HAPPY 75^TH ‘BIRTHDAY’ TO THE UK’S KITCAR INDUSTRY – 1949-2024

A warm WELCOME to totalkitcar online …

I was just reading the blurb concerning a new book release called ‘Supercar Genius’ on the maestro that is Lee Noble. If ever the term ‘He’s one of our own’ was apt it certainly was for Lee who started his career in the kitcar industry when he knocked people’s eyes out with the launch of the Ultima in the mid-eighties.

As readers of this site will be all too aware of Lee’s work and of course, his skills, there’s no need to run the generic press release but I have to say it’s a beautifully produced book by Veloce Publishing and author Chris Catto.

The highs are obviously covered – Ultima, Midtec, Ascari, Ferrari P4 replica, Lotus 23 replica, M10 and M12 – to name but a few , but it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Lee as he has endured desperate lows in his life, which are all covered here, rather refreshingly.

No matter how fraught times have sometimes been, during his career, one thing has remained a constant: every car that has originated from Lee’s drawing board has been the epitome of what a driver’s car should be all about.

One thing is for sure, Lee’s automotive story isn’t over yet. I’ve known Lee for nearly forty years and he’s nothing if not blunt and forthright. He doesn’t do fripperies. I’d recommend that this book goes onto your Christmas list. After all, as I said at the top, he’s one of our own who shook the big-time automotive scene with the brilliance of his cars.

I also like the guide to buying, owning and servicing Lee Noble-designed models. Tech specs and diagrams included covering such models as  Ultima Mk1, Noble P4, Noble 23, Prosport, Midtec, Ascari FGT/Ecosse, Noble M10, Noble M12, Noble M400, Noble M14, Noble M15, Noble M600 and Rossion Q1.

ISBN number is 1757119327 it costs £60 and you can get a copy from www.veloce.co.uk or just Google it to find the best deals.

TKC MAG – Sept/Oct 2024  issue of TKC MAG is OUT NOW. You can CLICK HERE to order your SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 copy NOW.

We have loads more with which to entertain you, dear reader  – indeed, this one is jam-packed with good stuff

Look Who’s Back – Tim Dutton – the grandmaster kitcar seller – he’s back with a brand new Series 5 Phaeton – now based on Mazda MX-5 Mk3

Industry Greats – Barry Treacy – Delighted to be featuring Barry Treacy in this issue. If the name isn’t familiar Wolfrace wheels, Sonic six-wheeler and Evo locking wheel nuts might be! A marvellous career oh … and a wondrous collection of cars that includes Ferrari F40, F50 and Enzo!

Reader’s Drive – Ian Deakin’s superb EXO Rocket

Tomcat Motorsport – Neil Winnington recently spent a day with some owners of Tomcat Motorsport’s product. He had a great time and an ideal feature to reacquaint ourselves with these fun, capable off-road kits

Two Scamps tackle St Leonards to Frankfurt and back – Scamp owner, Chris Westgate and his friend Jonathan went off to Germany in their Scamps (a Mk1 and a Mk2) to visit the brilliant International Mini Meeting. They had a joyous time. Chris tells us all about it.

WMT Oldtimer – Steve Hole was on holiday in the Black Forest area of Germany this summer and visited a beer market to collect a few supplies and saw this unusual-looking, very specialist, electric car parked outside

Plus lots more …

Alternatively, you can CLICK HERE to pre-order your SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 copy NOW.

Search YouTube for the ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ or follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/@tkcmag. LATEST VIDEO ON THE CHANNEL FOCUSES ON RANGER AUTOMOTIVE.

A little plug (well, it’s my website and I have good things to make you aware of!) for the digital version of TKC MAG. If not having a hard, paper copy of the mag in your mitts doesn’t bother you then may I recommend the digi edition.

An EXACT replica of the paper version it currently costs just £23.99 for a TWELVE MONTHS DIGITAL subscription to TKC MAG ANYWHERE in the world. Visit Pocketmags.com and type in ‘TKC MAG’ and all will be revealed. Alternatively, you download our APP on your mobile and download single issues or a subscription on your phone or tablet.

