The unmistakeable Field Marshall series have become some of the most desirable and expensive of all collectable tractors. Their massive single-cylinder diesel engines might have been outclassed by the multi-cylinder competition in the fifties, but there’s no denying the Marshall’s character and strength. Built to last with no-nonsense engineering, and with a surprising reserve of power and torque, the Field Marshall also found favour as … Read more
The terms ‘unit’ and ‘pre-unit’ are well-used by enthusiasts of classic Triumph motorcycles, as they neatly mark out pre and post-1957 models produced by the company. The decision in that year to combine the gearbox and crankcase, which had previously been separate units, was an inspired one, as it was to lead the way for all other British bike manufacturers in the years that followed. … Read more
Now this is a real tale of reunion. After it was bought brand new by his father in 1955, Jim Kelly waved goodbye to this unusual 13hp Lanz in 1962 when it was traded in for a larger model. In his later life Jim became something of a Lanz collector, and always pined for that little tractor from his youth, but assumed it was long … Read more
The post World War Two range of Bedford lorries were some of the most fondly remembered haulers of all. Benefiting from the overhead-valve straight six engine handed down by their parent company, General Motors, Bedford trucks were a very common sight on Irish roads for decades. The turf-bodied O-Type we feature this month will bring back many memories for those who dwelled in rural Ireland … Read more
The post World War Two range of Bedford lorries were some of the most fondly remembered haulers of all. Benefiting from the overhead-valve straight six engine handed down by their parent company, General Motors, Bedford trucks were a very common sight on Irish roads for decades. The turf-bodied O-Type we feature this month will bring back many memories for those who dwelled in rural Ireland … Read more
Visitors to the headquarters of AXA Insurance in Dublin city centre might already have seen this amazing 1923 Matchless motorcycle and sidecar combination, but for those who aren’t familiar with it Andrew Pollock meets up with Maurice Bryan, its previous owner of 48 years, who spent 950 hours restoring it to the amazingly correct condition it is now in. With a 976cc JAP V-twin beneath … Read more
The poor old Skoda brand has been the butt of lots of jokes over the years, few of which had anything to do with flaws in the actual cars themselves. Cheap, rugged and utilitarian, the Skoda of old was built to tackle the worst roads that Eastern Europe had to offer, which in turn made them perfect for Irish roads… This month’s cover car is … Read more
The poor old Skoda brand has been the butt of lots of jokes over the years, few of which had anything to do with flaws in the actual cars themselves. Cheap, rugged and utilitarian, the Skoda of old was built to tackle the worst roads that Eastern Europe had to offer, which in turn made them perfect for Irish roads… This month’s cover car is … Read more
Once a stalwart of the Irish haulage sector, the Hino HE series of trucks have become practically extinct, not because of their mechanicals or effectiveness, but because of that familiar Japanese bugbear; rust. However a small number have survived, and this month we call to Conor Jennings in Tullamore to check out his fabulous 1977 HE336; Conor’s father ran the well-known Midlands Truck Centre in … Read more
Paddy O’Donovan from Cork is lucky enough to have not one, but twin AJS B1 350s at his disposal. However, his luck came hard-fought, as the restoration process for these vintage motorcycles was intensive, to say the least. The majority of engine and cosmetic parts are unavailable new, leading to their owners scouring the planet looking for spares. When these can’t be found, there’s often … Read more
