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A warm welcome to totalkitcar online … Shock news this week. After some 42-years, Ultima Sports has announced that the company (IP, rights and tooling) has been sold to an American company called Peregryn Motors of Tennessee and that production will be moving to the US in due course.
Ultima Sports is now owned by American company Peregryn Motors
It looks like the end of the EVO model, and also kit form availability, as the company’s website lists the race-spec GT-R and roadgoing GT-S, basically two distinct variants of the existing GT model, which seem to be fully built only.
Once the Hinckley factory has finished their current batch of cars and kits production will be moved to Tennessee
Maybe, once the dust has settled, Peregryn will release more information and might hopefully announce kit form Ultimas.
The co-founders of Peregryn Motors are serial entrepreneur Chris Eby and automotive engineer Mike Ellis. We hope to bring you more on this as things develop. ~I think it’s very sad that Ultima kit availability has ended, while the EVO model seems to have been withdrawn.
As a result, it looks like kit-form Ultimas will be a thing of the past, sadly.
This move came as a big surprise and no advance notice leaked out and the Ultima Sports website already links directly to the Peregryn one at www.peregrynmotors.us.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW GOODS & SUPPLIERS A-Z DIRECTORY YET? See the menu bar above or CLICK HERE.
Just a month to go until KITFEST at Santa Pod
I know that lots of readers used our GOODS & SUPPLIERS listing as a guide to the specialist car aftermarket, so essential did they regard it. It needed an upgrade but it took a couple of years to get it right.
GOODS & SUPPLIERS is BACK. 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 daily, almost.
CLICK HERE to BUY a copy of the new JULY/AUGUST 2026 issue of TKC MAG.
Here’s this issue’s menu, or at least some of it.
Welcome to the JULY/AUGUST 2026 issue. So, what have we got to tickle your fancy this time?
CRAFTED CLASSICS CAFÉ RACER – A visit to Suffolk-based Christopher Hamilton who runs Crafted Classics Tuning, Classic Mini restorers par excellence as well as their own beautiful restomod called the CAFÉ RACER.
INDUSTRY GREATS – LES WELLER – A man who has supplied more steel wheels than anyone else (probably) as well as being the king of Formula Ford wheel supply. This could just be the only time that his story has appeared in print.
MALVERN SHOW REVIEW 2026 – A bumper five-page review of the National KIt Car Motor Shows written by show organiser, PETE SLATER with input from STEVE HOLE
DOUG KNIGHT’S SUPER BEETLE! – A superb Beetle drag car, recently purchased by Doug Knight. He tells us about his new project.
Spotted this beautiful Gold Leaf Lotus Elan last Sunday at a boiling hot classic car show in Hooe, East Sussex
WITHOUT OUR PAST – Another pictorial look back to the past
SYLVA PHOENIX RESTORATION – A beautiful 35 year old Phoenix that has been beautoifully restored by design technology teacher, Phil Donington.
ELVA’S SPORTS RACING CARS – People usually assume that Elva just produced the Courier model in its various generations. However, the company originally started out by producing racecars and when Frank Nichols sold the roadcar side of his business to the Trojan Group he set up Elva Racing [1961] Ltd to continue building sports racers. We round them up …
LAYCOCK DE NORMANVILLE OVERDRIVE UNIT – The story of Edgar de Normanville’s extremely popular overdrive unit.
This Goldie2 Meyers Manx is soon coming up for auction at Historics. It was built to commemorate the original Bruce Meyers-built Goldie that started the whole Meyers Manx movement off, after Meyers built himself a buggy called Goldie to tackle the first Baja 1000 rally between Tijuana, California and La Paz, Mexico in 1971.
DUTTON B PLUS 3 – Another new Dutton model, following swiftly behind the Phæton 5 is the third iteration of another very popular Dutton kit. Like its brother it’s also based on Mazda MX-5 MK3.
We have much more to entertain you with this time as well as the regulars.
Hope you enjoy the issue.
CLICK HERE to BUY a copy of the new JULY/AUGUST 2026 issue of TKC MAG.
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 focus in on a well-known eighties kitcar manufacturer called Birchall Automotive who produced the delightful little Classic Mini-based McCoy. The company was run by ex-Team Lotus mechanic Arthur Birchall. 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 AUGUST, SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2026.
