Motoring-Man
My name is Paul Chadwick and my business Motoring-Man is a result of my wonderful life following motorsport and collecting memorabilia. I was introduced to the sound of engines at just five months old when I was taken to Thruxton Circuit Easter meeting where a certain Jochen Rindt won the Formula 2 event! And so it was that the Great British circuits became like a second home through my formative years. I became quite an expert at acquiring stickers, programmes and patches by hanging out in the paddocks and brazenly knocking on the motorhome doors! Oh where did those days go? A freedom now unfortunately lost!
My first Grand Prix was 1969 at Silverstone and from 1974 I attended virtually every race up until the turn of the century. It was always fresh in the days when the brands Hatch and Silverstone hosted the event on alternate years. Silverstone became my favourite circuit but once Brands Hatch lost the Grand prix it was there I missed the most. It was such an intimate place nestling within a natural bowl. Oh how I would love to see F1 cars there again. It was at Brands Hatch when I was in the book shop that I discovered a title on Porsche called Excellence Was Expected. I just had to have this book and it was over a year until I got my hands on a copy for Christmas. But it was in that shop when I turned the pages for the first time that I discovered “Le Mans”. “Wow this place looks incredible” I thought as I saw pictures of the larger than life crowds, the enormous stands and pits and of course big old sports cars with bright liveries. From that moment at Brands my poor parents were relentlessly badgered to take me to the race in 1977. And thankfully they caved in to my demands and my dreams came true. It was just a coach trip but one that changed my life for ever! To me Le Mans aged 11 was quite simply the greatest place on earth. I was hooked to the point where Christmas just meant it was the halfway point to the next 24 Hour race. I missed 1978 but from 1979 to 2018 I have missed just 2 races!
So it came to be that over the years and through my love of racing, I built an amazing memorabilia collection and book library. And although for quite a few years I dragged my children across Europe to the great motor races it was looking increasingly likely that their interest in my collection was limited. And so it was that with moving house and with the invention of the internet I decided to sell a great deal of it. And what started with regret turned into another amazing journey. Through my sales I have not only met other brilliant enthusiasts, drivers, historians and genuinely wonderfully interesting people I have built a great business! I now have contacts, customers and friends through out the world. I have even turned my hand to writing, a passion which I get great satisfaction from.
Incredibly my children eventually were reeled back in to the fold! My daughter pursued a career as a Television producer and amazingly ended up travelling the world with Formula 1 when Sky TV won the contract!
My son not only caught the highly contageous Le Mans bug but has even followed Dad into having his own memorabilia shop!
So if i was asked what kind of business do you have? I will reply “For Enthusiasts run by Enthusiasts”