PC Deputy Editor

[JPB]

How old is Nick Larkin?

I could be slightly out, but I don't think he's really much older than around his early 50s.
Maybe we could start a "Bring back Larkin" campaign?

Or a photographic competition entitled "Have you seen Larkin lurkin'?"
I saw him only the once, he was doing a most professional bit of lurking at a show just outside Edinburgh back in his Popular Classics Roadshow days, ISTR that Messrs Larkin and (Peter) Simpson were busy trying to see which of the pair could get more of their enormous ice creams into their gobs. After standing chatting with the duo for a few minutes, both had quite a lot of the famously cold, sweet snack on their brogues.

On Matt the younger: He deserves to do well and for a journalist - sadly for readers of his regular pieces in PC - that means going where the best prospects lie. I'd imagine that working on TG mag would be a dream career move for any writer in his field. After all, it hasn't hurt James May's prospects as his face has to be one of those most often seen on Dave which, for the benefit of forum members from countries that give their TV channels numbers, rather than names, is a channel dedicated to showing repeats of Top Gear, Fifth Gear and stuff with Stephen Fry.

[SEE YA]

I saw Nick at the NEC show last year not put any weight on ?. Unlike Mike Brewer on Wheeler Dealers each year .

[Minxy]

Speaking for myself Matt Jones always came across as being a bit like a fish out of water with Practical Classics. I have nothing against the chap but he had this thing for liking relatively newish cars and was not content unless he was shoehorning bigger engines in, personally not something I want to read about although I accept others do/did. Fuz going to CM is, in my opinion, a massive loss for PC and a huge gain for CM. I read both mags. I subscribe to CM because it is not so widely available as PC so get it every month, because PC is in most retailers I have a flick through and buy it if it appeals which isn’t every month.
I assume, perhaps wrongly, that the current staff will step up one – Gerv or Neil for Matts job? But whatever happens I hope that any empty seat will be replaced with someone with a passion for earlier (50’s - 60’s – 70’s) cars.

[Luxobarge]

Speaking for myself Matt Jones always came across as being a bit like a fish out of water with Practical Classics. I have nothing against the chap but he had this thing for liking relatively newish cars and was not content unless he was shoehorning bigger engines in, personally not something I want to read about although I accept others do/did.

But whatever happens I hope that any empty seat will be replaced with someone with a passion for earlier (50’s - 60’s – 70’s) cars.

^^^WHS^^^ except I wouldn't have put it so politely.....

[RangerNeil]

Speaking for myself Matt Jones always came across as being a bit like a fish out of water with Practical Classics. I have nothing against the chap but he had this thing for liking relatively newish cars and was not content unless he was shoehorning bigger engines in, personally not something I want to read about although I accept others do/did. Fuz going to CM is, in my opinion, a massive loss for PC and a huge gain for CM. I read both mags. I subscribe to CM because it is not so widely available as PC so get it every month, because PC is in most retailers I have a flick through and buy it if it appeals which isn’t every month.
I assume, perhaps wrongly, that the current staff will step up one – Gerv or Neil for Matts job? But whatever happens I hope that any empty seat will be replaced with someone with a passion for earlier (50’s - 60’s – 70’s) cars.

Ooohhh can I volunteer please??? Talk about a dream job!!

[karlsgazelle]

I hope I'm not speaking out of turn or upsetting anyone but I shall just say this:

PETER SIMPSON.

But only if he stops going on about Rovers

[Morrisand944S2man]

This is at the crux of the huge problem with PC magazine and it's declining sales. Over the last ten years all the true classic car fans the magazine used to employ have been replaced with a bunch of know nothing career journo's (the joke that was WH for example!) with their eye on the next rung up on the publishing ladder. And in doing so they ruin a few more savable classics with their shoddy work standards and obsession with "modifying" and write worthless cringeworthy article after worthless cringeworthy article.

Matt Jones and his tastes and attitudes was one of reasons I stopped buying Practical Classics and won't do so again until the magazine gets back on track. Good riddance, I hope he enjoys writing comedy on Top Gear.

The only valuable contributors left were Thaddeus and Simpson. That is what PC needs to save it- true classic car fans with proper skills and experience - car restoring talent needs to be valued over and above so-called "journalistic talent".

[Mrotwoman]

I think the crux of the problem is comments and attidues like the one above really.Matt was fairly young,enthusiastic and I thought him rather amusing.Ok,so his taste in cars wouldn't have been to everyones liking,but lets face it even the relative 'moderns' were in the 25-30 year old age bracket which is old enough in my book.
I like all sorts myself,but if P.C were to become wall to wall 30s,40s,50s tin it wouldn't hold my interest for much longer.

Plus you can't blame the bloke for getting a better job! Good luck fella ,and chuck the odd modded classic BMW in the pages of TG and I might well buy it

[Morrisand944S2man]

My post and attitude is NOT the crux of the problem! What PC has become itself is! Matt Jones's attitude WAS part of the problem- he was not a classic car fan so I'm glad he has moved on.

The problem was that Practical Classics has lost it's way. It was no longer practical, barely anything on restoration and far too much on modifying. And no longer classic when they started featuring rubbish 90's and 80's front wheel drive hatch backs. Classic Vauxhall Nova anyone?? or Metro for that matter.

It does not have to stop at the 50's! You said that, not me. Ordinary cars stopped being classics in the early 70's, and after that only sports and a few luxury models could be considered classic. Certainly Eastern European rubbish has no place in a magazine that calls itself "Practical Classics". I hope the magazine takes notice of my comments and realises why it has driven it's core readership away.

[Mrotwoman]

How do you know what the 'core' readership is ?
I don't wish to argue but attitudes like that are likely to push me away for one. Maybe only one but hey...
I'm 39,hardly a youngster ... but the cars I remember from my 'youth' are the late 70s/80s stuff ,sure I remember seeing 50s and 60s stuff around too and I do appreciate that (not long sold my Rover P5) but when was the last time you saw a really clean Mk1 Nova ? And do you think that deserves any less respect than a Humber Hawk ? Do you think it gets any less rotten,takes any less time to restore,isn't as loved and as cherished by its owner,hasn't got as interesting a history or as fascinating a story to tell ?
My current fleet :-


1981 BMW E21,found 'resting' under a tree ,off the road for 10 years and bought for £200,rebuilt,restored and resprayed by me in an open barn for less than £1000 including purchase price,modified.
1984 Maestro,beige,beautiful and full of character,as standard as the day it rolled of the line,I love it.
1989 BMW E30 convertible,I used to have a couple of these in my mid twenties,reliving my youth I suppose ,why not ?

I like them,people seem to appreciate them at shows,the oldest is 30 years old now,there's room for a lot more than you think in the classic scene (and magazines)