5 classic car specialists to follow on Instagram

While social media are a great way for companies to interact with the public or advertise their wares, they are also great at providing users with a behind-the-scenes look at the business. And when the companies in question are historic car specialists, what could be more fascinating?

JD Classics

Operating from seven (yes, seven) showrooms, JD Classics’ stocklist is as varied as it is extensive. While the company is unrivalled when it comes to the restoration, maintenance and preparation of Jaguars, in recent years it has broadened its interests to include Ferraris, Aston Martins and many more. 

Duncan Hamilton & Co

Founded by 1940/50s racing hero Duncan Hamilton, his eponymous, Hampshire-based company has been trading some of the world’s finest road and racing classics for over 65 years. It was also the company responsible for curating the famous ROFGO collection, the largest collection of Gulf-sponsored racing cars in the world. 

DK Engineering

Arguably the premier historic Ferrari specialist in the UK, if not Europe, DK Engineering has been selling, maintaining, racing and restoring the most significant examples of the Prancing Horse since the late 1970s. Very much a family affair, the company’s impressive premises are littered with exotic classic and supercars…

Pendine Historics

Named after Pendine Sands, where many land speed records tumbled during the 1920s, Pendine Historics recently entered the ring, headed by founder James Mitchell. Based in the particularly cool Bicester Heritage site in Oxfordshire, it aims to help both aspiring and established collectors. 

Paul Stephens

Specialising in air-cooled classic Porsche 911s (as well as more modern GT and RS models), Paul Stephens is a leading independent UK Porsche specialist. The company offers a variety of services, including restoration and bespoke projects such as the striking 911 Spyder. 

... and a wildcard: Auto Fabrica

As a treat, we thought we’d include a classic motorcycle specialist, too. Auto Fabrica’s edgy yet sophisticated designs are carefully thought out, with different models focusing on different stylistic themes or elements. Simplicity is key. 

You can find us on Instagram, too, posting the very best of our original photography. Follow@classicdriver. 

Moto Guzzi 1000SP – Blitz Motorcycles

Written by Martin Hodgson.

When Fred and Hugo from Blitz Motorcycles in Paris fielded a call from Jacques in Luxembourg asking them to breathe life into an old Moto Guzzi 1000SP they jumped at the chance to work on a marque they’d not before laid their hands on. But when the machine in question finally arrived they started to have second thoughts, rust had left the foot rests, master cylinder and other assorted pieces literally hanging on by a thread of steel. But with their love of creating industrial-styled flat trackers, a copy of Moto Guzzi’s service manual in their hands and the bike named in honour of a beautiful Italian visitor named Monica they started to craft the Guzzi in their own style, and it’s more than just a set of Firestones.

The metal cancer ridden Guzzi was stripped down to its barebones and the boys hoisted it onto the operating table for extensive surgery. The frame has been modified to accept the new gas tank, surely a first, with the fitting of a Suzuki GT 175 tank, dents and all, to the big Italian chassis. The back-end of the frame also came in for significant modification with a rear hoop added to support the new bespoke black tracker seat. Before these items were finally bolted on the frame and side stand were powder coated in a dark gloss blue. Blitz fabricated the short rear fender in-house and it along with the handlebars, fork legs and wheels are finished in black powder coat that will resist any chipping the street stones of Europe can throw at it.

The thumping 1000 Guzzi V-Twin is an engine like no other, it is unapologetic in being mechanical and will vibrate even at its low 900rpm idle, but it’s this very characteristic that makes it so addictive. This is an engine that leaves the rider totally in control with a level of feedback lost now to modern electronics and ‘refinement’; It has monstrous torque, it’ll rev to 8k and close the throttle and it engine brakes like a GP bike. But the version brought to the Blitz boys was dead, so a full rebuild including new pistons, rings and gaskets was undertaken finishing the heads and covers in black. The carbs are new PHB 36 Dell’Orto units breathing through custom aluminium filters and the twin stainless exhausts retain the industrial look in matte grey ceramic coating. Moto Guzzi didn’t exactly spend big on electrics using pre-war technology so the charging system has been replaced and spark is now vastly improved with an upgrade to CDI ignition.

If there is a theme to the Blitz builds it is that they like their tracker bars a little higher than most, enabling the rider to wrestle their beast from a riding position more like a Motocrosser. The Guzzi is no different and the stark white grips are a unique contrast to the dark palette of the remainder of the build. A vintage look, yellow lensed, headlight gives a totally different feel to the soft touring style of the factory item. The small bates taillight lets other motorists know just when the rider has grabbed a handful of brake courtesy of the new master cylinder and the brakes have been upgraded with new calipers front and rear. The vintage industrial theme continues with the engine breather attached to the frame with a leather strap from L’Anguille and fuel levels monitored by a sight tube.

