George Watts: From a Houston Carriage to a Luxury Limousine, there are countless ways to make it to the church on time. Personally I’m quite a fan of something slinky and vintage; well, today I ‘m here with Tom from AA Executive cars in Sidkop Kent, they have an array of cars on their roster including a pre-war taxi and a vintage car made in 2007. Tom, first of all, can you please tell me what is a Buford?
Tom Thomas: Buford is a kit car, which you buy the kit, you have to buy separate engine and chassis, and you have it built now so you get the modern luxury but with the car looking like the 30’s
George Watts: So when a bride is trying to decide on a car, how exactly do you guide them?
Tom Thomas: I listen to what their requirements are first and then we guide them because a lot of the time they don’t realize what are the advantages on the day of having a big car for instance; that they worry about the dress creasing it so you need a big entrance to the door, maybe a wide step to get in, subject to hand me brides may safeguard, it all depends; everyone is an individual case.
George Watts: So have you had any funny happenings on your backseat?
Tom Thomas: We did have a wedding a few months ago where the bride found that was the same day to be the time to tell the groom she was pregnant and it wasn’t his (laughter)
George Watts: So you have a veritable cobble kit of cars here on the show today, take me through the catwalk
Tom Thomas: Right, this particular car that I’m sitting next to now is a 1930 Rolls Royce Limousine, it was built in Manchester by Cockshoot, they only made 2 of them; so it is a very rare car. The advantage of this particular model is they made an extra high roof so that you don’t get the oblong windows you get on so many vintage cars and it gives more life inside. They’ve also got it double-width Park for getting into the car on the running boats so that you can balance while they’re tipping over. Because it’s a limousine size, you’ve had it you got the pillar which is past the door and the other advantages of this particular car is you’ve got third window at the back, so you’re not sitting behind the pillar, you can be seen and you can see out. These are the 2 Roadsters, they are the 1930’s style cars, they’re actually built in the 60’s in America, and they are copies of the Motley Ford which was built in 1930; they are the only 2 that we know of in the country so they are very rare, they’re both in matt let condition
George Watts: And absolutely beautiful, and this one is perfect for summer’s daylight wedding
Tom Thomas: In weather like this, that’s actually perfect; they make so many photograph opportunities and people always crab around them at weddings because they haven’t seen anything like them before. The other car that we brought along today was a 1947 Mark Ford Dracula, now this was known as the SS, but in 1960’s they had to change it because of the Nazi era and they took away all the SS after bit and put J’s for Dracula on it, but it’s a very rare car, very, very popular, one of the most highly bought cars. This is a 1962 Rolls Royce Super Cloud, this is one of the most popular Rolls Royce, it’s in the 50’s and 60’s, anyone who is anyone used to own one of these; they were one of the last models of Rolls Royce made, they still had elegance and shape, they did start going square in streamline after this; it’s got a lot of room inside and one of the biggest of the Saloons, it’s got a very battle engine not at that matches much, but it was made of class and quality
George Watts: It’s very slinky; I think it’s the right word
Tom Thomas: Yes, I would say it’s an elegant car
George Watts: Yeah, it’s beautiful. So Tom, is vintage really best?
Tom Thomas: These days there is a large choice of vintage and classic cars at least, have become more and more popular; every wedding seems to be, they want to have something rarer than their sister or their neighbor, and so therefore you’ve got to find these cars.
George Watts: Tom, I have to say it’s been an absolutely pleasure coming to see these cars here in such a beautiful setting. Thank you so much for joining us on Wedding Breakfast
Tom Thomas: Thank you very much.