Canley Classics

21/10/2026

Thanks to Ashlee, Aiden, and Stevie for the fantastic birthday present which will come in useful in the Courier.

23/09/2026

We had a warning that we were going to get a visitor so we turned the sign around on the shop before he turned up!

06/08/2026

Now Sold Thank You.

1964 Spitfire MKI LHD For Sale on behalf of a friend.
Californian import. Recommissioned a couple of years ago when it was registered for the road in the UK, and very few miles since. Suspension stripped, powder coated, poly bushes, and four new tyres at the same time. Original sills, etc, cavity waxed when recommissioned. Needs paint (might be an opportunity to return it to its original Conifer Green colour). GT6 seats have been retrimmed in the States in some strange material! Front over riders missing, and bumper needs re-chrome. However fantastic opportunity to fettle a largely unmolested car. £6,000.

30/07/2026

What was the fastest ever factory Spitfire?

For top speed it was ADU 4B, the only Triumph ever to gain a class win at Le Mans, and the fastest Spitfire at Sebring in 1965. In the process of that Le Mans class win (and 13th overall!) it was consistently clocked on the Mulsanne straight at nearly 138mph. Remember this was from a 1147cc engine.

For acceleration it had to be the Macau Spitfire. It shared the all aluminium (with bits of glass fibre) body, magnesium wheels, aluminium brake calipers, lightweight chassis, etc of the Le Mans cars. However it didn't have a roof, and it had a much smaller fuel tank than the enormous endurance tanks fitted to the Le Mans cars, and it was even more stripped out internally. On top of all that it had different gearing. The Le Mans cars had 3.89 diffs to enable them to reach those phenomenal top speeds, but the Macau had either a 4.11, or a 4.55 (I have never been able to find out definitively). So not only was it without a doubt the lightest ever factory Spitfire, it was also surely the fastest accelerating one.

29/07/2026

Time Flies!

Funny how you don't notice how big trees are growing when you see them virtually every day. Its only when you add a Courier for scale it becomes apparent. The land behind the Courier was a two acre horse paddock 27 odd years ago. It was about then that young Tracey (she's a manager at Jaguar now!) from over the road sold her horse on to a new owner. John Kipping then took on some form of government grant and planted hundreds of trees in the redundant paddock. I remember Steve Barker spending weeks digging little holes to put the saplings in. Move forward over a quarter of a century, and despite me having more than a few accidents with the ride on mower in the early days which led to some casualties, and quite a bit of storm damage we have a thriving wood on our door step
Edit!
It wasn't 27 years ago, it was over 29 years ago! I have found the old receipt for the trees in the business records, and there were over a thousand of them (there certainly isn't anywhere near that surviving). £557.50 for over a thousand trees, seems like good value?

08/07/2026

08/07/2026

We are off on one of our meanders around the coast in our Atlas Camper. As a result we will be closed from tomorrow (Friday 3 July), and we reopen a week on Monday (13 July). Can you cope without us?

22/06/2026

For sale a pair of brown Dolomite headrest type seats. Removed from a low mileage car over 30 years ago, and stored very carefully since. None of the usual sun bleaching, fag burns, or other damage. They will probably need new diaphragms (available), and there are no runners included. Is this the last chance to buy a pair of original seats as good as this? Prefer collection, but can ship mainland UK for £40. First come, first served, click on this link to secure them; https://www.canleyclassics.com/?canvas=home&ptno=DOLLYSEATS

23/04/2026

I have been reminded that yesterday (22 April) was the sixty seventh anniversary of the launch of the Triumph Herald. Our 948 saloon chassis number G11 was built over a month before that launch on the 19 March 1959. A lovely 'time warp' unrestored example that is still a joy to drive.