Goodwood Festival of Speed Sculptures

Talking to Caroll Shelby (again)

I enjoyed talking to Gerry Judah, creator of the incredible sculptures for the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
   Judah is a fascinating man and has created some amazing art that goes straight to the heart and the tear ducts.
   When talking about the Goodwood sculptures, he said what I'd always thought. They look dangerous. It's deliberate, he says - motorsport is dangerous.

Click here to read the interview
Click here to see all the scuptures with their stories
Click here to read more about Gerry Judah's other work

I first interviewed Carroll Shelby for Classic Cars magazine, and I spoke to him again for FortyOneSix. Both times it was on the phone. I deeply regret never meeting him in person.

Rule Britannia Breakfast Club report

Interviewing Tony, owner of the Royal Granada

TRs fly the flag

TVR and non-standard Standard, you always get a great mix at Breakfast Club

Interviewing car owners on the straight

I had a fine time filming the Rule Britannia Goodwood Breakfast Club June 2 with ex-What Car? colleague Nigel Swan.
   The Breakfast Club always attracts a wonderful mix of cars, and the atmosphere is beyond mellow. This Jubilee weekend, union flags and bunting fluttered everywhere.
   "We grabbed owners and passers-by and the result will appear as a complete report, and a series of short clips on the Goodwood website.
    We were somewhat surprise to discover that the Queen once drove a Granada. The current owner Tony, left, once worked as a chauffeur. He's driven many celebrities and has met plenty of royals, but remains tactfully tight-lipped.
    The Granada was used as an everyday car around Balmoral, perfect for picnics, etc. It's standard except that the floor mats have been replaced by what looks like lino to protect the floor from muddy green wellies, and there's a stuffed waterproof mat in the back for the corgis.
   Arnold Piddington's Piper got my attention because I'd never seen one before. Apparently a new owners' club is setting up for the survivors - perhaps half of the 80 to 100 estimated to have been made 1966 to 76. This is not a kit car, Piper built the car the order, but the buyer had to tighten a few nuts and bolts.
   Arnold used to use his for races and hilclimbs and rolled it here at Goodwood. Remarkably, he was able to buy a new sheet of plexi glass and take it to a specialist with the original mould to replace the complex rear window.
   We drooled at Jags and Astons, but couldn't help but admire an almost 1970 perfect Maxi. Chris Salter is usually a Citroen enthusiast, but bought this car on a whim. He found out later it's an early model in a unique colour. Maxi cognescenti reckon it may have been a show car to temp the police into buying Maxis to go with their Austin 1100s.
   He wasn't sure of the reaction the Maxi would get at Goodwood, but it got plenty of attention, and everyone loved it.
   In all we managed close to a dozen interviews with some great people. Later on we watched some crazies haul a plane down the start straight for charity. As always, the food was fantastic.

Granada has comfy mats for Queen's corgis

Arnold raced - and crashed his Piper at Goodwood

Chris bought his 1970 Maxi on eBay

The Binfields are all car nuts - even the dog is called Enzo

A wonderful line-up of cars below the famous tower

Steed would like this

MGs get into the spirit, Tiger front

The Big Pull for charity