the classic you love,drive and restore
‘It got us to the church in time’
We had an old friend who bought this car brand new in 1950, just for weekends, but he didn’t really enjoy driving it, so when he became unwell it was put in a garage and there it stayed. When I was a teenager getting interested in cars, I asked him if he’d ever consider giving it to me, and a few years later he said I could have it on the condition that I take his daughter (my godmother) out for a drive in it once it was restored. Then he started driving again! He bought a Dolomite and lived till he was 90, by which time I’d had the Sunbeam for 20 years. It was in the garage waiting for time and money to restore it properly, until my niece asked if I’d take her to the church in it – that was my incentive. I had a year and a half…
I work in the bodyshop industry so I had all the facilities, and the car was completely stripped to every nut and bolt. It cost me £20k plus my labour, and 18 months later it made it to the wedding. I hadn’t even driven it, but luckily the church was at the bottom of a hill so I knew I could get her there! I also contacted my godmother who I hadn’t spoken to for years, and we went out for a lovely drive. She even managed to find some old black-and-white cine footage of the car. Then the club told me that there were only about 200 of these MkI Sunbeam 90s made, and this is the only survivor they know of.
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To practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk,bauermedia.co.uk,‘Your Cars’. Make sure your pictures are hi-res and that you are in them.
‘I love my Accord, I had one in 1978’
Back in 1978 I worked in one of the UK’s first Honda dealerships and had an Accord as a demonstrator and runabout. I just couldn’t believe how good these Hondas were, compared with many of the European cars that were popular at the time.
This one came up for sale locally – aone-owner car that had been in the area all its life, owned by a local military gentleman and his widow, and it only had about 50k on the clock, so I just had to have it. Being the Executive model, it has air-con (which actually works!) central locking (which doesn’t), electric windows, power steering, and it just drives like all Japanese cars – lovely and light and easy.
I’m into kit cars in quite a big way. I built an MEV Replicar during Covid then, when I couldn’t get it tested I bought myself an MX-5 use I knew I enjoy driving them. However, I discovered that the sills and front chassis rails needed welding, so I had to decide whether to scrap it or play with it... and I chose the latter! I spent a lot of time on fabrication and I’m pleased with how it’s turned out. If any readers would like to have a go, I’m offering these panels for sale at retrocarstyle.com as I made a few.
