Sommaire pour February 2019 de Practical Classics

‘The pull of the cars that touched our lives is strong’ I I’ve just bought a tiny, unglamorous and slightly broken Daihatsu Charade. I managed to stop it going for scrap, in fact, much to the surprise of my neighbour, who was disposing of it. It is a B-reg 1.0 diesel CS and it is a Series 1 MkII… which is important, because it makes it the last one left. When I mentioned this to my wife, she said: ‘There’s probably a good reason for that,’ which is a view many might share. I, of course, am now on a mission to preserve ‘dowdy uniqueness’ in car form. If, like me, you think that we all have a responsibility to look out for motoring rarities – then you will understand…

TRIED AND TRUSTED We’ve used this to great effect in the workshop on a variety of rusty parts. Perfect for removing corrosion from a huge variety of your classic’s components, Deox-C is a crystalline, 100 per cent active corrosion removal product formulated for the use on steel, stainless steel and most ferrous materials. When dissolved in tap water, it produces a bath of powerful rust removing liquid ready to make your components shiny again. Just one kilogram of Deox-C makes up to 20 litres. It will remove very heavy corrosion but is safe to use on even the most delicate items – simply dilute as instructed and leave the components to soak. Deox-C Concentrated Rust Remover From £14.95 bilthamber.com…

Unexceptional venue The annual Concours de l’Ordinaire has moved venues for 2019. Otherwise known as the Festival of the Unexceptional, the event – featuring Britain’s rarest and most endangered everyday cars – is to take place at the Claydon Estate on June 20, 2019. Monte is on A host of classic enthusiasts from all over the world will set off from Clydebank at the start of the 2019 historic rally run to Monte Carlo. It’s the only British starting point of the 1500-mile trip to the South of France, where the 80 cars are due to arrive. Many of the historic cars taking part competed in the Monte Carlo Rallies between 1955 and 1980. No panel gap Ex-Pressed Steel Panels has an agreement with Ford Motor Company to supply panels…

Let it shine POWER MAXED VALETING PACK £29.99 This pack enables a start-to-finish wash, using Non-Acidic Wheel Cleaner to lift dirt from the surface, followed by Traffic Film Remover to spray the vehicle. Next, dilute 25ml of Shampoo & Ultra Wax to shampoo the vehicle. The vehicle can then be finished with Ultra Finishing Polish. powermaxed.com One Uggerdugger or two? CLARKE CORDED ELECTRIC IMPACT WRENCH £107.98 If you’re tired of fighting with over-tight or corroded nuts, this new powerful heavy-duty ¾in drive corded electric impact wrench could be an excellent addition to your arsenal. It provides a huge 710Nm of torque with forward/reverse gears, and 2700 impacts per minute from its 1100W motor. Sold complete with a moulded carry case and impact socket sizes: 24mm, 30mm, 34mm and…

One show often overlooked is the Bristol Restoration Show, as it takes place the weekend before the big NEC extravaganza. This year’s fixture was well received thanks to a live restoration workshop courtesy of Haynes and an auction with some fascinating projects up for grabs, including a Fairthorpe Electron Minor. There will be the usual three classic car weekends at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet in 2019: the Great Western Classic Car Show Feb 9-10; the Footman James Classic Car Show on June 22-23; and the Classic Vehicle Restoration Show, Nov 2-3.…

Early in 2018 volvotuning.net founder John Ronie died of cancer; a year on the group is attempting to break the record for the biggest parade of Volvos ever. The club’s Stuart Mills comments: ‘The record was set in 2010 in Poland, with 570 Volvos taking part. Our plan is to get at least 600 cars lapping Bruntingthorpe on Sunday April 21; so far, we’ve had 1200 promised but there’s space for 5000. We’re devoting it to raising funds for Breast Cancer UK.’ facebook.com/groups/volvotuning…

The 240’s straight-six is smooth and quiet at low revs. The controls are heavy, but the steering is direct, with plenty of feedback – and kickback – via its slim, wooden rim. Open it up and the straight-six sound is impossible to ignore, while the reclined driving position makes you feel you’re almost sitting on the back axle. The steering lightens up with speed, so the best way to push a 240Z along is to steer smoothly and feed it into the bends. There is some body roll, but the transition into lean is well controlled, while the 2.4-litre engine offers plenty of punch. All in all, Paul’s pretty car is a thoroughly well-sorted example – I’m disappointed to have to give the keys back!…

