Our 10 most recent news posts en Fri, 10 May 2013 18:28:00 +0100 Developed over the last 27 years, the Italian Car Day has become established as one of the UK's premier event for owners and admirers of Italian cars. Brooklands Museum is once again the venue with this historic location providing visitors with the opportunity to see and hear selected cars being demonstrated on the demanding "Test Hill" and the circuit at the adjacent Mercedes-Benz World. Fortunately the weather was largely kind to the event this year and the number of cars on display is testament to the character of this unique gathering Italian cars.   Regulars to the Event, DK once again had a stand and we took with us a selection of our current stock including a 330 GTS, F40, 575 Superamerica, 512 TR, 612 Scaglietti and a 456 M GTA. Our team that accompanied the cars were busy all day and as always it was a delight to talk to so many passionate Italian car fans. Representatives from all of DK's departments were on hand to offer advice and guidance to existing and potential clients all day and we were certainly very busy. The atmosphere of the event is superb and we very much look forward to attending again in 2014. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/52/Auto_Italia_Brooklands.html Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:02:00 +0000 Yet again the Goodwood Press day, which serves as an opportunity to preview the Festival and the Revival, proved to be in its own right an un-missable event. The Festival of Speed in 2013 will focus largely on the 50th Birthday of the Porsche 911, amongst the usual eclectic mix of sports and racing cars. The revival this year features two races celebrating the Ford GT40 and the 250 LM, the latter of which was demonstrated by DK Engineering. Regular contributors to both the main Goodwood events and indeed to the Press day, DK took three fantastic cars to the Goodwood Estate on Wednesday the 20th of March; a 250 LM, the Willment / Jack Sears AC Cobra and the 1960 Goodwood TT winning 250 SWB, better known as "7 SPA".All three of the cars are maintained by DK and it is a great privilege to witness three of the finest 60's racing cars returned to the home of 60's motor racing, Goodwood. Earlier in the year we shot a short film on the 250 SWB at the circuit, which can be viewed below.           Images Courtesy of Tim Scott @ Fluid Images http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/51/Goodwood_Press_Day.html Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:01:00 +0000 At its annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday 23rd January, at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, Motor Racing Legends celebrated a great year of motor racing in 2012 – and announced the winners of the four race series run by the historic racing organisation.The Dinner itself was a sell-out: indeed, there was a waiting list of disappointed guests who couldn't be squeezed into the impressively large Mountbatten Room. However, as well as more than two hundred racers and supporters sitting down to dinner, Motor Racing Legends did manage to accommodate such luminaries as Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Tom Purves, and long-time supporters Sir Stirling and Susie Moss. David Cottingham was awarded Overall Winner in the Pre-War Sports Car series for the excellent set of results achieved in 2012 in the 1937 BMW 328. David had shared the car with Simon Diffey and James Cottingham. The award is testament to the reliability of the car which had not put a foot wrong all season. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/49/Motor_Racing_Legends_Annual_Awards.html Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:48:00 +0000 The 2012 Bahamas Speed week revival was held 28th November to 2nd December in Nassau. Much improved compared with the 2011 inaugural event with increased track length, improved surface, superior paddock club and an added attraction from a group of champion young go-kart stars aged from eight upwards and from England, Scotland, Ireland and US. The youngsters impressed all present with their determined and brilliant kart control, their discipline and real charm. The trusty yellow DK Engineering 500 TRC was allocated race number 2 with the fabulous Osca of the event's Honorary Patron Sir Stirling Moss and Lady Susie number 1. Following a rally around the island a special lunch and Concours D'Elegance was held at the prestigious Lyford Cay Golf Club house. The 500 TRC was presented with an award for "Best race car". Best of show went to Jonathan Turner's exceptional Jaguar 'C' Type which has Stirling Moss period history. The incredibly original time warp 375MM (#0382M ) of Andreas Mohringer was present and added a unique dimension to the group of fifties sports racing cars. In the competition events with David Cottingham at the wheel the 500 TRC excelled itself achieving 1st in the pre-66 class in the Fort Charlotte Hill climb with 2nd in class going to Ron Gammon's rapid Devin. The Ferrari's time of 42 seconds was only bettered in the overall result by a 600 bhp full race Dodge Viper. In the circuit sprint 3rd in the pre-66 class was achieved on a track made particularly tricky by sand drifting from the beach blown by strong winds. The Bahamas SpeEd week is a prestigious yet friendly event which is going from strength to strength and is to be recommended as the "one to do" in 2013. