Having fun with your classic car
Classic cars are about fun – don’t leave yours in the garage. Get out, explore, learn, and sometimes test its limits. While there are countless ways to use and enjoy your classic car, bear in mind that some activities are harder on the car than others.
Embrace the joy of driving
Modern cars are built for convenience; classic cars are built for experience. Take the scenic route whenever possible. Routes through the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, or along the Jurassic Coast offer unforgettable backdrops. Slow down, listen to the engine, and enjoy the tactile feel of the road.
Track Days
Beyond scenic touring, many classic car enthusiasts enjoy pushing their vehicles in a controlled environment. Track days offer a safe setting to explore performance limits without risk from oncoming traffic. In the UK, groups such as MG’s on Track (a branch of the MG Car Club), provide tuition, clear rules, and the chance to experience a car at its best. These events are non-competitive: faster drivers indicate intentions to overtake, and overtaking only occurs with permission.
Tuition is often available at low cost, and highly recommended to get some expert tips on driving your car at speed. You don’t need a specially prepared car (a standard car is fine) but you are responsible for ensuring it is in a good roadworthy condition. You don’t require a racing licence for a track day, and additional requirements are minimal. Circuits such as Castle Combe Circuit enforce sound limits (typically around 100 dB), but scrutineering is generally minimal compared to formal motorsport. Insurance is optional but advisable; be aware that you won’t be covered by your standard road policy.
Preparation and packing spares are again essential here. Minor faults can otherwise spoil the day – we have helped fellow drivers to stay on the move multiple times, and now bring a good selection of tools and parts (and business cards!) with us.
Helmets are available for hire, and the day is structured in sections to allow both car and driver to recover between stints. Be aware that track days are tiring – six 20-minute sessions in a day is substantial driving. Between the physical effort and the mental concentration, expect to be tired at the end of the day (and ready for a cold drink). As such, staying overnight nearby is recommended.
Competitive Motoring
For those interested in a step further into competitive motoring, there are a number of options. A regularity rally is a type of motorsport rally with the aim of driving each segment of a course in a specified time at a specified average speed – think orienteering in your car. These events can be daytime or night-time and range from straightforward to fiendishly complex depending on organisers.
Hill climbs are a form of competition where participants race individually against the clock to travel up a set uphill course in the shortest time. Sprints also offer timed challenges, in which drivers take turns to set a time around a lap of a race circuit or a point-to-point course, with the fastest times determining the results.
Some disciplines require Clubman competition licences and safety equipment such as helmet and fire-proof race suit. There are many different classes, including categories for standard or near-standard road-going vehicles, so you may already be driving your future competition car. Regulations and requirements vary, so always check Motorsport UK for guidance. Yet even here, the emphasis remains on skill, accuracy, and enjoyment rather than raw speed.
Handling events, navigating coned courses, or participating in endurance trials all offer similar benefits: controlled fun, friendly competition, and a tangible sense of achievement. Long-standing endurance events such as the Land’s End Trial—organised by The Motor Cycling Club—remain open to a wide range of vehicles. Going to watch these trials will give you an immediate sense of whether this type of use appeals.
Track use and motorsport will expose weak components in your car (brakes, ignition, cooling) more quickly than road use. This is not necessarily a negative. The “use it, break it, fix it” cycle often results in a more robust and trustworthy car over time.
Social Life and Community
Not every owner wishes to compete or tour internationally. Joining your local classic car club offers a range of activities from scenic runs, pub lunches, informal social meets, trips to classic car shows and autojumbles.
Gatherings, whether large national car shows or intimate local meets, provide opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, admire a variety of vehicles, and, quite simply, enjoy the world that old cars create.
Final Thought
Having fun with a classic car is about connection – connection to the machine, to the road, and to a community that values history and craftsmanship. Whether you’re polishing chrome at a show or navigating a narrow country lane, the real joy lies in the journey.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Winton is the founder of Cambrian Classics Ltd, a family-run business that specialises in classic car repair and servicing and is located by the beautiful Ceredigion coast. Cambrian Classics offers services that range from restoration and repair work to regular servicing and maintenance. Cambrian Classics is a recommended garage for both the MG Owner’s Club and Just Kampers, and regularly works on pre-1980’s classic cars, including pre-war vintage vehicles. Cambrian Classics specialises in a variety of classic marques including MG, Austin-Healey, Rolls Royce and Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, BMW, Triumph, Volkswagen, Morris, Land Rover, Mini, Rover.