If your automotive dream is an Austin Allegro with carbon fibre bodywork and Honda Integra Type R underpinnings or a Saab 900 that drives like an Audi RS, then you need a small but rather mighty company based in the Midlands in England. Retropower has been going since 2009 and it is the company that Gordon Murray called when he wanted someone to build him a special Mk1 Escort.
Founded by two brothers, Callum and Nathan Seviour, Retropower is a one stop shop for bespoke cars of breathtaking diversity. In this episode of The Driver’s Seat on Hagerty, Henry Catchpole gets behind the wheel of their latest build – Project Lucky Strike. It has turned what is often considered one of history’s most undesirable cars into something genuinely attractive and fun.
As well as driving the Allegro we have a chat to Callum and take a tour of the workshops to see the scope of what Retropower does and understand the philosophy behind the company. We also hear why they have never restored and modified a Porsche 911 and we meet Buzz, the Jack Russell.
Given the choice, what unlikely car would you choose for a restomod? Let us know in the comments down below.
We hope you enjoy this latest episode on Hagerty’s YouTube channel. If you would like to show your support for the channel then liking and subscribing really does help. And don’t forget that if you are in need of an insurance quote for that special car, then just click this link… www.hagerty.com/Henry
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Sacrificing a rare dc2 integra, definitely don't approve of that!
I owned an estate which was one of two in germany. Wider welded wheels, lowered and a mild tuned a-series lump and a way to loud exhaust. The color was exactly the same as the one in the video. Honestly I hated it.
I applaud whoever had the money and cojones to have this car made, it's so easy to go for something like a MK 1 escort but an allegro is genius and the end result looks more contemporary.
19:02 I think it Chris harris its car. He was planning this swap
I never miss a video from Retropower, they have an amazing company.
Very quiet for a Honda V-TEC.
Turns out, you CAN polish a turd.
No other words than Absolutely Brilliant.. 🎉🎉🎉
Great build but what an absolute waste of money
Harvest Gold must be because it is wheat coloured?! I think that the impulse to always find a negative angle ‘for fun’ gets stale. Colour is gorgeous.
They just don't miss
I think they are pretty cool looking cars. And people need to stop apologising for them
Wrong engine.
Makes it a bore🥱🥱
A tuned allergo or other bL engine with less power, would be a trillion times more interesting
Allegro! Need to lie down. Just brilliant. Waiting for the Ford Granada restomod.
Cool car!
Connextra format User Story : "As a… I want… So that…"
Thanks for showing me another great shop and channel. I'll be watching Retropower videos for a solid portion of the night.
This is actually my first car in the color to, and I absolutely love it. Great job.
Love these boys. Good catch, Henry. ❤
My late mum bought one, can you imagine it, but we can't afford the leaks, petrol and brake fluid, but our Ford escort and Cortina, was a classic❤
A DWC Terra on the wrist of Henry Catchpole – A man of great taste. Wow
The analogy with a house architect is spot on! It now makes total sense. Brilliant
What a special little car.
Resurrecting shite-boxes of the past and turning them into Frankenstein versions of their former selves is frankly a well trodden me-too business model that is simply boring and uninteresting at this point in time when it seems like that’s all that Hagerty and Henry seem to cover.
At a glance it has a look of an Alfasud!