old "custom" shops

[farncombe pop]

how many remember old custom shops they use to visit and are they still there?
we use to go down to portsmouth in the seventies to Kens? shop and drawl over the jack up kits and chrome side pipes :D:D
hung on the walls were musical air horns, number plate surrounds, and cherry bombs, oh those were the days:eek::):)

[KimLeonard]

Ripspeed
Deals on Wheels (known as dims on rims)
John Brown Wheels
John Wolf Racing
Garys Shack
Pete n Marts
Van Shop

[A32Flathead]

Ripspeed


I worked at the one in Pinner and them Edmonton.....

[MisteR Tee]

What was the one in Portland Road, South Norwood called, owner (black guy) had a C cab delivery?

Oldest one I knew of was Mike Knapman's, also in South Norwood area which he started in the early 60s, around the same time as Geof Jago started up.

[kapri]

how many remember old custom shops they use to visit and are they still there?
we use to go down to portsmouth in the seventies to Kens? shop and drawl over the jack up kits and chrome side pipes :D:D
hung on the walls were musical air horns, number plate surrounds, and cherry bombs, oh those were the days:eek::):)


Ken Raes shop,Fawcett Road ( near the Fawcett Inn ...honest ) started up as 3 shelves in a janitorial shop ! Kept going even when the Custom side went quiet by going into CB's.

[shoebox]

[QUOTE=MisteR Tee;138972]What was the one in Portland Road, South Norwood called, owner (black guy) had a C cab delivery?


Dunno but the guy was called James - last I heard he still had some of his cars stashed in a railway arch in Peckham. He must be getting on a bit now.

[farncombe pop]

Thanks Kev, yep remember fawcett road now,
one place i always wanted to look around but never did :( was ed turners
i bet that would be a great place now days,

[farncombe pop]

What was the one in Portland Road, South Norwood called, owner (black guy) had a C cab delivery?

.
Was that the one in CC years ago? black and white feature.

[Dusty]

I got a lot of stuff from a place in Stourbridge...Speedequipe??

[Flamin Black A]

there was a body shop in norbury that had a mural'd marina van parked outside.

was it baldachino's shop on the corner of wandsworth bridge road and new kings road

[Adetuono]

Henry's Place in Norwich. Happy memories....

[MisteR Tee]

there was a body shop in norbury that had a mural'd marina van parked outside.

was it baldachino's shop on the corner of wandsworth bridge road and new kings road

I remember that one, not sure if it was Streatham Crash Repairs, as that was just round the corner. Kev Elliott might know as his workshop was in their yard, Steve Bradshaw was their painter (blown & injected red 4 door Cortina) & Steve D'Souza was their fitter (tragically now gone), he made a new rack & track control arms for my MK1 Consul when I first got it. Pete ???? was the panel man who had a MK11 Zephyr I think. Come on Kev, help me out here!!!

[jazz age rodder]

there was a body shop in norbury that had a mural'd marina van parked outside.

was it baldachino's shop on the corner of wandsworth bridge road and new kings road

It was Matt Matheous place in the Kings road...........
http://usera.ImageCave.com/phunkie%20hiboy/picture%20259_(800_x_600).jpg
John used to live just across the green.

[shoebox]

there was a body shop in norbury that had a mural'd marina van parked outside.


That was Reeds. Pete Heymer(?) worked there he had a really sorted mk11 Consul first with v6 then red with a 302. He was a clever bloke and made all sorts of stuff. I think the Consul's still around - he put a zephyr rear panel on it and it had Wimble striping.

[jazz age rodder]

I remember that one, not sure if it was Streatham Crash Repairs, as that was just round the corner. Kev Elliott might know as his workshop was in their yard, Steve Bradshaw was their painter (blown & injected red 4 door Cortina) & Steve D'Souza was their fitter (tragically now gone), he made a new rack & track control arms for my MK1 Consul when I first got it. Pete ???? was the panel man who had a MK11 Zephyr I think. Come on Kev, help me out here!!!

The paint shop in Streatham could have been Colin Reed's place. He had a van with murals (painted by Eddie Wimble). I'm pretty sure the panel man was Paul Haymer.

[Col33]

Custom maid, Customville and Americar are three that spring to mind. Anyone remember those?

[rootesix66]

i first visited burnham autos in crayford, before it was burnham autos in northfleet, before it was burnham autos in higham!
ive known petes pops for years who is mates with an old boy called roger
who turns out to be roger from slick tricks! ring any bells?
i'm a relitive newby but it'll mean something to somebody.
something to do with a car called henry something>?

[Alcoholic Rat]

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033953003028822851fbJZCeHenry hirise.

http://thumb11.webshots.net/s/thumb3/5/30/3/33953003fbJZCe_th.jpg



http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033953003028822851fbJZCe (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033953003028822851fbJZCe)

built by Stuart Valance i think ?

[Zody]

I remember that one, not sure if it was Streatham Crash Repairs, as that was just round the corner. Kev Elliott might know as his workshop was in their yard, Steve Bradshaw was their painter (blown & injected red 4 door Cortina) & Steve D'Souza was their fitter (tragically now gone), he made a new rack & track control arms for my MK1 Consul when I first got it. Pete ???? was the panel man who had a MK11 Zephyr I think. Come on Kev, help me out here!!!


You must remember E.J Motors ???

[Zody]

Henry hirise.

pic here.

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033953003028822851fbJZCe

built by Stuart Valance i think ?

Drove the car back to Horley from Doug Ripley's place, blimey must over a 1/4 century ago.... lol

[EZduzit]

I used to get on the bus in Dagenham and go see what was being painted at A+L Auto's in Romford... Geoff Ridgeway was there then...


EZ

[englishrodder]

Custom maid, Customville and Americar are three that spring to mind. Anyone remember those?

Customville is still going!
http://www.customville.co.uk/

[AL]

What was the one in Portland Road, South Norwood called, owner (black guy) had a C cab delivery?


Can't for the life of me remember the shops name Mo, it was something really obvious like Street Rod or similar, me & a mate from school used to sort of work there now & then. It was owned by Macfarlan James, who had a bodyshop in Peckham as mentioned. He had the black 283 powered C Cab that had chromed, twisted iron steps & ladder leading into the back, a Mk1 2 dorr Cortina with a SBF which was painted in the stripeyest [real word] flake you'd ever seen. He also owned a yellow Judge GTO complete with bonnet mounted tacho, not sure of the year but it was identical to the one in Two Lane Blacktop, a '70?


http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033953003028822851fbJZCeHenry hirise.
built by Stuart Valance i think ?

Henry & Roarin' Rat were built by Roger Hornsby, Stuart was the paint & body man.

[Battersea Boys]

tony dicksons

[rabid hamster]

Found this on the old forum
http://www.nsra.org.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12386&SearchTerms=a
R.H.

[Dragsterbus]

We had bugger all round here in the sticks (well we've got Shakey or Long Marston as it was) I used to cycle to the track as a kid (2 miles) then when i got my first car (64 wolseley hornet) I ordered some 100+ slotmags from Ripspeed through the old black n white CC ads, fek that was nearly 25 years ago !
also wrote to Jim'll fix it (jingle jangle) when i was about 10 to get him to build my hotrod, specified Pos a traction Torque Twisters ,Ooooh !

[hershambob]

sru autos at addlestone moor near clay corner(chertsey) steve who ownd it was at barrys garage nite on tuesday!!

[shoebox]

Henry & Roarin' Rat were built by Roger Hornsby, Stuart was the paint & body man.
Slick Tricks was in Forest hill off the south circular (stanstead Road)

American Speed Specialties - Beckenham then West Norwood - run by Jim Blackburn no longer with us.

[KimLeonard]

I used to get on the bus in Dagenham and go see what was being painted at A+L Auto's in Romford... Geoff Ridgeway was there then...

Might have seen my Capri getting some 'flake on the roof then ('77 ?)

[plumpcars]

First 'Custom' shop I went to was Bespoke Buggy Co in Wimbledon. Travelled all the way over on public transport as a schoolkid and they treated me well rather than just seeing me as a spotty youth.
The first Gary's Shack, which was the size of a Shack but great people, then the move just up the road to the bigger shop.
As Milton said, Tony Dickson's. Sitting in his kitchen with tea and KitKat's and his Mum in the next room. Queue's on the stairs and late night drive's just for the hell of it. The move made it more efficient but it lost a little character. Tony always had those silly little parts that nobody else bothered to stock and he had them at midnight. Sadly missed....

[AL]

Slick Tricks was in Forest hill off the south circular (stanstead Road)

That was Slick Tricks Racing, a paint shop run by Stuart, they painted a Toyota pick up for Custom car. Slick Tricks, where Henry, Sweet FA & Roarin' Rat were built was based in Bexley. When Roger & Stuart parted, Stuart kept the full name & Rogers company became Slick One Engineering.

[shoebox]

That was Slick Tricks Racing, a paint shop run by Stuart, they painted a Toyota pick up for Custom car. Slick Tricks, where Henry, Sweet FA & Roarin' Rat were built was based in Bexley. When Roger & Stuart parted, Stuart kept the full name & Rogers company became Slick One Engineering.

Wasn't the place in Bexley known as the maggot farm?

[jsf55]

B+S spares were located down my end of the world :) i know they were a western wheel stockists for a while, i even bought some :eek: they used to hold all the usual tat and run a huge, at the time, 4x4 pick up ! maybe dave, dw123, might have some better memories ?

[dw123]

Ah, John, you beat me to it!

B&S Spares, South Wales answer to Halfords, they had enough Metalflake on display to paint the QE2 and a big Western Wheel display plus prismatic tape, grille guards, etc, etc... The pickup was a black lifted Chevy Stepside which was the coolest thing...until they covered it trucker's horns...

That was all we had down the far end of the M4, but then I came up to London for a weekend and went to Pete and Marts, saw that Merc (where is is now?) and went to the Chelsea Cruise...

...and now here I am in South London, in the middle of where all those shops used to be...oh the irony...

[1960Zody]

There was one on Uxbridge Road in Hayes, just down from the Grapes pub called (I think) Moonshine, owned by Tony Beadle (Possibly).
Tiny little place where I saw my first blower and bought a pair of furry dice for my Anglia van.
(My excuse is that I was only 13..) :-)

[et]

[QUOTE=MisteR Tee;138972]What was the one in Portland Road, South Norwood called, owner (black guy) had a C cab delivery?

sure this was called Croydon Race & Rally :D

alan

[Flamin Black A]

sure this was called Croydon Race & Rally :D

alan

I think thats gone now as well

Bob (zody) I think you are right I used to work off wandsworth bridge road in 1977/78 and used to drive past it every day I was always looking as I drove past to see what was in there

[et]

Wasn't the place in Bexley known as the maggot farm?

ah!!! the maggot farm, lovely smelling place if i remember rightly

[farncombe pop]

Found this on the old forum
http://www.nsra.org.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12386&SearchTerms=a
R.H.
Never seen that, spooky:D
keep them coming guy's, interesting read.

[40Stude]

Ok, I'll play. Up here in Birmingham we had Terry Sands' 'Muscle City' on the Pershore Road, Geoff Robson had 'Rod and Street Machine Services' and in the next unit at Williams Iron and Steel yard was ,John and Graham's Rod Shop', Run by John Skidmore and some bloke by the name of Graham Young.

