35
CAR OF THE YEAR HALL 5
1961 Chrysler Newport Convertible – Geoff Mitchell
There is no missing this car, with its eye-catching period correct Dubonnet Red paintwork, enormous fins, canted headlights and Kelsey Hayes chrome wire wheels. It is peak Fifties American styling. Restored to a high standard in America using period-correct parts, it retains what is believed to be its original interior, including the electro-luminescent Astra Dome instrument panel. Powered by a 361 cu in V8 with Torqueflite auto transmission, stand-out features include power brakes and those killer tailfins.
1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 – Steve Hayward
Everyone loves a Mustang and this Mach 1 is a classic late Sixties performance model. Steve Hayward from Brighton has owned this Medium Blue car for three years and it originally came from Kansas City, Missouri. It features a 351 cu in Cleveland V8 with upgrades including MSD ignition and a 3-inch exhaust system. Period touches include rear window louvres and air dam, while Steve has added a wood-rim steering wheel that suits the car well. It was originally fitted with air conditioning, though most of the system has since been removed.
1968 Ford Country Squire – Martin Skipper
Martin Skipper’ s 1968 Ford Country Squire wagon hails originally from Massachusetts; however, the big Ford wagon has obviously led a pampered life, as Northeastern states like Massachusetts have harsh winters and use lots of salt on the roads. A 390cu in( 6.4-litre) big block V8 lives under the bonnet, hooked up to a four-speed FMX auto transmission and this Country Squire is blessed with air con, power disc front-brakes, two-way tailgate with electric window, 15-inch wheels and FM radio. With it’ s fabulous DiNoc wood trim and eye-catching green paint, this wonderful woodie wagon will undoubtedly wow the crowds at this year’ s NEC Classic Motor show!
1972 Dodge Challenger – Scott Newman
“ It’ s only original once” became a popular phrase a few years ago to celebrate unrestored classics. Scott Newman’ s 1972 Dodge Challenger is not strictly original, as it has had upgrades over the years, but it still carries plenty of history. At 24, Scott is his car club’ s youngest owner. His Challenger runs a 318 cu in V8, a smooth and reliable engine, and he has owned it since last October. It was sold new by West End Motors in Elkin, North Carolina and still wears the dealer sticker. Remarkably, it survived 20 years parked in a Michigan trailer park before being rescued.
1987 Buick Grand National – Guy & Tracey Whitwam
Oh Wow, what do we have here? Only the fastest American production car built in the Eighties – The magnificent Buick Grand National! This particular Grand National is a 1987 model and hails from North Carolina( Gastonia, just west of Charlotte,) and is fully loaded in every sense of the word. However, the main event is of course that turbo-charged 3.8-litre V6 motor rated at 245bhp and giving a 0-60 of 6 seconds. We look forward to welcoming Guy and his beautiful Buick onto the Classic American stand at the November Classic Motor show, so make sure you come along to check it out!
1963 Ford Falcon Sprint – Phil & Judith Pearn
This 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint belongs to Phil and Judith Pearn from Plymouth, who have been showing their gorgeous little Ford up and down the country all summer. It might be small, but power comes from a pokey 260cu in( 4.3-litre) V8 and with bucket seats, a console and a tachometer, the Sprint was the sporty version of the Falcon for 1963. Hailing from California originally means no rust or rot and it has undergone a respray since arriving in this country five years ago, as well as a gearbox rebuild. Judith and Phil represent the type of enthusiastic owners we love to see in on the American car scene and their Falcon is a credit to them!
35