A close friend of mine was once married to Michael Conrad who is best remembered for his Emmy Award winning portrayal of Sergeant Phil Esterhaus on the police drama Hill Street Blues. In his role as the soft-spoken squad leader, Conrad was known for his parting words to his officers at the end of each…
Rosey By Bill Pugh It all began in 1985, when our daughter came to me for advice on buying her first car. She had her eyes on a Miata, and after thinking a while, I remembered some good advice I’d heard somewhere, “Every young woman should have one red convertible”. And so she did! Many…
Casper’s Story By Bill Pugh It all began way back in 1957 when I acquired the new 1957 Triumph TR3 hardtop (this was the Midwest) with wire wheels and overdrive. I was just a young Navy Petty Officer then, and AnnaBelle was still a Nursing student. Going to the Electronics School in Memphis, I met…
What do British sports cars have to do with the Ford Model T? There was a time when the Ford Model T was ubiquitous in the classic car firmament. Almost every car collector had one at some point and it was both an entry level and aspirational car for many enthusiasts. They represented a good investment as prices rose…
I used to rule the world Seas would rise when I gave the word Now in the morning I sleep alone Sweep the streets I used to roam — From Viva La Vida by Coldplay I spend way…
We’ve been running a contest on Facebook asking people to send photos with their British sports cars from back in the day. Some are cute, some are funny (particularly those from the late 60s and early 70s) and others provide an interesting glimpse into the past. One such photograph was sent in by customer Mark Shipley and…
“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.” – John Greenleaf Whittier The Swinging Sixties represented the high-water mark for the British automotive industry. The Jaguar E-Type – introduced in 1961 – was widely considered one of the best sports cars in the world and more affordable…
Born in Turin, Italy in the last year of World War I, Virgilio Conrero served as a mechanic in the Regia Aeronautica during the next global conflict. He established the Autotecnica Conrero in 1951 and was one of the most successful Alfa Romeo and Lancia tuners (though often overshadowed by the work of Abarth) and…
Don Stanford MG’s Best Selling Author By Dick Knudson At last summer’s induction ceremony at the British Sports Car Hall of Fame, the first recognition did not go to a person, instead, Robert Goldman, Chairman of Moss Motors, cited a book, a very important book. He paid tribute to The Red Car by…
As a follow-up to Back to the Basics – Gasoline! (Under the Bonnet, Spring 1993), we thought it appropriate to offer a refresher on how to prep your car’s gas tank and apply sealing compound. After reading the article, many customers expressed concern about the additives in modern gasoline breaking down or eating away at…