[Tiki Des]

There was one on Uxbridge Road in Hayes, just down from the Grapes pub called (I think) Moonshine, owned by Tony Beadle (Possibly).
Tiny little place where I saw my first blower and bought a pair of furry dice for my Anglia van.
(My excuse is that I was only 13..) :-)

i can remember that one, i think it was Moonshine? i know i looked inside the shop but i can't remember what it looked like, but i have a very vague memory that it was small.

the one i remember was in Vicarage Farm Road in Heston in the very early 70's, the guy who owned it was Dave --?-- and he sold loads of beach buggy stuff. i can't remember what it was called, but i'm sure it had the word 'speed' in the name? first time i had seen lots of shiny stuff and big wheels and his wife was a blonde babe :D (i was 12 or 13 at the time and i had a crush on her. lol).

[plumpcars]

i can remember that one, i think it was Moonshine? i know i looked inside the shop but i can't remember what it looked like, but i have a very vague memory that it was small.

the one i remember was in Vicarage Farm Road in Heston in the very early 70's, the guy who owned it was Dave --?-- and he sold loads of beach buggy stuff. i can't remember what it was called, but i'm sure it had the word 'speed' in the name? first time i had seen lots of shiny stuff and big wheels and his wife was a blonde babe :D (i was 12 or 13 at the time and i had a crush on her. lol).

Was it SkySpeed Des? They also had shops in Feltham and Whitton High St. I used to drool at both as a schoolboy and then used them for all sorts as soon as I got my first car. I remember plenty of fibreglass stuff there and bought one of those 105E dashes with the 4 clocks on a centre pod as seen in all the mags. I thought I'd 'arrived'......

I think you and I lived pretty close.... ;)

[shoebox]

Americar - Southend. Tim Cooke had a big block ModelA pick-up and a 55 coupe that came from France. He moved into producing and selling 911 style kits - Covin?

[martin]

Was it SkySpeed Des? They also had shops in Feltham and Whitton High St. I used to drool at both as a schoolboy and then used them for all sorts as soon as I got my first car. I remember plenty of fibreglass stuff there and bought one of those 105E dashes with the 4 clocks on a centre pod as seen in all the mags. I thought I'd 'arrived'......

I think you and I lived pretty close.... ;)

There used to be one in Twickenham in the early eighties, opposite York House. Used to sell all the stuff you could see advertised in CC at the time, including those t-shirts with the silly logos on.

Martin

[Tiki Des]

Was it SkySpeed Des? They also had shops in Feltham and Whitton High St. I used to drool at both as a schoolboy and then used them for all sorts as soon as I got my first car. I remember plenty of fibreglass stuff there and bought one of those 105E dashes with the 4 clocks on a centre pod as seen in all the mags. I thought I'd 'arrived'......

I think you and I lived pretty close.... ;)

thats it!!! 'SkySpeed', orange background, blue lettering? do you remember the fibreglass WWII german helmets they sold? lol. i bought one of them, why? i dunno, just seemed cool at 13! i think they were part of the buggy scene at the time, Brizy could tell us more.

i didn't know they had shops in Feltham and Whitton? i was born in Heston, Orchard Avenue and skyspeed was in the local parade of shops. Dave the guy who ran the shop was there for years, it changed name so i can only assume he bought it? i know he was a good mechanic, he tuned my Anglia (first car). those were the days, lol, i painted the wheels red, chrome plastic wheel nut covers had bucket seat covers! not >>>:cool:

so yes, we must have lived near to each other. i now live not far from Brizy. small world huh?

[Tiki Des]

There used to be one in Twickenham in the early eighties, opposite York House. Used to sell all the stuff you could see advertised in CC at the time, including those t-shirts with the silly logos on.

Martin

i had a tee shirt which said 'injection is nice but i'd rather be blown', are they the ones your talking about Martin? lol

[plumpcars]

There used to be one in Twickenham in the early eighties, opposite York House. Used to sell all the stuff you could see advertised in CC at the time, including those t-shirts with the silly logos on.

Martin

I think that was owned by the guy that also had an accesory shop on Sunbury main parade. The Twickenham one didn't last long. I think he opened on the tail end of the cruising peak.

[plumpcars]

[quote=Tiki Des;

so yes, we must have lived near to each other. i now live not far from Brizy. small world huh?[/quote]

I was at Twickenham Green.

[64Del]

I think that was TopSpeed at Sunbury, now at New Haw near Addlestone.

Del

[MisteR Tee]

I think thats gone now as well



Nope fraid not, they've just moved across the road.:eek:

What about Carshalton Speed & Custom (father & son team of John & Tony), I had my first display of wheels in their shop many years ago.

[et]

think John Wolf Racing had a shop in croydon
near the top of Sumner road

[331hemi]

Ok, I'll play. Up here in Birmingham we had Terry Sands' 'Muscle City' on the Pershore Road, Geoff Robson had 'Rod and Street Machine Services' and in the next unit at Williams Iron and Steel yard was ,John and Graham's Rod Shop', Run by John Skidmore and some bloke by the name of Graham Young.

Ah, yes. Ol' 'Baldy' Robson built the best louvered barbecues around. I was always convinced that that 'Salamander' workshop heater would launch into orbit though!
Steve Raines operated out of 'John and Graham's' for a while, needed to give him room when that air chisel was out though. What are the disadvantages of using one without the keeper spring Steve?

[plumpcars]

John Woolfe racing at Staples Corner. Anybody else go there?

[martin]

i had a tee shirt which said 'injection is nice but i'd rather be blown', are they the ones your talking about Martin? lol

There the t-shirts, all silly logos, & about £1.99 each. Isn't the shop in Sunbury still there, must admit havn't been that way to look for a few years now.

Martin

[martin]

I was at Twickenham Green.

So was I!

But I think we've had that discussion before.

Martin

[plumpcars]

So was I!

But I think we've had that discussion before.

Martin

Yes we did Martin! You remembered my 56. Small world though isn't it?

[randrhotrodimports]

Yep bought one of there rather fetching blue nylon jackets from there.]
Russ

[randrhotrodimports]

Wernt it called "cruisin" ?

there was a body shop in norbury that had a mural'd marina van parked outside.

was it baldachino's shop on the corner of wandsworth bridge road and new kings road

[mr1958cadillac]

Who remembers " Graffitti Rod Shop " in Croydon, owned by Gary Webb....:)

Cool place, cheap and friendly

Did work on my 32 back in the day...:)

[PDR MAN]

Auto quip in hagley road birmingham was thee place to buy your goodies from [ metalflake;wolfies etc] i done my chopper bike in candy blue out of an aerosol which i got from there ;i was only about 13 i loved the scene then

[MisteR Tee]

Who remembers " Graffitti Rod Shop " in Croydon, owned by Gary Webb....:)

Cool place, cheap and friendly

Did work on my 32 back in the day...:)

Oh yeah, I remember Gary, he's up in Leicester area now I think & still trading.

What about the guy that took over his place, Bob Turner, did fabrication & polishing? Was building a twin-engined truck, good friend of Eddie Wimble. Speaking of who, Eddie had a place in Norbury/Streatham called Specialised Auto Design (I think), just round the corner from where he lives.

Then there's Nick Butler's first place in Richmond, Friars Stile Mews, where the sign was hanging up outside until a couple of years ago.

Then there was D & S Frameshop in Sydenham, Keith Pope's place, where I first stored my wheel shop up in his attic room until I moved them all to my garage.

[kc]

think John Wolf Racing had a shop in croydon
near the top of Sumner road was nearly opposite the abc cinema, broad green, next door to what is now croydon motor spares, spent many an hour in there looking at what i couldnt afford...

kev

[jazz age rodder]

Eddie had a place in Norbury/Streatham called Specialised Auto Design (I think), just round the corner from where he lives.



That was in a little "estate" round the back of Colin Reed's place

[MisteR Tee]

That was in a little "estate" round the back of Colin Reed's place

That was the guy that had the muralled Marina that was mentioned earlier.

But Eddie did have a "showroom" on the corner by the traffic lights junction with Green Lane & the A23, remember seeing the signwritten front.

Also, now sadly gone in the name of progress...TC Bodymods in Acton, where I had the "misfortune":D to meet Truxdeluxe for the first time when inspecting the damage to his son, Paul's Model T. I think they were expecting a numpty who wouldn't know what he was looking at...& they were right!!!!:rolleyes:

[Klunk]

Nope fraid not, they've just moved across the road.:eek:



They have downsized. I was in there a few months ago. They are still blooming expensive and still have the same fibresports display and catalogue! They seem to deal more with the racing side now.....from the looks of it.

It also appears that the same people are still working there.

Anyone ever use 'Powertune' in West Wickham. They are still trading, they were able to get virtually anything I ever asked for, and at a good price, but then again I have been going there since 1989!

What was the shop on the way into Lewisham? Tiny place, I have memories of going there about 15 years ago, but then again I am only a pup in comparison with you old fogeys....LOL

[edpink]

we had a shop in wellingborough and rushden owned by the same bloke they sold allsorts of things thats where i first brought my side pipes for my morris ,the pipes looked like cheese graters. there was a custom shop in market harborough aswell where have they allgone now.

[Stuart Flitton]

street dreamers in Luton
could have been better named,butgood shop nun the less

[jazz age rodder]

was nearly opposite the abc cinema, broad green, next door to what is now croydon motor spares, spent many an hour in there looking at what i couldnt afford...

kev

Wasn't that John Brown Wheels?

[AL]

What was the shop on the way into Lewisham? Tiny place, I have memories of going there about 15 years ago, but then again I am only a pup in comparison with you old fogeys....LOL



Sounds like Pit Stop, they had another branch in Croydon, used to advertise spray on vinyl roof kits & overhead consoles in H*t C*r. Does anyone remember the wheel shop Rolling Stock in Shirley?

[Klunk]

Yep that was it 'Pit Stop'.

Where in Shirley? Roland will probably know as he used to live in Shirley. (ooer)

[40Stude]

Auto quip in hagley road birmingham was thee place to buy your goodies from [ metalflake;wolfies etc] i done my chopper bike in candy blue out of an aerosol which i got from there ;i was only about 13 i loved the scene then

Autoquip, how did I forget that one? That's where I bought my first pinstriping brush!

[throttledwife]

You jogged my memory Tony/AL. I bought a racing exhaust for a 3 litre "S" Mk 2 Capri from there! Well it was loud anyway! Sold the car to Bob Butcher remember him AL?

[Klunk]

You actually fitted it to the car?

[PDR MAN]

Pitstop ; was that shop in westbromwich

[AL]

Where in Shirley? Roland will probably know as he used to live in Shirley. (ooer)

It was on the opposite corner of the service road where Shirley Motors Spares are now.


Sold the car to Bob Butcher remember him AL?

Yep, we traded a huge amount of cars between ourselves, didn't realise you knew him, was it via a bloke that worked on the railway near you, can't remember his name but I bought a Mk1 Mexico from him. Funnily enough Rob got in touch via email a couple of months ago, he found me by chance on the net. He lives in Australia now. About 10 days after his first email contact, I saw his brother Phil for the first time in about 15 years, spooky eh?

