Blast in the past: How to rent a classic car

That’s right: the cars are their personal property collected over the years. Pressures of work (their other jobs are running the diverse and rapidly expanding RDM Group of automotive companies of which Revival is a member) meant their cars were being driven only occasionally, which is why one of them suggested forming Revival Cars and hiring them out all year round as a way to keep them running and cover their maintenance costs. On that point, the company is well served since RDM has skilled engineers, its own parts supply companies, a spray booth and a trim shop (see 'The RDM trim shop', below). Basically, keeping the fleet on the road is a piece of cake.

All that said, you’d imagine that, given their personal stake in the cars, Garner and his mates would be loath to let their cars out in anything but perfect weather. In fact, they’re available all year round but, if it’s really wet or icy, most customers tend to cry off anyway.

“Put it this way, given the choice between anti-lock brakes in their own cars and drum brakes in ours, they tend to choose the former,” says Garner.

Not that the cars are inherently dangerous or unreliable. They’re regularly serviced and thoroughly checked over between hires. However, just as range anxiety is a feature of electric cars, so arrival anxiety is an authentic feature of Revival’s classic ones.

“We tell people they are hiring a classic car and the risk of breakdown is inevitably higher than with a modern car,” says Garner. “However, we do everything we can to ensure our cars are reliable.”

In the event of a breakdown, an AA patrol will turn up (sadly not in a classic Hillman Imp patrol van or BSA sidecar outfit) and, if it can’t get you back on the road, ferry you back to Revival where they will endeavour to put you in another classic car.

After reliability, another subject customers are keen to discuss is how easy the cars are to drive. Inasmuch as they have a steering wheel and pedals, they’re not that different from a modern car but, even so, Garner offers them a few words of advice.

“I tell them the most challenging part is their slower response times: slower braking, slower steering and slower performance. It’s all about planning and anticipation so that, if something happens, you’re prepared and have time to react.”

I’m reminded of what he means when I take the wheel of the Morgan for a quick – make that, gentle – spin. Brakes that require a hefty shove of the pedal, a gearlever somewhere under the dash and with a loose action, steering that’s upset by road bumps… It’s all part of the experience, of course, and, if nothing else, makes me appreciate my Mazda MX-5 even more. And yes, in case you’re wondering, insurance is included, covering drivers aged 25 to 75.