Report by Jim Paterson

A wide selection of Jaguars, including XK and E Types along with other favourites were being worked on for their owners. AC Cobra's, Ferrari's and Triumph TR's filled the car park, and a 1930 Bentley Le Mans race bodied car arrived too.

I started the day with a quick check of the fluid levels of the Healey Sprite which had just passed its annual MoT. A few advisories had been addressed so it was fill it with fuel and set off towards Inverkeilor, some 95 miles from my home.

It was around 23 degrees when I left and so I donned  a pair of shorts and T shirt which had been the standard gear for the past couple of weeks. That would prove to be a little brave as the trip unfolded.

Heading north around Edinburgh and over the forth Bridge into fife I decided to take the scenic route through fife. Partly to avoid the traffic heading for T in the Park at Kinross, which always causes the motorway to come to a halt, but mostly to enjoy the minor roads that a classic feels more at home on.

That was when I found shorts was perhaps not the best choice. The cold front forecast to pass over us loomed as an cool breeze off the east coast and as I approached Dundee it was becoming decidedly chilly around the knees! Time for the heater flap to be opened and that solved the problem. Roadworks at the Dundee side of the Tay Bridge meant a long wait at traffic lights, and a watchful eye on the temperature guage as it started to climb. fortunately the electric fan was working well, and the vent in the nearside wing dumped the under bonnet heat as soon as we started to move.

A warm welcome awaited as I drove into the yard at Classic AutoSports, and Gareth was just finishing another set of burgers and sausages on the BBQ.  Feeling peckish as lunch had been missed I scoffed one of the samples, which was accompanied with a fresh salad. Well got to watch the calories!

A great selection of cars in for  restoration. What do you call a line of XK 120, 140, 150 in a row? A gaggle of Jaguars? Well they were looking great and from the barn find example outside it seems amazing what can be done to bring these beauties back to life.

Though Dave and his team  are real Jaguar specialists they also do plenty on Porsche cars, as you can see, MG's, big Healey and the occasional Ferrari.

One of Dave's clients Bill Barron arrived from Aberdeen in a gleaming 1929 Bentley Le Mans Tourer, which Dave had done some work on, complete with supercharger. I was told weighs in at 2 tons when fully fuelled and crewed.  It can still see off modern cars on the motorway however, easily cruising at 70 to 80 mph. Just don't ask it to stop quickly.....

The car had visited Angouléme last year, taking part in the Rallye International de Charente. A leisurely tour of the countryside around Angouléme is greeted by the locals who wave as some 600 cars passed through their villages. Could only happen in France and Italy where they do like their motorsport. The Bentley also won a prize at the concours de' elegance, alongside a 1958 Cadillac and a 1948 Delahaye. The crews even dressed for the part, and the Bentley crew looked great in their kilts.

Back to the BBQ, and having chatted with more crews that arrived from the Glamis Extravaganza nearby, it was time to set of home.  I decided that everyone should have arrived at T in the Park so took the direct motorway route from Dundee to Perth to Edinburgh. The sun reappeared and it warmed up making it a great end to the day.

The Sprite was parked away in the garage as Sunday was to be a run on the Argyll Classic and Sporting Car Club's first event, the Summer Saunter with Douglas Anderson in the Vitesse. But a late phone call changed all that. See the Summer Saunter story for more. 

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Updated 16 July 2013
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