MODERN CLASSICS
‘Our hobby is in safe hands’
Having entered the classic car world as a fresh-faced enthusiast in the early Noughties, I understand better than most how difficult it is to attract younger people to an ‘old-fashioned’ hobby. I may no longer be a young enthusiast, but there’s clearly a new generation of fans and workers taking up the baton behind me.
Spearheaded by the fantastic Heritage Skills Academy (HSA) initiative at Bicester Heritage, there’s been a big effort in recent years to engage young people with traditional mechanical methods. Many graduates of the HSA, which launched in 2015, now work in the industry at companies including classic Range Rover specialist Kingsley Cars and McGrath Maserati. I've visited the HSA – and it has plenty of passion and knowledge to share.
I’ve heard many times from classic car businesses how difficult it is to find young people to fill vital roles. But I’m now hearing brighter news. For example, HSA apprentice Luke Henshaw (19) at Derbyshire’s Great British Car Journey has been nominated for Visit England’s Tourism Superstar 2023 Award.
Suffice it to say, our beloved cars and hobby seem to be in safe hands.
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REVIEW
J-J is reminded why he was an oaf to sell his one
Now, I say this as a former owner of several front-engined Porsches: factory 944s, and especially stock 924s, are underpowered.
If you never push your classic hard, or only get your kicks from going fast in a straight line, you’ll likely think that’s the end of the story – far from it. The chassis balance and grip available from these machines is almost unparalleled for the period – the only contemporaries I’ve driven that can match or top these Porsches are made by Lotus.
I owned several 944s many years ago, but more fun by far was my 924 Turbo (wish I hadn’t sold it). I loved how its 170bhp (177bhp from ’81) turbocharged motor allowed me to make the most of that deliciously balanced and forgiving chassis.
The delivery was laggy, of course, but that added to the theatre; and unlike its blown 911 cousin, it didn’t try to kill me before I’d learned its ways. I was always amazed how the combination of a great chassis, low weight and power that you’d find in your average diesel hatch these days, could catch out drivers of cars that were supposed to be far faster.
I wasn’t the first to learn of the 924’s giant-slaying character, of course – as an interview with Tony Dron and Andy Rouse a few years ago proved to me. This pair of racing legends, now sadly down one member (RIP Tony), recalled to me their famously patriotic 1980 Le Mans campaign.