No car that I own has made an involuntary visit to the roadside in over three years. My days of breaking down, I’ve concluded, are behind me. My record remains unbroken: I don't own the Škoda Favorit in this story. The Moonstone grey 135L in question was rescued from a 15-year layup in a derelict dealership by my Favorit-fetishising friend Paul Johns ( PC , January 2019). He dragged it to my workshop and we carried out an intensive recommissioning, with a view to campaigning it in the Autumn Sun Run – a four-day classic rally in France. We achieved an MoT two weeks before the event and I set about trying to break it. This went well. Almost every foray onto the Queen’s highway would see it back on…

A few months ago, in conversation with our resident Minor nut Matt Tomkins, I confessed that (though they’ve given me so much fun) I was done with Minors. Seven or eight is enough of most things. Fast-forward to Anglia Car Auctions’ November sale and in the gap between my early rounds with camera and notepad and the start of bidding, I bagged a full English and mug of PG in the cafe while browsing the catalogue. Maybe there was something in the sausages, but my eyes kept being drawn to the familiar shape of a Minor roof on the other side of the window to the sale room. It was a black four-door, just like my very first Minor. Rude not to have another look, if only for nostalgia’s sake.…

Vauxhall Viva In line with growing interest in affordable family classics, values of all Vauxhall Vivas – from HA to HC – have been rocketing. This rise in values is partly being driven by the lack of good survivors, however. MG TD The TD has always been the poor relation among MG’s run of trad roadsters – it looks a bit awkward on its small diameter steel wheels. But at 60 per cent of the price of a TC or TF, they do look good value.…

1957 Morris Isis Price: £4250 Amazingly, this car had been with the original owner until 2018. The 94,000 miles on the clock are believed to be genuine and it even wears a new set of period-correct crossply tyres. 1983 Fiat X1/9 1500 Price: £2700 Restored by family friend, running and driving but MoT has now expired, so offered at a bargain price to clear. Has covered less than 60,000 miles. 1992 Volkswagen Corrado G60 Price: £3750 Has got 143k on the clock, but it has had lots spent on it, including full windows-out respray, new tyres, brakes and supercharger belt. Long MoT, large history file.…

SELECTED SPECIALISTS Aldridge Trimming, Wolverhampton. 01902 710805, aldridge.co.uk Burton Power, Essex. 0208 518 9136, burtonpower.com J&B Anglia 105E Parts, Co Durham. 07403 409167, jbanglia105eparts.co.uk KMJ Restorations, Exeter. 01392 490068, kmj-restorations.co.uk Milton Racing, Kent. 01233 730959, milton.105e.com Old Ford Auto Services, Berks. 01344 422731, oldfordautos.co.uk Ken Braddon is the club’s technical advisor and has been around Anglias since 1959. Back then he was the workshop foreman for Exeter-based Ford dealer Devon Motors. He currently owns 12 Anglias but has owned more than 40. He says: ‘Over the years I’ve undertaken lots of mechanical restorations and recommissioning and with the help of John Reed at KMJ Restorations I’ve built a Martin Walter pick-up replica as none of the originals survived. I’ve used Anglias as my daily transport since the early Sixties –…

James Walshe You might wonder what happens to our ‘Bangernomics’ cars – the bargain motors we pick up for peanuts and then feature in the pages of Practical Classics . Well, having usually saved them from the scrapyard or the hoarder’s yard, most end up in the hands of enthusiastic new owners, while others often become daily drivers for us or close members of the PC family. In all cases, they are lavished with the care and affection every car deserves. My AX Diesel was no exception. This tiny supermini has become a pleasure to pilot every day and is proving to be staggeringly economical. A full £40 of fuel lasts well over 500 miles at a time – all for £200 and the price of a replacing a cracked…

1972 MGB GT Engine 1798cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 95bhp@5400rpm Torque 110lbft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed man +o/d 0-60mph 13.2sec Top speed 102mph Fuel economy 22.8mpg Work done New wheels and towbar drop-plate fitted; driven; enjoyed. Also in Matt’s garage 1960 MORRIS MINOR CONVERTIBLE Never fails to raise a smile. 1969 MORRIS MINOR TRAVELLER Needs a noisy front wheel bearing replacing. 2001 CITROËN C15 Economical load-lugger of choice – keeps the chromey classics clean. It is all well and good owning a classic car; but if you don’t use it and enjoy it then there’s very little point, to my mind, in investing the many hours we all lavish on restoration and maintenance. My MGB has been a fantastic daily driver for the past year and, having taken the (albeit very short) time to de-rust…

