Classic car mechanic – A better battery

‘In the corner of the workshop, Olli Ragbin sits watching events unfold before him’

In the 70’s quartz watches blew into town and disrupted an entire industry. Timekeeping accuracy within tolerances of 1 second a day were now standard, available to all and cheap to boot. Mechanical watches suddenly looked old hat. To top it all we also went digital.

I remember being in junior school when my mate rocked up with a watch which (when you pressed a button) displayed glowing red digits showing the time numerically (look, no hands). It was impossibly futuristic. A cross between Logan’s run and 2001 a space odyssey.

Whilst quartz is here to stay and digital has found a resurgence through the medium of telephones of all things, mechanical masterpieces are still the standard go-to for anyone with soul.

In the car world EVs have also kick-started a revolution in propulsion. Dubious green credentials aside, on the face of it, they do what is done, but better. 0-60 times that could shame a Ferrari, iPad maxi-sized satnav (which somewhat underplays the breadth of digital capability on offer) and a solid basis for the future which will undoubtedly be full-autonomous driving.

Why pilot yourself when you could get the machine to do it for you?

Just as we see the pure pleasure of motoring disappearing in the rear-view mirror (screen?) there is a hint of hope. A possibility that the future may not be fully electric but that the enthusiastic driver may have something coming down the tracks which is better and more focussed than the purity of the past. The development and focus of combined EV and petrol could potentially be the very best of both worlds.

Petrol supplying the ambience through noise and throttle, connecting foot to ear. Electric immediately filling the gap left by large-turbo’d small capacity petrol. Technology is needed to noodle on the biggest flaw in this particular plan. Weight.

Driving purity is nearly always enhanced by having less stuff to manoeuvre round corners whilst spending more money by properly damping and suspending the stuff you do have. Get a hybrid petrol/EV sports car under 1400kg with over 400 bhp and we are cooking on halogen my little chikadees.

Whilst we wait for progress to get its act together and to add lightness to the equation, the boys and girls at CCM continue to weave magic of old in the world of mechanical properness. If your classic needs gentle fettling and autonomous driving is as appealing to you as scurvy, then book in for your dose of vitamin-C whilst we all wait for the technology to enhance the experience, not remove it.

A bench. An engine. A tech is preparing in the background by meditating prior to surgery

How do you make a mini look even smaller? Suspend a Daimler above its head

Will (I aint) in full-on fettle mode on last week's yellow TVR

How many modern cars can fit a human in the engine bay whilst still having an engine in it?

Last time I bought anything from Burton was in 1988 and I wore it. Loved that suit for all its ‘blue-flecked, sleeves-slightly-rolled-up-Nick-Kershaw’ glory. The haircut of the day was a talking point too

Right, that’s enough of that for this week. I promise not to talk about watches or electric cars again. (Well, for a week or 2 at least).

From all at CCM towers, go out and enjoy your cars. Spring is on the way.

Olli