How To Get Involved in the Classic Car Industry

The current popularity of the classic car industry is now bigger than ever! With over 28,000 people in the UK earning a living directly from the industry, which is a vast increase from what it was just 5 years ago. The industry has been named the ‘£4 million hobby’ due to the massive number of people who spend hundreds of thousands of pounds a year on buying and modifying these classic cars.  The industry has boomed in the past few years, despite the recession.

There are many ways to get involved in the industry. Due to the large number of people interested in the industry, you are never far away from a car enthusiast or club! Whether you’re a beginner or an expert in cars or classic cars, buying or restoring, you will always need to begin by conducting research. It is vitally important that you know what interests you, what is available, and what your budget is. Once you have begun to look into what you want, you can see if there are any local clubs or organisations – by doing this you can meet other people who are also conducting similar projects. Here you can share tips and ideas, and also find out more about the car industry.

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(Image) http://www.classic-car-restorations.co.uk/

The next step is buying your car. Whether you want to buy a fully restored car, or a car that needs restoring, you will need to look in similar places. Many classic cars are sold online at online actions, and also on specific classic car websites. Buying a classic car is mostly the same as buying a regular car, however there are more specific places in which you can buy from, and a lot more questions involved. In addition to the internet, you can find classic cars at car auctions, in magazines, etc. however the internet will allow you to have the widest variety of choice and information. You can also sometimes buy cars, or make an offer on a classic car, at a car show. Car shows are conducted all year round at thousands of different locations and by countless organisations, and cover all different types of cars.

Once you have found a car, or a few cars you like, you will need to decide whether or not it/they are the perfect car for you. You need to ask yourself these questions:

  • Is the car within my budget?
  • Will I be able to restore the car myself? Or will I need help? If so do I know how to find help?
  • Do I have the time and space to restore the car?

When buying your car, it is important that you ask the seller anything that you need to know – after all it’s your decision whether or not you buy, the seller needs to make sure you are happy with it. The main points you should cover are the cars history, any major & minor problems with the engine, mechanics, electronics (if it has any) etc., and why the seller is selling the car – this is important as it could be that the car is going to be harder to restore, or there are underlying problems or issues with the car. When viewing the car, you should also conduct a visual inspection and test drive (if you can, if the car is safe to be driven), to get a better insight into the car and what you are buying.

Once you have decided to buy the car, your next step is to restore it. This could take weeks, months or even years. When restoring the car, you will need to ensure that you research into how to restore the car, where to buy parts, and try to gain some inspiration. Restoring your car will not be an easy job, and will take time, money, practice and motivation – but it’ll all be worth it in the end.

ScreenHunter_21 (Image) www.carrestoration.net 
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This guest post comes to us courtesy of Amanda Walters, a journalist, blogger, poet and an artist. She has written for various websites including Huffington Post, DailyWaffle and had her concrete poetry work exhibited at university events in the UK. She loves to network, attend events across the UK, and loves to learn in order to expand her horizons and gain inspiration from those around her. Follow her on twitter.

Proud to be British: Historical Cars

When you think of British cars, you will automatically think of sports cars, Rolls-Royce, along with the typically British Land Rover and Mini! Britain has been an established car manufacturer since the late 1800s. With exquisite iconic brands such as Aston Martin, McLaren, Lotus, TVR, Bentley and Jaguar exporting the epitome of British-ness to over 170 countries.

It was in 1860, when Thomas Rickett, made the first British steam-powered car… The rest is history. It was then car manufacturer Rootes, who fast tracked Britain in to becoming Europe’s largest motor distributing company by 1926.

1860 Rickett Steam Carriage photo 1860RickettSteamCarriage_zpsf033c0ee.jpg

1860 Rickett Steam Carriage (drawing)

Car business was booming as people wanted to find new ways of achieving that adrenaline rush. In 1909, Louis Coatalen was appointed as chief engineer at Sunbeam and began designing cars capable of achieving high-speed records at Brooklands racetrack in Surrey.

The car industry truly flourished around the time of the war. There was a rush for new technology, safer and quicker transport, and this only fed our need for speed. British sports cars are iconic, and popularity increased significantly during the 1950s. The war was finally over, and many people had disposable income to play with. Motor racing was also thriving, and more people wanted to feel that rush.

In 1973, Caterham Cars in Surrey opened its doors, developing specialist lightweight sports cars.  It was Colin Chapman that launched the Lotus Seven, which has since been evolved in to the Caterham Seven, still in production today.

Surrey itself is rich in car manufacturing history, with Invicta gaining sporting success when it won awards for reliability in 1926 driving 5,000 miles. Recently, the name was revived for the Invicta S1 sports car produced between 2008 and 2012. The company Auto Carriers Ltd, also known as “AC”, also moved to moved to Surrey in 1911. Their first four-wheeled car was produced in 1913; it was another little sporty number that Britain could be proud of. Be sure to find a car dealer in surrey, which can help find you that perfect car. Be proud to be British.

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This post is the first of a number of weekend guest posts that are currently in the works. It comes to us courtesy of Amanda Walters, a journalist, blogger, poet and an artist. She have written for various websites including Huffington Post, DailyWaffle and had her concrete poetry work exhibited at university events in the UK. She love to network, attend events across the UK, and loves to learn in order to expand my horizons and gain inspiration from those around her. Follow her on twitter.