1983. KC magazine, owned by PF went bust, but PF attempts re-launch it through another of PF's companies.
1983. KC (to PF's surprise) is resurrected by Blackburn printers who purchased 'Kit Car' from the official receivers of PF's bankrupt company. Ian Hyne becomes editor of KC.
1984 A legal dispute between PF and Blackburns results in a final order resulting in PF calling his publication 'Component Car' (which later became 'Which Kit?') to ensure it isn't 'passed off' as 'Kit Car'.
1984 Link House, amid the confusion, launch KC&S (KitCars and Specials) Steve Hole is its advertising sales man. (Curiously, Steve Hole repeated the exercise 20 years later amid the confusion caused by Fibly's second fight with Kit Car. On the second occasion though, To Talk It was his very own car magazine - see 2004).
1985 Feb. DT Starts Pilgrim Cars (Bulldog). DT quickly discovers first-hand that PF lacks integrity.
1989. KCi is started by Ian Hyne. KC continues under Blackburns (new editor is Ewan Scott).
1992 Jan. KCi went bust, but was taken over by DT.
1995 June. DT also buys KC mag. DT therefore has 2 out of 3 of the magazines. PF is cross that DT has 'his baby'.
1995 Aug. PF publishes a report saying DT is like Rupert Merdoch and Adolf Hitler rolled into one.
1997 Following a period out of the kit car industry, Steve Hole takes the position of Kit Car's advertising salesman. He did an excellent job of growing Kit Car's advertising!
1998 Feb. DT sells KCi to PF. Now PF has 2 out of 3 of the magazines.
1998 March. PF warns DT that he has 70% of the magazine market; and he'll use it to squeeze KC (and DT) out of business.
1998 April Onwards. DT makes KC a bigger and (arguably) better magazine (compared to WK? and KCi).
1998 Aug. Wholesalers report that KC sales equal those of WKC (for the first time). PF is furious that KC has adopted "Biggest and Best" as a cover strap-line. He's outraged at the advertising claims being made by Steve Hole too.
1998 Sept. PF publishes report to the effect that Sumo's weren't strong enough for powerful engines. DT complains. PF responds that since KC tells lies, then so too can WK? (see Early Dealings for more detail) .
1998 November. DT issues first Writ of Summons against PF and Ian Stent (editor) alleging Malicious Falsehood.
1998 December. PF defends on the basis that the letter and reply were genuine (and misunderstood by DT). PF is unable to show that the author of the purported letter (Barnaby Dunning?) was real.
1999 Onward. DT/KC/Pilgrim denied advertising/coverage and barred from PF's shows. DT has no choice but to start shows from which KC/Pilgrim could not be barred.
1999 June. DT offered to drop his first claim. PF refused unless DT paid costs to date. Claim continued.
1999 August. Whilst trading as Pilgrim, DT sold a second-hand Sumo to a Mr Howell who became unhappy with it. Howell issued proceedings against Pilgrim in County Court.
2000 September. Fuel TAX protests froze traffic in the week leading to Donington show. PF is very cross.
2000 October. PF started placing 'Unique Survey' notices soliciting for complaints against Pilgrim (to find evidence to retrospectively justify the words subject to DT's claim).
2000 Nov. PF names Pilgrim as 'renegade manufacturer' that needs putting out of business
2000 Nov. It was clear that PF couldn't pay damages even if DT won. So, for the second time, DT proposed to drop his Claim.
2000 December. Howell saw this 'Unique Survey' notice in WKC and so invited PF to a 'ring side' seat in court.
2000 December. Howell's claim is heard by District Judge Letham. Judgment is here.
2000 Jan. Vehicle Inspectorate launch investigation into alleged Sumo safety concerns - Informant named as PF
2001 Jan. WKC is clearly in financial trouble. Stent resigns as editor (PF takes over), magazine width is reduced, varnished cover vanishes. KCi is closed down. WKC price is increased to £3.50 (which was expensive for what it was at that time).
2001 Jan on. It might be pertinent to point out that to 'bridge the financial gaps' in his magazine business: PF started to 'invest' secretly in Razer, AF Sports and, curiously PYTHON (Python being competitor to Pilgrim Sumo).
2001 February. PF having attended the Trail of AH's claim Judgment is here, then published this report.
2001 February. PF sent DT this blackmail demand in an attempt to settle DT's first Writ of Summons.
2001 Feb. DT applies for an Injunction to prevent PF carrying through with the threats in his blackmail letter - the application fails (freedom of press?).
2001 March. Which Kit Car published these two letters.
2001 March. DT drops first claim on terms that PF publishes no further articles about Pilgrim.
2001 April. Which Kit Car published these two letters. - Against advice given to PF by his solicitor.
2001 April. DT complains about above letters. PF argues that letters are not articles, and they were published before agreement.
