GIANT TEST
The people and the stories behind the motors
1971 SUNBEAM STILETTO
This car was laid up in the back of a garage in 1986 and before that was a one owner from new vehicle. It came to me because they knew I would do right by it, and it’s just been back on the road for a few months now, for the first time in 35 years. The first run was actually for our wedding – I got it ready to get us to the church on time, then last weekend it did a classic tour and didn’t miss a beat.
I’ve actually got 14 Imps or Imp variants, and I have had them all my life, we were an Imp family I was brought up with them. Once people know you are into them, people bring them to you… hence 14. This is a dream come true car, I have known about it for a while, and it only came to me because I would make sure it was sympath-etically returned to the road, not resprayed or modded, but preserved. It's a Sixties car, but it feels really modern and fun. They make people smile and also the club is really good, a great bunch to be around.
1984 MG MAESTRO 1600 ‘ARTHUR’
Having had a 1300L, I knew I needed a talking one, so I bought him in 2013… 10 years with me this month in fact! I am in touch with the original owner and I am indebted to all the previous owners for looking after him so well… they are the only reason he is still here… alive and talking! That is why he engages with people so well, I do a lot of outreach and community work and everyone loves the talking dash. At a school visit about a week ago they loved the voice synth, but they also could not believe how noisy it is and how much space there is around the engine. So this car works for its living in the community and helps me at Cowley Heritage tell the story of car making in Oxford.
My family connection goes back a long way, my great grandfather, the 7th Earl of Macclesfield lent Morris £4000 to start the business at Cowley. My parents didn’t really own Leyland cars, so part of my rebellion was to own nothing else! I was an apprentice at Cowley between the ages 17 and 20 and now I am a community outreach worker, helping ex-plant workers to keep active, connected and busy.
2003 MG ZS V6
I bought it in the summer of 2022 from the original family who purchased it new in 2003 from Cappins in Lewes. The father went to buy it and was going in for a 75, but saw this bright yellow car and thought it looked more fun, so bought that instead. The Rover engineers, it is said, had most fun developing this car simply because the Honda it was based on lent itself to being modified more easily. I look at the outline and think Honda Civi
