STEVE SAYS – FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026

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Just use the QR for a UK subscription to TKC MAG

TKC MAG – ONE YEAR (UK) SUBSCRIPTION – CLICK HERE

Verified unique readers per month for this website currently averages 17,911 (covering MAYJUNE and JULY 2026).

A warm welcome to totalkitcar online … There might be lots of doom and gloom around in the country at the moment, but the kit and specialist car industry seems to be bucking that trend and is doing very nicely.

WELCOME TO TOTALKITCAR ONLINE

Leading manufacturers report that they have healthy oder books and enquiry levels are high. I’ve also heard – reported on some of them thus far – about resurected projects, new models under development. I heard this week about a brand new Marcos model, the company now under the control of Howard Page, called the Mosquito.

Marcos Car Company’s Howard Nash with Marcos Mosquito prototype

MK Sportscars is preparing to re-launch the former Sylva, STM, Raw PHOENIX MODEL.

This is good to hear, and you can be sure we’ll be keeping you updated just as we always try to.

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.

OUT NOW – SHOPS, ONLINE, DIGITAL

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.

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.

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.

An EXACT replica of the paper version it currently costs just £23.99 for a TWELVE MONTHS DIGITAL subscription to TKC MAG ANYWHERE in the world. Visit Pocketmags.com and type in ‘TKC MAG’ and all will be revealed. Alternatively, you can download our APP on your mobile and download single issues or a subscription on your phone or tablet.

DON’T WANT PAPER? TRY OUR DIGITAL EDITION

Do you tube? totalkitcar History File Series (in association with the Enwin Motors channel). Don’t miss out, subscribe for FREE now.

Search YouTube for the ‘totalkitcar YouTube Channel’ or follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/@tkcmag

Our popular TRACKDAY CALENDAR is where you can find out where, when and how much by CLICKING HERE. Now updated to cover AUGUST, SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER 2026.

SNIPPETS 1 …….. To celebrate fifty years of Laser Tools, a long-standing business partner of Schaeffler in the UK, a range of special edition Laser Tools has been added to the REPXPERT Bonus Shop.

Newly introduced products include a metal skin and trim clip wedge tool, LocSoc bit socket sets, various ratchet sets, mini die grinder, air pencil die grinder and lots more.

Marketing Communications Manager at Schaeffler, Jeff Earl, said: “We want to congratulate Laser Tools on fifty years of engineering excellence, innovation and trust. Laser is a fantastic company that we are proud to be partnered with.

“We are grateful to have had support from Laser Tools and the Tool Connection team for many years, at events such as our REPXPERT Academy and Conference, or with our Wrenches & Wisdom campaign. We know that they will always try and help where they can, so it’s only right that we not only celebrate the fantastic achievement of fifty years of Laser Tools, but support them – as they do us.

“The 50th anniversary collection from Laser Tools is bound to be popular and we know REPXPERT Bonus Shop members will be eager to get their hands on it, as the collection is professional grade, premium quality, and comes with a unique, but very apt, fifty year warranty!”

Members can exchange their points for the new Laser 50 range at the bonus shop in the REPXPERT app or online at www.repxpert.co.uk 

SNIPPETS 2…….. the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, is running this year under a Debutant theme, with hundreds of cars making their first-ever appearance at the show, backed by the usual excellent motorsport line-up. Expect a full tank of cars you won’t have seen there before.

Sort your all-encompassing classic car fix today: Code EMRR gets you £2 off per ticket.

CLICK HERE to book tickets

SNIPPETS 3 …….. SPECIAL OFFER: 12 months FREE Total Motor Assist for all totalkitcar.com readers!

Designed to plug the gaps in motor insurance, this multi-car package for you and your family sits alongside your insurance and gives you vital extra services, including:

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Trusted by thousands of members and over 150 organisations, we’re delighted to invite you to join free today at https://tkc.assistprotect.co.uk.

Now with free cycling support and property damage repair as well when you join!

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 21, 2026

Best regards 

Steve