by Admin

We asked for your classics to display at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show with Discovery at the NEC this March, and you didnt disappoint us! Quite a number of members were willing to make the considerable commitment to support us over the 3 days at the show and offered some very special motors indeed.

First and foremost - a very big and genuine thanks from the Admin team and particularly from Events Guru Gar for all the offers. We really do appreciate it - if we could, we would take every motor you offered, but of course the stand can only accommodate so many, so the sad part of all this is that we have to disappoint some of you. Please try again next time - everything offered was eminently suitable and would have done us proud.

Our selection approach was to go for the exhibits we think are most likely to attract the interest of the show-going public and to show the club in the best possible light. Secondly we felt it would be preferable to display motors we havent had on our stand before.

​So after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, here they are ...

Easy! Hall 5, beside the Sporting Bears Dream Rides Arena.

Thanks to our very own Energizer Bunny (aka Gar), we now have this fabulous custom-designed wristwatch available to order.

Featuring the club logo on a large 45 mm face with polished chrome surround, it has a quartz movement, genuine leather strap (up to 8" length) and comes with a 12 month manufacturer's warranty. To make it extra special, each watch comes in a presentation box that is engraved with a unique serial number and an optional personalised message.

Watches will be manufactured to order so delivery will be a minimum of 2 weeks from the date orders are placed - longer for non-UK delivery addresses.

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"

From Admin

Welcome to our first-ever End of Year Quiz - conceived, designed and created by Dominic Coleman and we think he's done a cracking job!

​Give it a go - it's harder than you think and great fun! Once you have completed the whole quiz, share your results in the group - then you can review the quiz to see all the correct answers. We were surprised how many we didn't remember!

When you have completed the quiz you will see the screen below. Here's what to do next:

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!

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.

We are no longer accepting entries for the 2019 club calendar as the closing date (30/09) has passed and we need to crack on if we are to have them ready for Christmas. A huge thank you to the 60 members who took the time and trouble to send in some fantastic photos of their British beauties.

We are keen to include as many of your pictures as we can in the new calendar and are working on the design now, so watch this space for updates - your car might well be  featured!

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.

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.”

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.

Adding an extra hall, the show is inviting even more clubs to display at the event to create the World’s biggest gathering of classic motoring clubs.

Held at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 November, around 300 classic car and classic motorbike clubs will showcase vehicles owned by members, interpreting this year’s show theme of ‘Built to Last.’ Hall 8, which takes the overall show space to one million square feet (the equivalent of 18 full size football pitches) will be called The Debutant & Special Display Hall as it will host 15 clubs that have never exhibited at the end of season finale ever before.

Acting Show Director Lee Masters explains: “The classic vehicle clubs are the DNA of the show so when we got the opportunity to increase to seven halls it gave us the chance to open the doors to those smaller niche clubs that haven’t had the chance to display their marques in previous years."

“What we didn’t realise was this also afforded us the accolade of being the World’s biggest gathering of classic motoring clubs representing so many different manufacturers and eras.” The ‘Debutants’ include the Richard Burns RB5 and RB320 Memorial Club, Dorset Area Farina Owners, Perana Owners Club, and the Monoposto Racing Club. United Centos (Fiat Cinquecentos and Seicentos) will also make its debut alongside Club Calibra, Fordsport, MINI Y REGister, and Racing-Puma.co.uk. The Austin Rover & MG Owners Club Sussex displays for the first time as does the Cannock and District Car Club, Chevettes n Kadetts, Fiat Coupé Club, RS500 Owners, and the Retro Caravan Club.

The show also welcomes back 25 clubs who missed last year’s event and ten more clubs that have not exhibited over the past two to six years. These include the Historic Marathon Rally Group, which will be celebrating 50 years since the London to Sydney Marathon Rally, the Aero Minx Register, Zastava and Yugo Owners Club and the Piper Sports and Racing Car Club.

Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager at Lancaster Insurance, added: “I’m ecstatic that a larger number of clubs will be attending the show, giving us the opportunity to marvel at even more marques and models. Car clubs truly are the heartbeat of our industry and while having a close relationship with many, we are keen to support and work with more. I would like to extend a warm welcome to the debutants to the show and can’t wait to see the additional clubs on display!”  