We are getting a lot of new subscribers on the totalkitcar YouTube channel. If you like this website, you are sure to find something you like on the ‘totalkitcar YouTube channel’? In addition to our usual monthly video upload, we now have a weekly series called the ‘totalkitcar History Files Series. The latter isn’t rocket science. We verbally look at old kitcars with photos added, but we seem to be capturing peoples’ imaginations.

As the name suggests we look at some of the classic marques, great cars, not-so-great cars, plus the personalities, events and designers who have graced this wonderful industry over the last 75 years.

If you don’t already subscribe to our channel (just search ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ on YouTube) please do, as it’s free and if you click ‘all’ you’ll be notified every time a new video drops. Finally, may I ask you to hit the thumbs-up button please as that helps the channel greatly.  THANK YOU, dear reader.

History File Series, in association with the Enwin Motors channel. Don’t miss out, subscribe for FREE now.

TKC MAG – WHY NOT CONSIDER A SUBSCRIPTION THAT LASTS A WHOLE YEAR? – ACTUALLY, IT LASTS LONGER THAN THAT IF YOU USE THIS SPECIAL OFFER, AS IT WILL LAST FOURTEEN MONTHS. WE’LL ADD AN EXTRA ISSUE TO THE STANDARD TWELVE MONTHS PACKAGE. https://bit.ly/3RxuLgU 

By the grace of Royal Mail – if you live in the United Kingdom – we can pretty much say with confidence that you will receive your copies at least two or three days before shop or digital publication dates.

Our popular TRACKDAY CALENDAR is where you can find out where, when and how much by CLICKING HERE. Now updated to cover October and November 2024.

IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS you are in luck. Clicking that button will take you back in time with features on old kitcars, personalities and generally interesting companies who worked within the specialist car and sixties motorsport movements. I really hope you are enjoying them. Not all of them are kitcar-related per se but they all celebrate the underdog and often feature the wonderful world of sixties motorsport.

A lot of classic clubman motorsport features highlight underdog artisans that we hope will appeal to you dear reader, the sort of companies that we’ve often all heard of but on whom detailed information is often hard to find. Shorrock, Wade Turbochargers, Jack Knight Developments, Cannon Cars, Tom Killeen, David Ogle the list goes on and on. The sort of companies and individuals that our specialist and kitcar forebears from the sixties would have been very familiar with. You’ll find these subjects contained in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS.

SNIPPETS 1 ……. As we head into the busiest time of year for MOT testing, with an estimated 3.1 million cars MOTs expiring in October 2024 (according to the DVSA forecast), it’s crucial for dealerships, factors and garages to focus on one of the most common, yet often overlooked, reasons for MOT failures: non-compliant numberplates, says Tennants UK, a leading manufacturer and seller of numberplates.

The DVLA has issued multiple warnings about the risks of non-compliance, stating that incorrectly displayed number plates could lead to a £1000 fine and an immediate MOT failure. As the new ‘74’ vehicle registration plates rolled out this September, this issue is more relevant than ever.

It’s not just about avoiding penalties; ensuring that numberplates meet legal standards is essential for road safety and vehicle identification, warns Tennants.

In the last few years, numberplate non-compliance has become a significant contributor to MOT failure rates, with DVSA data showing a steady increase in initial test failures. Whether it’s due to incorrect spacing, the use of illegal fonts or damaged plates, these seemingly minor issues can result in major setbacks for vehicle owners.

The latest IAAF and GIPA Intelligence Roundup Report on MOT seasonality highlights that more than 30 million MOT tests were conducted in 2023. As the testing volume rises in autumn, garages need to be well-prepared to ensure that vehicles passing through their doors are road-legal, especially when it comes to numberplate compliance.

Garages and dealerships that invest in high-quality, compliant numberplate printing systems are better positioned to manage the increased demand during MOT season. Tennants offers a comprehensive range of number plate solutions, designed to meet all regulatory standards, including those set by the BS AU 145e standard.