[throttledwife]

Yea was it Tommy Fuller or Lenny Rickman? I knew the Butcher brothers through Tommy met them after Bob came back from States/Ozz with his Paris Dakar bike he rode across out back on! must have been 16-17 years ago! Jeez where does the time go!

[AL]

It was Lenny I was thinking of. When he came back from that trip he was the first English person I ever heard that had that ****ing annoying Aussie inflection where their speech goes up at the end of a sentance.

[throttledwife]

The last i heard of Len was he opened a car front at Whitstable near Hearnbay. Still see Tom now and again. It was through Bob you bought/traded green Anglia off me which became chopped salt flats car and i think you had 2 door black MK 2 cortina off me? not sure on that one? may have been Bob or Phil cant remember memory fading with age!!!!

[mopar steve]

That was John Brown Wheels in Croydon, bought a couple of seats there once.
Also remember the Norwood shop, and Gary's Shack, (all the different shops), were never more than 5-10 mins from my house in Wandsworth! Went in the one in New kings Road a couple of times too.

[rodfather28]

hot rod enterprises on canvey island later moved to hordon and taken over by bob nixon, al llewellins at romford, deals on wheels just up the road from al llewellins

[et]

was nearly opposite the abc cinema, broad green, next door to what is now croydon motor spares, spent many an hour in there looking at what i couldnt afford...

kev

thats it opposite the cattle market
sorry the nightclub Sinatras :D

alan

[edd brown]

the shop in hayes ,,im think was run by dennis chriden a alice copper lookaliky
when the shop shut he had a spell at drag raceing for jesus
and then diappeared, to leister and turned up as a rent boy in the sunday people
centre spred,,,,,,,,,,i dont think iv,e laft so much since,,,,,,,,,edd
and he was called ,,,,,,,RIO.....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[MisteR Tee]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the most obvious one so far!!!

Tony Dickson's Gasoline Alley!!!

More of a social club than a speed shop, never less than 2 hours per visit & as much tea as you can drink!!!

[jazz age rodder]

But Eddie did have a "showroom" on the corner by the traffic lights junction with Green Lane & the A23, remember seeing the signwritten front.



Eddie never had a "showroom", he used to put stuff in Cowans autos showroom. His shop used to be in Cowans yard off Hermitage lane, the yard runs behind Colin Reeds. Kev Elliot also had a shop there for a while.
This is all from the horses mouth so to speak (pun intended:)).
Bob Turner is also well, last saw him a couple of months ago.

[MisteR Tee]

I bow to your superior knowledge & inside information, although I was sure I saw a showroom of sorts on the opposite side of the main road, on the corner.

[prostreet70gto]

tony dicksons


I'm surprised no one has mentioned the most obvious one so far!!!

Tony Dickson's Gasoline Alley!!!

More of a social club than a speed shop, never less than 2 hours per visit & as much tea as you can drink!!!

I think you'll find Milton did several pages back....:)

[BrianDamaged]

Autoquip, how did I forget that one? That's where I bought my first pinstriping brush!

The shop's still there, I think it's called Wheelmania or somesuch now. Flogging 'Bling' and 'Dub' rimmage to disaffected youth with more money than sense.....

Who else in the Midlands remembers the old Deals On Wheels shop on the Bristol Road? It was set back from the main drag, I can remember spending a few Saturday afternoons up there as a yoof watching the jacked-up Mk1 Escorts melting their remoulds off the lights.

IIRC Terry Sands was there before he set up Muscle City on Pershore Road. I was only a lad back then!

[MisteR Tee]

I think you'll find Milton did several pages back....:)

Well I did go back through the pages but obviously missed it, did say I was surprised though didn't I?

[KimLeonard]

In Bedford we had Wolfrace Wheels, JWR, and Steve Stringer's 'Star Vans' (dare I mention my short stint working at Star vans.....best not to eer?)

[Ys guy]

How about Dave Grady's Superpower USA. Around Leeds if I remember correctly.

[AL]

Bob Turner is also well, last saw him a couple of months ago.

Can you please ask him if he needs my address so he can send me the £70 he's owed me for around 16 years, it's for a flathead he had from me incase it's slipped his mind!

[evil57]

Grady's SuperPower USA was in Swillington about 7 miles from Leeds. It opened in 81 and the doors closed in about 91 I think.
This like 'Gasoline Alley' was speedshop come coffee shop .. Dave had a pool table in there too.
I had a ride past a few years ago, it was the showroom of a former petrol station site, I think it's a car audio centre now.

Dave by the way, worked at the late Glen Jarvis 'American Parts Centre' in Bradford before setting up SuperPower. That place is now an opticians I believe!

[40Stude]

Who else in the Midlands remembers the old Deals On Wheels shop on the Bristol Road? It was set back from the main drag, I can remember spending a few Saturday afternoons up there as a yoof watching the jacked-up Mk1 Escorts melting their remoulds off the lights.

IIRC Terry Sands was there before he set up Muscle City on Pershore Road. I was only a lad back then!

Right on all counts and Steve Raines still lives round the corner from the old Deals on Wheels shop and opened his Street Rod Developments business just up the road.
Muscle City was started by Terry after Deals on Wheels in Brum closed (Terry and the then wife of the DoW owner being an 'item' and later marrying.
There was also a branch of John Brown Wheels on the Stratford Road, near the Shirley Temple indian restaurant (for non locals, Shirley is a suburb of Birmingham and that was the name of the restaurant - if you don't believe me ask Steve Dennish :))

[Brizey]

the shop in hayes ,,im think was run by dennis chriden
Dennis` shop "Moonshine" was one of those potty little ex cigarette kiosk type places!. He was a strange character who had a habit of calling rods "rodsters" !!!.
Not sure, was he a member of "Riverside Street Cruisers" at some time?.

One of the earliest custom shops I remember was "Brighton speed @ Custom" in Edward St. owned and run by Chris and Pat Church, circa `69-`70.
"Dick`s place" was a regular place to visit, both at the Pod and at Whitehorse Lane and then later on in Beckenham for parts and books.
"Watford Motor Accessories" was good for mechanical parts too...

[Rich G]

Bought my first set of alloys, Cobra slots (oh and some chrome jack-up bars :D) for my 1300E Escort from John Brown Wheels in Bristol - can't for the life of me remember the address but then it was 30 years ago now!

Think there used to be a branch of Deals on Wheels on Gloucester Road in Bristol too?

[plumpcars]

[quote=Brizey;140374]Dennis` shop "Moonshine" was one of those potty little ex cigarette kiosk type places!. He was a strange character who had a habit of calling rods "rodsters" !!!.
Not sure, was he a member of "Riverside Street Cruisers" at some time?.

His name was Cheriden. An amalgamation of his and his wife's christian names. Bit of a strange one....

[MisteR Tee]

Who remembers Jack Stillwell's Stripside Stores, the first shop at Santa Pod? Bought my first T shirts from there in 196? & still got one of them!!:D

Then there was Mitcham ????:confused: something or other, where Mitcham Tyres & Wheels are now. Used to go in there & drool over 711M blocks & twin-40 setups, bought the pre-crossflow engine for my Consul Capri there.:)

Who needs a Nintendo Brain Trainer when you can come on here & REALLY excercise your brain!!!:eek:

[jazz age rodder]

Then there was Mitcham ????:confused: something or other, where Mitcham Tyres & Wheels are now. Used to go in there & drool over 711M blocks & twin-40 setups, bought the pre-crossflow engine for my Consul Capri there.:)



Mitcham motors..........

[MisteR Tee]

Mitcham motors..........

DOH! Thought it was longer than that, cheers Chris.

[MisteR Tee]

Found this pic whilst sorting through my archives & thought it would fit in here.

http://usera.ImageCave.com/mistertee/BHRA/Rodding%20Scene%20sign.jpg

[chopcoupe]

my first visit early 70s near local shop call american autoparts at wallington surrey full of cal custom stuff and dealer for metalflake paints first purchase holley 380 carb was 35 quid it was exchange rate was 1 pounds in three dollar [ wish it was now !!!! ] usally buy paint from them ,years after they move to bistock road thorton health dont know if still there
john brown wheels at london road croydon first wow hot rod wheels available in this country mostly sale selby cal wheels
pete & marts rod and custom centre purchase first glass 1927 roadster body shell at finchley north london in 1979 dont know what happen to them

[bulldog]

my dads mate,had the shop in south norwood,his name was james mc farlane,or mac,he had a garage in gordon road,peckham,south london,yes jimmy did have a black c cab,and a garage full of yanks,from1920 up to the 70s.,

[The Pop Shop]

Here's a certain Mr Nixon and Mr Hockley, rescuing two Pops from those blo**dy HotRodders.

They got got brainwashed though and took them to Hot Rod Enterprises on Canvey Island/ Horndon and later Suffolk, to be restored to original, i.e. Rover V8, Viva Front, Jag Rear.

You probably know Bob went on to start his own company, building race cars etc, and then forming The Outlaw Anglias race class.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm282/angliapopman/BobJohn.jpg

[Alphabet Alex]

http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/images/icons/icon14.gif Hey Jazz age rodder, that's a fantastic pic of Matt Matheou's Cruisin' shop, that's Matt standing outside and the superb baby Austin 'Small Fry' sitting on the trailer. Really great shot, guess that would have been around 1978.
Here's another shot of the Kings Road shop.

[MisteR Tee]

You must remember E.J Motors ???

Sure do coz they owned at one time the Chevy sedan I had. Eddie's son is still around & pops into the yard where my buddy has a workshop in Carshalton.

[MisteR Tee]

sru autos at addlestone moor near clay corner(chertsey) steve who ownd it was at barrys garage nite on tuesday!!

Damn, he wasn't was he? Used to deal with him years ago when I was doing wheels. Wanted to meet him there & forgot all about it.:o

[jazz age rodder]

http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/images/icons/icon14.gif Hey Jazz age rodder, that's a fantastic pic of Matt Matheou's Cruisin' shop, that's Matt standing outside and the superb baby Austin 'Small Fry' sitting on the trailer. Really great shot, guess that would have been around 1978.
Here's another shot of the Kings Road shop.

Alex,
Not sure but I think that was '76. Matt and I were on our way to Heathrow to put "Small Fry" on a plane to Columbus for the Street Rod Nationals.
Here's some at the airport........................

http://usera.ImageCave.com/phunkie%20hiboy/picture%20261_(800_x_600).jpg
http://usera.ImageCave.com/phunkie%20hiboy/picture%20262_(800_x_600).jpg
http://usera.ImageCave.com/phunkie%20hiboy/picture%20262_(800_x_600).jpg

[bulldog]

hi guys,the shop name was the portland rod and custom shop i owner,was a mate of my dad.yes he did have a black c cab,and a fantastic amount of diffrent cars in his garage in gordon road peckham,his name was jimmy or james,mac to his friends,macfarlane,on a sat morning there would be about 20 or 30 people in his shop,always pleased to show you his cars ,that as a small boy,i got the love of c cabs,from going about with mac to all the shows,meeting mates like terry baker,king john.etc south london custom club,and the kings road,hope this will help.steve

[mikeyboy]

my first visit early 70s near local shop call american autoparts at wallington surrey full of cal custom stuff and dealer for metalflake paints first purchase holley 380 carb was 35 quid it was exchange rate was 1 pounds in three dollar [ wish it was now !!!! ] usally buy paint from them ,years after they move to bistock road thorton health dont know if still there
john brown wheels at london road croydon first wow hot rod wheels available in this country mostly sale selby cal wheels
pete & marts rod and custom centre purchase first glass 1927 roadster body shell at finchley north london in 1979 dont know what happen to them

It was called 'Action Automotive' originally and run by Ray Hart who went to Canada.Outside there was always parked Rays 67 Elcamino,a black 56 Chevy and a 65 2dr Chevelle.This is about 1973.

