5 Minutes With Dave ‘Blokie' Petrie

Tasked with restoring the #TeamMike XR3i in time for this month’s Classic Motor Show, Blokie’s not feeling the pressure —much.

How did you get into cars? 

It was through banger racing. I went from a very early age with my parents and also helped my father build them.

What was your first Ford? 

A Mk1 Escort 1300GT I bought from my Uncle. I modified the car with a 1740 Crossflow engine and bigger brakes. What happened to it? I sold it two years later to raise the money to buy a facelift Mk1 Capri 1600GT.

How did you end up working on classic cars? 

I went straight into the garage trade when I left school. Back then, the run-of-the-mill cars are what we call today’s classics with points, condensers and adjustable tappets!

How did the rebuild of the #TeamMike XR3i Cabriolet in Lancaster Insurance’s #ClassicRumble come about? 

I was at the Race Retro show where Mike Brewer and Ant Anstead were asking if anybody was interested in taking part in a charity restoration project. I’ve done some work on several cars for a friend of mine, Kevin Murby, and he gave Mike one of my business cards and said, this is the bloke you need. By the time I got home, Mike had emailed me!