STOP PRESS – SAMPLER SIX-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION (THREE ISSUES) SUBSCRIPTION TO TKC MAG – JUST £19.99 (UK ONLY) – CLICK HERE.

TKC MAG – SIX-MONTH UK SUBSCRIPTION – CLICK HERE

A warm WELCOME to totalkitcar online … The numbers are in.

We received our latest quarterly figures for totalkitcar.com this week. We get them quarterly. I am delighted and proud to say that this little old website – now in its 25^th year, by the way – is performing better than it has ever done. The last three months of 2024 saw us average an astonishing 16,447 unique visitors (that’s individual people). Indeed, the site enjoyed it BEST EVER month in December 2024 with 18,387 visitors!

They are massive numbers for a little old website devoted to kitcars. To think I started it 25 years ago with a blank Word document, a lot of passion for the subject and a website that cost me £100 to set up! AMAZING.

Well, dear reader I cannot THANK YOU enough. I know it’s a free-access site (it always will be, I promise) BUT I am still immensely grateful for you giving us some of your valuable time to visit us. Regardless of whether you spend 30 seconds with us or as like 10 per cent of visitors ‘over 30 minutes’ you are WARMLY WELCOME.

Welcome also to the large number of visitors from North America who seem to have discovered us in recent months.

Onwards and upwards and we have some plans to bring new elements to totalkitcar.com although I have never believed in changing a winning team.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.

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.

Front 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 recebtly 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 and the part he has played in building and promoting great kitcars but hopefully this feature well make more people aware of him

ERA R10 – A new era for Tiger Racing. A namechange 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-skelatal 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.

A new feature in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS this week with a look at Christopher Neil Lotus and their CN Sprint and CN Cabriolet. By the way, there wasn’t a chap called ‘Christopher Neil’ but there was a ‘Christopher’ and a ‘Neil’. CLICK HERE to read the fascinating story of a great specialist car company that still exists today.

SNIPPETS 1 …….. Two pieces of kitcar show news. DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES.

Fir comes a new event at the brilliant Great British Car Journey museum in Derbyshire owned and run by Blyton Park founder, Richard Usher.

We’ve worked with Richard on many occasions before so we are delighted that the event on JULY 31 will have our name on it. More details on this one, soon.

Secondly, Grosvenor Shows has announced a NEW second event called the KIT & SPORTSCAR SHOW to be held at LINCOLN SHOWGROUND (crikey, that will be the first return to the event in perhaps 42 years for the kitcar industry!) over the weekend of JULY 30-31. More on that one forthcoming, too.

WATCH THIS SPACE.

SNIPPETS 2 …..…The British Motor Museum has announced two more evening Museum Late events. From Sketch to Street takes place on February 11 and Backstage Tours takes place on March 11.

On February 11, visitors will have the chance to see the Collections Team showcase the fascinating work they do to keep the museum running. This exciting opportunity will enable visitors to immerse themselves in the world of car design, based around the museum’s ground-breaking exhibition ‘From Sketch to Street’.

This insightful event will include exclusive after-hours access to the museum and ‘From Sketch to Street’ exhibition as well as a brand new talk: Ciao Inghilterra! How British cars got Italian style. Visitors will be able to unpick the processes and people behind the cars and see how their own ideas meet those of other enthusiasts.

On March 11, visitors will have the rare opportunity to access behind-the-scenes collections areas through guided tours and supported experiences. The archive team will be on hand to take visitors on a specialist tour of the extensive collection of historical documents, images and films and enable visitors to learn about how Heritage Certificates are made. Visitors will also be able to explore the museum and chat to the Curatorial team in their extensive artefact stores.

Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting these two events. On February 11, visitors will have the chance to gain a unique insight into the process of car design and listen to a fascinating talk on the evolution of British automotive style and on March 11, visitors will have the rare and exclusive opportunity to explore the host of treasures within the Archive and artefact stores, from historical documents to toys of the past. Both Late events are not to be missed!”

Tickets for ‘From Sketch to Street’ cost £20 per person and tickets for ‘Backstage Tours’ cost £25 per person. Both ticket prices include drinks and a two course meal. Discounted tickets are available for Members. As this event is outside regular museum opening hours, Annual Passes are not valid.

Limited places are available, so early booking is advised. For more information, please visit the website https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/museum-late-exhibition and https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/museum-late-backstage-tours  c

SNIPPETS 3 …….. Lancia 037 – Dave Kedward brings the iconic beast to life.

Adrian Kermode’s – Porsche 911

Marcus Padgett’s – Nissan Sunny

Mike Smith – Hillman Imp

Dave Bonning  – Escort Cosworth

Race Retro will see a specialist display of the Metro 6R4

On the Rallying with Group B Hall of Fame

Metro 6R4 Clubman Version – Rare and ready to impress.

Metro 6R4 International Spec – A rally thoroughbred.

Metro DAM 4100 – David Appleby’s engineering masterpiece.

John Price’s Ferodo MG Metro 6R4 – His final build and a true stunner.

In the Auction

1986 MG Metro 6R4 ‘Group B’ – Rally history, yours for £275–325k.

1987 MG Metro 6R4 ‘Clubman’ – Just 3,423 miles, priced at £200–240k.

Six incredible 6R4s. One show. Be there!

To book tickets visit https://raceretro.seetickets.com/content/ticket-options/?src=EMAIL but you can  USE DISCOUNT CODE ‘EM17′ TO SAVE £2 PER TICKET!

SNIPPETS 4 …….. SPECIAL OFFER: 12 months FREE Total Motor Assist for all totalkitcar.com readers!

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UK-wide accident recovery

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Like-for-like replacement car

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Specialist legal support

Saves you from paying any excess

Helps protect your no-claims

24/7 UK-based helpline

Trusted by thousands of members and over 150 organisations, we’re delighted to invite you to join free today at https://tkc.assistprotect.co.uk.

Now with free cycling support and property damage repair as well when you join!

ITALIAN SPORTS BIKES

A new little series celebrating Italian sports bikes, a particular passion of mine.

We kick off with the latest PANIGALE V2 from Ducati.

Ducati.com describes it thus: “The new Ducati Panigale V2 marks a historic transition in the history of Borgo Panigale twin-cylinder sports bikes, because for the first time it is not derived from the larger motorcycle that competes in Superbike. Designed totally from scratch, it is the lightest ever Panigale. It weighs 17kg less than the previous model, from which it inherits its sports attitude and adds a level of ease, comfort and riding pleasure.”

Yours from £16,995.

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 – FEBRUARY 7 – La vie et belle!

Best regards

Steve