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Verified unique readers per month for this website currently averages 17,991 (covering JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2026). UP AGAIN!
A warm welcome to totalkitcar online … Gerry Hawkridge at Hawk Cars is having a garage clearout sale that includes lots of useful, random stuff such as a couple of Rover V8 engines and MGB differentials. What’s even better is that everything is priced at £50 each. Hurry though…call 01892 750 241 or visit www.hawkcars.co.uk.
OUT NOW! TKC MAG – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 issue
Welcome to the September/October 2026 issue, dear reader. Plenty more to entertain you with this Autumn. Here’s just a taster.
RPGER COOK R.I.P – We say farewell to an old mate
INDUSTRY GREATS – STUART MILLS [MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES] – Stuart’s considerable career in-profile
SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE NOW POST-FREE (UK ONLY)
ULTIMA GTR RESTORATION – Amazing 26-Year-Old GTR Restored by Rob Hawkins
ARISTOCAT SPORTS – James Webber talks to the owner of this lovely example of the breed
ONE THAT TIME FORGOT – A B.R.A J-TYPE ROADSTER – Reader John Wright tells us about his lovely survivor
WHAT‘S COMING NEXT – SNEAK PEEK!
HEAD THE THE BEACH – Who remembers the MANTA RAY?
INTRODUCING – AVA of NORWAY – Superb range of kitcar friendly pressure washers and accessories
PLUS much more besides…
BUY TKC MAG – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 issue NOW
GOODS & SUPPLIERS is ACTIVE AGAIN. It’s certainly less wieldy, is easier to use and well, see what you think. It’s not yet complete by any means but is a workable and useful A-Z listing that I hope you enjoy using and check back regularly because I will be adding to it weekly, almost.
IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS you are in luck. Clicking that button will take you back in time with features on old kitcars, personalities and generally interesting companies who worked within the specialist car and sixties motorsport movements. I really hope you are enjoying them. Not all of them are kitcar-related per se but they all celebrate the underdog and often feature the wonderful world of sixties motorsport.
Classic Kit Cars & Specials has a new home at totalkitcar.com.
A lot of classic clubman motorsport features highlight underdog artisans that we hope will appeal to you dear reader, the sort of companies that we’ve often all heard of but on whom detailed information is often hard to find. Shorrock, Wade Turbochargers, Jack Knight Developments, Cannon Cars, Tom Killeen, David Ogle the list goes on and on. The sort of companies and individuals that our specialist and kitcar forebears from the sixties would have been very familiar with. You’ll find these subjects featured in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS.
This week in CLASSIC KIT CARS & SPECIALS we look at a criminally underrated genius called Ken Nichols, a purveyor of chassis and suspension know-how in the sixties. If your car work Ken’s parts and handiwork, it was guaranteed top work better. Lots of Lotus owners used his services while he also produced his own accomplished racing cars under the NIKE brand. CLICK HERE to go there.
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Our popular TRACKDAY CALENDAR is where you can find out where, when and how much by CLICKING HERE. Now updated to cover the remainder of OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2026.
SNIPPETS 1 ……..Are you ready for an October half-term to remember? From 24 October – 1 November, the British Motor Museum is bringing a full calendar of activities and experiences to enjoy, inspired by Forza Horizon 6: The Experience. This exciting new exhibition, which opened in May, gives visitors the chance to discover a fantastic line-up of cars from the new game and get behind the wheel of a state-of-the-art racing simulator to test their mettle in the digital world.
The museum is proud to be teaming up with Playground Games and ComputerXplorers once again to bring a full five days of Coding and Robotics Workshops to the engineers and coders of tomorrow. Children will love watching the world of technology and video games come to life as they sharpen their creativity, problem-solving and teamwork skills through a range of fun activities, from programming vehicles to take on a Forza Horizon 6 track to using barcode commands to direct a robot.
Children can also get stuck into making brick models in The Big Build, inspired by the world of Forza Horizon, ready to go to local community pantries this Christmas! They can choose from thousands of bricks to build cars, racing trophies, a pit stop…the only limit is their imagination! Once these bags are finished, the museum will donate them to local community pantries and youth groups in areas of deprivation, where they will find happy new homes! These children have often never owned these bricks before, so it will make a massive difference to their lives.
If you’d like the chance to experience classic motoring for yourself, Car Rideshare is returning from 26-30 October, 1pm-3pm! Visitors will be able to experience a ride around the site in a 1959 Vauxhall Velox or the 2002 Land Rover G4 Challenge! Rides are included with your admission, but donations are always welcome.
Fans of Forza Horizon 6 should join the Forza Horizon 6 Family Tour! Taking place every day at 11:30am, families can join the talented explainers on a fascinating walk through the museum, discovering a broad range of cars straight out of the new game!
Children can also take on a Stamp Passport challenge, searching for the seven cars hidden beyond the exhibition that star in Forza Horizon 6. Simply collect a Tank Passport from the Family Activity Station and add a new stamp for each car, with designs inspired by this landmark release.
Emma Rawlinson, Lifelong Learning Officer at the British Motor Museum, said: “From building engineering skills with ComputerXplorers to joining in for the Big Build, there is plenty on offer to make this a Half-Term holiday to remember! Children can uncover a fantastic line-up of cars from Forza Horizon 6, from sports cars to cult classics, before taking on the challenge of the racing simulator. Bring the whole family, and see who can set the fastest time!”
