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Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

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National Motor Museum to take Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for the World Land Speed Record centenary

5th July 2025

The National Motor Museum is taking the iconic Sunbeam 350hp vehicle to Pendine in Carmarthenshire, Wales to celebrate the centenary anniversary of its World Land Speed Record in 1925. The Museum tells us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). The car christened ‘Blue Bird’ by its driver Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE, was the first to exceed 150 mph (240 km/h). The World … [Read more...]

Nigel Mansell portrait by renowened artist Anthony Lawrence donated to the National Motor Museum

3rd June 2025

Nigel Mansell portrait arrives at The National Motor Museum... They tell us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). A portrait of the 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell has been gifted to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu by the family of the artist, Anthony Lawrence who died in 2022. The oil portrait was originally painted in 1992 for the front cover of … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum – Formula One 75th Anniversary Exhibition

19th May 2025

Chris Adamson reports… (All words and photographs by and © Chris Adamson). A new exhibition to mark 75 years since the inaugural Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship in 1950 is set to be opened to the public at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu on Saturday 24 May. Ahead of the public unveiling, Wheels-Alive was given a sneak look under the covers as the final finishing touches were … [Read more...]

Icons of Formula 1 take to the National Motor Museum stage, Beaulieu

1st May 2025

The National Motor Museum tells us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). A chance to experience the thrill of Formula 1 and celebrate the legendary icons of speed will be on offer at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu this season. From the 24th May until 2nd November 2025 a new special display at the Museum will mark 75 years since the inaugural Formula 1 World … [Read more...]

The National Motor Museum launches a new dynamic website

20th February 2025

The brakes are off for a new look National Motor Museum website... They tell us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). The National Motor Museum has launched a brand-new website to enable motoring enthusiasts and history buffs world-wide to discover the story of motoring in Britain. The new look website – www.nationalmotormuseum.org.uk - reflects the Museum’s new … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum engineers complete the rebuild of the Sunbeam 1000hp record breaker’s rear engine

13th February 2025

Sunbeam 1000hp milestone as National Motor Museum engineers complete the rear engine rebuild... The Museum tells us: (All words and photographs from The National Motor Museum). In a landmark stage of the Sunbeam 1000hp restoration, National Motor Museum engineers have almost completed the rebuild of its rear engine after years of work to strip, clean and restore it. Sunbeam had only run … [Read more...]

Students restore a Hillman Super Minx to its former glory and are presented with award certificates

7th February 2025

Young mechanics presented with award certificates at the National Motor Museum, for classic Super Minx restoration... The Museum tells us... (All words from The National Motor Museum; photographs ©National Motor Museum/ Adrian Pennells ). Lord Montagu of Beaulieu has presented award certificates at the National Motor Museum to students who successfully participated in the Mechanix course … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum grant from the Wolfson Foundation will help towards transforming the museum

30th January 2025

The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, tells us: (Photograph and all words from the National Motor Museum). The Wolfson Foundation has awarded a £75,000 grant to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. The Museum will use the funding towards the cost of refurbishing the ground floor galleries - transforming the entrance and welcome, and to develop a new Ages of Motoring gallery. The Wolfson … [Read more...]

Sunbeam 1000hp record breaker restoration continues at The National Motor Museum

17th December 2024

  Despite hurdles galore, the restoration team at the National Motor Museum are making headway with the Sunbeam 1000hp. They tell us... (All words and photographs from The National Motor Museum). Cracked brake drum and sourcing new tyres and chains are the latest challenges for Sunbeam 1,000hp restorers... National Motor Museum engineers piece together newly restored parts, … [Read more...]

Patrons of The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu present Young Pioneer Award to Dorset-based car club entrepreneur

11th December 2024

Zander Miller from Dorset has been presented with the 2024 Young Pioneer Award, bestowed upon him by the Museum's One Hundred Club... The National Motor Museum tells us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). Twenty-one-year-old Zander Miller from Verwood has organised several large car meets across the south, all boasting some of the finest vehicles on the … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum honoured to win the Royal Automobile Club Museum & Collections Award

26th November 2024

The National Museum tells us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu won the ultimate prestigious accolade of Museums & Collections of the Year in the 2024 Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards. The trophy was presented to Dr Jon Murden, the Museum's Chief Executive, at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, London. … [Read more...]

