Sir William Lyons was born in Blackpool in 1901, the namesake of an Irish father and an English mother. A bright boy, he was curious about machinery and good at school work. His family secured for him an engineering apprenticeship at Crossley Motors where he developed an intense interest in the burgeoning automotive industry. In…
It’s easy. Just tell a proud owner you’re putting their car in this class, when they want to be in that one. I’ve seen it happen before, and likely been responsible myself. After hosting the British Car Festival in California for five years, and now preparing for our second Motorfest next summer, we’re still trying…
My Dad Dick Knudson By Leesa Hudak Dad was one of a kind. He was a loving father, husband and grandfather. He was a faithful and loyal friend. He was a wonderful teacher and leader. He was passionate about so many things. Most people saw the obvious; love of family, love of God and…
Manhattan Mechanic By Norman Tuck I owe a debt to a handful of men, my friends and mentors from my past. I feel that it is important to offer a glimpse, however fleeting, of the lives of a diverse class of skilled workers who shared a love for British automobiles of the period, yet have…
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Triumph TR7, a car which, over time, has been both maligned and only faintly praised. Our correspondent, Mark Dixon, recently tested two fine examples owned by TR7 enthusiasts and reports thus… I have to confess that while TR7s have never figured prominently in my list…
Of all the specialist British car makers of the 1950s, the TVR Company of Blackpool, Lancashire, had the most intimate relationship with America. In fact, the company’s early survival was due primarily to one Ray Saidel, who was the proprietor of the Merrimack Street Garage in Manchester, New Hampshire. Ray’s father opened the garage in…
To historians of MG, the fact that Cecil Kimber first modified Morris Oxford saloon cars is well documented. These humble family saloons were slightly tuned by Kimber at the Morris Garages in Oxford, England, given flutter springs, fitted with clean smart bodies, and sold at a premium. As we all now know, he was very…
As I have been involved with the Sprite’s 40th and Moss’ 50th birthday celebrations, my mind has naturally been busy with memories of Motor Sport of the ’50s. Rallying, Tin-Top production car racing, and Formula One now has a much larger audience than it did in those days, and while the basics of each side of the…
By 1978, Moss Motors was supplying parts for British cars to customers all over the world. It was a big business that had become more work than fun for Al Moss. When Howard Goldman offered to buy the business, Al took him up on the offer, and went into semiretirement. Al nowadays spends much of…
Lensman Dave Gooley has found himself a significant other, Susan by name. Regular readers of this column probably know that Dave does most of the photography that illustrates my articles. What makes this Susan particularly significant is that she loves to travel. Last May, she spent nearly three weeks careening through France and Italy with…
