Some ideas sound easy… right up until you actually try them. This was meant to be a simple garage challenge: identify car fluids by smell, blindfolded.No touching. No tasting. Just your nose, a glass, and confidence. That confidence didn’t last long. The Challenge We lined up a set of identical glasses, each containing a different … Continue reading “We Tried Identifying Car Fluids by Smell (Blindfolded)”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Some projects start with a car. This one starts with scrap. My goal is simple:turn scrap into £1,000 so I can buy my first classic car restoration project. No sponsors.No shortcuts.No pretending. Just forgotten machines, real work, and seeing if any of it is actually worth something. The idea This series isn’t about flipping fast … Continue reading “Scrap → Classic Car”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Black Betty arrived the hard way. We didn’t ease her into life.We didn’t start with short test drives.We didn’t warm her up around the block. We pointed a 1934 Triumph Dolomite straight at Bavaria. A thousand-mile journey.Across borders.Across languages.Across common sense. And that’s where Black Betty stopped being a car —and became a responsibility.. The … Continue reading “Black Betty — The Trip That Made Her Ours”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Some cars invite you in gently.Others make you earn the conversation. Courage — the Lagonda 3½ Litre — does the latter. This wasn’t meant to be a restoration day, or even a problem-solving one. The intention was much simpler: take Courage out, drive her as she is, and see what actually happens when a pre-war … Continue reading “Courage – 1933 Lagonda Sedan 3 1/2 Litre”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Corto — A Patient Car Corto is a very patient car. Most of the time, it simply sits and waits quietly for attention, never demanding urgency. It feels like the kind of car that understands time differently — one that isn’t interested in being rushed or constantly used, but is content knowing that its moment … Continue reading “Corto – 1963 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Muttley was the first classic car I truly drove — not carefully introduced, not tip-toed around, but used properly, on real roads, during a rally, and far from home. He’s part of Colin’s collection, and very much his pride and joy. Loud, unapologetic, and full of presence, Muttley doesn’t try to be civilised. He announces … Continue reading “Muttley — Loud, Hot, and Absolutely Worth It”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
Gromit was never meant to impress.He was meant to teach. This was the first time we properly began working on him — not as a finished object, but as a learning tool. No shortcuts. No rushing. Just taking things apart, understanding how they work, and putting them back together with intention. Gromit is simple by … Continue reading “Meeting Gromit — A Car Built to Teach, Not Impress”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
The Joker: A Whimsical Ride Through History If you’re ever on the lookout for a conversation starter or a head-turner on the road, let me introduce you to one of the quirkiest cars you’ll ever see: the 1931 Bugatti Type 51, affectionately dubbed “Joker.” Just like the iconic comic book character, this car’s logo on … Continue reading “The JOKER – 1931 Bugatti Type 51”
Written by Paula BlacktagOctane
We have a new member in our collection: a 1954 Jaguar XK120. However, this is not just any XK120; this car is truly special. It was supplied new by Henlys of London to the famous lady racing driver Miss P.M. Burt (Patsy) and was first registered in January 1954. Patsy Burt was an esteemed racing … Continue reading “Patsy 1954 Jaguar XK120 FHC”