I saw this post on Facebook last night and thought it worthy of reposting here for those who don’t have Facebook. Her name is Steph, she lives in the UK and she has a Facebook page called @idriveaclassic which for those with social media is well worth a read.

I think her post encapsulates what Classic Car ownership is all about. It doesn’t have to be the biggest, the fastest or rarest to win your heart. Nor does a perceived lack of technical skill need to stop you from participating. They have a way of teaching you how to care for them.

I read all to often negative comments towards people who have recently bought a classic car and ask what some might consider ‘basic’ question and are then questioned if they really should own a classic car. It only takes one or two comments like that to turn a new owner away from the movement when all they need is some guidance as to where to find information and some advice on some simple techniques.

——————————————

Today I picked up my Morris Minor, Nancy. My favourite car, the reason I love classics and the car I will *never* sell.

When I was 25 I purchased this car for £500 with my first two weeks wages after uni burning a hole in my pocket

The car hadn’t been on the road since the very early 1990s and it was 2012. Quite frankly, it was a bloody reckless thing to do for somebody with zero mechanical knowledge.

She passed MOT first time with zero work and I just started driving her. She was more than a bit scruffy with drainpipe bumpers and painted in boat paint and I regularly got laughed at. However, she never let me down (well, once in France, which I still get teased about) and I loved her so much.

I said right from the get go she’d get restored and nobody believed me because I had zero mechanical knowledge and no decent capital behind me. I mean if I’m honest, I didn’t know how I’d do it but I’d got quite far on blind ignorance so far, so just thought I’d crack on.

Anyway, took her off the road in 2015 and today, after extensive work by a talented restorer, she comes home.

I’ve got a video coming but first I need to get her MOT’d! It’s booked for Tuesday

If you’re interested in seeing her, she’ll be on display at the Practical Classics Resto Show in Hall 5 this coming weekend and if you can’t make it, don’t miss the upcoming video!

Ps. Some advice: If you’re balls deep in a resto with no forward plan, if your project car is on hold due to finances or if you’re just winging it in a scruffy car until you can afford the respray, it’s all good. You WILL get there.

Pps. I bought E5, I know somebody will ask this