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A WARM Welcome to totalkitcar online … There seems to be a little bit of confusion about Newark and Lincoln Kit Cars Festivals this year. Just to confirm LINCOLN is REPLACING the NEWARK event on the 2025 calendar.
Don’t forget also that Kitfest is coming up at SANTA POD on April 5 & 6. More from www.kitfest.co.uk.
A GREAT NEW BOOK ON THE BEAST? The Monster Merlin-powered Beast is a genuine icon of the motoring world. Created by Paul Jameson but immortalised by the late John Dodd, once seen – or rather heard! – it’s never forgotten.
John’s son Paul has just released a superb tribute to the car called ‘The Beast – The Story of the World’s Most Infamous Car’ which is out now and costs just £20.
GET YOUR COPY NOW!
It really is a lovely tribute to this amazing vehicle, which still exists, I’m delighted to say. Get yours now by searching ‘Paul Dodd – digital creator’ on Facebook or you can call him on 07775 681 673. Please tell him Steve sent you!
LATEST ISSUE OF TKC MAG
TKC MAG – MARCH/APRIL 2023 issue is still available.
HAWK CARS HF – Front cover feature is the marvellous HAWK CARS HF Lancia Stratos forty years old in 2025 – our twelve page feature covers the past, present and future for this glorious replica.
INDUSTRY GREATS – FORMULA 27 – Although it’s not been around for many years the F27 Roadster grew from a humble ‘pattern and plans’ project into one of the finest Lotus Seven-inspired sportscars. We look at the histiory and also catch up with the man who really drove the project – Steve Porter.
CATERHAM CARS – ‘X’ MARKS THE SPOT – we got our first chance to visit the vast new Caterham Cars factory, known as DARTFORD X, which is in, er, Dartford.
REMEMBERING THE CATERHAM 21 – Second feature of a Caterham-flavour this issue. We look back to the surely under-rated Caterham 21, wich deserved to do better. Arguably, although it went off sale in 1999, it looks better in 2025.
Alternatively, you can CLICK HERE order your MARCH/APRIL 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.
A veritable production line of Hawk HF Stratos replicas under build in the Hawk Cars workshop
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 APRIL and MAY 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.
In CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS this week we feature a great eighties kitcar manufacturer called SOUTHERN ROADCRAFT comes under our spotlight this time. A great little company with lots of fans for their SR V8 Cobra replica and SR V12. A company called Madgwick Motorsport resurrected the SR V8 in the late nineties and noughties and produced some lovely examples of the breed. Dave Carruthers and his son Paul, did a great job. CLICK HERE to go there.
SNIPPETS 1 …….. With almost four years of development behind it, ifndautoparts made a successful public debut at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show at the NEC last weekend.
Interest in the new platform, dedicated solely to buying and selling car parts, was constant throughout the weekend, with impressive numbers of people signing up and a warm reception from car clubs across the entire spectrum of the historic vehicle sector.
Located as part of the FBHVC (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs) stand area, and with a relatively small presence, the stream of interested people that ifndautoparts attracted was constant throughout the three days of the show.
“I think the fact that we are offering people a service that is really unique – and potentially industry-shaking – was something that both the individual enthusiasts and the car clubs instinctively warmed to,” explained ifndautoparts director, Mick Lunn. “After all, anyone who is, or has restored a car, will certainly either need parts, or have parts to sell. Given that, listing parts is free, who wouldn’t be interested?”
Ifndautoparts was also delighted that a number of businesses were instantly interested in having their own virtual shopfront on the platform – and indeed some actually signed up to take advantage of the trade opportunities at the NEC show.
This weekend ifndautoparts switches its thrust towards the car tuning and modifying enthusiasts. The platform has a major presence at Petrolheadonism Underground, which takes place in the car parks around Wembley Stadium.
At Petrolheadinism Underground the ifndautoparts stand will be on a completely different scale from their debut at the NEC. As well as showcasing the ifndautoparts platform, the Wembley event will feature a couple of cars very much in keeping with the Petrolheadonism theme. Visitors will be able to check out the fabulous Nissan R34 Skyline that will sit alongside a truly stunning Ferrari 458 Speciale. Both are sure to be a draw, but anyone coming to the stand can also put themselves through their paces on a reaction skills machine – with prizes on offer for those who best master this piece of training kit that is beloved of top sportsman the world over.
The next big outing for ifndautoparts is this year’s Japfest – the largest UK show for all things related to
Japanese cars, which takes place at Silverstone on April 12-13. Look out for the infdautoparts garage in the pits complex and also the ‘ifndautoparts bullet train’ which will be ferrying visitors around Silverstone over the course of the event!
