THE STORY OF TRIDENT CARS
Sep 14th
STEVE HOLE TELLS THE STORY OF TRIDENT CARS – Images by Carol Hardy
The original Trident was a model for TVR, with styling by Trevor Fiore (original name Frost). It was built by Italian styling house, Carrozzeria Fissore
TVR, owned at that time by Grantura Plastics, run by Arnold Burton, had gone into liquidation and Bill Last of Viking Performance, a TVR dealer, for the East Anglia area (Woodbridge, later Ipswich) and familiar to the specialist car scene, purchased the last of three Trident prototypes (a convertible), with the intention of productionising it. Last also produced tuned engines for Elva, for a More >
WEBCON’S NEW CROSSFLOW MANIFOLD
Sep 7th
Ford’s legendary Crossflow (Kent) engine first entered production in the 1960s. Although it has not been made for around forty years, tuning this engine is as popular as ever. While many tuners favour a pair of Weber 40DCOEs, a significant number prefer the driveability and economy of a Weber 32/36DGV.
Despite the cessation of Ford’s production of the single carburettor manifold years ago demand is still strong and Webcon is thus delighted to announce that it has tooled up to produce the twin choke manifold for the Crossflow once again.
As you would expect, the revived manifold is made by Webcon in More >
NEW AT BURTON POWER – CASTROL CLASSIC!
Sep 7th
Burton Power has just taken on the Castrol Classic range of lubricants including Castrol Classic XL20w/50 and Castrol GTX Classic 10w/40 engine oil.
Castrol Classic XL20w/50 is for pre-1980 classic cars and motorcycles. It is a premium multigrade engine oil with a good all-round performance having been formulated with high-quality mineral oils plus carefully selected additives. It is ideally suited to older technology and classic car engines that require heavier multigrade oil. Castrol Classic XL20w/50 is sold in the traditional green Castrol one-gallon (4.5L) can and can be ordered as part number CAS1925 at £39.95 (inc VAT).
For younger classics there is More >
TWIST AND LOCK. EASY AS …
Sep 7th
New from Laser Tools: the Twist-Lock Socket Trays. Designed to keep your sockets securely organised, these handy trays come in three convenient sizes: 1/4in-drive, 3/8in-drive and 1/2in-drive, catering to all your socket storage needs.
Their user-friendly twist and lock mechanism securely holds the sockets in place, ensuring they stay organised by size and easily accessible. The socket tray also features a soft non-slip rubber backing to keep it in place and prevent any scratches. Ideal for in-drawer storage, these socket trays are a must-have addition to your workshop.
Part Number 8632 — for 1/4in-Drive Sockets:
This is the perfect storage solution for up More >
DOM IS GREAT WITH PRODUCT NAMES
Sep 7th
As the nights draw in and the temperatures plummet, car owners begin to dread the Sunday morning removal of salt, mud and road grime as part of their car care routine. Luckily, the clever chemists at Dodo Juice have made it all the work of mere moments, with Crudzilla.
As the name suggests, this ballistic blue beast will rip through any accumulated crud, blitzing contaminants at the pre-wash stage to take care of most of the nasties before the contact wash stage begins, making it all much easier and much safer for the paintwork beneath. It’s also fabulous at stripping back More >
RING GET THE JUMP
Sep 7th
Increasing its product portfolio even further, renowned automotive lighting and auto electrics supplier, Ring, has introduced a professional heavy-duty Lithium Jump Starter, that has a host of features that workshops will find incredibly useful.
In order to continue to provide technicians with the best tools in order to carry out their tasks with more efficiency, Ring has launched a jump starter (RPPL1000) that is able to withstand the tough conditions of a workshop but is also lightweight (weighs 2kg) and compact, so it can be moved quickly and easily to where it’s needed.
The RPPL1000 jump starter is for 12V systems with More >
MORE TEMPTATION FROM MACHINE MART
Sep 7th
Exciting news for all tools and machinery fanatics, the NEW Autumn-Winter Machine Mart catalogue is out and ready in time for Christmas!
The 492-page catalogue is full to the brim with all the tools, machinery and equipment you need, whether you’re a hobbyist, DIY enthusiast or professional tradesmen.
This latest edition of the catalogue, the 71st in total, includes over 1000 price cuts and new products meaning it is a ‘must have’ for all enthusiasts.
With over 5000 products in the catalogue and over 15,000 ‘Xtra’ products online, you’ll be sure to find what you need at Machine Mart.
So get your FREE copy More >
EFFECTIVE ELECTRIC CHARGING OPTIONS
Sep 7th
New research has revealed that nearly half of UK homeowners (49 per cent) are considering paving over their front gardens to accommodate an electric vehicle in the future.
The poll of 2000 homeowners by EO Charging, an independent British charging point manufacturer, looked at how they are balancing the opportunity for greener motoring with the potential loss of green space, as lawns and borders make way for more paving to enable EV parking and charging.
It found that one in ten (13 per cent) UK homeowners currently own or have owned an EV.
The top three areas are London (29 per cent), West More >
JINGLE BELLS!
Sep 7th
It may seem a little premature to be polishing your jingle bells right now but if you want to kick your Christmas off with a bang you should know about the Heritage Santa Cruise on Sunday, December 3 ASAP, before your festive social calendar becomes too full to take part.
Being run for a thirteenth time in 2023, owners of VW, Land Rover, Porsche, and other cherished vehicles are invited to bring their families (and pets) to partake in this fancy-dress Father Christmas convoy, which spreads yuletide cheer across the Southeast and typically raises around £1000 for good causes.
In exchange for More >
THE HISTORY OF SMITHS INSTRUMENTS
Sep 6th
[title] SMITHS INSTRUMENTS
STEVE HOLE rounds up the story of SMITHS INSTRUMENTS whose gauges have been used in kitcars for many, many years.
The company was founded in London way back in 1851 by Samuel Smith, who set up a jewellery shop in Newington Causeway in South East London. He specialised in chronometers and other scientific instruments.
The company grew quickly but Smith died in 1875 aged just 49. The business had re-located to a much grander address on The Strand in London’s West End.
Smith & Sons merged with their new next-door neighbours, diamond merchants, Charles Frodham and by 1895 they had re-located More >
