A warm WELCOME to totalkitcar online … Caterham Cars has announced some new PCP finance deals on the Seven across several models in their range, including the 360R and the 420R, which end with monthly payments of £360 and £420, respectively.

A £10,500 deposit with 36 monthly payments at an APR rate of 6.9% with a final balloon-type payment at the end bags you a legendary Seven. More from www.caterhamcars.com or visit one of their appointed dealers (five in the UK).

OUT NOW

TKC MAG – JAN/FEB 2025 issue of TKC MAG is OUT NOW.

Welcome to the first issue of TKC MAG in 2025

Hopefully, we have more winter warmers to entertain you with.

Tront cover feature is the Foreman P4R – a popular kitcar making a welcome return to the scene

Solus Motorsport ‘Sinner’ – a brilliant body conversion based on Toyota MR2 Mk3. Originally designed by Wayne Blackwell, it’s been productionised by Lincolnshire-based Mark Gray

Microlino – this fun little car taking its inspiration from ‘bubble’ cars of yesteryear is now available in the UK via Caterham/Morgan dealer, Krazy Horse. Response to the little electric bolide has been exceptional

Morgan Super 3 – Talking of Morgan, we recently tested the latest Super 3 demonstrator. Like Roses, it grows on you (ask your grandad!)!

Industry Greats – Martin Keenan. Plenty of people in the industry realise what a clever bloke Martin Keenan is and the part he has played in building and promoting great kitcars but hopefully this feature will make more people aware of him

ERA R10 – A new era for Tiger Racing. A change of name maybe but the people are the same and the cars are still great just like this, their new R10 demonstrator

EXO Concepts – A new company set up to promote the exo-skeletal kitcar movement, namely the products of Exo Sportscars and Halcton Sportscars.

Plus, much more inside

DENNIS ADAMS OBITUARY – Very saddened to hear of the death of Dennis Adams late last year. One of the specialist car industry’s greatest designers, he was best-known for his work with Marcos, but there was lots of other stuff, including, of course, the Probe, Glenfrome Facet, Rotrax and Adams Roadster not to mention wrought iron work…

Alternatively, you can CLICK HERE to pre-order your JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 copy NOW.

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.

Search YouTube for the ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ or follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/@tkcmag.

Our popular TRACKDAY CALENDAR is where you can find out where, when and how much by CLICKING HERE. Now updated to cover January and February 2025.

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 …….. We had National Pothole Day this week, with TyreSafe highlighting the importance of pulling over, provided it is safe to do so, to perform vital tyre checks to ensure the safety of their continued journey after hitting a pothole.

The road safety charity, dedicated to raising awareness of tyre safety, is urging road users to not only inspect their tyres as soon as it is safe to do so, after an impact but also to reduce the risk of an incident related to pothole impacts by ensuring that their tyres are appropriately inflated to decrease the risk of damage to the tyre, wheel and suspension.

As part of the Pothole Partnership, The AA can reveal that pothole-related incidents fell by 0.67% in 2024 when compared to the previous year. However, 2024 figures are still the third highest since 2017, with an estimated 1700 road users facing damage to their vehicles as a result of road defects.

In 2024, the AA handled 643,318 incidents of tyre, wheel, steering, and suspension damage caused by potholes, signifying a substantial impact on approximately 2 million vehicles nationwide due to inadequate road maintenance. Potholes can cause unseen damage to tyres and wheels, putting drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk.

How to check your tyres after hitting a pothole:

Inspect for visible damage – Look for cuts, bulges, or tears in the tyre sidewall.

Check tyre pressure – A drop in pressure could indicate internal damage.

Look at wheel alignment – Steering pulling to one side may indicate alignment issues.

Seek professional advice – When in doubt, consult a tyre specialist.

TyreSafe emphasises the importance of properly inflated tyres, which play a crucial role in dampening impacts from potholes.  Properly inflated tyres act as a cushion, helping to absorb the impact when a vehicle hits a road defect, in turn protecting the wheel and suspension. In addition, properly inflated tyres also support the tyre’s structure through the correct internal air pressure.

If a tyre is incorrectly inflated, road users are at an increased risk of experiencing a blowout, caused by the tyre’s sidewall striking the rim.  Tyre pressure also plays a significant role in protecting other vehicle components that can succumb to damage when striking a pothole, including the suspension, shocks and struts, springs, control arms and ball joints.

TyreSafe campaigns throughout the year, using the ACT acronym, (air pressure, condition and tread) to support road users in performing regular maintenance on their tyres to reduce the risk of incidents and costly repairs.

Air Pressure – Underinflated tyres waste fuel and wear out faster. Make sure your tyres are pumped up to the right level. You can check your pressure using an accurate gauge and can find the correct pressures on the driver’s door sill or inside the fuel cap.

Condition – Inspect your tyres for cuts, bulges, or other damage that could cause a blowout. If in you notice any visible damage, have a tyre professional inspect your tyres.

Tread: Ensure your tread depth is legal and effective for gripping the road, especially in wet conditions. The legal limit for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. The legal limit for motorcycles over 50cc is 1mm across three-quarters of the width of the tread pattern and with visible tread on the remaining quarter.

