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.

1955 Jaguar XK 140 SE Coupe by Michelotti

Chassis S814286 was built on May 25, 1955, as a left-hand-drive XK 140 SE coupe. The Jaguar was delivered new in France via the French distributor, Charles Delecroix, to its first owner, Mme. Jeanne Gaymard in Paris. It is the 286th left-hand-drive coupé built, with body number J4457. The original […]

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Tourer

This magnificent 8 Litre is one of only 100 such cars produced by W.O. Bentley, of which only some 80 or so survive. Originally bodied as a limousine by Thrupp & Maberly, it was sent directly to Singapore, where its Chinese owner used the Bentley for sporting adventures with his […]

1968 Morgan Plus 8

Searching for new engines in the 1960s, Morgan concluded a deal with Rover for supply of its all-aluminum 3.5-liter V8, thus creating a car — the Plus 8 — that combined vintage charm with Cobra-like grunt. Morgan’s Plus 4 chassis, strengthened and extended, formed the basis of the new car, […]

Tempting Turbos

Visit any of the U.K.’s regional classic-car auctions, and you’ll almost always encounter at least one big Bentley or Rolls-Royce of the 1980s and 1990s — invariably with an affordable-looking price estimate. These imposing — if slabby-sided — automobiles are some of the last cars to be hand-built before the […]

1958 Triumph TR3A Works Rally Roadster

Standard-Triumph entered four Triumph TR3As for the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally. The cars carried near-sequential registration numbers: VRW 220 for Paddy Hopkirk/Jack Scott, VRW 221 for John Waddington/Mike Wood, VRW 223 for Maurice Gatsonides/Marcel Becquart and VRW 219 for Annie Soisbault/Tish Ozanne. Poor weather delayed Waddington in VRW 221 — […]

1964 Aston Martin DB5

Chassis 1653R was completed at Newport Pagnell on July 3, 1964, and delivered on September 22, 1964, to Bryce, Hamer & Isherwood, Paul McCartney’s accountants at the time. McCartney ordered the car prior to his departure for the Beatles’ world tour in the summer of 1964. The DB5 was subsequently […]

1993 Jaguar XJ 220 Coupe

1993 Jaguar XJ 220 Coupe

The words “supercar” and “sensational” are often to be found in conjunction, and no more justifiably so than in the case of Jaguar’s fabulous XJ 220. Worthy successor to the multiple Le Mans-winning C-type and D-type Jaguars of the 1950s, the XJ 220 grabbed the headlines just as its illustrious […]

1962 Daimler SP250 “Police Spec” Convertible

This beautiful SP250 is one of 26 purchased by the Metropolitan Police, and details of its acquisition and service record are on file together with a charming photograph showing the Daimler on parade. For 13 seasons, 670 ELL was used as a course car at the Goodwood Revival Meeting, being […]

1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback by Mulliner

2017 Bentley Drivers Club Concours Best in Class winner Offered from single-family ownership since 1983 Formerly owned by Victor Gauntlett; known history from new Matching-numbers factory 4.9 engine, manual transmission and lightweight seats from new Excellent condition, with a recent engine rebuild and a lovingly patinated interior Offered with copies […]

1956 Aston Martin DBR1

Coming from the finest of all Aston Martin collections, owned by a fastidious perfectionist, DBR1/1 is not only the best presented of the five DBR1s produced, it is also without question the most correct, down to the smallest of details, inside and out. With its impeccable provenance and enviable racing […]