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Automotive American

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The End of an Icon: A Chronological History of the...

Automotive American ·

2025/09/26

From its debut in the late 1980s to its final model year in 2025, the Subaru Legacy left a lasting mark in automotive history. 1. Birth of the Legacy (1988-1990) The first generation Legacy appeared in 1989 (worldwide sales began in 1990). The design was fresh and bold for Subaru, targeting the midsize sedan market.. […]The post The End of an Icon: A Chronological History of the Subaru Legacy appeared first on Automotive American.

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In Memoriam: Sergei Sikorsky 1925-2025 – @LockheedMartin

Automotive American ·

2025/09/23

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is saddened to learn of the passing of Sergei I. Sikorsky on Sept. 18 at the age of 100. Our deepest condolences go to his wife, Elena. A proud military veteran, Sergei served our country during World War II, in the United States Coast Guard, assigned to the Helicopter Development […] The post In Memoriam: Sergei Sikorsky 1925-2025 – @LockheedMartin appeared first on Automotive American.

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Shed Racing’s Kurtis Kraft Midget First Outing

Automotive American ·

2025/09/18

You may remember my article from last year when I visited Shed Racing and saw the beginnings of Ivan’s restoration of his midgets. The article on the Bugatti midget was published in Charlie Yapp’s Secrets Magazine. You can find the it here On the back burner at the time was Ivan’s rare Offy powered Kurtis […]The post Shed Racing’s Kurtis Kraft Midget First Outing appeared first on Automotive American.

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Bad News for the Model A Ford Community

Automotive American ·

2025/09/12

Long time Model A parts house Bratton’s announce closure. Statement from Jeff Kichline below Store Closing I wanted to reach out to the community at large and share some sad news. After almost 50 years in the business Bratton’s Antique Auto Parts has decided to close their retail operations. There were multiple factors involved in […]The post Bad News for the Model A Ford Community appeared first on Automotive American.

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 6

Automotive American ·

2025/09/10

Time for blast off! As you will remember from the last post the brake calipers weren’t looking the best after 30 years off the road. Luckily for me, my friend Austen at Ozcraft has all the blasting equipment you’d ever need. So after finishing of in the vapour blaster things were looking so much better […] The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 6 appeared first on Automotive American.

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 5

Automotive American ·

2025/09/06

Further work on the Cortina Brake master cylinder piston being unseized using a combination of a grease gun and compressed air The brake calipers were removed, initially stripped and found to be seized (no surprise!) Progress being made on the seized caliper pistons, messy job with grease and compressed air! Looking to get the units […] The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 5 appeared first on Automotive American.

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The U.S. and Europe plan to “accept and provide...

Automotive American ·

2025/09/04

This decision should reduce regulatory barriers but raises concerns from safety advocates like the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), who argue that EU standards are higher, particularly for safety features like pedestrian detection and lane-keeping assistance, and that a mutual recognition deal could lead to more dangerous vehicles on European roads. The agreement comes as the U.S. seeks […] The post The U.S. and Europe plan to “accept and provide mutual recognition to each

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 4

Automotive American ·

2025/09/02

Next up was the cooling system, the car got a little hot after idling for a while on the initial start-up The thermostat and housing were completely plugged, something like Radweld or Bar’s Leaks is suspected to the cause, plus the 30 year lay up of course. Next up for inspection was the water pump, […] The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 4 appeared first on Automotive American.

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Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 3

Automotive American ·

2025/08/31

Further work on the Cortina, time to take a look at the hydraulics As you have seen previously and again above, the brake fluid has become a solid. The brake and clutch master cylinders were removed and the clutch slave cylinder was lubricated as it’s seized in place. After a clean up of the exterior […]The post Rescuing a 1970 Ford Cortina Part 3 appeared first on 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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