From ’50s roadsters to Chieftain tanks, Brian Page has been helping classic vehicle buyers for 30 years
WORDS RYAN STANDEN PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN BRADSHAW
Hear that ticking? That is the tappet on the third cylinder,” says Brian Page, poring over the engine bay. “It needs adjusting. And itʼs got a modified camshaft.”
Brian is at Silverstone circuit to inspect a 1957 Triumph TR3A for a potential buyer before it crosses the block with Iconic Auctioneers. His company, Classic Assessments, is a one-man band that in 2023 marks 30 years in business.
In that time Brian has probed around 5500 different vehicles, including more than 600 Jaguar E-types, 400 MGBs and 300 Triumph TR6s. He travels the UK and further afield to inspect classic cars for clients, and each time he scours the exterior and interior to provide a detailed report on the vehicleʼs condition. “Iʼm not a mechanic,” he says. “Iʼm an assessor. Thereʼs a difference. When I look at an engine, I see an exploded diagram and can isolate each part. Iʼve always had that ability, but across 30 years it has been refined.
“Generally, if Iʼm inspecting a vehicle, I like to be able to use a lift. If not, I normally bring jacks and axle stands. I didnʼt do that today because I know that TR3As are particularly low so itʼs hard to get a jack underneath them. Thatʼs why we crawled about on the floor.”
A typical inspection will last between two and three hours, during which time Brian will minutely scrutinise the subject carʼs body panels, paintwork, interior, engine, brakes, suspension, chassis, paperwork and more.
“I look to see if the car has been painted or rustproofed, then I try to see through that,” he explains. When Iʼm satisfied that the vehicle is safe, Iʼll take it for a test drive. Itʼs not about zooming off down the road at 90mph; itʼs about driving it on a mixture of road surfaces and performing slow manoeuvres.”
Brian has looked at some ropey classics in his time, but admits that this restored Triumph is a fairly straightforward job. “Itʼs better than some professional restorations Iʼve seen,” he says. “The paintwork is lovely. It could do with a bit more polish, but the standard of the finish is really excellent. It goes far better than the original car – and it stops far better, too.”
Brian was a founding member of Southend and Distric