Visit www.ifndautoparts.com for more information.
SNIPPETS 2 ……. SILVERSTONE FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE 75 YEARS OF F1 AT SILVERSTONE
* Biggest and best-ever gathering of 500cc F3 cars from the 1950s
• Honouring F1 milestone at the circuit where it all began
• Never-seen-before, full-capacity field of diminutive single-seaters
• Don’t miss the Early Bird offer on tickets available until 31 March
Harking back to the very first official points scoring Formula 1 Grand Prix staged at Silverstone 75 years ago, the unrivalled racecard at this summer’s epic Silverstone Festival (August 22-24) includes a very special showdown for charismatic 500cc F3 cars.
Powered by half-litre bike engines, the innovative and affordable 500cc formula provided motorsport-hungry enthusiasts with the perfect opportunity to race on disused aerodromes post the Second World War.
So when the former RAF Silverstone had the honour of staging the opening round of the newly introduced FIA F1 World Championship in 1950, it was no surprise that a colourful field of these pint-sized, 500cc cars provided the only support race in the build-up to the landmark F1 headline feature.
Now, as part, of the amazing 75th anniversary celebrations at this year’s Silverstone Festival, the diminutive single-seaters make a welcome return to the bill… and they return in spectacular style with a world record grid to mark this huge milestone.
Underlining the significance of the occasion, no fewer than 64 entries have been received – all will take to the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit for Qualifying on Friday with a full-capacity 54 car grid then lining up for Sunday’s anniversary race. Further iconic models will be on show in the paddock, too.
The line-up includes drivers from ten different countries and 24 different manufacturers including some delightful oddities such as the Dutch-built Larkens, the one off Petty, the ‘Flash Special’, the unique Jason and the only surviving Mackson.
Cooper became the dominant F3 manufacturer in period and just about every evolution from Mk IV to Mk XIII are entered. It was Cooper, of course, which revolutionised the sport by mounting engines behind the driver in its trend-setting 500cc racers.
In a sign of what was to come by the end of the decade, a modified Cooper 500 T12 was entered into the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix (round two of the new FIA World Championship) for American Harry Schell to drive, marking the first appearance of a rear-engined car in an F1 Grand Prix.
Now restored to its original 500cc specification, that same game-changing Cooper T12 will be among those rolling back the 75 years at Silverstone in August.
Back in 1950, a fresh-faced Stirling Moss – aged just 20 – was one of the large Cooper contingent but, after a race-long battle which kept the huge crowds of more than 150,000 well entertained, young Moss was overtaken on the final corner. Victory went to the fast-finishing Wing-Commander Frank Aikens driving the race of his life in an Iota P1.
Two Iota P1s will be among the full-capacity grid at the Festival alongside other notable marques including Emeryson, JBS and Kieft, that were also prominent in 1950.
“It promises to be both an amazing display and a race to remember for fans and drivers alike,” confirmed a delighted Nigel Challis, 500 Club Chairman. “We had a feeling that this very special 75th anniversary commemoration race would be well received but the response has been absolutely incredible.”
Event director, Nick Wigley, is equally excited. “We will be celebrating 75 years of Formula 1 in many great ways at Silverstone Festival this year and this extraordinary gathering of 500cc F3 cars will not just be a remarkable world record but also a huge highlight for many of those attending. The unique sound of those double-knocker engines and the sweet smell of methanol fuel will be hugely evocative.”
The World Champions Collection is another major way that the Festival will be marking the 75thanniversary of F1 at the circuit where it all began. For the first time ever, cars raced by all 34 F1 Drivers’ World Champions will be part of a very special feature display.
Now including the biggest and best-ever 500cc F3 grid ever mustered, the entry for the race programme over the end-of-summer Bank Holiday weekend looks really strong.
All the sport’s golden years will once again be revived including Masters Racing Legends for F1 cars from the legendary 1966-1985 DFV era and the return of much-loved Group C sportscars. A full list of races as well as a provisional track schedule can be found here.
All Silverstone Festival tickets give access to both racing paddocks, open trackside grandstands plus an incredible line-up of family friendly activities and attractions. These include three evenings of live music concerts from chart-topping performers (this summer’s headliners are Natasha Bedingfield, Craig David presents TS5 and Ministry of Sound Classical), selected vintage fun fair rides, stunt shows and a wealth of other top class family entertainment for all ages. Accompanied children aged 15 and under can attend free (although do need a ticket).
Further information on Silverstone Festival 2025 and full ticket details are available here.
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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 – APRIL 4 – La vie et belle!
Best regards
Steve