2001 April. DT complains that even if they are readers letters, they're untrue. PF replies.
2001 May. DT gets Transcript of Judgment , gives copy to PF who only then stops the AH inspired 'attacks'.
2001 May. WKC then published this notice. (June issue) in an attempt to find more damaging readers letters to publish.
2001 May. DT complains about the above notice, but PF claims that he hadn't agreed not to publish notices either.
2001 June. DT issues second action (in effect) to define exactly what had been agreed to end first Writ.
2001 June. Inland Revenue launch investigation into DT's tax return naming concerns about cash transactions in 1999. That investigation spread to include the affairs of Kit Car magazine's publishing company as well. DT believed the source of IR's information was PF/AH.
2001 August. DT issued proceedings against WKC, PF and Mr Howell (second Writ, but third action). DT's very detailed witness statement, 28 pages, lays out his position very clearly.
2001 Sept. Judgment of Gray (wrongly) found PF had not agreed not to publish readers letters/notices. He Orders accordingly so, on the face of it, Filby had won.
2001 Sept. WKC even now publishes an ordinary 'article' concerning a Pilgrim Haldane, contrary to agreement/Order.
2001 September. DT suffered a mental breakdown due to stress. He entered into a hyper-manic state (= he got really worked up)
2001 October. PF issues Statutory Demand (Bankruptcy proceedings) against DT on the basis of the Order of Judge Gray .
2001 October. To defend Statutory Demand, DT seeks leave to Appeal Judgment of Gray. DT obtains permission to Appeal Judgment of Gray dated Sept 2001.
2001 December. DT has PF's Statutory Demand Set-Aside. PF is Ordered to pay DT's costs.
2002 Jan. WKC announce "Python is back - with bite" - mystery new owner? Virtually every month since then; there's been some editorial mention of Python in the pages of WKC. Nearly all of which was untrue or insincere. Rather than mess up the chronology, I'll deal with those mentions sequentially here. Feb 02 "it will be well into production by March 02" .Apr 02 it's said to be for taller drivers and belongs to RVD (omitting to mention PF's interest). Aug 02 RVD moves to SriLanka . Oct 02 said to be an "ambitious international development". Dec 02 the advertisements make definitive claims (as if one has actually been made). Apr 03 Python is "potentially excellent" (Pilgrim isn't mentioned). Sept 03 production is underway . Oct 03 advertising implies it's fully sorted, tall drivers advised to wait for its arrival. Nov 03 It's said to be "very affordable". Feb 04 said to be light and strong and has crumple zones (which are not visible in photos). March 04 It's said to be "light yet super strong". April 04 It's said to have "superb engineering, advanced chassis". May 04 it's said to be good and really cheap and nearly sorted. June 04 pictures of prototype in SL .July 04 it's arrived in UK (but still not finished). This list isn't exhaustive by any means and doesn't cover the fact that RVD had an exceptional number of ads in every issue too! The reason came out in June 2005 when PF admitted that he'd brought the Python in partnership with VW back in 2001 (which, incidentally, throws new light on why PF vicously attacked the Pilgrim Sumo in the first place)
2002 Jan. Vince Wright (the VW of kit cars, lol) books a series of advertisements for RVD in KC. The invoices for which weren't paid. In April 05 KC issued County Court proceeding against RVD's advertising debt. PF's Defence and VW's Defence. The case was heard August 05. Judgment here. VW was ordered to pay £800 odd but still has not paid.
2002 Throughout. Another of PF's dodgy ventures was the AF Sports. It was given an article every month for nearly two years. I'll not list them, but simply give the ASA ruling on its advertising.
2002 April. Customs and Excise launch investigation against DT specifically concerning Howell's car.
2002 April. DT sold Pilgrim at considerable financial loss.
2002 September. Wholesalers say WKC sales fall to 7,100 compared to KC's 13,800
2002 October. DT wins at Appeal in as much as it was found that 'readers letters' were 'articles' in the agreement to settle DT's first claim. Since PF had published damaging readers letters, DT therefore added Breach of Contract into his second Writ. He had to: because PF won to the extent that the agreement was found to be binding. That being so, PF re-issued his claim for the £9,500 he was due under that agreement. DT successfully defended on the basis that his counterclaim for Breaches of THE SAME Contract was certain to succeed . PF lost! He hearled abuse at the Judge from the back of the Court after he was ordered to pay both sides costs amounting to about £10,000.
2003 Jan. WKC falsely claims to have 11,000 readers. However, in advertising, WKC was claiming to have 50,000 readers. KC complains to the advertising standards authority (ASA). The ASA also criticise WKC's false claim to being 'biggest selling' and order WKC not to make that claim again. As a result KC also brings WKC's Cobra and kit car building book claims to their attention.
2003 Feb. PF writes to manufacturers saying WKC is to be distributed by a 'specialist' distributor, better suited to low sales which by this stage were even lower than the 7,100 reported in Sept 02.
2003 March. PF published an article (in breach of Judge Gray's Order ) accusing KC of 'tarnishing' WKC and of having 'dubious' standards. Please be aware that even after all the foregoing; DT had not published anything about PF or WK? - Not even once! Not a single word!
2003 March. PF is shown to operate bank account for Unique Autocraft - the company associated with Python, Razer and AF Sports. It therefore followed that he had been somewhat more than the 'agent' or the 'PO Box' that he'd claimed to be.
