Rootes Archive
Centre Trust

In 1982, nine Rootes Car Clubs formed the Association of Rootes Car Clubs (ARCC) to increase their presence, improve buying power, and collaborate on sourcing parts.

Thanks to their success, in 2002, the club had unique opportunity to save a warehouse of Rootes documents and manufacturers technical drawings from being scrapped. This led to the Rootes Archive Centre Trust (RACT) being established in 2004, with the aim to preserve and promote Rootes Group heritage and artefacts and provide information for research and parts remanufacturing.

After several years of leasing properties and with a tremendous fundraising effect, the RACT officially opened its new premises in Wroxton, Oxfordshire, in 2018, where the Archive Trust and the Archive building are now the “spiritual home” for everything Rootes. The ARCC was disbanded, and the Rootes Archive Centre Trust became the umbrella organisation for the Rootes community with 12 UK and 14 international clubs as part of its organisation.

Today, the Rootes Archive Centre Trust is a pillar of the classic car community and welcomes visitors on various open day dates throughout the year, as well as organising an annual Rootes Heritage Day Gathering.

As a supporter of the Rootes Archive Centre Trust from the beginning, ClassicLine is dedicated to providing competitive premiums and increased benefits to multiple car clubs that are all dedicated to the car manufacturer Rootes and its subsidiaries, including the Humber, Commer, Chrysler, Hillman, Karrier, Simca, Singer, Sunbeam and Talbot marques.