Author: Paul Hardiman

Paul Hardiman has written for a variety of British car magazines since 1983. His motorsport career includes racing in the Goodwood Revival and navigating everything from an A35 to a 300SLR. He has been SCM’s English-car specialist since 2007.

1967 Iso Grifo GL Series I

The Grifo GL offered here is one of about 34 right-hand-drive Series I examples produced. It was acquired by the current owner as a solid original car in 1986 and was subsequently sent to a restorer to be refinished in burgundy. The work was never carried out, and the car […]

1949 Aston Martin DB Team Car

This extremely significant Aston Martin Grand Touring coupe is none other than a Le Mans 24-Hour race finisher, having been driven into 7th place (3rd in class) in the first post-war Grand Prix d’Endurance — run on June 25–26, 1949 — at the legendary Sarthe circuit. Two weeks later, on […]

2000 Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans Coupe

This limited-edition, right-hand-drive Vantage Le Mans — number 9 of the 40 made — was delivered new to the current owner equipped with many extras, including the factory V600 package and the close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox, making this car one of only four built to that specification. Its green exterior […]

1952 Bentley R-type Saloon

The name “Bentley Boys” was given to the group of wealthy young sportsmen who single-handedly kept W.O. Bentley’s company alive in its early years by buying, promoting and racing its products. Mike Couper, a new-car distributor and gentleman sportsman of some renown, was one of these, partnering with “Tim” Birkin […]

1955 Jaguar XK 140 SE Coupe

In October 1954, the Jaguar XK 120’s replacement was launched and given the name XK 140. The new car offered more interior space — a result of the engine being moved forward three inches — and more precise rack-and-pinion steering was fitted. The fixed-head coupe iteration offered 2+2 seating. The […]

1953 EMW 327 Cabriolet

The acquisition of the Dixi Works at Eisenach in 1928 provided BMW, hitherto a manufacturer of aero engines and motorcycles, with a foothold in motor manufacturing. Dixi’s built-under-license version of the Austin Seven was gradually developed and improved, ending up with swing-axle suspension and overhead valves. Then, in 1933, came […]

1956 Fiat-Bartoletti Tipo 306 Race Car Transporter

This is the Maserati factory team’s transporter of its World Championship-winning Fangio 250F season of 1957 — and which would also have taken Fangio’s Piccolo 250F (Chassis 2533) to the last race of his glittering career at Reims in 1958. It was subsequently acquired by Lance Reventlow for his Team […]

1935 Aston Martin Ulster 2/4 Seater Tourer

  Manufactured by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, the first Aston-Martins (the hyphen is correct for the period) rapidly established a reputation for high performance and sporting prowess in the years immediately following World War I. The foundations were laid for proper series production with the formation of Aston Martin […]

1968 Triumph TR5 Roadster

Similar to the preceding TR4A — the first TR with independent rear suspension — but with Triumph’s 2.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine installed in place of the old 2.1-liter four, the TR5 was produced during the 1968 model year only (October 1967 to November 1968) pending the arrival of the restyled TR6. […]

1974 Jensen Interceptor Series III Sports Saloon

With the Interceptor saloon’s introduction in 1967, Jensen had switched from glassfibre to steel for its car bodies. Underneath, the preceding C-V8’s robust chassis, running gear and 6,276-cc Chrysler engine remained substantially unchanged. With around 280 bhp on tap, performance was more than adequate, The Motor recording a top speed […]