2003 April. In order to avoid an expensive Trial, PF agrees to attend an arbitration hearing in which DT's solicitor lays out the case is stark terms. Terms are agreed for PF to retract and apologize before Lord Justice Gray for lying in respect to Howell concerning DT/Pilgrim.
2003 May. DT anticipated that PF would publish his apology in WKC as per Press Complaints Commission rules. He refused so the matter is referred to the PCC who first said they'd help and then said they wouldn't. To this day PF hasn't publicly apologised.
2003 May. Kit Car published it’s first ever retort to WKC's March article (Judge Gray's Order had been revoked by this stage)
2003 June.
DT
publishes 4 page article entitled Which Kit Exposed! Present rollercoaster gets underway!
2003 July onward. These are letters published by DT to explain the position he's adopted.
2003 August. PF writes to say he's "Disgusted at what KC has Done". KC published his letter with DT's response.
2003 September. KC further responds.
2003 December. KC publishes advertisement warning that Python isn't what it's said to be in WKC.
2004 March. Steve Hole spotted the commercial oportunity and so launched the 'Fiercely Independent' To Talk It Car magazine. By 'fierce' he really means 'silent' - hoping that by not mentioning Python (or anything else controversial) he could pick up disallusioned readers and advertisers from both Kit Car and Which Kit? By 'independent' he really means 'isolated'. Like the Swiss in WW2, it did bring him profit in that he took a lot of Which Kit? advertisers (that being his expertese). However, his purported fierceness is like that of the Swiss Navy in WW2. I cannot recall a single corragous, let alone 'fierce' word in any of his magazines. His To Talk It Car magazine is just that: all talk, little substance and with very few readers.
2004 April. KC publishes advertisement saying that WKC hadn't been "Racing Ahead in 2003".
2004 April. WKC fought back by publishing its 'big issue' (at 164 pages), it lampooned KC by suggesting that Nigel Dean's contributions made WKC far better than KC. It also made false comparisons in that the Feb 04 issue of KC, as referred to, actually contained 260 pages (not the 212 as WKC claimed) - other inaccuracies too!
2004 April. Nigel Dean resigned as technical editor of WKC and moved to KC.
2004 June. DT points out that he'd not said anything about Python to date.
2004 Aug. DT suggests that VW is a "Dope".
2004 Nov. DT reports some of the legal problems faced by VW in SL .
2004 Dec. WKC falls in size to 116 pages.
2005 Jan. DT pokes fun at the paintwork of Python and takes a pop at WKC's company name (Kit Car Ltd).
2005 Feb. KC points out that WKC is misleading in its claim to being "Complete".
2005 March. KC reports that WKC sales have fallen to an average 5400 copies per month.
2005 May. KC prints (an intellectual) e-mail from VW and a (caustic) note from PF.
2005 June. KC reports that WKC sales have fallen further, to 4600 copies per month.
2005 June. Python is tested for the first time. Admission is made that PF and VW brought it in 2001 and PF admits in Court that he has been a partner in RVD (UK) since August 04.
2005 July and subsequently. Every month WKC carries advertisements for the 3 RVD products, often up to 10 ads per issue. Most issues also contain favourable editorial mentions - too many to list.
2005 July. KC advises that Python isn't yet ready for sale and is being dishonestly promoted.
2005 August. The IR investigation into DT's affairs, started in June 2001, is concluded. DT in the clear.
2005 September. BMW Car reports that Python is far from sorted - elaborating on the faults mentioned in WKC's June 05 issue. Whilst WKC published a challenge to KC to publish a proper report on Python.
2005 November. The IR investigation into Kit Car magazine's company is concluded. Kit Car magazine in the clear.
2005 November. KC runs the above mentioned BMW Car report. (partly in response to WKC's challenge in its Sept 05 issue).
2005 November. WKC reports that Python is on a par with GD and that Python problems are limited to the prototype.
2005 November. WKC announces that it's changing its masthead to read 'Kit Car'. Wholesalers report it's sales have fallen to 3900 copies per month on average, and that actual sales of this November's issue were only 3400 copies.
2005 December. WKC actually changes its title to 'Kit Car' - it has the word 'Which' written in script in the left hand corner. Wholesalers report that sales of this December issue fell to a mere 3000 copies - the lowest so far but worse is to come.
2006 Jan. WKC accuses KC of printing 'desperate lies' and 'distortions' in respect to Python (talk about the pot calling the kettle black). At the same time, as predicted, WKC claims that all the problems with Python have been fixed (but not how) in a new car which, unfortunately, cannot be independently scrutinised because it's still in Sri Lanka - Convenient hey?
2006 Feb. The size of WKC falls from 116 pages to 100 pages. The Stafford show is advertised for the first time.
2006 March. Stafford show is cancelled.
2006 Sept. Donington show is a disaster.
2006 Oct. Size of WKC was reduced to 92 pages.
2006 Nov. Sales of WKC fell to around 2500 copies. Price was increased to £3.95
2006 Dec. Peter Filby sells WKC. His last issue was that for Feb 2007. Sales of that last issue were a mere 2200ish copies.
2007. Which Kit? is taken over by Ian Stent and re-named Complete Kit Car.
