Had a marvellous day down at Hart Classics. Even helped my neighbour at the show jump his 53 Chevy Belair after he left his fan on. Good deed done as us petrolheads help each other out.

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A couple of P4’s for you Paula👍

Black Betty in Bugantics

I was delighted to see that Black Betty (GGT 925) has been featured in the latest edition of Bugantics, the long-running magazine of the Bugatti Owners’ Club. Bugantics has been the club’s magazine for decades and remains one of the most respected publications in the historic motoring world.

Even better, the article…Read More

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A little update from behind the scenes of Blacktag Octane…

For quite a while, I tried to keep YouTube organised into active “series” from start to finish. The problem is… real workshop life doesn’t really work like that 😅

While I’m focused on finishing one storyline, work on other cars keeps happening in the background… rallies, re…Read More

When I first met Corto, he was already causing a little bit of trouble with a locked boot… but we did manage to sort that out… in our own way! 😅
I was actually amazed by how much space there is in the boot when I decided to do a little experiment and locked myself inside it, just to make sure I’d still be able to escape if it ever got stuck again…Read More

Corto is usually a very well-behaved Italian. Very masculine, wonderfully elegant, and with a soundtrack that makes every tunnel feel like an event. The 3.5L straight-six is an absolute delight to listen to, and honestly, it might be one of the most comfortable classic GT cars I’ve driven as well.
Most of its adventures are fairly civilised. C…Read More

Corto — 1963 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi – Blacktag Octane

Corto arrived without noise or ceremony. A Maserati built for distance rather than drama — tailored lines, long gears, and an engine that speaks softly until it matters. This is not a restoration st...

blacktagoctane.com

Greetings from Australia…. I’ve been following the Blacktag Octane on YouTube for a few months and have been enjoying the content immensely. My particular passion is for Italian GT cars of the 60s and 70s.

For the next few days, I’ll be stepping away from the workshop and spending some time in Portsmouth.
Not because I’ve grown tired of old cars.😁
Quite the opposite.
One of the things I enjoy most about classic cars is that they encourage you to learn skills that many people have forgotten. Whether it’s adjusting brakes, setting ignition timing,…Read More

The last time the Joker left the workshop, it came home through three days of torrential rain during the Bugatti Reliability Run.

It survived.

But not without a few complaints.

A slipping clutch. Starter motor troubles. A growing list of jobs that needed attention before the next adventure.

And the next adventure is a big one.

In…Read More

I saw this on the Brooklands Members FB group. Nice picture of the cars and if I am not mistaken Gromit on the right hand side? I love Brooklands. I take my Fintail to all of the big shows. I will attach a picture of NYD when I was parked next to another Fintail (You don’t see 2 fintails together much in England…) There is always a massive variety.

What a fantastic experience. I was lucky to drive the Joker for three days through everything from glorious sunshine to storms and torrential rain.

We had a few issues along the way, but nothing serious enough to stop us from finishing the rally and getting back every night.

There are still repairs to do, of course, but I suppose that’s p…Read More

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I’m currently in Romania visiting my parents! Despite the five-hour drive, I was very determined to show you guys, and myself at the same time 😄, the biggest car collection in Romania, belonging to the richest man in the country, Ion Țiriac!

The livestream can be found on my YouTube channel. I was astonished by the condition of both the cars an…Read More

I bought the UK’s cheapest Rover P4, and if I’m honest, it wasn’t because it made perfect sense at the time. It wasn’t a carefully planned purchase, and it definitely wasn’t the kind of car most people would look at and think, “Yes, that’s the one.” But there was something about it that stuck with me. I didn’t buy it because it was a good idea……Read More

Shopping is less tedious in a classic or I would say proper car. Also shop late to get all the bargains.

Here are a few more photos from the last video:

I think I can safely say this was, by far, the best car experience I’ve had at Prescott Hill Climb. Even though it wasn’t a proper race, I can’t really imagine racing a car like this. Just knowing its value would be enough to add a bit of pressure. And to be hones…Read More

So here is a scenario. You have unlimited money but you have to spend it on a brand new 25 plate modern car of your preferred/favorite brand (That is still a company in 2025). For me it would be the Mercedes Benz Maybach S680 First Class. Not that I ever would as even if I had that kind of money to spend on a car I would always buy a classic. If…Read More

This isn’t a Bugatti you see every day…
it’s a Bugatti… with a built-in trailer 😳

Not mine, nor Colin’s, just stumbled across this absolute oddity.
Long-distance touring, 1930s style.
Because apparently luggage space wasn’t negotiable.
Would you actually use this… or is this where elegance went a bit too far? 😏

New video is live on my YouTube channel!

It was meant to go up tomorrow, but I accidentally set the wrong date 😅

This was my first drive in the Type 51 at Prescott during the Garden Party, and it was absolutely incredible, a big thank you to Colin for all his support and for trusting me to drive such a special car.

Here are a few photos…Read More

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Guess the location?

I am glad I found your You Tube channel Paula. Very good viewing and some very nice cars, makes my 1963 model look new… Keep it up

I drive a 1963 Mercedes Benz 220s automatic. It was sold new in Australia and lived there until 2019 when the museum it was housed in owed the taxman and had to close so all the cars were auctioned off. To my knowledge its the only RHD in this colour in the UK. Its my daily car in the spring and summer months. Not for sale anytime soon if…Read More

The Bugs are ready for day 2..and so are we. So far, the sun is shining! Sun or not, surely will be a good day! 😍

Having an absolute blast surrounded by pre-war Bugattis…while working on fresh content that I’ll be sharing with you very soon.
Our main character is the Joker.
And together, we’re taking on modern roads… and unforgiving conditions.
The Joker series starts on the 27th of January.
Stay tuned 😉

Today we took Black Betty and her sister to a car meet! The silver XK120 FHC hasn’t been out for over a year; we were almost sure it wouldn’t start… but she didn’t disappoint. Since it still doesn’t have a name, I’m thinking ‘Holy Moly’ 🙂 and yes, she’s a keeper but we have some work to do on it. Over 50mph, the electric power steering is quite scary :))

I tried something new on Saturday …my first livestream on the channel.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it actually turned out really well.
I was genuinely surprised by how many of you joined, interacted, and asked questions, it made the whole experience much more enjoyable.

I’m really glad you enjoyed it.

If you missed it, you can…Read More

New video on the channel! We finally finished with the brakes on the Talbot lago, AKA Jessica Rabbit! Of course, we are still missing one drum, but we’ve been promised, after months of waiting, that we should get the new drum in a couple of weeks!

Link here:

A fantastic day out with Betty, surrounded by fascinating cars — most of them Triumphs! I love garage open days, as we get to meet interesting and very knowledgeable people.

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