Welcome to totalkitcar online………Been hearing some promising reports from a variety of manufacturers of late about how good January 2010 was for them. A perhaps unexpected buoyant start to the new year and there seems to be a welcome bit of enthusiasm around some manufacturers at the minute. Let’s hope it continues and grows farther over the coming months…

Welcome to totalkitcar online...

Very sad to hear about the death of legendary guitarist Mick Green of Pirates fame. A band I really liked back in the late seventies and Mick along with Johnny Spence (ld vocals, bass) and drummer, Frank Farley blew up a storm on tracks such as 'Gibson Martin Fender', 'Honey Hush' and the wonderful, 'Drinkin' Wine Spodee O Dee'. Brilliant stuff. A superb guitarist, Green had a unique lead and rhythm playing style influencing Pete Townshend and Wilko Johnson, while as a songwriter he contributed tracks to Status Quo and Dr Feelgood among many others. RIP Mick. 

For the very latest kitcar-related NEWS……..just CLICK HERE.

Birkin in the NEWS this week.

tkc mag JAN/FEB 2010 issue…………is in the shops NOW.

Front cover star this issue is the brand new AK 427 Generation II demonstrator and also a look at the gorgeous WB Special, a car with a very intriguing story behind it, hailing right back to the early sixties, plus we’ve other stuff to satiate your historical kitcar bent.

Also in the line-up this time are: GT40 Supercars CAV GT, hot rod big-cheese, Tony Thacker, on Jesse James, AK 427 Generation II, Extreme DTM AMG oh and lots of stuff, really, plus we’ve even got a surprise or two…

CLICK HERE for UK (POST-FREE); HERE for EUROPE and for Rest of the World, GO HERE.

Here’s a quick glance guide at kitcar-friendly events announced thus far for

2010. We’ll add to the list as we get the dates, so you can update your new diaries:    

TWO NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM TKC MAG……

BRAND NEW LSIS & BIKE ENGINE GUIDE…………hot off the press and making its début at the Autosport Show this weekend is our Lotus Seven-Inspired Sportscar and Bike Engine Guide. Everything you need to know. Just £10 and POST-FREE in the UK. CLICK HERE.

COBRA REPLICA GUIDE (THIRD REPRINT)……..if you own, are interested in or want to buy this publication is for you. Just £10 and POST-FREE in the UK. CLICK HERE

SNIPPETS 1……..Kitcar owners can now ensure that the true value of their vehicle is protected, thanks to the launch of a new Kit Car Agreed Value policy by Footman James.

The new policy, which has been launched in response to feedback from kitcar owners, protects the value of a vehicle, taking into account its pedigree and the condition of the individual vehicle.

Footman James’ managing director, Paul Matthews, said: “Our customers tell us that agreed value is the most important feature of their insurance policy, therefore we are delighted to be able to roll this option out to our kit car customers.

“An agreed value policy looks at each individual vehicle separately, noting its condition and heritage, resulting in a more accurate value for that particular vehicle should the worst happen and you need to make a claim.

“Conversely, a standard motor insurance policy will, in the case of a total loss, pay out the vehicle’s market value – relevant to the day that the claim was made.”

The policy is available for the majority of marques over five years of age. Valuation periods for those with agreed value policies will be three years if the vehicle is 5-19 years old, and four years if it is 20-years old or more.

Customers applying for the new policy can provide a self-valuation if the vehicle is worth £15,000 or less, and must seek a professional valuation if it is worth above £15,000. More from www.footmanjames.co.uk

SNIPPETS 2……..Reader and manufacturer of the Minari and Nu-Snake kits, Paul Featherstone-Harvey has been in touch with the following:

Hi Steve; I thought this company may be worth a mention on your site as they are
very inexpensive and good for the supply of general workshop supplies. I have
used them for years and not found a cheaper and faster service mail
order. Now they are on line at http://www.beal.org.uk/ highly recommended
and will be a godsend to all car builders.

Thanks for that, Paul.

SNIPPETS 3……….Fast approaching is the wonderful RACE RETRO event taking place at Stoneleigh on March 12-14.

2010 marks the 7th International Historic Motorsport Show for Classic Cars and Bikes and if you’ve never been we’d recommend a trip, as you won’t be disappointed.

Once again tkc mag will have a presence with a stand in the new hall at the NAC. More information as the show approaches.

Tickets can be purchased in advance via 0871 230 7157 or www.raceretro.com or on the day adult admission prices are: Friday £25 and Sat/Sun £20 (children 5-15 £5 and FREE on the Sunday. See you there.

We'll be at the superb Race Retro show at Stoneleigh NAC on March 12-14.

You can visit the………… tkc mag - FACEBOOK page - HERE. We’d really love you to become a fan of the magazine and just for going to the page and linking up with us, you never know you could win a ‘spot’ prize.

You can now access the past five weeks NEWS HEADLINES. Just click on the relevant link below… 

IVA UPDATE……… Here’s our list of manufacturers who we know have had a car PASS IVA. This list is growing and we’ll add to this as we are advised of more passes…

IVA GENERAL INFORMATION = www.businesslink.gov.uk/iva

IVA FORMS = www.businesslink.gov.uk/ivaforms

IVA FEES = www.businesslink.gov.uk/ivafees

If you’ve just discovered totalkitcar magazine….BACK ISSUES are of course available, although the issues marked accordingly are SOLD OUT. Apart from that we can supply all the copies you’ve missed out on. CLICK HERE to find the issue you’d like to buy or give us a ring. July/Aug and Sept/Oct 2009 are now BOTH sold out…

Missed a copy? Most back issues still available although BOTH July/Aug 2009 and Sept/Oct 2009 are now sold out, I'm afraid.

If you like giving your car a good workout on-track………. You really should visit our TRACKDAYS calendar, which must be one of the most definitive around with dates, venues, prices and contact details of organisers. Events take place at circuits all over the UK and our list currently highlights those in February, March & April 2010. Just CLICK HERE to go there.

In BOOK REVIEWS this week……….we take a look at a new Ebury Press title called ‘The Tent, The Bucket and Me’ by Emma Kennedy. CLICK HERE.

Stevo’s Classic Blues Rock CD Player Focuses This Week On...…..JOHN COGHLAN

Think back all those years to the early seventies and a band called Status Quo. Between 1971-76 they were untouchable. Albums such as Dog Of Two Head, Piledriver, Hello, Quo, Blue For You and the majestic Quo Live were filed with raucous 12-bar boogie and some classic tracks. Sure, there was Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi (still is) but there was also the engine room of bassist, Alan Lancaster and one of the finest drummers to grace a drum stool. Ladies and gentlemen I give you, John Coghlan.

Laying down a huge backbeat was Mr Coghlan, steady, dependable and powerful. An old pub drummer, a mate’s dad, said to me once: “no one plays the high hat and cymbals better than ‘im.”

Think of songs of the calibre of ‘Big Fat Mama’, ‘Just Take Me’, ‘Roll Over Lay Down’, ‘Forty Five Hundred Times’ and ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ and Coghlan was a crucial part of the Quo’s sound.

He left the band way back in 1982 although has been busy since with a variety of bands such as Diesel and his recent album with his own band John Coghlan’s Quo revisits the old classics and it’s cracking. Visit iTunes and find out more. Visit www.johncoghlan.com

That’s about it from me this week, so until next Friday (February 12) I hope you have a great seven days. See Ya…

Best Regards

Steve