Museum entry is just £18 for adults in advance or £21 on the day, £16 for concessions in advance or £19 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return at no extra cost. With activities every school holiday this makes it a great value choice for families this Half-Term. To find out more information about October half term at the Museum, please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/october-half-term
SNIPPETS 2 …….Caterham Cars has announced the appointment of three new official retailers across Europe: Caterham Noville in Switzerland, Caterham Barcelona in Spain and Caterham Colmar in France. This triple appointment further strengthens the brand’s European footprint, bringing the iconic Seven closer to driving enthusiasts in key regional markets.
Joining the Swiss network is Caterham Noville, which opens as part of the esteemed Leuba Collection. Renowned for their dedication to automotive excellence and heritage, the Leuba Collection is perfectly placed to introduce the lightweight sports car to a greater audience. Kevin Duffournet, Head of the Collection, and his team will ensure Swiss customers receive expert guidance through the Caterham range and dedicated aftersales support.
In Spain, the team behind the well-renowned Caterham Madrid, Hirundo Motors, is expanding its footprint with the launch of Caterham Barcelona. Under the expert guidance of CEO Bernardo Bello, the new Catalan showroom will help continue growing the Sevens presence in Spain and provide the ‘Pure. Simple. Fun’ experience to enthusiasts, while serving existing owners through aftersales support.
Finally, the French retail network is bolstered by the addition of Caterham Colmar. The new site will be managed by Julien Paques, who brings a wealth of specialist automotive experience through his existing operation, PJ Sportscars. Situated in the picturesque Alsace region, Julien and his team are well positioned to deliver the pure driving experience that Caterham is known for.
Olivier Jouanne, European Territory Manager at Caterham, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Caterham Noville, Caterham Barcelona, and Caterham Colmar to our European retail network. Europe continues to be a crucially important market for the brand. By partnering with experienced and highly passionate individuals like Kevin, Bernardo, and Julien, we can ensure that our customers receive the exceptional service, expertise, and enthusiasm they expect when purchasing a Seven.”
Kevin Duffournet, Head of the Leuba Collection (Caterham Noville), commented: “We are proud to welcome Caterham within Leuba Collection in Noville and to officially represent such an iconic and authentic British sports car brand in Switzerland. In an increasingly digital automotive world, Caterham remains one of the last brands delivering a truly raw and mechanical driving experience. Our ambition is to develop the brand in Switzerland through a premium customer experience, exclusive events and a true community of driving enthusiasts.
Bernardo Bello, CEO of Hirundo Motors (Caterham Barcelona), added: “After three years operating from Madrid, we are delighted to expand the Caterham brand presence in Spain, starting with Barcelona, because of the passion and support from all the Caterham lovers in Spain since we are back in 2023.
“With this opening we will be able to offer customers in the Cataluña region comprehensive sales and authorised service together with motorsport and track events. We aim to keep growing our community in Spain by enabling more car lovers the thrill of driving a Caterham and feel first-hand what is like to feel something so pure, simple and fun.”
Julien Paques, Managing Director of PJ Sportscars (Caterham Colmar), said: “We are particularly proud and thrilled to officially represent the Caterham brand in Eastern France, and to offer our customers a comprehensive experience, from vehicle sales to authorized after-sales service.
“Our ambition is to expand Caterham’s footprint nationwide – both within our dealership and during enthusiast gatherings, trackdays, or motorsport events. We look forward to sharing with the brand’s enthusiasts the pure joy of driving that makes Caterham legendary.”
For more information about Caterham’s European retailers, or to find your nearest dealership, just visit www.caterhamcars.com.
SNIPPETS 3 …….. Ring Automotive team tackled the Three Peaks challenge in memory of colleague
In memory of a beloved colleague, Nick Jewitt, who sadly passed away last year, his colleagues are raising money for a charity Nick held dear, Menphys. The charity supports disabled children, young people and their families.
On 18th September a team from Ring took part in the Three Peaks challenge, which saw them climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours. Overall, the challenge saw the team take on 37km of walking and 10,052ft of ascent.
Colleagues who took part in this challenge included Nick Davy, James Shippen, Scott Page, Ben Sheffield, Connor Beard, Darren Creech, Josh Dawson and Luke Jubb.
The company set up a dedicated fundraising page for anyone who wants to donate: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ring-automotive?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–8Ap7Gwi8AyYIM8VlPGl-Uz8vyeOtk8phyLIdyGsrq29EdwFUGio1uHV_Szfw-P8Jh-ydMSVg_9BHECHYKso8l1DJgDQ&_hsmi=144843398&utm_content=144843398&utm_source=hs_email. So far the team have raised nearly £2500 and any further donations are greatly appreciated by all.
Importantly, Ring’s parent company, OSRAM Automotive, has agreed to match the funds raised, doubling the contribution to the charity.
Nick Davy, MD of Ring who took part in the challenge, commented: “Earlier in the year, we undertook the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge as a team and found it to be a fantastic bonding experience.
“After the loss of our colleague, Nick Jewitt, last year, we felt it was only right to do something to honour his memory, and Menphys was incredibly important to him. While it was a tough challenge, we were proud to do it in memory of Nick.”
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So, that’s about it from me for this week, so I’ll bid you a great seven days, with plenty of enjoyable driving and I look forward to welcoming you here once again next week on Friday, October 16, 2026
Best regards
Steve