Brian is a keen classic car enthusiast and well known in classic car circles around the country. He also frequently attends classic car meetings, displaying his Firenza and Sportshatch. Due to Brian’s extensive knowledge of classic cars, we frequently maintain other enthusiasts vehicles as well.
Vauxhall Firenza HPF
Brians pride and joy, the Firenza HPF is a classic performance car from the mid 1970’s. Brians HPF is probably one of the best known in the country and one of only 204 produced.
The Vauxhall Firenza HP (‘High Performance’), or Droopsnoot as it is affectionately known, is a rare car. It sports a 2,279cc engine that had been breathed on by Bill Blydenstein, the legendary Vauxhall tuner. Bill had little time for power outputs and 0-60mph times, arguing that the amount of torque an engine produced and its subsequent 20-100mph acceleration are far better indicators of a car’s true performance. So, you’ll find twin carburettors, a high-lift camshaft, gas-flowed head and a tubular manifold under the bonnet.
Vauxhall Sportshatch
Another Vauxhall product from the 1970’s a special variant of the Magnum estate, known as the Sportshatch, was produced in limited numbers (197) in 1976. This model used the "droopsnoot" nose cone, which had been designed by Wayne Cherry, Vauxhall's Chief Design Engineer to be used in the HP Firenza Droop Snoot model above.
Brians example was originally Vauxhalls own car and was registered VML1 for the first 12 months of its life and also sports a 16 valve twin cam engine.
Lotus Sunbeam
Another hot shot from the 1970’s this pre production model is a customers car and regular visitor.
The Sunbeam Lotus was based on the Sunbeam 1.6 GLS, but fitted with stiffer suspension, a larger anti-roll bar and a larger transmission tunnel. The drivetrain comprised an enlarged, 2,172 cc, version of the Lotus 1973 cc 907 engine, a 16V slant four engine, along with a ZF gearbox.
The Sunbeam Lotus was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1979, but the road-going version of the rally car was not ready for deliveries to the public until after the rebranding, and thus became the "Talbot Sunbeam Lotus".
Triumph TR6
Another regular visitor, the Triumph TR6 (1968–76) is a sports car built by British Triumph Motor Company between 1968 and 1976. It was the best-seller of the TR range when production ended, a record subsequently surpassed by the TR7. Of the 91,850 TR6's produced, 83,480 were exported; only 8,370 were sold in the UK.
The chassis, engine, running gear, body tub and doors were similar to the Michelotti-styled TR5. The front and rear of the car was restyled by Karmann of Germany, though one source claims the new squared-off Kamm tail design was from an unrelated Michelotti prototype. A new removable hardtop was designed in-house.
