It's not often you come across local people who have owned and driven pretty well all of the iconic cars of the 20th century. Cars like the Ferrari 250GTO, Gullwing Mercedes, Maserati 250F, blower Bentleys, 1922 Sunbean GP car and von Ribbentrops Mercedes - 500+ cars in all. Greetham man Roger Hancox has, and has amazing stories to tell too, like arriving in East Berlin in the 1960s with £10,000 strapped around his waist to buy a Caraciolas 1935 Mercedes W125 GP car which he sold for £500 profit inside a week!
The Franklin
Throughout the 60s and 70s old race cars sold for peanuts and Roger built a very successful business in partnership with Colin Crabbe trading as Antique Automobiles in Baston for nine years until he moved into antiques in 1972. He retired from that in 1996 and when he married Kate, whose father ran the yellow Rolls Royce from Darling Buds of May as a wedding car, he returned to cars and set about the restorations. His 1928 Franklin Limousine and 1929 Pontiac Landaulette, non-runners for over 50 years and restored by hand in every detail from Ohio barn finds to concours cars, are available for hire for weddings.
The Franklin is very interesting - these were luxury cars in their day but with only six Franklins in the UK and parts made of cheap alloy literally falling apart, many parts were remade by hand following diligent detective work.The car, which arrived in various boxes, included several parts whose location on the car was hard to determine. Now it includes details such as a correct storage trunk, crystal flower vases inside and huge lamps to make an imposing but friendly front view. Likewise, the white semi-convertible Pontiac is unique in the UK, so you are bound to turn heads whichever car you choose to hire.
Roger's brother Peter also has a 1919 Stanley Steamer under restoration - a huge car with a boiler driving a rear mounted engine, very fast and converts to a double bed inside. In 1906 the Stanley Rocket set a world land speed record of 127 mph, which still stands for steam driven cars.
It is fascinating spending time talking to lovely people like the Hancoxs and I'm certain any bride will be royally looked after - almost as well as the cars!
* Franklin Vintage Car Hire, 01572-812412, www.franklinvintagecarhire.co.uk