SNIPPETS 1 …….. I was reading some fascinating facts and figures about the marvellous Bicester Motion this week. The Oxfordshire site is averaging 150,000 visitors per year and there are currently fifty bluechip businesses based there. The latest arrivals include the Revolut Audi F1 team, Polestar UK, Motorsport UK and Yasa, a new electric car company. More from https://bicestermotion.com.
Lots going on at Bicester Motion with over fifty businesses now based there, including one of the latest arrivals – Revolut Audi F1 team
SNIPPETS 2…….. The latest UK heatwave has brought another sustained spell of high temperatures, with a heat-dome effect allowing warmth to build over several days.
Most UK homes are designed to retain heat, not support airflow and cooling. High overnight temperatures and humidity can prevent bedrooms and living spaces from cooling down properly before the next day begins.
Humidity has made the conditions feel even more uncomfortable. The Guardian reported during the June heatwave that dew point temperatures reached the low 20s. Dew point indicates how much moisture is in the air, with higher figures meaning more humid and uncomfortable conditions. By comparison, dew point temperatures remained in single figures during the record-breaking heat of July 2022. At one point, a temperature of 35°C felt closer to 41°C because of the moisture in the air.
When the air already contains a high amount of moisture, sweat evaporates more slowly and the body finds it harder to cool itself. This can leave people feeling hot and lethargic during the day, while warm, clammy bedrooms can disrupt sleep at night.
A dehumidifier can remove excess moisture from indoor air, helping bedrooms and living spaces feel less sticky and more comfortable.
Chris Michael, air treatment expert and co-founder of Meaco, said:
“While a dehumidifier is typically associated with preventing damp and drying wet clothes indoors during the colder months, many people may not realise that it can also offer relief in the summer by making hot, humid rooms feel less clammy and more comfortable.”
Chris offers the following advice for using a dehumidifier during hot, humid weather:
Run it before going to bed
Humid air can leave bedrooms and bedding feeling sticky, making it harder to settle and sleep comfortably.
Run the dehumidifier during the evening to reduce the moisture level before bedtime. Keep the bedroom door and windows closed while it operates so that it can work on the air inside the room.
A model with a humidistat will monitor the humidity and adjust its operation once the selected level has been reached. A timer can also be used to run the appliance for a set period before going to sleep.
Position the dehumidifier where air can circulate freely around it and follow the manufacturer’s guidance on placement and operation. The dehumidifier can also be left on overnight to remove excess moisture from sweating and breathing.
Use it alongside a cooling fan
A fan moves air around the room and creates a cooling breeze, but it does not remove moisture.
A dehumidifier can reduce the humidity while the fan provides airflow. Drier air can also help sweat evaporate more readily, which may make the fan feel more effective.
The appliances can operate together, or the dehumidifier can be used first to prepare the room before the fan is switched on.
Keep doors and windows closed while dehumidifying. Leaving them open allows more humid air to enter.
Reduce moisture created inside the home.
Humidity from hot weather can be increased further by everyday activities such as showering, bathing and cooking.
Keep the bathroom door closed during and after a shower or bath to stop moisture spreading into nearby rooms. Use an extractor fan where available and run a dehumidifier afterwards to treat the humid air.
When cooking, cover pans and use the cooker hood or extractor fan to limit the amount of steam released into the home.
These steps can help prevent indoor humidity from rising further when the air outside is already warm and humid.
Look for signs of excessive humidity throughout the home.
High humidity can affect comfort inside the home without producing obvious visible signs, as the warm air can continue to hold the moisture rather than forming condensation on windows or walls.
Clammy bedding, musty smells and rooms that feel heavy or sticky can all indicate that the moisture level is too high. Bathrooms, basements, north-facing rooms and other spaces with limited ventilation may be particularly affected.
A hygrometer or a dehumidifier with a built-in humidity display can help households monitor conditions and identify when moisture is building up.
Make use of it throughout the year.
A dehumidifier can continue to provide value long after the heatwave ends by helping to control condensation, prevent damp and support indoor laundry drying.
Models with dual HEPA air purification mode add another benefit by capturing airborne particles such as pollen, dust and pet dander. This can help improve indoor air quality when windows are kept closed during hot weather or colder periods.
With climate change contributing to hotter, more humid UK summers, a low-energy dehumidifier can offer cost-effective comfort while remaining useful throughout the year.
More from www.meaco.com.
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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 once again next week on Friday, August 14, 2026
Best regards
Steve