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Wheels & Deals with The Old Car Lady
Wheels & Deals with The Old Car Lady, the UK's classic car podcast for people who love the stories behind the cars.
Sam Grange-Bailey isn't a presenter. She's a classic car dealer and a car dealer's daughter who grew up in the Manchester motor trade. She lived through the golden era of the British car business — the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and early '90s — when deals were done on a handshake, the cars had genuine personality, and the dealers who sold them were larger-than-life characters.
This podcast preserves those stories before they're lost.
Each episode brings honest, unfiltered conversations with the people who lived it: dealers, auctioneers, journalists, mechanics, and collectors. Expect tales of dodgy deals, auction house drama, barn finds, family businesses, cars that got away, and the ones that probably should have.
If you've ever wondered what it was really like inside a British car dealership before the internet changed everything or you just love hearing proper stories about proper cars ➙ this is the podcast for you.
Featured guests include Bond car specialists, Rolls-Royce dealers, senior motoring journalists, auction house insiders, and the characters who built the Manchester and UK classic car scene.
Topics: classic cars, motor trade history, buying and selling at auction, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, MG, Porsche, barn finds, modern classics, showroom stories, car dealer life, classic car values, and the unwritten rules of the trade.
New episodes every week.
🌐 theoldcarlady.com
📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady
🎬 YouTube, TikTok & Facebook: The Old Car Lady
📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com
Wheels & Deals with The Old Car Lady
Listener Special | Radiator Eggs, Mazda Appeal & My Number Plate Book
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This week on Wheels & Deals, it's a listener special! I'm sharing some of the fantastic stories and comments you've sent in, answering your questions, and even launching a special appeal to track down the history of a very rare car.
We drive into the "dark arts" of the motor trade, explaining exactly why a dealer in the 70's might put sawdust in a gearbox or an egg in a radiator. We also share memories of the short-lived self-serve petrol pumps that took £5 notes, and the ingenious ways people found to get free fuel.
I'm launching a worldwide appeal to help a listener in Mexico, Angel Rivera, uncover the history of his very rare 1960 Mazda R360 Kei car. We have the chassis number and a few clues, but we need your help to piece together its story. And finally, we discuss the future of the motor trade and whether the classic car world is the last bastion of the "good old days."
Pitstops:
• Can you really fix a noisy gearbox with sawdust?
• Did you ever scam a self-serve petrol pump in the 70's?
• Is it sacrilege to put modern upgrades like electronic ignition on a classic car?
• A special appeal to help find the history of a rare Mazda R360 Kei car (Chassis/Engine: 70776).
• What does the future hold for the independent car dealer?
• Do TV appearances give classic cars like the Jaguar XJS a boost in the market?
A Nod to:
• Jason Hall
• Mike Smith
• Martin Buckley
• Angel Rivera
• And all the listeners who sent in messages and comments!
If we've mentioned you but missed you here, drop me a line at grangebaileys@gmail.com.
Come Along for the Ride with Me at:
📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady
🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady
💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554 — share your memories, stories, thoughts, and questions with us by sending a message or voice note.
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