[mikeyboy]

What was that place in Streatham run by Ernie? was that his name? There was also a Beach buggy shop on Victoria embankment,Pimlico I think late 60s.

[MisteR Tee]

What was that place in Streatham run by Ernie? was that his name? There was also a Beach buggy shop on Victoria embankment,Pimlico I think late 60s.

Are you thinking of EJ Motors? Think it might have been Eddie Jeal, into Yanks etc., he had the Brown Chevy Sedan before I did.

[carmad3]

used to go to a custom shop in old high street hemel,but for the life of me cant remember name of it,does any one remember it like me the owners where members of the gade valley cruisers,god im getting old

[mikeyboy]

Are you thinking of EJ Motors? Think it might have been Eddie Jeal, into Yanks etc., he had the Brown Chevy Sedan before I did.

Yes,thats it.

[MisteR Tee]

Yes,thats it.

Blegborough Road, off Mitcham Road near Eardley Rd., in their back garden!

[gettinonabitmore]

we had a shop in wellingborough and rushden owned by the same bloke they sold allsorts of things thats where i first brought my side pipes for my morris ,the pipes looked like cheese graters. there was a custom shop in market harborough aswell where have they allgone now.

A custom shop in Market Harborough Derek???

Where???

As thats where I come from...:eek:

[edpink]

the one in market harborough was on the right as you come in from kettering on the a6 road dont no what it was called the one in wellingborough was in cambridge street owned by colin webber and the one in rushden was owned by a coloured guy who also owned the one in mkt harborough.

[gettinonabitmore]

the one in market harborough was on the right as you come in from kettering on the a6 road dont no what it was called the one in wellingborough was in cambridge street owned by colin webber and the one in rushden was owned by a coloured guy who also owned the one in mkt harborough.

On a corner, very near to the town centre???

How long ago are we talking???

It's now a Starbucks (or someother fancy coffee shop), it always used to be a car type show, but I don't remember it being a custom place, but I am 38....???!!!

[Truxdelux]

Also, now sadly gone in the name of progress...TC Bodymods in Acton, where I had the "misfortune":D to meet Truxdeluxe for the first time when inspecting the damage to his son, Paul's Model T. I think they were expecting a numpty who wouldn't know what he was looking at...& they were right!!!!:rolleyes:

I've just re-read this. I must have missed it.

I'm glad you admitted it at last!! Here's a little reminder!!
Luv yoo!!

[chevy2]

I've just re-read this. I must have missed it.

I'm glad you admitted it at last!! Here's a little reminder!!
Luv yoo!!

nice pic Charlie,
lots of cars but no people?,

we must of all been on a mass tea break,,,,,,,,,,,,,again.

[MisteR Tee]

nice pic Charlie,
lots of cars but no people?,

we must of all been on a mass tea break,,,,,,,,,,,,,again.

Yup, probably all inside huddled round the kettle!!

[Truxdelux]

We had to PAY the kettle overtime!! Great days EH!!

[MisteR Tee]

The other day I found the pics I took then of Paul's T, seems like yesterday but I guess it was a few years back now!

Still, I won't miss backing out of that drive!!!!

[highwayman]

The shop in Hemel High Street was owned by the Osbourne Family," Hemel Rod and Custom " I think it was called, Maurice Osbourne had the "Red Baron" Ford pop, the first rod I ever see,

[vince-305]

i first visited burnham autos in crayford, before it was burnham autos in northfleet, before it was burnham autos in higham!
ive known petes pops for years who is mates with an old boy called roger
who turns out to be roger from slick tricks! ring any bells?
i'm a relitive newby but it'll mean something to somebody.
something to do with a car called henry something>?

It was only just the other week i was talkin to ROGER (thanks Pete) ill let you guess why http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/58/758/2/49/88/2835249880103327149MJjMEQ_th.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2835249880103327149MJjMEQ)

lol

[rodbuilder]

Auto quip in hagley road birmingham was thee place to buy your goodies from [ metalflake;wolfies etc] i done my chopper bike in candy blue out of an aerosol which i got from there ;i was only about 13 i loved the scene then

Bought my first pair of Wolfrace slots for the back of the 100e from there in 1978

[vince-305]

What was the shop on the way into Lewisham? Tiny place, I have memories of going there about 15 years ago, but then again I am only a pup in comparison with you old fogeys....LOL

Wasnt that SUPA SPARES a spoty lil kid behind the counter (now not so small) now does drifting i think, steve something or other had a toyota hotrod (circuit racer) style with a pinto

Remember it as i used to work at CPC (ABM next door to the tyre wharehouse) and SEBRON's (DOWNHAM AUTOS)

[ian.stewart]

Wasnt that SUPA SPARES a spoty lil kid behind the counter (now not so small) now does drifting i think, steve something or other had a toyota hotrod (circuit racer) style with a pinto

Remember it as i used to work at CPC (ABM next door to the tyre wharehouse) and SEBRON's (DOWNHAM AUTOS)

Downham Autos, Steve, [Fordson 39], yellow Fordson gasser. used to work behind the Jump there

The place on the way into was Super Accessories, opposite what used to be Parks Motorcycles. Just before the Hospital.

Al, one for you, The Chequered flag, Orpington, used to be in the Parade of shops on the Orp Bypass,

Maurice, Streatham Crash Repairs, I am fairly sure Kev worked there for a while, Pete mk2 consul ran a Shorrocks blown essex, then owned by Steve Dowler who I think Pro Streeted it with one of Ray Whites old Race 302s, Its still about and still red, Oh and Nearly forgot, Eddie Wimble used to be in the yard at one time too, Of course it all gone now, Another Tescos!!!!

Another couple for the file,

American Autoparts, Thornton Heath,

FGR, behind Bromley Station, can never understand how the neighbours stood for the SMELL of Poly Resin,

Eurekas, Deptford Arches, Pete Baily, Ray Mumford and Frank Smith, I think probably produced some of the most radical paint jobs of the 70s.

Bob Harmons, Queens Road Watford has had a few fast cars over the years

[edpink]

guy i think it was late 70s early 80s i went there to get some pro-trac tyres for my morris and there was also j w wolfrace at goldington road where roy and bob phelps brought me my rims from as they had a account there at the time,roy and bob and allan herridge and me built the control tower at the pod where it is still standing in front of the barn as i worked all winter they treated me ps i was on the ---- at the time but if anybody can remember when it was built then thats the year.

[kc]

thats it opposite the cattle market
sorry the nightclub Sinatras :D

alan ah sinatras, every night was grab a granny night...

[kc]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the most obvious one so far!!!

Tony Dickson's Gasoline Alley!!!

More of a social club than a speed shop, never less than 2 hours per visit & as much tea as you can drink!!!

remember when he used to sell from his home in shirley ( she keeps cropping up on here! ) pop round to buy some bits and sit around in his kitchen having a cuppa...

[kc]

before tony dixon sold from home, wasnt he half of marshall dixon racing ? used to see the pop in a driveway in west wickham and didnt they have a shop/garage in penge?

ian, always thought checkered flag were pitstop? sure they also had a shop in elmers end, which may still be going...

al, the company with branches in croydon and lewisham that you said was pit stop, are you sure its not super accessories?

croydon race moved from south norwood high street to portland road, then opposite next to the pub and is still going, used to be owned by ray tunney ( and probbably still is )

american autoparts moved from wallington to thornton heath and now to redhill, they still exist.

kev

[ian.stewart]

Kev, the Chequered Flag was at the bottom of Orpington High st where it meets the Bypass, by the lights, and quite near Al, They must have shut about 25 years ago, as they were shutting Just after I had moved into Green St Green,
If thats the case you say PITSTOP, where the fec were they in Lewisham???
SuperAccessories were next to The Lewisham Model and Hoby Consortium, and had a HUGE 8 laneslot car track out the back

[MisteR Tee]

before tony dixon sold from home, wasnt he half of marshall dixon racing ? used to see the pop in a driveway in west wickham and didnt they have a shop/garage in penge?kev

He was always part of Marshall Dickson Racing, that was the name of his company, traded as Gasoline Alley.

His brother John lives in West Wickham still & Roger Marshall is in the US now.

[MisteR Tee]

......roy and bob and allan herridge and me built the control tower at the pod where it is still standing in front of the barn as i worked all winter they treated me ps i was on the ---- at the time but if anybody can remember when it was built then thats the year.

We must have crossed paths then at some time, as I was friends with John Bennett & used to go up to SPR to help get it ready which would have been 1965, as the first event was in 1966. I used to sleep in the control tower & the timing tower at weekends before finally getting a caravan! I have a pic somewhere of the crew that built the place, taken from the Drag Control tower in the pits which I'll post once I can find it!

[ROCKIT]

Just to bring things 'up North' a bit.
Who remembers Geoff Linacres back in the 70's ?
There was some fantastic stuff went through his shop, both cars and paintjobs !
I know that Holmsey and Odgie were regular visitors and road going and race stuff used to pass through !

A quick story to lighten your night.

Geoff sold a V8 Camaro to a guy that had been hanging around the shop for quite a while, he couldn't live without it ! Away he went, happy as Larry !
A month or two later, back he came with the car, knocking its brains out.
Geoff took a quick look at the car, and realised pretty quickly, that the oil level left something to desire.

Geoff:- Theres no oil in this motor!
Customer:- I checked it yesterday ! It said it was 'adiquate' on the dipstick !
Geoff:- That doesn't say Adequate. It says Add 1 Quart !!!

Oh how we laughed !!!

From then on the guy was known as 'Adequate' !

Besides this little story, there were some fantastic paint jobs, and cars, came out of
his shop, even when he joined up with his brother Dave, to form MendaBend, the cars kept a coming !
Even now, Geoff is still active and loves something out of the ordinary. and runs a unit in Thornton, near the back of Blackpool.
Anyone with any other stories?

[mikeyboy]

Me and and Alex went to Santa Pod on the train in 1966 and John Bennett was kind enough to pick us up from Bedford station.I always held him in high esteem after that for helping out two 15yr old drag fans.

[MisteR Tee]

Me and and Alex went to Santa Pod on the train in 1966 and John Bennett was kind enough to pick us up from Bedford station.I always held him in high esteem after that for helping out two 15yr old drag fans.

Ah, so it was you two then, there's a story about that in one of my old mags! I would have been part of Race Control then.

[AL]

then owned by Steve Dowler who I think Pro Streeted it with one of Ray Whites old Race 302s

FGR, behind Bromley Station, can never understand how the neighbours stood for the SMELL of Poly Resin,

Eurekas, Deptford Arches, Pete Baily, Ray Mumford and Frank Smith, I think probably produced some of the most radical paint jobs of the 70s.