Anthony Hamilton to celebrate TR2 recommission and partial restoration at the Classic Motor Show, NEC

7th November 2024

The National Motor Museum tells us: (Photograph and all words from The National Motor Museum). Anthony Hamiliton, father to the seven-time Formula One drivers’ champion Lewis Hamilton, is to visit the National Motor Museum’s stand at the Classic Motor Show this week to celebrate his team’s skilled restoration of a 1954 Triumph TR2. The car was bequeathed by Mr D A Simes to the Beaulieu … [Read more...]

Donated Land Speed Record Sunbeam 1000hp artwork on display at The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

6th November 2024

The National Motor Museum tells us... (Image and all words from The National Motor Museum). Innovative artwork by a renowned automotive artist Richard Neergaard has gone on permanent display at the National Motor Museum. The artwork features the Sunbeam 1000hp Land Speed Record vehicle and has been donated to the Museum by Richard to support current efforts to restore the iconic … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum engineers commence engine rebuild to bring Sunbeam 1000hp back to life

22nd August 2024

The Sunbeam 1000hp's unique engine is being rebuilt by National Motor Museum engineers... The National Motor Museum tells us: (All words and images from The National Motor Museum). Everything on Sunbeam 1,000hp was bespoke, apart from its two colossal 22.5 litre Matabele V12 aero engines which were spare parts from Sunbeam’s works – and neither has run for more than 80 … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum volunteer to take on 800 mile motorcycle tour in aid of charity

15th August 2024

National Motor Museum volunteer Peter Driver will soon set off on an around Nbritain motorcycle ride in aid of the charity 'Mind'... The National Motor Museum tells us: (All words and photographs from Peter Driver/The National Motor Museum). Peter Driver, a volunteer with the National Motor Museum workshop, will be heading off from Beaulieu on September 4th on an 800-mile ride … [Read more...]

Iconic dragster powered up at National Motor Museum, ahead of anniversary build-up

11th June 2024

In the build-up to the 60th anniversary of the British National Drag Racing Festival, The National Museum powers up an iconic machine... They tell us: (All words and images from The National Motor Museum). In preparation for the 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival this year, the National Motor Museum have been preparing an iconic Allard Chrysler Dragster … [Read more...]

National Motor Museum engineers restore record-breaking Sunbeam 1000hp’s gearbox

7th June 2024

Another step along the restoration road for the Sunbeam 1000hp record breaker, taken by engineers at the National Motor Museum... They tell us: (All words and images from the National Motor Museum). The three-speed gearbox built nearly a century ago for Sunbeam 1000hp to break the 200mph Land Speed Record barrier is being sympathetically cleaned and restored by National Motor Museum … [Read more...]

Crack detected in engine subframe of Beaulieu’s Sunbeam 1000hp record breaker

15th May 2024

Crack detection discovered engine subframe crack (now repaired) in the National Motor Museum's Sunbeam 1000 hp, as their specialist workshop team continue the restoration of this unique and very special historic vehicle... They tell us: (All words and images from the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu). A visual inspection checked for potential problems, before a non-destructive … [Read more...]

Photography by Rick Guest goes on display at The National Motor Museum

22nd March 2024

Feats of engineering, personal endeavour, endurance, and achievement that pushed the boundaries, are the themes of a new exhibition showcasing the hyper-detailed photography of Rick Guest at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. They tell us: (Words from The National Motor Museum; all images © National Motor Museum / Rick Guest). “Closer to the Edge – Precision Photography by Rick Guest” … [Read more...]

Land Speed Record Sunbeam 1000hp restoration fund reaches milestone – but more support is needed

8th January 2024

Land Speed Sunbeam 1000hp restoration reaches fundraising milestone at National Motor Museum The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has started the year with news that it has reached the £50,000 mark with its Sunbeam 1000hp restoration campaign. They tell us (all words and images from the National Motor Museum): The Museum is now appealing for more support to get the restoration to the next … [Read more...]

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