1 Telltale signs Severity of offputting rust at the base of the windscreen was unknown. Fingers crossed! 2 Panel removal Bonnet, wing, door and windscreen all had to be removed for access. 3 Rot busted Rotten metal was cut out with an angle grinder. Rest of the area given dose of anti-corrosion treatment. 4 Shapely body Curvaceous CX full of tricky shapes. No repair panels available so much fabrication required. 5 Screening Once this particular repair process was complete, efforts to use the original screen resulted in a giant crack so new glass was fitted. This was only the start. Next on the list was the boot floor and sills……

1971 Triumph TR6 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 104bhp@4500rpm Torque 146lb ft@2000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 10.7sec Top speed 109mph Fuel economy 25mpg Work done Camshaft followers, cylinder head, push rods, rocker shaft and tappets fitted. Long block now finished! Also in Matt’s garage 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 Currently my dad’s daily driver while I have commandeered his BMW 320D Touring. 1999 ROVER 600 GSDI Has now moved on and gone to live with friend of PC, Stephen White. With the sill replacement works successfully taken care of ( Practical Classics , December 2018) I could finally head back to TRGB in Somersham and finish off the TR6 engine rebuild. With the short block built up, all that remained was to fit the cylinder head and associated components. The camshaft followers were the…

1959 Peerless GT Engine 1991cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 110bhp@4800rpm Torque 117lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d 0-60mph 10.8sec Top speed 120mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Handbrake lever gaiter, tail pipe trim, fuel gauge compatibility. The change in weather prevented me taking the Peerless for its first MoT test in decades. I wasn’t so much concerned about gritted roads as the weather has remained mild enough for them to be grit free, but the rain and lack of door and boot seals were enough to postpone the big day. Fitting the seals isn’t just a buy and fit scenario; instead I have to experiment with the best types and sizes for the apertures. I did manage to attend the FJ Classic Vehicle Restoration Show in early November and source a few…

Ford’s European operation found itself with two V4 engines and two related V6 engines in the Sixties. One was this example – the Cologne family – and the other was the Essex, created slightly later in the UK. The Cologne was designed in Detroit for the sub-compact American model that morphed into Germany’s Taunus 12M, first appearing in 1962 in 1.2- and 1.5-litre form. After several years of success in the Taunus and Transit, Ford bought some Saab 96s to fit with the V4 and convinced those at Trollhättan to take it on as a replacement for the two-stroke triple. From the 1967 model year it powered the Saab 95, 96 and Sonnett, and it also appeared in the mid-engined Matra 530. The Saab version lasted in 1.5- and 1.7-litre…

Remove the air filter housing, rocker covers and spark plugs. Valve 1 is the forwardmost valve in the right-hand (driver’s side) bank; valve 7 is the forwardmost valve in the left-hand bank. Adjust the valves in the right column when the valves in the left column are fully open. Vents Clean the oil filler cap in paraffin, making sure the apertures on its underside are clear. Also clean and check the emissions valve (a push-fit on right-hand rocker cover). Air filter Renew the element every 12,000 miles or if it’s visibly dirty. Fan belt Check condition and tension. Deflection under firm finger pressure halfway between the alternator and water pump should be approximately ½in (13mm). Idle mixture Wind both mixture screws all the way in (gentle finger pressure only). Unwind…

Based on a 1977 MG Midget 1500, the Nagara Midget Continental is a more practical coupé touring version of the original open-top sports car, with a much bigger luggage capacity, revised suspension and improved mechanical specification. This is the very first prototype. When I started working on it about five years ago, I wanted to create a small car which was fun to drive but that could also do long journeys. I chose the Midget because it has good parts availability and there’s plenty of room to upgrade, which I am exploiting. Put simply, I have set out to produce an MG Midget that I think British Leyland should have made itself in the Seventies. I’m a mechanic, not a bodywork guy, so I started off with the underpinnings. I’ve…