The High line Consul Steve had used the 427 'Vette motor our of Nicky Kemps Lo Lid chopped Mk2.

Fibre Glass Repairs was behind Shortlands station, used to see a few of the Pods motors outside now then.

What arches were Eureka in Ian, I remember seeing their Corvair window van Mississippi Shuffle regularly down the Old Kent Road.


al, the company with branches in croydon and lewisham that you said was pit stop, are you sure its not super accessories?
kev

Yep, it was Super Accecories I was thinking of, Pit Stop were in Elmers End.

[mikeyboy]

Ah, so it was you two then, there's a story about that in one of my old mags! I would have been part of Race Control then.

Well well.....I'd like to see that story.

[MisteR Tee]

Well well.....I'd like to see that story.

I'll see if I can find it for you.

[ian.stewart]

The High line Consul Steve had used the 427 'Vette motor our of Nicky Kemps Lo Lid chopped Mk2.

Fibre Glass Repairs was behind Shortlands station, used to see a few of the Pods motors outside now then.

What arches were Eureka in Ian, I remember seeing their Corvair window van Mississippi Shuffle regularly down the Old Kent Road.



Yep, it was Super Accecories I was thinking of, Pit Stop were in Elmers End.

Im sure Steve had a 302 in the car first, but it was not Ray Whites, I remembered Andy Kehoe had that engine in his Mk1ZZ, was that Brian Bruces old car??,

Eurekas, I used to walk past the place almost every day, From Deptford High st, down Edward St towards the funny double arch roundabout, deptford side of the arches before the road goes under, there were/are workshops in the arches on your left, they were in there, Missippi Shuffle was Frank Smiths driver, it was often parked outside a pub in lewisham which name escapes me, but it was opposite Studio 6 & 7 cinema, there was also a mustang often outside there also, Possibly Bullit,
One for you again Al, being the memory man, Eureka built 32 sedan, but with a huge long bonnet, Grey and black, possibly built on a lorry chassis?? owned by Harry Hayward, [Local Villan] and used to be garaged in the Crown & Anchor in Algenon Road, a few doors up from Mershes, what ever happened to that

[vince-305]

I keep seing PITSTOP is that not PITBITS at beckenham/elmers end :confused:

IAN :a few doors up from Mershes, the MOT station ? i think that hes still going remember seeing all sorts in the garages lining his yard

[ian.stewart]

I keep seing PITSTOP is that not PITBITS at beckenham/elmers end :confused:

IAN :a few doors up from Mershes, the MOT station ? i think that hes still going remember seeing all sorts in the garages lining his yard

Yep, Ive seen a few motors in there, I used to have a Lockup in the yard, about one of the Rarest in the used to be a Beige/cream Cord convertable that used to garage in there,
Old Mersh used to have a XK120 in bits on the roof of the shed where they used to do the MOTS which used to be round the back on your left, not in the middle of the yard like it is today

[vince-305]

Yep, Ive seen a few motors in there, I used to have a Lockup in the yard, about one of the Rarest in the used to be a Beige/cream Cord convertable that used to garage in there,
Old Mersh used to have a XK120 in bits on the roof of the shed where they used to do the MOTS which used to be round the back on your left, not in the middle of the yard like it is today

Its a small world isnt it

[AL]

I keep seing PITSTOP is that not PITBITS at beckenham/elmers end :confused:



It's the same shop Vince, it got sold off years ago & they changed the name, albeit very slightly! I bought my first proper socket set in Pit Stop with part of my £28 wages from my job at Tooting Tyres in Elmers End.

[AL]

Im sure Steve had a 302 in the car first, but it was not Ray Whites, I remembered Andy Kehoe had that engine in his Mk1ZZ, was that Brian Bruces old car??,


One for you again Al, being the memory man, Eureka built 32 sedan, but with a huge long bonnet, Grey and black, possibly built on a lorry chassis?? owned by Harry Hayward, [Local Villan] and used to be garaged in the Crown & Anchor in Algenon Road, a few doors up from Mershes, what ever happened to that

I know Brian sold the Zodiac to a bloke from up north at a Donny show, he freaked Brian out when he showed up with a carrier bag full of cash. The last time I saw it was at the final John Cross show at Eastleigh, almost certain Martin Aryes had it then, the bloke that built the orange '57 Ford, Gladys.


I don't remember the '32 Ian, I only asked where they were as I used to work in a body shop in Trundleys Rd when I was supposed to be in fifth year at school. Just thought, do you remember the white, six wheeled Mk10? Jag pick up with the hook in the bed, it used to work from the same set of arches in Trundleys.

[MisteR Tee]

....roy and bob and allan herridge and me built the control tower at the pod where it is still standing in front of the barn as i worked all winter they treated me ps i was on the ---- at the time but if anybody can remember when it was built then thats the year.

So which one is you then?:)

http://usera.ImageCave.com/mistertee/BHRA/SPR%20control%20tower.jpg


Photo from June 1966 Drag Racing & Hot Rod magazine in a report on the inaugural meeting at Easter 1966. IT WAS WET! There's a surprise!:D

[kc]

It's the same shop Vince, it got sold off years ago & they changed the name, albeit very slightly! I bought my first proper socket set in Pit Stop with part of my £28 wages from my job at Tooting Tyres in Elmers End. blimey, i didnt know you were earning that much! pitstop used to do chrome plastic rocker cover covers, i had one on my minor because i couldnt stretch to an alloy one, it was toss strangley enough!

[kc]

Im sure Steve had a 302 in the car first, but it was not Ray Whites, I remembered Andy Kehoe had that engine in his Mk1ZZ, was that Brian Bruces old car??,

ian, steves consul used to race with a blown v6 i think, then it had a 302 prior to steve buying it, steve then stuffed it full of 427... andy kehoes red mk1 used to belong to a cousin of the harrises i believe, very tall bloke, think he may have been called steve?

[AL]

...andy kehoes red mk1 used to belong to a cousin of the harrises i believe, very tall bloke, think he may have been called steve?

Martin? He had the blue Mk2 called the Entertainer.

[my53anglia]

I bought some chrome headlamps from this place. The operation was down a narrow lane and was in a huge garage in the back garden. Must have been about 1987.

They were marketting a lot of stuff at the time

[ian.stewart]

.


I don't remember the '32 Ian, I only asked where they were as I used to work in a body shop in Trundleys Rd when I was supposed to be in fifth year at school. Just thought, do you remember the white, six wheeled Mk10? Jag pick up with the hook in the bed, it used to work from the same set of arches in Trundleys.

Yep I remember the Jag, Beige Metallic with ginger Lace??, used to be down by the arches Trundleys and surrey canal end

[kc]

Martin? He had the blue Mk2 called the Entertainer. no, wasnt martin, sure he was called steve, think prior to the red mk1 he may have had a mk4 saloon, silver, jag rear end and a 289?

[AL]

Yep I remember the Jag, Beige Metallic with ginger Lace??, used to be down by the arches Trundleys and surrey canal end


Right place wrong colour mate. All the time I knew it, it was painted in Dulux white gloss. Dave the owner was very proud of his application method, put an open tin of Dulux on an electric two ring hob, wait for it to start smoking a bit then pour into a gun & get it on before it cooled down too much! He had an S type in for bare metalling once, me & a mate from school got around £20 each - a ****load then - to do it with Nitromors. I've seen photos of the car at one of the Crystal Palace shows, it was Old English white with cobweb panels & had two small Funny Car style spoilers on the boot.

[edpink]

mister t maurice that was the tower that sat half way down the strip opposite the play pen at the back of franks shop

Fibre Glass Repairs was behind Shortlands station, used to see a few of the Pods motors outside now then. this was owned by bob and roy phelps they started of repairing the 3wheeler cars one of the lads who used to work there now lives in my village

[mikeyboy]

I'll see if I can find it for you.

That'd be great! Thanks.

[plumpcars]

The first 'Gary's Shack'.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr211/Plumpcars/V2T27.jpg

[ian.stewart]

I don't remember the '32 Ian, .

Been thinking about this for a couple of days, It may have been a Model A, deffo black and Met Grey, even more surprising, I beleive it was a Sedan Delivery, back door welded up and side windows added, I also think it was on a bedford chassis, 327 powered, and looked So wrong, it was also featured in CC or S&M

[Fatguyz]

...dont know where this sudden rush of memories has come from but seem to remember (probably wrongly) of a place down Farwig Lane in Bromley......just up from the Dairy but before Chapmans that im pretty sure use to mess with yanks and the like...again im in the 70s here and i was a wee slip of a lad:o

FG

[MisteR Tee]

...dont know where this sudden rush of memories has come from but seem to remember (probably wrongly) of a place down Farwig Lane in Bromley......just up from the Dairy but before Chapmans that im pretty sure use to mess with yanks and the like...again im in the 70s here and i was a wee slip of a lad:o

FG
I remember that (strangely) I think it was a general garage/bodyshop & I probably went in there whilst working as an engineer.

[Fatguyz]

I remember that (strangely) I think it was a general garage/bodyshop & I probably went in there whilst working as an engineer.

My grandfathers engineering company was just up from it.....almost opposite the Beech Tree Pub.....seem to rememebr it having a renault dealership sign outside but im sure about the yank motors that use to go in there

FG

[kev elliott]

I remember that one, not sure if it was Streatham Crash Repairs, as that was just round the corner. Kev Elliott might know as his workshop was in their yard, Steve Bradshaw was their painter (blown & injected red 4 door Cortina) & Steve D'Souza was their fitter (tragically now gone), he made a new rack & track control arms for my MK1 Consul when I first got it. Pete ???? was the panel man who had a MK11 Zephyr I think. Come on Kev, help me out here!!!

Only just seen this thread and loved it! I'll help you out Maurice...

The muralled Marina van with Rover V8 and Jag IRS (of course) was Colin (Greedy Reedy) Reed's. His bodywhop was on London Road and he parked the van on the corner of London Road and Hermitage Lane as an advertisement for his business. In the yard behind his shop, accessed off of Hermitage Lane - Cowans yard - was Green Lane Motors, a small scrappy, and Streatham Crash Repairs. Rollcall here; John Aird owned the place (Series II Jag with SBC), Pete Heymer was the foreman (red MkII Consul with Shorrocks blown 3 litre V6, featured in the same issue of CC as Henry Hirise in '76 or '78 - not sure and my mags are packed up as I'm moving house - that he later pro streeted with Honda Acty van struts (!) and two doored with a small block Ford. Eddie Wimble pinstriped the flames years before and last I saw it when I was in the UK it was still a race car with the flames.) Steve Bradshaw was the painter with the injected blown Mk1 Cortina four door, which had a Rover in before that and a V6 before that with a Mickey Mouse mural flipping the bird on the bootlid. The late and much missed Steve D'Souza - he became my brother in law - was a bodyman extraordinaire and built a Pro Street SBF 100E that I could tell stories about for hours, as well as a tubbed A55 2.8V6 pickup that was later (is?) orange and went up north. Oh and I worked there too for a while before opening my own shop in the same yard prior to moving to Oxfordshire, then Hampshire. I half finished my Pro Street 100E while there - see a pattern forming here, it was almost de rigeur to build a tubbed English Ford if you worked there! - before selling it unfinished to throw my A roadster together in '87. I believe the 100E's still in north London unfinished!
Eddie Wimble's Specialized Auto Design was actually based in one of the 'sheds' that were part of the rambling Streatham Crash Repairs premises, before SCR took it over. If you went there it was the middle shed where Pete and Steve B kept their cars. Eddie lives half a mile away where I spent many a pleasant lunch hour in his shop or kitchen, even the times when Nick Shanley was dunking Crunchie bars in his tea! Eddie moulded my roadster body.
That bring it all back Maurice?

