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Automotive American

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The Höegh Australis, A Giant!

Automotive American ·

2025/08/29

Spotted docked in the Isle of Wight The Höegh Australis can carry up to 9,100 cars, as it is part of the Aurora-class of pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) designed with a capacity of 9,100 car equivalent units (CEUs). These large vessels are also capable of transporting other rolling cargo, such as agricultural and mining equipment, […] The post The Höegh Australis, A Giant! appeared first on Automotive American.

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The Isle of Wight Steam Fair 2025 (50th Anniversary)

Automotive American ·

2025/08/27

During a recent trip to the Isle of Wight we attended the Isle of Wight Steam Fair. This was the 50th Anniversary event. The fair is held at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The entrance ticket not only included access to the steam fair, an added bonus was access to the railway and steam […] The post The Isle of Wight Steam Fair 2025 (50th Anniversary) appeared first on Automotive American.

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Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird centenary return visit to...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/25

One month ago on the 21 July The National Motor Museum took the Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for a return visit to Pendine to celebrate 100 years since it broke the 150mph World Land Speed Record. A link to the National Motor Museum article is here The post Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird centenary return visit to Pendine appeared first on Automotive American.

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 2 (First Start in...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/23

Back on the Cortina, contact breakers have been cleaned. Next job is an oil change, better safe than sorry as the oil has been in the car for 45 years! Some years ago I had a Triumph Herald, luckily the 20/50 purchased at that time was available, so in it went. Next up was to […]The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 2 (First Start in 45 Years!) appeared first on Automotive American.

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 1

Automotive American ·

2025/08/21

Some time ago I helped to extract a 1970 Cortina from a lockup garage where it had been since 1980! As you can see it was pretty buried and even more so before I got there. Considering how long the car had been in storage the condition is reasonably good. The interior in particular has […] The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 1 appeared first on Automotive American.

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Important information about the Brooklands Members AGM

Automotive American ·

2025/08/19

Update from Brooklands, looks very positive! It is just over a year since I assumed the Chair of the Board of Trustees from Sir Gerald Acher. It has been a busy year, with a current focus on plans for our Grand Prix Centenary and site improvements thereafter. Last year marked a financial […] The post Important information about the Brooklands Members AGM appeared first on Automotive American.

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Supersonic Legacy: The Story of Brooklands Concorde...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/17

Perched proudly at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, Concorde G-BDGG is more than a relic of aviation’s golden age—it’s a symbol of British engineering ambition, Cold War-era prestige, and the race for the skies. But G-BDGG, or “Delta Golf” as she’s known, has a story that sets her apart from her more famous flying […]The post Supersonic Legacy: The Story of Brooklands Concorde G-BDGG appeared first on Automotive American.

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The Palmer Mercedes, More Than a Barn Find

Automotive American ·

2025/08/15

During a recent visit to Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands I was quite taken by a quite stunning early 20’s vehicle that up until recently had been out of sight for some 30 years. Know as the “Palmer Mercedes” it was owned by well known car designer Gerald Palmer. The placard in front of the […] The post The Palmer Mercedes, More Than a Barn Find appeared first on Automotive American.

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Gordon England: The Coachbuilder Who Brought Aviation...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/13

In the ever-evolving story of early British motoring, few figures stand out quite like E.C. Gordon England. Known today primarily for his lightweight, sporting Austin Seven specials, Gordon England brought a distinctly aviation-inspired mindset to coachbuilding at a time when most car bodies still resembled Edwardian carriages. His brief but bright presence in the coachbuilding […] The post Gordon England: The Coachbuilder Who Brought Aviation to the Austin Seven appeared first on Automotive

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Newbury Retrofestival 2025

Automotive American ·

2025/08/11

The popular Retrofestival returned to the Newbury Showground, but under new ownership this year. The festival is now owned by Warners Shows who are very much a Camping, Caravan, Campervan and Motorhome focused organisation. We attended on the Sunday and the numbers appeared to up on previous years. The level of the musical entertainment was […] The post Newbury Retrofestival 2025 appeared first on Automotive American.