Mean and lean

Of course some modern technology is used to bring the Guzzi into the 21st century with the only instrumentation needed coming in the form of the multifunction Motogadget speedo. While ensuring Jacques is never stranded is a new Lithium-Ion battery mounted in a hand fabricated box under the seat. This mix of old and new proved the perfect combination straight out of the box with the initial test ride by Jacques a 300km ride from Blitz Motorcycles to a meeting with his daughter in Brussels. And what better way to cover the diverse roads of Europe than on a Blitz tracker that is just as comfortable touring as it is ripping up old cobbled back streets. It’s deliberately unrefined in its refinement, it makes the most of the great Guzzi engine and another old wrecker has been given a new life thanks to a few months at Blitz motorcycles rehabilitation centre.

via PIPEBURN

Zarco : « Je n’étais pas assez relâché » / Zarco: “It's been a tough weekend”

Le Français a admis que la pression l’avait empêché d’être aussi relâché que d’habitude au MotorLand Aragón, où il a fini sixième.

           

Après des essais libres compliqués, Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) avait réussi à se qualifier en première ligne mais n’a pas pris de risque en course et a terminé sixième alors que son premier poursuivant, Tito Rabat, décrochait la victoire. S’il manquait le podium pour la première fois depuis la première course de l’année, Zarco repartait quand même du MotorLand Aragón avec encore 78 points d’avance sur le Champion du Monde en titre et aura une nouvelle opportunité de décrocher le titre mondial la semaine prochaine, au Japon.

À son retour au garage, le Français a admis avoir pour la première fois de l’année ressenti la pression mais aura au moins eu le bon goût de calmement jouer la sécurité et de ne pas craquer.

Johann Zarco :

« Le plus important ce week-end a été de marquer dix points qui nous rapprochent encore un peu plus du titre. Le week-end a été dur et je n’ai pas réussi à être à l’aise. Pour les deux départs, le premier avait été bon mais pas le deuxième. Je sais que j’aurais pu rouler avec ceux qui étaient devant mais je n’ai pas pu le faire parce que je n’étais pas assez relâché. Je ne m’y attendais pas mais c’est ce qui est arrivé. J’ai ressenti la pression. Le point positif est que j’ai appris quelque chose et ce sera très important pour les prochaines courses. Le résultat n’était pas mauvais et maintenant je suis impatient d’aller au Japon, où je voudrai me battre pour la victoire. »

Avant sa sixième place au MotorLand, Zarco n'avait manqué le podium qu'une fois cette année, au Qatar, lors de la première course, où il s'était retrouvé dans l'impossibilité de changer de rapports alors qu'il était seul en tête de la course.

                 

Johann Zarco was presented with his first chance at the Moto2™ World Championship title in Aragon, but was unable to capitalize.

It was a calm and measured ride from Ajo Motosport’s Johann Zarco on Sunday at the Gran Premio Movistar de Aragon, settling for points after a difficult weekend. Usually Zarco is up in the top five during practice, showing flashes of speed but hiding his true potential until race day, unfortunately in Aragon Zarco’s somewhat lacklustre Free Practice sessions showed that pressure was starting to mount on the French rider. Sunday’s race was reduced to 14 laps after a red flag on the opening lap brought all the riders back to the pits, the restart not going to plan for Zarco.

Zarco was unable to recreate his strong start during the second attempt, falling three places in the opening corner and becoming trapped in the second group as the leaders broke away. Unable to relax, Zarco was forced to settle for watching his title rival, Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Racing), slip away and take victory. Zarco’s title chance now heads to Motegi, the sight of his very first World Championship win in 2011, where he will need to leave with a at least a 75 point lead over Rabat. The difference is currently 78 points.

Johann Zarco: “The most important thing this weekend was picking up these 10 important points that allow us to move even closer to the title. It's been a tough weekend, in which I have not been able to feel relaxed. In the race there were two starts: The first was pretty good, but the second was not. I know I could have ridden with those at the front, but I was unable to do so because I was not relaxed enough. I did not expect this, but it's what happened. I felt the pressure. The good thing is that I have learned from it and that is very important for the next few races. The final result is not bad, so I'm looking forward to Japan and fighting for victory."

                 

Bluebird 1925-2015

In 1925 Malcolm Campbell took an aero-engined Sunbeam to over 150mph at Pendine Sands. On acquiring the car in 1923 he had painted it in new colours and called it Bluebird (already the fourth version). After an extensive engine restoration by current custodians, The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Malcolm Campbell's grandson, Don Wales, piloted the car back at Pendine, exactly 90 years, to the day, after the original runs.
by Nick Clements

Bluebird 1925-2015 from Nick Clements on Vimeo.