Its state-of-the-art printing systems include advanced software that automatically checks for compliance, ensuring that every plate adheres to the correct size, spacing and font. In addition to this, Tennants offers a backup service for number plate production, providing next-day dispatch to prevent stock shortages during busy periods. This is crucial for garages that need to maintain a steady supply of compliant plates as the volume of MOT tests increases.

For more information about Tennants UK’s number plate solutions and how they can help your business reduce MOT failure rates, visit here.

SNIPPETS 2 ……..The Autumn Final of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership competition is set to be a clash of the titans, making it fitting for this year’s Classic Motor Show’s 40th anniversary year. Two-time winner Paul Clappison is back and looking for a hat-trick, this time with his immaculate 2002 Porsche Boxster S in its somewhat unusual colourscheme of Ocean Jade paintwork and Nephrite Green interior.

However, Paul faces stiff competition as the 2023 winner Tahmid Haque, returns with a striking 1986 Koenig Specials BMW 635. A lot of money has been spent recommissioning this striking coupé.

One person who won’t be worried about the tight competition, being used to getting into small spaces, is legendary stunt driver Russ Swift who will display his stunning 1937 SS Jaguar 100. Used to pulling off spectacular feats, how will Russ fare in this toughest of contests?

However, don’t think that this is a three-horse (power) race as there are some stunners from first-time finalists, too. The oldest car is Nick Loizou’s 1930 Austin 16/6 Pass and Joyce Coupé, which is the sole surviving example of its type and brimming with character.

Rather more unusual is the rare 1972 ADD Nova owned by Ed Straw – it’s certainly eye-catching and great to see a kitcar included in the final reckoning.

Richard Morley of Lancaster Insurance commented: “The classics competing for the award are incredibly varied, so it’s set to be a tough choice for people to pick their winner at the show. It’s going to be a real treat for visitors and entrants alike.”

The winner of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership will be decided by the show visitors who will be invited to vote for their favourite. The winner will be announced by Mike Brewer on Sunday, November 10 at 2pm. Tickets are now on sale.

Check the website www.necclassicmotorshow.com or sign up for the newsletter at www.necclassicmotorshow.com/newsletter for the latest updates and special offers.

SNIPPETS 3 …….. Woolies will be at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC on Friday 8th to Sunday 10th November.

Louise Woolstenholmes of Woolies said: “We’ll have most items with us so it’s a great opportunity to have a look at our products, perhaps even bring your samples along to compare. There is so much to see and do at the show, find out all about it here. 

“If you want some specific items brought along to the show don’t forget to pre-order products for collection, it saves you the cost of postage.”

To order online for collection at the show choose the click and collect option for postage via www.woolies-trim.co.uk and in the comments box type ‘COLLECT NEC’.

Alternatively, just give them a call on 01778 347 347.

SNIPETS 4 ……..Heard from Geoffrey Martin, Kent-based automotive show organiser with a slight change to his forthcoming Maidstone and Mid-Kent Auto & Bike Jumble on November 24.

Originally planned to be held in the hall – Lockmeadow Market Hall, Baker Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LW – due to a council booking error, it will be held in the undercover car park area. It’ll be fine, just take a flask of Bovril with you.

6m x 6m pitches are available at £25 (you can now keep your car on your pitch during the event) but remember you’ll need to bring your own tables and chairs if required.

Sounds like a cool event to either flog stuff you no longer need, or indeed, buy stuff you think you do need. Geoffrey always puts on a great show. Visit www.midkentsautojumble.co.uk for more info.

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STEVO’S NEW MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS

If you like a bit of blues rock/hard rock/southern rock then these new albums might interest you. They are definitely going to be up your street especially if you like guitar-driven music. Most of the recommendations are from British artists, too.

Cardinal Black – Welcome to the Valencia EP

Toby Lee – House on Fire

Golden Feather – Golden Feather

Scarlet Rebels – When The Colours Meet

Austin Gold – Down & Outs EP

These Wicked Rivers – Force of Nature

Bonus – Foghat – On Tonsils & Sneakers EP

So, that’s about it from me for this week, so I’ll bid you a great week, with plenty of enjoyable driving and I look forward to welcoming you once again next Friday – OCTOBER 25 – La vie et belle!

Best regards 

 

Steve