'Get your motor running - it's nearly time for classic cars'

Whether they evoke an era or they’re a family heirloom, accelerate the imagined credentials as to how green you are or they’re something to transform you into Magnum PI, Inspector Morse or Mrs Peel from The Avengers, you are all part of a secret society with secret waves and a sense that you are all part of our motoring heritage.

I had a think about who I knew that didn’t just enjoy classic cars but LOVED them and I thought immediately of my old friend Paul Stallard.

Time for a chat about tyre kicking, oily rags and polishing, about spark plugs and car brands that are no more! Time to talk about old cars!

Paul has been a professional photographer for 40 years, employed on regional newspapers papers for the first 25 years since 1984. Currently, he’s self employed as a PR and commercial photographer, having been a freelancer for the last 15 years.

Paul said: “I have loved all things cars since being a a young boy in the 60s and 70s and could name all the British and European cars of their day. This was helped as a child by collecting Corgi and Dinky cars, as we all did then. It was pre computer games.”

“Explain?” I said.

“Unlike the modern quiet electric cars of today - the more powerful and nosier the car the better it was. For me, it was growing up with not the Italian cars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini’s and Maseratis but the class, style and grace of Rolls Royces, Bentleys and of course my dream cars of the 60’s and 70’s, the Aston Martin DB5, DB6 and the V8 Vantage. Latterly in the 90's I loved the TVR models when they were at their best in production.”

It’s all about badges and numbers this classic car malarkey. We all know the names but it’s like code, Pagoda lights, straight six, sedan, MGBGT,  SEC, DB (Which incidentally stands for David Brown). To the rest of us it’s all about the noise, speed, grace and allure!

“Yes!” Paul piped up, “The noise, the power and the rarity of the vehicles - they bring back the memories of yesteryear. The cars were more individual back then!”

So what’s your personal favourite?

He said: “It has to be the Aston Martin - model, the DB6. But then I would have to have a collection. In there, would be all different models of Aston Martins. The TVR’s outrageous design of the Sagaris, an icon! The noise of a De Tomaso Pantera and the grace and pace of the Bentley R Mulliner Coupe!”

Knowing that Paul is one of Britain’s eminent car photographers, with a pedigree that includes working for Bonhams and you know you’re chatting with a fully paid up petrol head. 

He said: “I own a TVR Griffith 500 - Now restored, I have had the car since 2008. Where upon it went back to the old factory (or what was left of it ) for a complete make over with the interior and a full respray on the body. For four years previously to that I owned a TVR S3. I’m loyal to the brand and I’m celebrating 20 years of TVR ownership.”.

I knew I’d get looked at oddly by Paul for asking this, after all, he’d barely taken breath chatting about his emotional attachment to old cars!

Oh well, I thought, here goes! “What do you love about old cars? How do people react?”

He said: “Owning a classic cars is similar to people collecting antiques. It's the rarity, the history - having something that is unusual in our day to day modern life.  For me, owning a classic car is appearance of the car, polished and in being presented in a wonderful condition inside and outside. Nothing more than satisfying  owning a car that’s worth, £2,000, £20,000 or £200,000 and for somebody to walk past your car and say, “what a beautiful car!” it makes you appreciate it, in all its glory!

Before we go for a spin, I had to ask if he had any tips about which classic car to buy that won’t lose money. 

What have I said? Have I blasphemed?

Paul looks me in the eye. “Difficult one.” it goes quiet.

“In order not to loose money, you will need huge pockets - cars beyond £50,000 and it’s all about numbers of that particular car left on the road - the rarer the car the more chance of making money. Cars of less than £20,000 it is unlike they will become an investment - at worse more of a money pit and you have to be dedicated and prepared for the ongoing up keep and maintenance! 

"Take a TVR Griffith, at its low point 15 years ago Griffiths were selling at the low end at £12,000 approximately. Now they sell around for £22,000 -  a £10,000 increase (but how much have you spent in the ongoing maintenance of ownership?).   Then on the flip side - a Lamborghini Countach back in 2006 were selling around for £40,000. Today they are exchanging for 10 times the price at £400,000. Simply, it’s called the numbers game and how a rare a car model is for the price to dictate and rise enormously.”

He had taken breath again! Blimey Paul! Is your wife jealous? IT sounds like you’re in love with a cruel mistress!

“In short, if you outlay around £15,000 when buying a classic - you wont gain but you shouldn’t really loose - cars like MGB for example.”

Paul photographs most of my stock, but cars are his first, last and current love. I love the glamour of yesteryear an old car creates, I’ve had very fast cars, customised cars and yet here I am today wandering around in a Golf.

Ah well, there’s always the summer! Get your motor running!

Andrew Blackall is an English antique dealer with more than 30 years of experience selling period furniture and quirky collector's items to clients across the globe. He has written and produced award-winning film and television productions. He was born in St John’s Wood, London and he grew up in and around London. He currently lives in Avebury, Wiltshire. His love of antiques stems from an early fascination with history and from visiting country homes throughout old England and the British Isles. Many of Andrew’s clients are well known on both sides of the pond, patronising his ability to source antiquities with provenance and appeal. His stock has appeared in a number of films and TV shows. Andrew has two styles of business: one selling high-end decorative antiques at The Blanchard Collective, the other selling affordable collectables at The Malthouse Collective.

His website is chairmanantiques.co.uk/ or Instagram: chairman_antiques