2020 success stories lauded
Real-world endeavours from a difficult year
The RAC Historic Awards were given out in a virtual ceremony broadcast on January 28. Noteworthy winners included Janice Pitchforth at the Heritage Skills Academy, who has done so much behind the scenes to help young people gain the skills required to keep the restoration industry fed with talent. Nick Chivers from Classics for Carers, plus Hero Events and the British Motor Museum were all rewarded for their efforts in keeping things going through a very difficult 12 months. The Restoration Award was a fitting finale to the evening. The shortlist was a 1911 De Dion Lorry restored by Nick Pellet (it had not run for 100 years), the 1981 Vatanen/richards rallying Escort MKII restored at Viking Motorsport by John O’connor (who originally built the car in 1981) and the eventual winner… the first production Land Rover. Series 1 chassis 860001, JUE 477
restored by Ineos Automotive and Julian Shoolheifer. Judges, PC alumnus, David Lillywhite, and current editor, Danny Hopkins, were astounded by the level of detail that had gone into preserving as much of the car’s history as possible. ‘JUE is a real masterpiece,’ said Danny. ‘It had lived in a Northumbrian bog for decades and the work done to keep every battle scar, while also making it mechanically perfect, is absolutely extraordinary.’