Classic car enthusiasts are generally a genial bunch, although a court battle over in the UK has revealed that sometimes things can get a little out of hand.

A judge decided in favour of 82 year old ex-F1 racing driver, David Piper, after journalist Mark Hales was found responsible for the destruction of the engine inside the former's mint condition Porsche 917.

The Porsche 917 is a rare and regal classic that is significant since it allowed this German manufacturer to secure consecutive wins in the 24 Hour Le Mans race during the early 1970s.

Mr Hales will now have to pay Mr Piper the equivalent of almost $200,000 in damages and legal fees, after he was found guilty of over-revving the engine of the 917, thus ensuring its destruction in spite of the fact that he had been told specifically not to do so.

Mr Hales was writing an article on the car at the time, but this debacle could be a serious setback for his career.

The message to take away from this is that you should be conscientious when driving a classic car, whether it is a prestigious 917 or a more common Porsche 924.