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/48/DKs_Ferrari_500_TRC_Stars_in_the_Bahamas.html Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:10:00 +0000 The clocks were turned back more than 100 years on Sunday 4 November as 449 pre-1905 veteran cars lined up in the torrential rain at Hyde Park, London, to take part in the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run – the oldest motoring event in the world. Out of the 449 starters that set out from London's Hyde Park at 07:00, 372 successfully made the finish line at Madeira Drive, Brighton. 77 vehicles had to retire early due to technical problems. The first participant to finish was Ian Moore from New Milton, Hampshire crossing the finish line at 10:21 driving an 1899 Panhard et Levassor. DK purchased on behalf of a client a 1904 Autocar in order to participate in this year's veteran run. The workshop team managed to prepare the car for the run in a short space of time proving how versatile the DK team are. The Autocar ran without fault the full distance to Brighton which is not a small achievement by any standards. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/47/London_to_Brighton_Veteran_Automobile_Run.html Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:33:00 +0000 The Algarve Classic Festival 2012 was held October 19-21 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal. Renamed in its fourth year, the Algarve Classic (nee Historic) Festival is regarded by many as the finest historic motorsport event staged in the Iberian Peninsula.The 2012 running of the Algarve Classic Festival saw a total of nine grids and 14 races on track, with an estimated 175 cars and 300 participants challenging the 18-turn, 2.915 mile Portimao circuit. Rain was the main protagonist for the nine races held during the final day. Yet, despite the adverse conditions, organizers called the Festival was the best in the four years it has been staged at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Racing classes included JD Classic Challenge, Under 2-liter Touring Cars, Stirling Moss Trophy, GT and Sport Car Cup, Pre-War Sport Cars, Formula Junior, 1000KM, Iberian Gentlemen Drivers and the Campeonato Nacional de Clássicos 1300. DK attended the event last year and we were happy to once again attend with the BMW 328 which was so popular last year and the MGB. James Cottingham drove both cars extremely well despite the difficult conditions, sharing the MGB with Ecurie Ecosse racer Joe Twyman and the BMW with his father David. The MGB was to fight its way through the GT and Sports Car Cup grid which was 36 cars strong and included AC Cobras and Lightweight E-Types. Astonishingly the MGB finished 12th overall and 1st in class by more than a lap, a testament to hard the work put in by the workshop team to ensure the car's set-up was spot on for such a challenging circuit.Saturday's dry pre-war race resulted in a second place overall finish for the BMW also gaining class honours after an extremely good drive by David Cottingham. Sunday was very wet indeed and it required James to grab the BMW by the scruff of its neck to shake the car in to 2nd in class and 4th overall. An excellent way to end a seasons racing.     With thanks to Tim Scott and Sports Car Digest http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/46/Algarve_Classic.html Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:47:00 +0100 Recognised by most as the historic motorsport meeting this year's Revival followed on from the theme of previous year's events. As always on-track action, combined with a unique atmosphere, the world's greatest cars and of course a mere 12 flying Spitfires. Not to mention the smoke machine. The automotive highlights included the reunion of the Silver Arrows, the first on track exhibition of these important machines since before the war. The silver arrows were an incredible display of Arian power. Capable of 600BHP and 200 MPH in the 1930s these machines totally dominated Grand Prix racing and became an extension of Hitler's foreign plans. Devoid of paint to save weight the Silver Arrows are certainly amongst the most iconic machines in motor racing. In addition to the Silver Arrows there was also a tribute to Dan Gurney and perhaps the last event of the 250 GTO's 50th anniversary, 15 cars were present for the parade lap and four GTOs competed in a dramatic running of the TT, which was eventually won by Adrian Newey and Martin Brundle in Newey's E-type despite a little "off-roading" early on in the race.   