PRACTICAL CLASSICS RESTORATION SHOW PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP
The show ’s Pride of Ownership display – where showgoers chose this year’s star car - featured some inspiring classics, so we’ve taken a closer look at all of them. Which one won your vote?
1972 TRIUMPH TR6
I’d longed for aTR6 ever since I started my aerospace apprenticeship in the 1970s but it was 40 years before I finally bought one. It took me about a year to find the right car because I wanted one that had a good body and chassis, and that I could use straight away and improve mechanically as I went along.
I removed the engine and gearbox for a thorough clean and overhaul, went through the suspension, rewired and improved the electrics with extra fuses and relays, and upgraded the fuel system for modern fuels. My late wife, who loved the car, also made and fitted anew interior. It’s got a few upgrades too, such as Mazda MX-5 seats and brake and engine enhancements. I drive it as much as I can and ownership has opened up a whole new world for me. It’s not just about being out on the road but also going to shows and club events and talking to other owners. I think I enjoy cleaning it as much as I do driving it and there’s always something that needs doing to keep me busy.
Taking it out always brings back memories of my wife so there’s no way that I’ll ever be parting with this car.
CLUBS & SPECIALISTS ■ TR Register tr-register.co.uk ■ Triumph Sports Six Club tssc.org.uk ■ James Paddock Cheshire. 01244 399899, jamespaddock.co.uk ■ Revington TR Somerset. 01823 698437, revingtontr.com ■ Southern Triumph Services Dorset. 01202 423687, southerntriumph.co.uk ■ TD Fitchett Ltd Shropshire. 01952 620434, tdfitchett.co.uk ■ TRGB Cambridgeshire. 01487 842168, trgb.co.uk
1982 BMW 323i
My father was stationed in Germany with the British forces back in the late 1970s, and we went to a car show in Frankfurt when I was 16. That’s when I first clapped eyes on a first-generation 3 Series and I knew then that I’d love to own one. My father actually ordered a Mercedes-Benz but I never forgot the BMW, though I didn’t actually get my hands on this car until 1984.
Having owned it for 40 years I certainly won’t be parting with it now, and it was in regular use until 2015. By that point it was beginning to show its age, though, and I knew that the bodywork was going to need some attention. I had some welding done and treated it to a full respray, and since then I just enjoy drives in the summer months.
It’s had a few upgrades, including Bilstein suspension, a Hartge front strut brace and Alpina wheels and steering wheel; and I love the way it looks. It’s quite rare in still having its original engine; they often get repla
