24th May 2023

Footman James turns 40: A look back on 1983

This summer, the team at Footman James are marking a rather special milestone. Wednesday 24th May 2023 marks 40 years since we opened our original Cradley Heath headquarters and began offering vintage and classic vehicle enthusiasts comprehensive, specialist insurance cover.

It’s been an incredible ride so far. Since 1983, we’ve insured everything from Alfa to Zagato, covering pretty much any type of classic vehicle you can think of. From supercars to wedding cars and military tanks to tractors, we now provide over 80,000 policies through our valued team of 114 colleagues – not least Lynn Pearson, who’s been part of the Footman James family since 1985.

Credit - Ben Brooksbank

The world was a very different place in 1983, but the year was nothing if not eventful. The beginning of the FJ business was just one of many milestones we’ve discovered while reflecting on the year it all began.

The year 1983 was when the compact disc first hit the shelves in the UK, kicking off more than two decades of domination in the music industry. In the world of television, Bob Holness’ Blockbusters and series one of the iconic Blackadder comedy series were shown for the first time. The first ever breakfast TV programme also aired on BBC One at 6.30am on 17th January 1983, though it would be another three decades before we would eat our cereal to the sound of Piers Morgan.

The world of motoring was equally eventful. The Austin Metro became Britain’s best-selling car, with over 130,000 sold in 1983 alone, most of them proudly wearing the newly launched ‘A’ prefix numberplates as they flew out of a network of recently rebranded Austin Rover showrooms.

Credit - Austin Rover

In the same year, Datsun was renamed Nissan, as the company geared up to begin building its Bluebird model at an all-new Sunderland manufacturing plant three years later.

October saw Richard Noble became the fastest man on Earth, as the Scottish entrepreneur smashed the world land speed record onboard the Thrust2 jet-propelled car, reaching an astounding 634mph at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. In more pedestrian news, 1983 was also when local authorities began to use wheel clamps to punish illegally parked drivers across the UK – though we’ll leave you to make up your own mind on that one.

The biggest milestone of 1983 arrived on the 31st January, with new legislation that meant seatbelts became compulsory for drivers and front seat passengers. Though not everyone agreed with the law at the time, RoSPA research found the percentage of drivers and passengers clunking and clicking increased by 55% after a series of public information campaigns and Police enforcement. It also found the number of driver fatalities fell immediately by 25%, saving the lives of an estimated 241 motorists in 1983 alone.

Credit - John Brightley

Perhaps you remember the events above from firsthand experience – or maybe you’re young enough to have never heard of Bob Holness’ Blockbusters. Regardless, we’re proud to be celebrating four decades in a community of vehicles and owners that continues to grow more diverse than ever. We’d like to thank everyone who’s ever picked up a copy of Footman James IGNITE magazine, visited the Classic Hub blog and joined us for a Coffee & Chrome event on a sunny Sunday morning.

To round up our birthday celebrations – for now, at least – we’ve selected our top five vehicles launched in the same year as us. Here’s the Footman James Class of 1983.

Toyota AE86

Launched in Britain as the Corolla GT, Toyota’s AE86 series didn’t catch on here as it did on home turf when new. But in mid-eighties Japan it was already a cult icon, fast becoming the darling of the drift scene and eventually starring in the iconic manga comic series ‘Initial D’. Today, the Toyota AE86 has never been more in demand; find yourself a tidy twin-cam and you won’t struggle to sell it on once you’ve had your fun at your local race circuit drift day.

Peugeot 205

Credit - Peugeot Media Suite

Though we had to wait one more year for the revered GTI hot hatch halo model, 1983 saw the launch of what many people consider as one of the best French cars of all time. Designed in-house by Gerard Welter – not by Pininfarina, as is commonly thought – the styling of the Peugeot 205 has aged brilliantly over the last 40 years. Responsive handling, featherweight packaging and reasonable running costs are just the icing on the cake.

TVR 350I 'WEDGE'

Credit - TVR

As the first TVR wedge to boast a V8 under the bonnet, the 350i kicked off a long line of muscle-bound brutes that arguably encompass the true spirit of TVR, paving the way for other celebrated V8 wedge models and eventually the gorgeous Griffith roadster. It’s also one of the best value TVRs available to buy today, with decent examples available for as little as £7,000 – and with that, we’re off to the classifieds…

Nissan 300ZX

Credit - Nissan

Hot on the heels of the previous generation 280ZX, Nissan’s Z-car for the eighties was what many regard as a true milestone in the model series. Not only did it premiere the company’s first mass-produced V6 engine, but the turbocharged version was also potent to the tune of 225bhp. It was enough to establish the 300ZX as a true performance car, capable of 0-60mph in just seven seconds. It’s also remembered as the first Z car to wear the Nissan badge, following a certain rebrand in – you guessed it – 1983.

Suzuki XN85 Turbo

Credit - Rikita via WikiCommons

The year 1983 was a big one for bikes, as an exciting new generation of Japanese players continued to push the boundaries further than ever. With less than 1,200 examples produced, you won’t find the XN85 among the most popular machines of the era, but we think it deserves to be included here for its efforts to innovate the sector. As it turned out, turbocharged production motorbikes never really took off – regardless, we admire Suzuki and a handful of other Japanese manufacturers for giving it a go.