The event always forms a highlight of DK's year and this year we took the pre-war BMW 328 to be piloted by David Cottingham and the MGB driven in Saturday's Fordwater Trophy by James Cottingham. David drove the BMW extremely well having a very busy race indeed with the Pre-war field early on Sunday morning; he finished a very respectable 6th. On Saturday James managed to snatch a number of places despite being outclassed by the field which included a Ferrari 275 GTB/C, he finished 11th. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/45/Goodwood_Revival.html Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:20:00 +0100 In the collector car world, August means Monterey. The Monterey car week has grown into the planet's largest gathering of blue chip cars. Whilst for many the main attraction may be the concours lawns of Pebble Beach and Quail lodge the annual Monterey Auctions are without doubt the single biggest watermark for our industry. The stellar line-up of cars offered by the RM and Gooding (the events largest) auction houses is certain to include a great number or world record sales. DK's long-term project the Ferrari 857S #0588 is Gooding's headline lot for the Sunday auction. DKTV's video on the car can be found here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_DfIQ9LUPY&feature=player_embedded Whilst Gooding's Saturday sale and the RM sale are also headlined by cars restored and owned by DK. RM's star lot is 0585GT, the 14 Louvre "Tour de France" Owned, restored and sold by David Cottingham. The car has a superb history having been owned originally by the racer Tony Parravano and later by Walt Disney studios for use in the film "The Love Bug". Before falling into the hands of David Cottingham in 1994. RM's video on this car can be found here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GVhEDI7KRY&feature=player_embedded. Sherman Wolf was a great collector and a great friend of David Cottingham, following his passing earlier in the year, four cars from his collection are offered on Saturday by Gooding. The 340MM was also restored and owned by David Cottingham prior to its s to Sherman. The 500 TRC was also treated to DK restoration and DK sold the 288 GTO to Sherman Wolf. In addition #0763 the three louvre "Tour de France", restored recently by DK will be shown for the first time in the U.S.A at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance. DKTV's video on this car can be found here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFeS-qHPcWA&feature=player_embedded http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/44/Monterey_Week.html Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:17:00 +0100 The Ferrari Owners' Club in Great Britain celebrated the 25th anniversary of the launch of the F40 with a unique display at the Silverstone Classic Meeting. Masterminded by F40 owners and active members of the Club, Nigel and Shirley Chiltern-Hunt, more than 60 F40s registered for the gathering and signed on for the Anniversary Parade on the Grand Prix Circuit. The assembled F40s looked magnificent as the centrepiece of the Ferrari Owners' Club Ferrari car park, surrounded by 120 other Ferraris, gleaming in the Sunday sunshine. A record 59 F40s lined up in the Brooklands Assembly area to take to the track.DK Engineering cemented their position as the F40 specialist by bringing no less than 7 F40s to the event. Although many old friends were already there; it is estimated that DK has had some involvement with more than half of the car's present. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/43/Worlds_Largest_Gathering_of_F40s.html Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:11:00 +0100 As always and despite dismal weather the annual FOC concours attracted excellent crowds and an extremely high of level of entrants. The event which changes venue was held this year at Boughton House in Northants. The competition side of the event is increasingly fierce and the concours has become recognised at one of the most important in the U.K. DK were present with the 857S entered into the concours and the 250 Tour de France which was on display. The event marks the last opportunity for DK to show the cars to the public before both cars head to Pebble Beach, the Tour de France to the lawns and the 857S to Gooding's auction. Despite the weather (a considerable challenge for an open sports car) the 857S was pronounced the clear class winner and scored the same score as the best of show winning Superamerica. A fitting send off for the car before it goes under the hammer in August. http://www.dkeng.co.uk/news/Latest_News_and_Events/42/Honours_for_DK_at_FOC_National_Concours.html