Strangely, it's the early issues of Classic and Sportscar (as it was called until November 1996), before I even joined, that stick in the mind best possibly because they were the formative years of exposure to the old cars that really floated my boat. Old cars that in many cases were not really very old at all. May 1982-issue two-was the one that first captured my imagination: not because of the MGA Profile, or even Mike Taylor's story on the Monica, but a 'back-to-back' between the BMW 3.0 CSi and Fiat 130 Coupé (both less than a decade old) by launch editor Matthew Carter.
That four-pager - printed in glorious full monochrome - first inspired me to put pen to paper: my slightly irate teenage missive appeared in the Letters pages in July. More importantly, I was hooked on this new monthly formula, which comprised comparison tests, interviews with collectors and a balance of subjects from each 'classic' era.
Cars to dream about and cars you might actually be able to afford-the latter often given exposure in pithy two-page stories on subjects such as the Sunbeam Rapiers and Austin A35s that were then the meat-and-two-veg of the classic hobby.
I devoured it from back to front, although the regular Track test was not really my thing. Mike McCarthy ghost-wrote it for our tame historic racing god, Willie Green - who, by coincidence, will reappear in these pages next month. Not that you'd ever have known it wasn't the great man himself speaking, although I do recall a story on an Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale (February 1983) in which Mike admitted in the copy that the driving impressions were conducted on the end of a tow rope!
Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison