DOUGAL CAWLEY

1What was the first car that you ever owned?

A 1974 VW Jeans Beatle (165SR15 Michelin XZX tyres). I loved that car. I learned some of my fettling skills on it and they were rubbish – it almost constantly had a broken starter motor as I used to just get another one from the scrapyard for £10, but the new one broke again almost immediately. I soon learned to park facing downhill.

2 What classic car(s) do you currently own?

1928 Austin 7 Chummy – it is impossible not to love a Chummy.

1982 Renault 5 Cleavland Cabriolet (pictured) – a recent purchase. Very cool, but the cooling system is driving me mad. We’ll get there, though.

1976 Silver Shadow 1 – black with a red velvet interior, it is so Peter Stringfellow. I

sold my Bond MiniCar and a Rolls- Royce seemed the obvious successor.

1928 Ford Model A Roadster – this was my first vintage car. It was cheap as chips when I got it and I have had more fun in that car than you can begin to contemplate, including driving up Doncaster High Street with a prostitute standing up in the Dickie seat flashing her knickers at everyone. I would always take anyone for drive in it, but that day it didn’t work out so well. 1930 Ford Model A Tudor – this is the family Trials car.

1921 GN – I reckon you would have to be bonkers to own a 90° V-twin cycle car.

1929 Frazer Nash/GN – called Piglet, this is what it is all about; it is truly epic (pictured above right).

3 What would be your dream classic?

A late 1920s Maserati Tipo 26B – just drop dead gorgeous in every detail, it is a straight- eight double overhead cam supercharged piece of art. Drive it to the race track, race it, drive it home – that is real racing. I am a member of the Vintage Sports Car Club, I am not a member of the Old Car On A Trailer Club. We do it right in the VSCC.

4 Which car do you most regret selling?

Daf 33 – too cool for school.