam them. She almost looks as if she has had a respray. Expensive but well worth it.

Richard Edmonds 2021 Auctions

3/1/2021

A message from Richard Edmonds Auctions.

Happy New Year!

We wish you an abundance of blessings this year and success in your collecting.
In terms of sale planning, we're taking each quarter as it comes and so have the following sales diarised for this quarter:

Classic and Vintage Motorcycles: 27th February
Petroliana and Automobilia: 6th March
Vintage and Classic Cars and Spares: 27th March

If you can't wait until then then please take a look at our other saleroom www.chippenhamauctionrooms.co.uk where we're holding an enamel signs and early advertising sale at the end of the month.

Venues and timings tba nearer the time plus any Covid rulings of the time and how we'll be applying them to the sales. We're ploughing ahead and will hold all these sales and will endeavour to ensure the lots can reach you if we're not able to see you in person. We'll also be offering video viewings and whatever is needed to reach as many of you as we can and bring back that auction experience you're used to.

If you're not already, do follow our Instagram or Facebook pages as these are so easy to update and so are the first place we head to when we've items to showcase.

Hoping to see some of you in person this year, it's really part of the whole collecting experience! Back in the office tomorrow, do call us if you have any items you're considering entering for the sales.

All the best
The Edmonds' and team

Members cars of the month - January

2/1/2021

Here are the 2021 calendar members' cars of the month for January

Chris Reader - 1967 Austin Mini Super de Luxe
Graeme Fish - 1966 Ford Cortina 1500 Super
Paul Girling - 1966 Triumph Herald 2000
Boonhwee Looi - 1966 Riley Elf MKII

Happy New Year!

1/1/2021

The Admin team wishes all our members a very happy New Year with hopefully a return to a full but safe and enjoyable classic car events calendar. The official group events already lined up are shown below.

Confirmed Official Group Events

This summary of all currently confirmed future group events is updated on a monthly basis. Click on an image for details of an event. Only available to members of, "Enthusiasts of British Motor Vehicles Built Before 1985".

Crich Tramway Village 27 March 2021

Jurassic Coast Driving Tour 24 April 2021

NEC Resto Show 11-13 June 2021

Staffs Oatcake Tour 25 June 2021

Glos Vintage & Steam Extravaganza 06-08 August 2021

Heavy Engineering Coastal Tour of Mid-Wales 22 August 2021

Grand Tour of the Scottish Coast 2022

Enthusiasts Calendar - it's a record!

20/12/2020

We are delighted to report that the 2021 Enthusiasts calendar was met with universal approval and the final order tally shows that 105 copies were sold - more than three times the total sales for the 2020 calendar.

We'd like to thank all the proud members who entered photos of their classics - there would be no calendar without you - and also to all those who bought copies - thank you!

Most of all, our huge thanks and appreciation go to group sponsor Phil Allin of Alvaston Press, who not only designed and printed the calendar for us, but also managed the very slick order despatch operation. Many thanks Phil - your loyal support and expertise is greatly valued.

Finally ...

... a last chance to enjoy again all the photographs featured on the calendar (unless you bought a copy of course, in which case you will be enjoying them for the next 12 months!)

Coming soon - Enthusiasts Car Window Shades

18/12/2020

We know Summer seems a long way off when we're still in the depths of winter, but with Covid-19 vaccines starting to appear and the New Year approaching, we're getting excited about returning (hopefully) to the classic show scene with bigger, better events than ever before!

With that in mind, we bring you our brand new Enthusiasts Duo Car Window Shades - perfect for keeping your classic cool, looking cooler and also useful for finding your car in large car parks! We're still working on the final details but we hope to make our shades available to buy online early in the New Year - watch this space for news.

Monthly Events Round-Up

17/12/2020

Welcome! Gar Cole and the team organise a range of classic car events every season for members to attend, from the prestigious world-leading Practical Classic Classic Car and Restoration Show and the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (both at the NEC) to formal static shows in fields to organised driving tours in beautiful areas of the country.

These events are not limited to pre-85 British motors as they are also open to members of our sister group, Pre-Millennial Motors which includes cars, bikes and commercial vehicles from every country in the world built before the year 2000.

We're a friendly lot and would love to see you at an event or two - you can even come if you don't own a classic at all as there are usually spare seats going (just ask first!). All events with the exception of the major commercial shows are free to enter, but you will usually be responsible for your own food, fuel and insurance as well as any accommodation that may be needed.

Any questions? Just ask Gar Cole - he's the font of all knowledge as far as group events are concerned.

Current list of confirmed Events

To view the up-to-date list of official group events, please click the button below.

View current list of events

Enthusiasts Christmas Stocking Fillers

15/12/2020

Looking for some little gifts to make your Enthusiast's Christmas stocking extra-special?

Check out our online shop for great items at great prices for the classic car lover in your life.

In support of Crich Tramway Village

13/12/2020

Following several years of successful shows at the tram museum we are booked in to return there on Saturday 27th March 2021.

The museum has found itself in financial difficulties this year due to the Covid pandemic, and support from the public and car clubs will be important in 2021 to keep the wheels moving at the museum. Entry is free to drivers of classic cars but we would politely suggest a donation of £10 per car to help with museum funds; it's a fascinating piece of British history that we don't want to lose.

