WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE
Where PC is on tour and Tomkins spots another Minor
‘There are no Citroëns here. Or pork pies.’ James ‘Mmm pies’ Walshe ‘Can we go up that mountain? I wish to yodel.’ Theo ‘Little old lady’ Gillam ‘I’ll not rest until we’re back across the border.’ Ed ‘Lancastrian’ Hughes ‘I don’t like the look of those wintry clouds. S’no joke.’ Danny ‘Michael Fish’ Hopkins ‘Is this the pub? You said we were going to the pub.’ Matt ‘Fancy a pint’ George Matt ‘Pig in poo’ Tomkins ‘I’ve got to get back. That Tatra 603 won’t buy itself.’ Sam ‘I’m outta here’ Glover ‘How lovely! Yet another Morris Minor for me to fix. Yippee.’
My new year resolutions always include: ‘I must finish my projects,’ and: ‘I must cut down my fleet.’ Worthy ambitions and always two that I aim for with a bit of a twinkle in my eye. Not this year though. Just before the end of 2017 we were contacted with some sobering news. A vast collection of mainly rare Rootes cars and some even rarer examples from the Panhard stable were being systematically dragged off to a scrapyard for disposal.
This collection, the life work of two brothers, was strictly guarded by the owners. Now they are deceased there is no succession plan of any sort. This simply means that the low value cars are being destroyed along with trailer loads of irreplaceable parts. I am sure this cannot be what the former owners wanted, but that is what is happening. So my plea is this: if you have a classic or lots of parts, even if those cars and collections are keepers, think beyond the grave. Get your succession plan sorted even if you are in rude health, do an automotive will and make it legal. This way you ensure that the cars that you have spent so long cherishing will have a long life and your efforts will not have been in vain.
On a more positive note we are starting the year with a series of projects for you to get involved with. You can vote for your favourite classic destination (p12), tell us what route to take when you come and see us at the
Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show (p12) and sign the online petition to help us put a halt to classic scrappage (p8). All hope is not lost.