But all this hard work would mean nothing without results, which is exactly what Fiennes achieved recently earning two awards at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance and a Best in Class at the RROC National Meet in Lake Tahoe.

The unique Graber-bodied Rolls-Royce 20/25 Drophead Coupé, restored by Dr. Will Fiennes’ team at their Oxfordshire-based premises, won Second in Rolls-Royce Class, and the prestigious and lavish Lucius Beebe Trophy for the evocative and all-consuming spirit in which Fiennes Restoration returned the car to its former glory after decades of neglect.

Fiennes Restoration’s entry, which beat Phantoms and Silver Ghosts in the competition, was the only Rolls-Royce in the class whose coachwork had not been made in the US, and the first time a ‘small’ Rolls-Royce has won at Pebble Beach: small horsepower is no disincentive in a contest which values overall excellence rather than outright performance.

The 1932 Graber-bodied Rolls-Royce 20/25 Drophead Coupé restored by Fiennes. Prior to picking up the awards at Pebble Beach, the Drophead Coupé attracted the attention of a bear cub who climbed all over its bonnet and front wing. Thankfully there was no lasting damage and the paw-prints were removed without a scratch to the paint.

The Rolls-Royce-sponsored Lucius Beebe Trophy also awarded to Fiennes Restoration’s Rolls-Royce, celebrates the accurate interpretation of both an era and model’s individual essence: epicurean Lucius Beebe, who was one of the early Pebble Beach judges, cut a rather dashing figure as a journalist and author, openly celebrating an alternative lifestyle à la Oscar Wilde, in the hedonistic 1920s. His interest and passion for Rolls-Royce cars reflects that period’s extravagant and self-indulgent attitude.

‘We are thrilled to have been awarded not one, but two awards at the most spectacular classic automotive event in the world,’ says Dr. Will Fiennes, MD of Fiennes Restoration. ‘Together with the Best in Class prize, which we won at the RROC’s National Meet at Lake Tahoe just before Pebble Beach, we come back to the UK with a hat-trick of international awards in recognition of British manufacturing excellence.’

Fiennes Restoration’s work attracted plenty of admiring comments, especially for the quality of its paintwork, so expect to see more of Fiennes’ work cropping up in US concours events. The company is one of the few specialist parts manufacturers to fulfil demand for original and hard-to-find pre-war Rolls-Royce and Bentley parts – a market that seems to be booming at the moment.

Phil Royle, Editor of ROAD Magazine, helped sort out an eclectic mix of cars from the wild to wacky, so we thought we’d show you a few images of Tim at work (or is that play?).

Welcome to Santa Pod..

Tim had never been to a drag race before, so what better introduction to the sport than a 1066bhp Mitsubishi Evo?

RMA Track Days at Donington Park

Tim joined an RMA Track Day at Donington Park to try out the 982bhp Evo from Car Planet Racing – winner of the 2010 European Time Attack series. Pictured alongside Tim is Clive Seddo, CPR Head Engineer.

Tim checks the tyre pressures on the fabulous Motec 911, brought along by rally driver and prestige car salesman, Sean Lockyear. “The best 964 911 I’ve ever drive,” said Tim.

Tim said “I’ve fallen in love” with the amazing new Chevron GR8 Challenge Car at Donington Park. Understandable, it’s only £55,000, weighs just 750Kg, handles incredibly well and regularly beats Ferraris and Porsches in GT Cup and British GT. A true giant killer.

And Chevron’s freshly re-built classic B19 also captured Tim’s imagination. A pure-bred retro racer, the B19 is as good to look at as it is to drive. Awesome machine…

Road Editor, Phil Royle enjoyed a few fast and furious laps overtaking more exotic machinery in the latest Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-330, with its trick Twin Clutch Sports Shift Transmission in Sport + mode. “Rampant!” said Phil.

Tim straps himself into the Z Cars Hayabusa Mini… and never wants to leave! Spends all day sideways in it, giggling and gets out saying: “I want to have one of these!” Z Cars Minis are the best!

So, we were over the moon when Tim gave us a call and asked us to line up some “crazy British cars” to feature on his new TV show, Turbo Automagazin, on Sport 1 in Germany.

Visit the sport1.de media centre to watch the videos.

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Watch It!

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• #1. The Mad MINI mit dem Hayabusa motor
• #2. Tim and the EVO plus a visit to an RMA track day
• #3. Tim Schrick with over 1000 hp

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The line up is eccentric, eclectic and ballistic – and this issue of Road is dedicated to all of the mad machines we tested with Tim.

There’s the Z Cars classic Mini, with a Hayabusa engine in the back and rear wheel drive… right up Tim’s crazy engineering alley, and appealing to his passion for sideways action. Great fun!

Then there’s the amazing new BAC Mono single seater race ace: The ultimate track day car? An engineering master class.

And we took Tim to Santa Pod, the home of UK drag racing, for his first taste of quarter mile action, in a mental 1,066bhp Mitsubishi Evo!

Finally, Tim wanted a taste of a quintessential British track day. So we took him to Donington Park with the RMA, where he “fell in love” with the incredible Chevron GR8 race car (& B19 historic), drove “the best ever 964” Motec Porsche 911 from Sean Lockyear and had a go in a 982bhp Time Attack winning Mitsubishi Evo from Car Planet Racing.

As you will see, it was quite a week of phenomenal cars…

Last weekend he entered the Costa Brava Rally and won decisively. Based around the Spanish town of Lloret de Mar, Walter competed in the FIA European Rally Championship for Historical Cars together with co-driver Peter Göbel.

The two-times World Rally Champion drove a 1981 Porsche 911 RSR under difficult weather and track conditions, and in so doing Röhrl clearly demonstrated his unique driving skills as the four-times Monte Carlo winner on the last two stages of the race.

The race also featured ex-Renault works driver Jean Ragnotti in an Alpine A110, together with several other competitors driving Porsche 911s plus three Group 4 Lancia Stratos, but it was Röhrl and Göbel in their RSR who dominated the race.