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The Changing Landscape of the UK Classic and Vintage...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/09

The UK’s classic car scene has always been a rich tapestry of eras, marques, and enthusiasts. But in recent years, a quiet shift has been reshaping the market—a move away from pre-war cars in favour of more modern classics, and a broader softening of the vintage end of the sector. A Once-Glorious Segment Fading? For […] The post The Changing Landscape of the UK Classic and Vintage Car Market: A Decline in Pre-War Popularity appeared first on Automotive American.

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The End of Racing at Brooklands: How Vickers Closed...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/07

Brooklands holds a unique place in motoring history — the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, opened in 1907. For decades, it was a hub of innovation, speed, and spectacle. But by the end of World War II, its engines fell silent — and in 1946, racing at Brooklands came to a permanent halt. The […] The post The End of Racing at Brooklands: How Vickers Closed the Track for Good in 1946 appeared first on Automotive American.

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A Look at Life, The Spirit of Brooklands 1965 and its...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/05

As promised, here’s the start of some looks at the history of Brooklands. Part of the Look at Life documentary series produced by the Rank Organisation, this February 1965 short film (approx. 8–10 minutes) faithfully captures the past and present of Brooklands, the legendary Surrey motor-racing circuit and aircraft site Some of the main points to […] The post A Look at Life, The Spirit of Brooklands 1965 and its New Life appeared first on Automotive American.

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Everything Changes but Remains the Same!

Automotive American ·

2025/08/03

The video above is part of the Rank “Look at Life” series of videos from here in the UK. The “films” as they were back then were made to be shown at the chain of cinemas owned by Rank. “Living with Cars” (November 1964, directed by Tim Turner) is a short documentary film that explores […] The post Everything Changes but Remains the Same! appeared first on Automotive American.

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Formula Drift vs. Drift Masters: The Battle for the...

Automotive American ·

2025/08/01

If drifting is the last pure motorsport, the next logical debate is: Which series best represents it today — Formula Drift (FD) or Drift Masters European Championship (DMEC)? Formula Drift – The Established Giant Drift Masters – The Rising European Challenger So Who’s Winning the Culture War? It depends on what you value. In 2024 […] The post Formula Drift vs. Drift Masters: The Battle for the Soul of the Sport? appeared first on Automotive American.

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Why Drifting Still Feels Real in a Plastic Motorsport...

Automotive American ·

2025/07/30

In a motorsport world increasingly obsessed with data, telemetry, and digital control, drifting still feels wild — mechanical, visceral, and human. Where many racing series now resemble laboratories on wheels, drifting is about emotion, aggression, and connection. But here’s the big question: Is drifting the last pure motorsport left? What Do We Mean by “Pure”? […] The post Why Drifting Still Feels Real in a Plastic Motorsport World appeared first on Automotive American.

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Getting the Sport Coupe Back Together

Automotive American ·

2025/07/26

Nicely repaired radiator thanks to Austen at Ozcraft cracking job! Radiator on it’s way back into the Sport Coupe Original bolts with new springs, may look as if the bolts are a little too far through, but the springs are a fair bit longer and there is still some movement. Radiator shell having the starting […]The post Getting the Sport Coupe Back Together appeared first on Automotive American.

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Getting there, Preparation for the Radiator Refit!

Automotive American ·

2025/07/24

Now the radiator is out and the hoses are disconnected it’s time to tidy up a few items in preparation for refitting. Water neck gets a tidy up and a new gasket. A few new parts, big difference between the original radiator bolts and the repop versions. I think we’ll just use the springs as […] The post Getting there, Preparation for the Radiator Refit! appeared first on Automotive American.

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And There’s More!

Automotive American ·

2025/07/18

If you read my last post I mentioned that more was to come problem wise…. If you look closely you can see the bottom radiator neck just in front and below the alternator. The neck had started to leak, now whether the alternator work caused the issue is a job to say, however either way […]The post And There’s More! appeared first on Automotive American.

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A few problems!

Automotive American ·

2025/07/16

Had been having a few running problems with the Model A, this began on the way back from the VE Day Event and reoccurred at the Pangbourne College Car Show. After a bit of diagnostics and parts swapping it would that the alternator was at fault. As it only turns at around 2500rpm it was […] The post A few problems! appeared first on Automotive American.

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