With around 40 additional clubs this year, the organisers are expecting the number of cars and bikes on show to top 3,000 vehicles, including those that are on display by the 650 specialist traders and dealers also taking part.

As well as all the popular features such as Silverstone Auctions sale, Sporting Bears’ Dream Rides, the Restoration Theatre, and Discovery Live Stage, the show also boasts the UK’s biggest indoor Autojumble and Classic Trader Village. Such is its popularity with visitors and traders alike, the space is already 80 per cent sold out.
​
The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show returns to Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 November. For more information as well as all the ticket prices and booking details, visit www.necclassicmotorshow.com.

by Admin

We have been allocated a stand at this year's best classic car show - the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery at the NEC Birmingham November 9-11 - and we are now looking for some great British motors to display.

Here are the latest monthly stats provided by Facebook. General activity levels and membership numbers were up as expected at this time of year. The number of active members remains impressive at an all-time high of 17,700+

by Admin

Here are the monthly stats for our Facebook group showing activity for the 28 days to June 19, 2018. The figures are directly from Facebook - we have no input or control over them.

This month we have continued to see a steady increase in member numbers with relatively few new members being turned away. Part way through the month, the Australian city of Sydney briefly became the first non-UK city to make the Top 10, but was passed by Liverpool in extra time (FWC reference for you there!). 

Congratulations to Thomas Jenkins and his lovely family on successfully organising another charity show at the weekend.

​Sadly the good weather didn't show up, but there was a good turnout of interesting classics including the remarkable Eric Dalton, who drove his Ambassador all the way from Scotland specially! Also a special mention is due for Brian Allison (seen in the photo, left with Thomas and Emily) who brought his Triumph over from Ireland.

Click on any of the pictures below to view the official photo gallery from the weekend including the Driving Tour on Saturday and the show itself on Sunday.

by Paul Sweeney

Those of you who like the monthly Facebook stats might be interested in something I recently found - its possible to download the stats into Excel.

So, I decided to take a look at the countries we all live in - and guess what? The stats went way beyond the "Top 10" FB usually gives us. I then began looking at the data in Excel and found a nifty little thing where instead of drawing a graph or bar chart, it would plot our membership on a world map.

So here it is - click to enlarge.
Key:

• Grey = no members
• Pale blue = small number of members, graduating to
• Dark blue = lots of members

by Paul Sweeney and Gar Cole

Our personalised club polo shirts have proved very popular and this is your last chance to get one. We are taking orders now for the second and final batch - orders close at midnight GMT 31 May 2018 then there will be no more in the foreseeable future, so if you fancy owning one, get your order in now!

by Paul Sweeney.

What does it mean? Well, in essence it means any information sent back and forth across the world wide web between your device and the machines where this website is hosted (which can be anywhere in the world) is now scrambled or encrypted - meaning any bad people intercepting it en route wont be able to read or re-use it.

Only your device and the machines at the other end can do that - so if for example you decide to make a purchase from our shop, your name, address, payment information etc are all protected from prying eyes - making you safer.

Or to put it another way:
"Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website that you are connected to. The 'S' at the end of HTTPS stands for 'Secure'. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted."

Have you noticed the new Facebook Group feature called, "Announcements"?

​No - we hadn't either until good old Mike Peake pointed it out ... it's a new way we can highlight Admin messages so they don't get lost among all your lovely posts.

See the image below - we've circled the link to it in blue. Enjoy

Earlier this week we launched a group Twitter account here and now we can also unveil a brand-new Instagram presence. For those unfamiliar with it, Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc. It was launched in October 2010 exclusively on Apple's iOS and has since expanded to other platforms. Instagram is described by it's makers as, "A simple, fun & creative way to capture, edit & share photos, videos & messages with friends & family." 

Instagram makes photo sharing really easy and only requires a caption - its all about pictures, making it ideal for sharing photos taken on the move at shows and events, or even for those random shots of cars spotted here and there when you're out and about. 

You can find our Instagram page here and would love to see you sharing your photos of pre-85 British classics.