On Sunday the group will be following a pre-planned 47-mile route around the stunning Peak District countryside, taking in superb view points, a water mill, pre arranged lunch stop and passing through the iconic Swainsley tunnel.

The more the merrier to help support Crich - no limit on numbers and all classics welcome, not just pre 85 Brits. Enquiries to Gar Cole - you can find more information and indicate your interest via the button below.

I'm keen - sign me up

Lapel Badges back in stock!

11/12/2020

We have more! The first batch of 50 Enthusiasts Lapel Badges sold out in record time. Fortunately we had already placed an order for more; the good news is they just arrived and are available to order now (see below).

Like all our merchandise, these are high quality hand-made products. A generous 25mm in size, they are made using the same process as the very popular Enthusiasts Grille badges

New Gallery - the Ian Hope Collection

10/12/2020

by Paul Sweeney.

The Ian Hope Collection - now Online

I recently posted just a few of the hundreds of photos I took over a period of years at Ian Hope's British Car Museum in New Zealand and was pleasantly surprised by the level of interest and positive reactions, which made me think.

Ian was keen to leave a legacy for future generations after he had passed on, so it feels right to share my pictures with you. All of these were taken by me - in most cases while wandering around the collection with Ian happily chattering about the cars as we moved around the building. Most of the photographs eventually wound up on Ian's museum website but as that's no longer online I have decided to put them here on our club website instead.

Ian knew of our club and was delighted when I used to tell him about it and how his cars were being admired from across the world. Several members even visited his collection and one - Daniel Bysouth - had a particular connection; the photograph shown above is Ian himself pointing to a highly prized RAC badge kindly sent to him by Dan. Ian was delighted with it and was very keen to show Dan where he had put the badge - "in pride of place", as he told me. To the best of my knowledge it remains there on that beautiful Alvis to this day.

There are several pictures of Ian himself around the museum (he lived on-site) and I hope you enjoy seeing them - the collection meant everything to Ian and I am sure he would be happy to know that people can at least enjoy his collection online here, even if most of you can't currently visit in person.

To make it easier to find what interests you most, I have created filters across the top of the page so that with a single click you can view the images you want - usually by selecting a marque.

Finally, I want to tell you all that whilst his knowledge was extensive, Ian was most definitely not an anorak. He had a wicked sense of humour, loving nothing more than to sneak up on unwary visitors and set off an air horn right behind them, only to whizz away on his mobility scooter cackling like a madman - so whilst browsing the gallery if you should imagine you can hear the ghostly echo of a horn followed by a good-natured chuckle, don't be alarmed. It's only Ian, happy to see you taking an interest in his life's passion.

Click on the button below to begin.

View the collection

Enthusiasts 2021 calendar - last chance

9/12/2020

Our 2021 Enthusiasts Calendar has been a great success with sales in excess of 3 times more than last year and there's still time to grab yours. Don't miss out on your copy - there are just days left to get your order in.
No orders will be taken after December 15; all calendar orders will be printed and despatched before Christmas.

The calendar was beautifully designed and printed by group sponsor Phil Allin of Alvaston Press and features some great photographs of proud member's cars - see above, and below for more.

Order your copy before it's too late

New - Enthusiasts Gift Cards

5/12/2020

Stuck for ideas this Christmas?

Choosing that special gift can be tricky, even when you already know they're a classic car enthusiast. Now the solution is simple - give them one of our Enthusiasts Gift Cards!

All you need to do is select the value you want then click on, "Buy Now" - it couldn't be easier! Gift cards can be used as full or part-payment for anything in our shop.

Enthusiasts Lapel Badge now available

1/12/2020

We are pleased to bring you this new design custom-made Enthusiasts Lapel Badge featuring our distinctive logo. Like all our merchandise, these are high quality hand-made products.

A perfect present that will look great on your lapel, hat, overalls - in fact anywhere you like!

Resto Show - New 2021 Dates

1/12/2020

Message from Clarion Events

We are delighted to announce that Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, will now take place 11-13 June 2021

Due to the on-going COVID situation, we feel this new timeline will give us the best opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate the world of classic cars and their restoration journey. While we are still planning on incorporating all the COVID secure measures put in place for the show this year, they are all being implemented in a way that can be scaled back assuming a vaccination programme is well underway.

More details will follow in the new year but we wanted to update you now so you can save these new dates!

Visit the website

Enthusiasts Grille Badges are back

1/12/2020

Our high quality Enthusiasts Grille Badges have proven very popular with members and we now have brand new stock available for immediate despatch but we have only 30 - so if you're after one, order now to avoid disappointment.

Production costs have increased since our last batch - each grille badge now costs £37.49 including UK shipping. To ensure a fair deal for all members, overseas shipping will be discounted by the UK shipping cost.

add an Enthusiasts Lapel/Pin badge to your order

While stocks of grille badges last we are offering an introductory saving on our new Enthusiasts Premium Lapel/Pin badges - get one for just £2.50 when ordered with each grille badge from stock - the normal price for the new Lapel/Pin badge is £3.99

Editors

Paul Sweeney
Mike Peake

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