Classic Cars at The Seven Stars
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This is our new monthly meet for members only, and is in addition to our monthly meets at Bradmoor Farm. We meet in the evening, at The Seven Stars pub, Dinton, and have a different speaker or activity each time.
So far we have welcomed ADT Detailing, Birks Motorworks, The Institute of Advanced Motorists, and Ice Blast Pro to talk to us. See below for write ups.
If you would like to attend Classic Cars at The Seven Stars, you need to be a paid up Haddenham Classics member. You can join here.
We look forward to seeing you at a future event.
Talk from Ice Blast Pro
by Martin Watson
For our fourth Classic Cars at The Seven Stars meet, we welcomed Ice Blast Pro to talk to us about their business, which focuses exclusively on automotive dry ice blasting and long-term vehicle preservation.
For those of us that knew nothing, or next to nothing (myself included), the presentation from Niall was a true eye opener.
This non-abrasive technology that strips away underbody and wheel arch dirt and rust build up, takes a vehicle back to the initial factory paint layer, which, when followed by a range of rust protection (vehicle preservation) coatings, can keep your pride and joy protected from the elements for five years or more.
Ice Blast Pro offers the same process for engine bay cleaning – without the follow-up coating – although normally carried out as an add-on to underbody treatment as part of a number of packaged service options available.
Niall invited Haddenham Classics members to view the process at first hand at his unit in Faringdon, and we will be organising a trip out to Ice Blast Pro for members to see the various processes in action.
You can learn more about Ice Blast Pro at www.iceblastpro.co.uk
Thanks to Niall for coming out to talk to our group.
Photo by Ice Blast Pro.
Talk from The IAM
by Martin Watson
Are you a good driver? I'm sure most of us would like to think we are, but in all honesty it's probably many years – decades for some of us – since we were critiqued!
Those Haddenham Classics members who gathered at The Seven Stars pub, on 11 March, enjoyed a thought-provoking presentation by the local branch of the IAM –
The Institute of Advanced Motorists. A presentation that left many of us thinking, maybe a review wouldn't be such a bad idea.
For just £204, an IAM volunteer will observe and critique your driving, in your own vehicle, for as many sessions as necessary, with the option to be assessed for membership of the IAM when it is felt appropriate.
Membership includes a number of benefits, not least of which are reduced insurance premiums! The IAM offers a free, no-obligation, observed drive as a taster, to decide whether the course is for you. Full details on IAM website at www.iamroadsmart.com
Talk from Birks Motorworks
by Martin Watson
At our second Classic Cars at The Seven Stars meeting, on 11 February, over 20 Haddenham Classics members managed to squeeze into The Seven Stars pub in Dinton – the room is not called 'The Snug' for nothing! –
with 'standing room only' left for a couple of colleagues.
Graham Birks, of Birks Motorworks in Thame, a familiar face to many in the group, kept us all thoroughly entertained charting his – and his forebears – passion for engineering and the growth of Birks Motorworks. The talk was peppered with a fistful of quirky anecdotes, and included the chance to touch and feel a con-rod that had long since seen better days. In fact it was more akin to having been 'Uri Geller'd' than compressed any piston on this Earth!
After half-time refreshment from the pub, Graham hosted a similarly light hearted round-robin critique of members’ vehicles with a degree of mutual leg-pulling all-round.
A thoroughly enjoyable and very popular evening.
Talk from ADT Detailing
by Martin Watson
Our first Classic Cars at The Seven Stars meet took place on 14 January. Those of you that missed it, missed a real treat. The 17 Haddenham Classics members who squeezed into the cosy snug at The Seven Stars pub enjoyed a light-hearted and informative couple of hours.
Other than the opportunity for like-minded souls to gather together for a pint, we were treated to an interesting and educational talk from Ashley Todd of ADT Detailing https://adtdetailing.co.uk/ covering the key aspects of this important discipline. Ashley concentrated, rightly, on his particular areas of detailing expertise – paintwork, protective films and upholstery, although his knowledge, and wider contact base, extends far beyond this. What may have appeared at first glance a seemingly narrow topic, turned out to be a very broad one, and Ashley was extremely well informed about all aspects of it.
Members had the opportunity to quiz Ashley on a wide range of matters particularly pertinent to their own vehicles and experiences, which Ashley fielded without fear or favour – or any hard sell for his services. And as much as there were recommendations and guidance in respect of methodology, this was interspersed with a number of cautionary don’ts!
Many thanks to Ashley for his detailed explanations and sharing his comprehensive knowledge of the subject.