Oh, and a funny story about Colin Reed: The yard was taken over one day to film an episode of The Bill, and the businesses all got paid for the disturbance, but not Reedy as he was out on the main road, so just as it's all set up and filming begins, he comes screaming into the yard in that Marina van demanding an MoT at Green Lane Motors, refusing to leave. Ruined their filming and don't know if they paid him to leave, but it was 'kin funny at the time!

[kc]

used to see the marina van sat there in the corner of the junction, on the petrol station forecourt? not to my taste, but very nicely done, did it have several glass sunroofs ?

kev

[MisteR Tee]

Only just seen this thread and loved it! I'll help you out Maurice...

The muralled Marina van with Rover V8 and Jag IRS (of course) was Colin (Greedy Reedy) Reed's. His bodywhop was on London Road and he parked the van on the corner of London Road and Hermitage Lane as an advertisement for his business. In the yard behind his shop, accessed off of Hermitage Lane - Cowans yard - was Green Lane Motors, a small scrappy, and Streatham Crash Repairs. Rollcall here; John Aird owned the place (Series II Jag with SBC), Pete Heymer was the foreman (red MkII Consul with Shorrocks blown 3 litre V6, featured in the same issue of CC as Henry Hirise in '76 or '78 - not sure and my mags are packed up as I'm moving house - that he later pro streeted with Honda Acty van struts (!) and two doored with a small block Ford. Eddie Wimble pinstriped the flames years before and last I saw it when I was in the UK it was still a race car with the flames.) Steve Bradshaw was the painter with the injected blown Mk1 Cortina four door, which had a Rover in before that and a V6 before that with a Mickey Mouse mural flipping the bird on the bootlid. The late and much missed Steve D'Souza - he became my brother in law - was a bodyman extraordinaire and built a Pro Street SBF 100E that I could tell stories about for hours, as well as a tubbed A55 2.8V6 pickup that was later (is?) orange and went up north. Oh and I worked there too for a while before opening my own shop in the same yard prior to moving to Oxfordshire, then Hampshire. I half finished my Pro Street 100E while there - see a pattern forming here, it was almost de rigeur to build a tubbed English Ford if you worked there! - before selling it unfinished to throw my A roadster together in '87. I believe the 100E's still in north London unfinished!
Eddie Wimble's Specialized Auto Design was actually based in one of the 'sheds' that were part of the rambling Streatham Crash Repairs premises, before SCR took it over. If you went there it was the middle shed where Pete and Steve B kept their cars. Eddie lives half a mile away where I spent many a pleasant lunch hour in his shop or kitchen, even the times when Nick Shanley was dunking Crunchie bars in his tea! Eddie moulded my roadster body.
That bring it all back Maurice?

Oh, and a funny story about Colin Reed: The yard was taken over one day to film an episode of The Bill, and the businesses all got paid for the disturbance, but not Reedy as he was out on the main road, so just as it's all set up and filming begins, he comes screaming into the yard in that Marina van demanding an MoT at Green Lane Motors, refusing to leave. Ruined their filming and don't know if they paid him to leave, but it was 'kin funny at the time!

Thank you Kev, knew you'd be along some time to fill in the gaps, ah the times we had then eh? Still convinced there was a sign over the shop on the corner opposite (that led to Ellison Road) for Specialised Auto Design, but hey, I'm an old geezer now!

What happened to Steve's widow, used to see her travelling around the local bodyshops doing stripes & stuff for a while then nothing?

Reed's bodyshop got taken over by the guy in the petrol station across the road didn't it? I used to go in there quite regularly & have to wander around in the dim recesses looking at damaged cars.

Not sure if they've even started to re-develop the site yet either, still had hoardings around the whole place last time I went by.

[kev elliott]

Yes Kev, it did have four glass sunroofs now you remind me! Mounted longways!

Maurice, Steve's widow - my sister - owned and operated Stripes Of All Types for a while but as you well know, most new cars don't have stripes any more and haven't for a while, and with the arrival of two new children when she eventually remarried, she closed or sold the business, I don't remember which. Until recently she was working P/T with Neil and Mandy Melliard at ProSign.

On a totally separate subject, and to get back on topic, I went to a yard sale years ago when I had my bodyshop in Hampshire, and bought a plaque that said "Bordon Speed Shop" Anyone know anything about it? I did some research at the time and it was generally believed to be a bike business, but it'd be nice to know.

[kapri]

There were 3 guys that spring to mind that operated / lived in Bordon at different times. Steve Sharman was up there with Hot Rod Supplies, Paul Wright with Graffitti Auto Art,John Webster (?) Orange sit up & beg Prefect and VW's was up there as well.

[plumpcars]

Wasn't Dick Lambert at Bordon when he was doing the Willy's bodies?

[jazz age rodder]

There were 3 guys that spring to mind that operated / lived in Bordon at different times. Steve Sharman was up there with Hot Rod Supplies, Paul Wright with Graffitti Auto Art,John Webster (?) Orange sit up & beg Prefect and VW's was up there as well.

Just tried to contact Phil Eades, who was Steve Sharmans partener in Hot Rod Supplies, but he's not around at the moment. I'll try later.



Wasn't Dick Lambert at Bordon when he was doing the Willy's bodies?


Yes he was. I used to do a bit of part time work there, laminating and stuff. His place was right next door to Hot Rod Supplies.

[kapri]

Forgot about Dicks place :o...all now one big car park :(

[jazz age rodder]

Wasn't Dick Lambert at Bordon when he was doing the Willy's bodies?

Just had a big memory injection from that comment.............. Dick and his brother Paul (billynomates on here) ran Lambert Brothers Performance out of Ash near Aldershot. I think they used to deal a lot with the Yuill Brothers out of Reno. Then Paul started Bluedots.
They ran an alterd (one of Susie Coles old cars) then an ex Dave Prior chassis,T body and alchy 392.......I used to help out on this car
When I moved to Ash, my next door neighbour (whose name escapes me, possibly Steve?) ran a shop from home called Hoagies. He had a US connection in New Jersey I think.
Then there was John Mullan Speed Shop (Colins brother) over in Sunbury.

[plumpcars]

[quote=jazz age rodder;144233]Just had a big memory injection from that comment
They ran an alterd (one of Susie Coles old cars) then an ex Dave Prior quote]

I remember trying to set the timing up on the altered at Long Marston one day... Our paths probably crossed!

[MisteR Tee]

.....Maurice, Steve's widow - my sister - owned and operated Stripes Of All Types for a while but as you well know, most new cars don't have stripes any more and haven't for a while, and with the arrival of two new children when she eventually remarried, she closed or sold the business, I don't remember which. Until recently she was working P/T with Neil and Mandy Melliard at ProSign....

Cheers Kev, now you mention it, I have seen someone in Neil's who seemed familiar!

Just been speaking to Eddie Wimble & although he never had a showroom on the main road like I thought, he did have a connection with the place as his cousin was there for a while. Still got all his old cars, including his T, albeit in pieces!

[boyzee]

Anyone remember "deals on wheels" in romford,they had jack up kits,grabber tyres an a large selection of american mag wheels.Only lasted a few years in the late 70,s

[chevy2]

Anyone remember "deals on wheels" in romford,they had jack up kits,grabber tyres an a large selection of american mag wheels.Only lasted a few years in the late 70,s
was doing a bit of part time driving in the early 80s,
boss told us to take 3 trucks to an address Romford, load up as told
when we got there an deliver to an auctioneers, turned out we'd been
contracted out to the bailiffs,
found the address was deals on wheels,
loaded 750 wheels, sidepipes, cal custom stuff,jack up kits etc,
got to the auctioneers, he found out we were all car guys,
after we unloaded he said we could all take a few bits each as there
was more than enough to cover the debts,
got a set of revolutions, some sidepipes and a box of various bolt on bits,
apparently the taxman got there first and took all the slot mags and tyres,
pos-a-tractions, general grabbers and BFG's,

remember that the 750 wheels went through auction and sold to
'grand prix accessories' in Neasden? for 50p a wheel!

bit off topic; the auctioneer called our yard about a year later asking if we
knew anyone interested in a yank car he had in an auction as he normally only
sold furniture and collectibles, one of the drivers went there and came back with a mint
mint 1969 Pontiac firebird convertible, 400ci, hood tach, for £700.00!!!!!!!!!

[AL]

John Webster (?) Orange sit up & beg Prefect and VW's was up there as well.

Signal orange with colour coded Revolutions, Jon Brewster?

[kev elliott]

I know Steve Sharman and was aware Dick Lambert was there doing the Willys bodies in Oakhangar, but Bordon Speed Shop was much much older than them. Like '60s or early '70s maybe?

[kapri]

Signal orange with colour coded Revolutions, Jon Brewster?

Yup, that's him:o

[Blown 100E]

I can remember going to Street Rod Engineering (SRE) at Saffron Walden in the late 70's to look at the Pop chassis they were making in competition to Jago.

[chevy2]

anyone remember Russ Warwick? had a real nice 69/70? blue mustang fastback with tunnel ram,
he was known as 'the holley bar kid' for his tuning abilities,
used to work out the back of custom maid in ilford,
think he went on his own as 'rich and rare'?

[Jonny69]

What a great thread, loving all of this :D


Then there was D & S Frameshop in Sydenham, Keith Pope's place, where I first stored my wheel shop up in his attic room until I moved them all to my garage.
Where in Sydenham were these guys?


It also appears that the same people are still working there. (Croydon Race and Rally)
Funny, I noticed that too :D


Wasnt that SUPA SPARES a spoty lil kid behind the counter (now not so small) now does drifting i think, steve something or other had a toyota hotrod (circuit racer) style with a pinto

Remember it as i used to work at CPC (ABM next door to the tyre wharehouse) and SEBRON's (DOWNHAM AUTOS)
I've probably bought stuff off you then. I'd have been the skinny spotty one getting you to root through the books for old Ford stuff :D


I keep seing PITSTOP is that not PITBITS at beckenham/elmers end :confused:
Pitbits is still there but it's a spares shop. I get stuff in there quite regularly.

Up the top of Newlands Park in Sydenham there's Volkspares who are still there. They used to turn out loads of custom VWs and bajas when I was a kid. They don't seem to do anything other than MOTs and catalogue VW parts now though. I also remember a yank importer in either Battersea, Clapham or Chelsea, this must have been in the late 80's and I was just a nipper. I think they were called Luxury And Power but we used to drive past them all the time.

[my53anglia]

Weren't SRE at Bishop's Stortford? (Not very far from Saffron Walden)

[ian.stewart]

Only just seen this thread and loved it! I'll help you out Maurice...