“Potholes are not just a frustration for drivers; they’re a serious safety hazard,” said Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair. “Raising awareness of the dangers posed by potholes is essential. Regular tyre checks and maintenance after hitting a pothole can help mitigate risks and reduce the likelihood of future incidents. If you’re unsure whether your tyre or wheel is damaged, always seek professional advice.”

While the UK government has announced a landmark increase in local road maintenance funding, enough to fix over 7 million additional potholes in 2025-2026, road users must remain vigilant. TyreSafe also proudly supports the Pothole Partnership, a coalition that includes the AA, National Motorcyclists Council, British Cycling, IAM RoadSmart, the British Motorcyclists Federation, and JCB. Together, this coalition is committed to tackling the growing pothole epidemic and its impact on road safety.

TyreSafe urges all road users to remain proactive in maintaining their tyres to ensure safer journeys for all. For more information on tyre safety, visit TyreSafe.org.

SNIPPETS 2 …..…After the topic of dazzling headlights hit the national media, Ring is reinforcing facts to bring understanding to this topic.

Ring has been a driving force in the industry, alongside its parent company OSRAM, to ensure that standards are being met when it comes to the performance and safety of headlights. The company revealed that during a routine test it undertook of bulbs in the marketplace, thirty three bulbs from five manufacturers were tested, with sixteen – almost half – found to be illegal. This is just one example of the part Ring plays to ensure bulbs in the UK are safe and compliant.

However, the topic of glare and dazzle from headlights continues to be discussed, with many not understanding the underlying causes.

The most common is unfortunately inconsiderate drivers that are not dropping from high beam to low beam. While there is a time and place for high beam, inappropriate use is down to driver behaviour and not due to the car or its headlights.

Another cause is misalignment, so if a bulb hasn’t been fitted correctly, it is not set in the headlight unit correctly, therefore can cause dazzle drivers rather than putting light on the road as intended, as the bulb is pointing in the wrong direction.

There are also more SUVs on UK roads than ever before, their lights are naturally higher than on conventional vehicles and, although this shouldn’t cause dazzle, the effect may be accentuated when driving up or downhill.

Retro-fitting bulbs is an unregulated market, so anyone can replace their regular bulbs with cheap HID kits or LED bulbs bought online and that are not designed to conform to legal regulations. Whilst some comply with the law, others are illegal and may be throwing out too much light in a less controlled way

The final, and most worrying reason, is poor quality bulbs, of which there are many, as brands cut costs by producing cheap and unregulated bulbs with no research, testing or quality control.

There has also been confusion over LEDs causing glare on the road. LED bulbs are currently not road-legal and should not be confused with LED light units that are a non-replaceable components. Many new vehicles that use these LED light units have been homologated with the headlamps. These LEDs are road-legal. LED bulbs though, remain not road legal. They have not been designed to work with the headlamp units for halogen bulbs and so cause glare..

There are brighter bulbs in the market that are popular, which do put more light onto the road, however, that’s only where the light is needed and does not cause glare or dazzle. High-quality materials and detailed engineering ensure the light output is maximised on to the road, conforms to the legal cut-off marks and is not scattered across into the other lane to dazzle. The whiter lights used in these are more noticeable and human eyes are drawn to notice whiter colour temperature light, but that is different to causing glare.

Marketing Director for Ring, Henry Bisson, said: “Glare and dazzle continue to be a massive discussion point among drivers, so we are regularly asked about it. However, there is a lot of misinformation out there. We feel that it’s a duty of ours to comment on these issues and use our knowledge and expertise to convey the facts.

“We have also found that drivers are asking their technicians or factors about the issues, so we wanted to explain all of the possible causes so that they can be fully informed and pass on the message to drivers who are concerned. It’s important that we educate the market wherever we can and this is just one instance where we have knowledge to share and are happy to do so.”

More from www.ringautomotive,com

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STEVO’S BEER TIP – FIRST AND LAST BREWERY – ROWAN IRISH RED ALE

CHAMPIONING THE BEERS OF THE UK’S BRILLIANT CRAFT – AND MICRO-BREWERIES.

Nothing like enjoying a beer after an afternoon in the garage or following a drive out. OBVIOUSLY, we don’t condone or promote drink driving at totalkitcar.com/TKC MAG but once the driving is done there’s nothing like a quality drop of real ale.

I’ve been amazed at some of the low-volume craft beers that have been appearing. The names of some of them are crazy enough, some of those I have tasted have been off the charts. A recent one that tasted like Battenberg or breakfast pancakes springs to mind.

A mate lobbed me a couple of cans of a very interesting beer from Bellingham, Northumberland-based micro, First and Last Brewery this week. Rowan, Irish Red Ale a session beer of 4% ABV has amazing aromas of plum pudding and those malted milk biscuits we had as a kid (don’t rry dunking them in tea, they collapse!).

A pleasing, intense deep red colour, with a fruity mouthfeel end up with a taste of honey and warm spice. A complex, but very tasty beer. More from www.firstandlastbrewery.co.uk.

So, that’s about it from me for this week, so I’ll bid you a great seven days, with plenty of enjoyable driving and I look forward to welcoming you once again next Friday – JANUARY 24 – La vie et belle!

Best regards

Steve