The muralled Marina van with Rover V8 and Jag IRS (of course) was Colin (Greedy Reedy) Reed's. His bodywhop was on London Road and he parked the van on the corner of London Road and Hermitage Lane as an advertisement for his business. In the yard behind his shop, accessed off of Hermitage Lane - Cowans yard - was Green Lane Motors, a small scrappy, and Streatham Crash Repairs. Rollcall here; John Aird owned the place (Series II Jag with SBC), Pete Heymer was the foreman (red MkII Consul with Shorrocks blown 3 litre V6, featured in the same issue of CC as Henry Hirise in '76 or '78 - not sure and my mags are packed up as I'm moving house - that he later pro streeted with Honda Acty van struts (!) and two doored with a small block Ford. Eddie Wimble pinstriped the flames years before and last I saw it when I was in the UK it was still a race car with the flames.) Steve Bradshaw was the painter with the injected blown Mk1 Cortina four door, which had a Rover in before that and a V6 before that with a Mickey Mouse mural flipping the bird on the bootlid. The late and much missed Steve D'Souza - he became my brother in law - was a bodyman extraordinaire and built a Pro Street SBF 100E that I could tell stories about for hours, as well as a tubbed A55 2.8V6 pickup that was later (is?) orange and went up north. Oh and I worked there too for a while before opening my own shop in the same yard prior to moving to Oxfordshire, then Hampshire. I half finished my Pro Street 100E while there - see a pattern forming here, it was almost de rigeur to build a tubbed English Ford if you worked there! - before selling it unfinished to throw my A roadster together in '87. I believe the 100E's still in north London unfinished!
Eddie Wimble's Specialized Auto Design was actually based in one of the 'sheds' that were part of the rambling Streatham Crash Repairs premises, before SCR took it over. If you went there it was the middle shed where Pete and Steve B kept their cars. Eddie lives half a mile away where I spent many a pleasant lunch hour in his shop or kitchen, even the times when Nick Shanley was dunking Crunchie bars in his tea! Eddie moulded my roadster body.
That bring it all back Maurice?

Oh, and a funny story about Colin Reed: The yard was taken over one day to film an episode of The Bill, and the businesses all got paid for the disturbance, but not Reedy as he was out on the main road, so just as it's all set up and filming begins, he comes screaming into the yard in that Marina van demanding an MoT at Green Lane Motors, refusing to leave. Ruined their filming and don't know if they paid him to leave, but it was 'kin funny at the time!

Kev, Am I correct, Steve Ds first build was Unpopular Plus, Mk1 Fiesta RWD, with a 2,8i capri lump installed??? I remember buying a complete 8" lsd axle from Steve, and taking it home on a Roofrack attached to my Superspeed Anglia, the Missus was not impressed when I asked her to help me lift it off the roof, she was over 8 months pregnent at the time, Dave Lowe was given a phone call at about 10pm to help me remove it, good ole boy came over too!!!.

[AL]

Where in Sydenham were these guys?

I also remember a yank importer in either Battersea, Clapham or Chelsea, this must have been in the late 80's and I was just a nipper. I think they were called Luxury And Power but we used to drive past them all the time.

Keith Popes place used to be just along from Sydenham nick, can't rmemember the road name but go up Kirkdale & turn right just before the mini roundabout.

Luxury & Power were in Ladywell I think.

[ian.stewart]

Luxury & Power were in Ladywell I think.

Gill Street, Kingfisher Mews? there used to be a little car spares shop on the end of Gill St

[kev elliott]

Kev, Am I correct, Steve Ds first build was Unpopular Plus, Mk1 Fiesta RWD, with a 2,8i capri lump installed??? I remember buying a complete 8" lsd axle from Steve, and taking it home on a Roofrack attached to my Superspeed Anglia, the Missus was not impressed when I asked her to help me lift it off the roof, she was over 8 months pregnent at the time, Dave Lowe was given a phone call at about 10pm to help me remove it, good ole boy came over too!!!.


Steve did build the Unpopular Plus Fiesta, and it was even featured in CC, but he'd built many many cars before that, including his 100E, another for my sister and a bunch more, the aforementioned Austin pick-up, much work on Neil Melliard's Mk1 (hey Neil, about time you finished it, it's been 20 years now!), a Jag pickup, and number of Mk1 Escorts etc, etc...
That's not including all the cars we did at SCR for customers.

He was also the only person I've ever known able to nudge an MGB out of the way in the fast lane of the motorway. In a DAF estate. Three up with a TH350 in the back.

[et]

[QUOTE=AL;144606]Keith Popes place used to be just along from Sydenham nick, can't rmemember the road name but go up Kirkdale & turn right just before the mini roundabout.

near the old express dairy

[bad31]

Been thinking about this for a couple of days, It may have been a Model A, deffo black and Met Grey, even more surprising, I beleive it was a Sedan Delivery, back door welded up and side windows added, I also think it was on a bedford chassis, 327 powered, and looked So wrong, it was also featured in CC or S&M

Yes Ian it was a model A it was called Manhunter and was on a S 10 frame thats why the hood was so long because the moter was still in its original position, It might still be around I saw it at draton manor a few years ago

[jazz age rodder]

I know Steve Sharman and was aware Dick Lambert was there doing the Willys bodies in Oakhangar, but Bordon Speed Shop was much much older than them. Like '60s or early '70s maybe?

Spoke to Phil Eades today, and it's possible that "Bordon Speed Shop" may have been a venture by Clive Greisel and Tony Wearing working out of Oakhanger.
Dick was doing bodys for J40s out of Oakhanger and some of the first Wiilys, he then moved into a workshop between Bordon and Whitehill.

[jazz age rodder]

[quote=jazz age rodder;144233]Just had a big memory injection from that comment
They ran an alterd (one of Susie Coles old cars) then an ex Dave Prior quote]

I remember trying to set the timing up on the altered at Long Marston one day... Our paths probably crossed!

That's more than possible.

[hershambob]

wasnt clive gresils venture called the oakland roadster company??

[kev elliott]

Yes it was, though I thought it was Tony and Billy, not Clive, but I am probably wrong. Bordon Speed Shop was much earlier than this though.

[AL]

He had an S type in for bare metalling once, me & a mate from school got around £20 each - a *poo*load then - to do it with Nitromors. I've seen photos of the car at one of the Crystal Palace shows, it was Old English white with cobweb panels & had two small Funny Car style spoilers on the boot.

Look at what I found on Time Travels site.

[HotRodGang]

Custom maid, Customville and Americar are three that spring to mind. Anyone remember those?

Yes I remember these, Customville moved within the last few years from Godmayes.
Americar, now that was run by racer Keith Harvey when the shop was in Southchurch Road Southend on Sea. It was a Drag racing heaven for a 12 year old, I bought all my model kits from here, copies of Drag News & National Dragster, jacket patches etc. Always had time for a chat even to a kid like me. Started my magazine collection here as well from his stack of back issues of Street Rodder and Car Craft.
Some years later he moved to a Leigh on Sea back street in the 80s, bought parts for my Cadillac from there. Dissapeared in the 90s.
Seeya, John

[jazz age rodder]

Yes I remember these, Customville moved within the last few years from Godmayes.
Americar, now that was run by racer Keith Harvey when the shop was in Southchurch Road Southend on Sea. It was a Drag racing heaven for a 12 year old, I bought all my model kits from here, copies of Drag News & National Dragster, jacket patches etc. Always had time for a chat even to a kid like me. Started my magazine collection here as well from his stack of back issues of Street Rodder and Car Craft.
Some years later he moved to a Leigh on Sea back street in the 80s, bought parts for my Cadillac from there. Dissapeared in the 90s.
Seeya, John

That'd probably be when he moved to the states and started PAW.

[MisteR Tee]

Yes I remember these, Customville moved within the last few years from Godmayes.
Americar, now that was run by racer Keith Harvey when the shop was in Southchurch Road Southend on Sea. It was a Drag racing heaven for a 12 year old, I bought all my model kits from here, copies of Drag News & National Dragster, jacket patches etc. Always had time for a chat even to a kid like me. Started my magazine collection here as well from his stack of back issues of Street Rodder and Car Craft.
Some years later he moved to a Leigh on Sea back street in the 80s, bought parts for my Cadillac from there. Dissapeared in the 90s.
Seeya, John

I remember when Keith Harvey had what was to become Y BE 1 up at the Pod one day, started it up & nearly ran me over! Had no inhibitor switch on the trans!

[Spence32]

Weren't SRE at Bishop's Stortford? (Not very far from Saffron Walden)

I seem to remember a feature in one of the mags of the time about SRE in Bishops Stortford, and something about them having developed a spindle mount wheel and have always wondered what happened to them?

[40Stude]

I seem to remember a feature in one of the mags of the time about SRE in Bishops Stortford, and something about them having developed a spindle mount wheel and have always wondered what happened to them?

They did do a steel spindle mount 12 spoke. Bob Nixon had a pair on his steel racecar, the only other pair I know of were on Alan Humphries' (?) yellow cycle fendered Pop.

[Nads]

We had a shop in Burnley called Bolt On Goodies, I used to go in there on a Saturday afternoon and looked at all the stuff I couldn't afford to buy. I did have enough saved up to buy some red metalflake and lacquor clear to do a botch up paint job on my Sprite.

[kapri]

Car, caravan ,strange little goblin or soft drink ? ;)

[koolkev]

THE CHURCH BROTHERS HAD A HOT ROD EMPORIUM ( ! ) IN EDWARD STREET BRIGHTON , IN THE EARLY `70s - I used to bunk off skool ( that might explain why im a cabby ... ...) to go and hang around in the hope of hearing + seeing a proper kar ...........they had a wimble - painted model `T` with a s.b.c , slot mags and a big `T` cut into the back window .

[SG57]

Does anyone remember the speed shop in Narborough Road Leicester. It was there in the mid to late Seventies, quite a good place for Leicester. The owner had a very heavy duty long wheelbase American Ford van, I did quite a few repairs on it back in the day.

[john123]

new on here but does anyone rember the paint shop called mech spray i had to deliver a car there and they were painting moulin rouge when i was young i rember as you just got out of norbury a petrol station on the right used to sell corvet stingrays i rember the c cab in south norwood he used to sell all the cal custom goodies i bought the first set of seats croydon race and rally sold,when on norwood high street. i used to work right across from super accesiories in croydon at a garage called gns i used to rember american autoparts when he had a roadrunner parked outside in wallington there was also an engine shop just up the top of knight hill.i only got in my car the other day and thought where are all the good shops gone we used to cruise to and even park outside

[welder]

What was the name of the shop in Manchester? I remember one of the owners having a muralled Honds 360.
Deals on Wheels in Stockport, now demolished.
Little place in Longton, Stoke on Trent, one man band type place but had some good stuff.
Didn't John Brown Wheels have a place in Hanley?

[welder]

John123, Think Pete Darwell ran Mech Spray. Did some good stuff.

[WagonMan]

Little place in Longton, Stoke on Trent, one man band type place but had some good stuff.


George Lowe, he shut the shop a few years ago and took all the remaining stock home. I went round there for parts a few times, his garage was less organised than his shop! :)

[MisteR Tee]

One of, if not the first, speed equip places was Mike Knapman's, specialised in flathead stuff & still does, only in Allards!

[Nads]

I used to go to John Brown Wheels in Manchester to dream, never bought a thing but built hot rods in my head.

[kc]

One of, if not the first, speed equip places was Mike Knapman's, specialised in flathead stuff & still does, only in Allards! maurice, think you might find that mike is lurking on here somewhere, i know he watches this forum and was talking about signing up... bump into him often.

kev

[plumpcars]

maurice, think you might find that mike is lurking on here somewhere, i know he watches this forum and was talking about signing up... bump into him often.

kev

'Sprocket' :)

[MisteR Tee]

maurice, think you might find that mike is lurking on here somewhere, i know he watches this forum and was talking about signing up... bump into him often.

kev

I know Kev, he lives 2 roads up from me & we keep in constant touch by email!!!:)

[ken57]

This is Gary's Shack No 3

[ken57]

And this is Gary's Shack No 4

[kc]

'Sprocket' :) same to you too !

[Alphabet Alex]

Great thread, love the early pics of Gary's Shack. Would that be Mike Allen's '68 Mustang in the last pic, he was a regular DJ on London's Capital Radio back in the 70's, Gary maintained all his cars.

[REDMAD]

that is Capitol Radio Funny car in the distant. Is that popatop in the line up as well Ken?

[SJB]

that is Capitol Radio Funny car in the distant. Is that popatop in the line up as well Ken?so that is the body shell thats laying in the grass up at the pod Ken

[REDMAD]

It could be ! Was there another Capitol radio car for another class as well? Nick will know i am sure.

[plumpcars]

Big Gary's original Boss 302 Mustang was also built into a race car. What ever happened to it after the Mike Allan period?

[roscobbc]

Anyone remember "deals on wheels" in romford,they had jack up kits,grabber tyres an a large selection of american mag wheels.Only lasted a few years in the late 70,s

I remember Deals on Wheels very well in London Road Romford (bought some Wooferace 8.5 x 15"s for the rear of a Javelin I had back then). Does any one remember Reg Gubbins (he had a shop some years before then next to where Deals on Wheels were) he used to run a Buick V8 powered 105E, big in stock cars?. The original Eastern Cruisers used to meet just across the road from here at the football club behind what is now the Merc main dealer. Not too far down the road was Al Lewellyns paint shop A & L Autos. Deals on Wheels also had a branch down at Leigh on Sea. There was an engine shop in Brentwood Road Romford who specialised in V8's.

[REDMAD]

The Deals on Wheels at Leigh on sea had Ed Wimples T on display and a certain rodders was building his T in there as well.

[roscobbc]

remember when he used to sell from his home in shirley ( she keeps cropping up on here! ) pop round to buy some bits and sit around in his kitchen having a cuppa...
Bought a brand new set of 8 x 13 ET chrome mags for £100 for a Firenza 2.3 from him at home in Shirley.

[roscobbc]

The Deals on Wheels at Leigh on sea had Ed Wimples T on display and a certain rodders was building his T in there as well. Barry George did a stint behind the counter there.

[roscobbc]

Blegborough Road, off Mitcham Road near Eardley Rd., in their back garden!
Remember buying a few bits from them for a '65 Galaxie I had back then.

[ken57]

Hello Alex and Ken. Yes Alex. That Mustang was the one belonging to Mike Allen.

Ken. I dont know the name of that pop. The cars were all there at that time as it was the opening of Gary's new Shack. I arranged for the cars to be lined up like that just for the picture. (Glad I did). I do have at least one more picture of the actual opening day with the cars inside. I will put this on here real soon.

[ken57]

Here is Gary's Shack No1 with Pete Devlins Ford outside.

[steve henshaw]

Ripspeed
Deals on Wheels (known as dims on rims)
John Brown Wheels
John Wolf Racing
Garys Shack
Pete n Marts
Van Shop
Hi Kim
As was manager at Stockport, heard em all!!
Dims on Rims - *****s on Slicks - Liars on Tyres - Jokes on Spokes etc,etc.
Anyway how many of ya bought our wonderful and safe banded steel rims........someone did so dont be ashamed!!!

[KimLeonard]

Steve, it was only the shops 'up north' that were given those names :)

[ken57]

Gary's Shack No 2. At night and during the day.

[plumpcars]

Gary's Shack No 2. At night and during the day.

Jeez that brings back some memories. I remember the opening party and skatebording down the hill/road at the side of the shop in the dark! Never seen Pete Devlin enjoy himself so much!

[kapri]

Steve, it was only the shops 'up north' that were given those names :)

NOT from my experiences of dealing with them !

[ken57]

Hello Steve aka Plumpcars. I had forgotten about the skateboarding at the side of the shop. So you was one of those guys. I think that was the first time I had seen a skateboard. I remember thinking how childish you all were playing with skates. Sorry about that. It did look like fun though.

[plumpcars]

It felt pretty childish when I approached the bottom and a car turned up the hill towards me....:o

[ken57]

Pic's 1. 2. 3. Getting ready for open day. Pic's 4 and 5 open day.

[steve henshaw]

Hey Kim just found this......My shop in Stockport, Steve Rains was originally from Stockport first met him in a scrapyard where a small fight took place between us over a set of Escort disc brake struts we both wanted!! he worked at Stockport DOW with me then ran Birmingham he was a specialist in fibreglass and used to make Opel GT bodies at one stage.
DOW was owned by Derek Mountney, brother of Steering Wheel manufacturer think brothers name was Clive?
I started there working weekends for a General Grabber per weekend, then full time.
Last memories were going to open up one day and found the shop being emptied just before the creditors arrived to claim the stock, was told to get my wages from what stock was left. i.e. furry dice and defraction stickers, think i got about seven quid that week!

[roscobbc]

Hey Kim just found this......
Well done - good to remember this now find one of the Leigh on Sea branch (with Barry George pictured in it too)!

[BrianDamaged]

Well done - good to remember this now find one of the Leigh on Sea branch (with Barry George pictured in it too)!

There was a branch of DoW in Birmingham too, on the Bristol Road in Northfield, opposite The Black Horse. Now a mountain bike shop I think. IIRC (bearing in mind I was only a spotty yoof in the late 70's) Steve Rains was the gaffer at DoW and went on to open Muscle City on the Pershore Road in Selly Oak.

I remember visiting DoW in about 78/79 one Saturday afternoon and seeing a grey primered Mk2 Connie on HUGE banded steels with the biggest home-built jack-up kit ever on it, it was literally flopping from one side to the other. Someone crawled underneath it and deduced that it was still running the stock 1703 four-pot, which caused mucho *wee*taking as the unfortunate owner tried to lay rubber on the way out....

[autoholic]

I know it's already been mentioned but does anyone have a photo of Tony Dickson shop at Gasoline Alley? Marshall Dickson Performance it was called.

[40Stude]

There was a branch of DoW in Birmingham too, on the Bristol Road in Northfield, opposite The Black Horse. Now a mountain bike shop I think. IIRC (bearing in mind I was only a spotty yoof in the late 70's) Steve Rains was the gaffer at DoW and went on to open Muscle City on the Pershore Road in Selly Oak.

I remember visiting DoW in about 78/79 one Saturday afternoon and seeing a grey primered Mk2 Connie on HUGE banded steels with the biggest home-built jack-up kit ever on it, it was literally flopping from one side to the other. Someone crawled underneath it and deduced that it was still running the stock 1703 four-pot, which caused mucho *wee*taking as the unfortunate owner tried to lay rubber on the way out....

Almost but not quite. It was Terry Sands who was the manager at first, Steve later from memory (anbody remember Steve's Alladin Sane Escort?) and definately Terry that opened Muscle City, by which time Steve was trading as Street Rod Developments.
I should know the name of the guy with the Consul, damned if I can remember it though, he came from Erdington and was an acquaintance of Reg Chatwin.

[plumpcars]

I know it's already been mentioned but does anyone have a photo of Tony Dickson shop at Gasoline Alley? Marshall Dickson Performance it was called.

Spent a lot of time at Tony's but never thought to take a pic.

[mikeyboy]

Drank a lot of tea there too!

[plumpcars]

Drank a lot of tea there too!

+ Kit Kats!

[BrianDamaged]

Almost but not quite. It was Terry Sands who was the manager at first, Steve later from memory (anbody remember Steve's Alladin Sane Escort?) and definately Terry that opened Muscle City, by which time Steve was trading as Street Rod Developments.
I should know the name of the guy with the Consul, damned if I can remember it though, he came from Erdington and was an acquaintance of Reg Chatwin.

Now you've said Terry Sands' name I remember it....and Alladin Sane.

There was also Speedequip on the Hagley Road between Bearwood and Quinton (now WheelMania), and MDC (Motorist's Discount Centre) in Stourbridge which wasn't a custom shop per se, but did have something to do with a cruise held round Stourbridge Ring Road....

[57bigwindow]

I seem to remember a hot rod place behind a petrol station on the A3, just down from Tippets corner on the way towards robin hood rounderbout, Kingston-upon- Thames, pulled in for fuel around 23yrs ago late one eve and saw a few 32s/rods etc in and outside a clean new workshop' ring any bells ? Tony

[plumpcars]

I seem to remember a hot rod place behind a petrol station on the A3, just down from Tippets corner on the way towards robin hood rounderbout, Kingston-upon- Thames, pulled in for fuel around 23yrs ago late one eve and saw a few 32s/rods etc in and outside a clean new workshop' ring any bells ? Tony

Sounds like the 'Happy Eater' ?

[57bigwindow]

Sounds like the 'Happy Eater' ?
Hi, no this was just a petrol station, just past the cemertry on the left hand side coming from Putney, the lights were on in the workshop and a couple of rods outside ', i think the h/eater was a couple of miles further down on the other side under the flyover.

[plumpcars]

Hi, no this was just a petrol station, just past the cemertry on the left hand side coming from Putney, the lights were on in the workshop and a couple of rods outside ', i think the h/eater was a couple of miles further down on the other side under the flyover.

Whoops! I suspect that 'Lowflyer' on here can answer your question then....:)

[Battersea Boys]

Hi, no this was just a petrol station, just past the cemertry on the left hand side coming from Putney, the lights were on in the workshop and a couple of rods outside ', i think the h/eater was a couple of miles further down on the other side under the flyover.



The late Barry Howes was dealing in Jeeps out of that gas station around that time - I don't remember a Rod Shop there though!


I think he had the chopped 56 F100 there about then before it headed north to Sweden!

S

[57bigwindow]

The late Barry Howes was dealing in Jeeps out of that gas station around that time - I don't remember a Rod Shop there though!


I think he had the chopped 56 F100 there about then before it headed north to Sweden!

S
Hi Stewart, i wasnt sure if it was a rod shop, just had some very nice hot rods there at the time' poss i just drove in and they were meeting there at that time or trading a rod for a jeep' ha!, Nice to meet you again and Milton on monday and a look round at your cars, all the best Tony.:)

[MisteR Tee]

+ Kit Kats!

Not forgetting the Sky sports channel showing either drag racing or
Nascar. I think I took a couple of pics of his storage sheds with the whole cars in & maybe one or two of the parts cars in open sheds, but can I find them? Can I .....!:confused:

[plumpcars]

Maurice we used to stand in those sheds and talk about restoring each car....Still hits hard.