Prices in this guide are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. These prices are reviewed and updated every issue. Our C/D rating is a basic guide to what you can expect to pay (£) for the best examples of a model, a concours car or something from a dealer. CONDITION 1 means well-presented cars that have no obvious faults. CONDITION 2 cars are capable of regular use. They have a current MoT certificate but will need work and/or original parts. CONDITION 3 cars usually need a complete rebuild, but might be driveable and MoT’d – candidates for restorations. PLEASE NOTE You cannot accurately value any car without seeing it in the flesh. Don’t buy blind. KEY auto: automatic con: convertible lhd:…

If your club’s contact details have changed, please let us know! A  750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641, 750mc.co.uk AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250, acownersclub.co.uk AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345, americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY southambpres.wordpress.com CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120, classicamericanautoclub.co.uk/ PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170, pre50aac.com AEC SOC aecsociety.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB allardownersclub.org ALVIS OWNER CLUB alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, alvisregister.co.uk ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 01225 723809, siddeley.org A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400, www.amoc.org AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 audi100coupes.angelfire.com AUDI OC 07788 588449 , audiclub.co.uk CLUB AUDI…

A king’s ransom of new parts and a whole lot of MIG wire sees the Favorit MoT’d and rally-prepared. Failure! The first hill on the M4 sees the temperature rocket as combustion gases fill the cooling system. The Favorit’s 15-year lay-up had left its head gasket magnificently eroded. Replacement takes four hours. One day and 500 miles later, we’ve started the Autumn Sun Run in Brienne-le-Château, France. After four days at 5000-7000rpm, we finish the rally a victorious 25th out of 68. Full story on p54.…

Car electrical & electronic systems ISBN 978-1787112810 £19.99 If you want to diagnose a simple alternator charging problem, this book is for you. But if you also want to fix complex electronic systems using On-Board Diagnostics, a multimeter or oscilloscope, it also shows how to do that. MT veloce.co.uk Schlumpf ISBN 9789059611894 £35 The Schlumpf collection is one of the world’s most amazing car collections. The authors of this book have aimed, through a huge amount of research, to tell the true story. MT extraordinarycarcollections.com Motoring Daze PRODUCT ID 23660910 £9.48 A collection of humorous tales and anecdotes from the likes of the AA, RAC and their brother organisations. Tales of motoring disaster, sheer bad luck and damn cheek abound. A great stocking filler. MT lulu.com…

WED, DEC 26 HERTS Classic Car Meet at The Lordship Arms, Benington, SG2 7BX (lordshiparms.com). CUMBRIA Classic Car Meet at the Lakeland Motor Museum, Ulverston, LA12 8TA (lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk). HANTS Romsey Boxing Day Classic Car Meet for pre-1976 cars, SO51 8GE (romseyclassiccarandbikemeet.co.uk). LONDON Cold Turkey meet at the Ace Café, NW10 7UD (ace-cafelondon.com). FRI, DEC 28 YORKS Micro Maniacs road run to Bridlington, YO16 6YS (micromaniacsclub.co.uk). SAT, DEC 29 LINCS Lincoln Autojumble, Caenby Corner, DN21 5TJ (lincolnautojumble.com). SUN, DEC 30 YORKS Huddersfield Autojumble, Old Market Building, HD1 1RG (phoenixfairs.jimdo.com). MON, DEC 31 LONDON Porsche meet at the Ace Café, NW10 7UD (ace-cafelondon.com). TUE, JAN 1 BEDS Vintage Stony Vintage Car and Motorcycle Gathering, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BE (vintagestony.co.uk). SURREY Brooklands Pre’88 cars met, KT13 0QN (brooklandsmuseum.com). SOMERSET Yeovil Car Club’s New…

IN THE NEWS The Queen’s Silver Jubilee makes for a memorable centrepiece to the year, and a rare bright spot in an ever-worsening atmosphere of industrial and political unrest. Prime Minister James Callaghan threatens to cut state funding to British Leyland unless the strikes end (they’re costing £10m a week)  and the police appeal for help in finding a serial killer dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper. IN THE CHARTS Most of the headlines seem to be made by the Sex Pistols, but most of the sales are made by ABBA. Knowing Me, Knowing You is the best seller of the year but PC’s own David Soul ran them a very close second with Don’t Give Up On Us and Silver Lady…

Has the Peugeot 405’s time come? We had two 405 diesels. The first from 1989 was non-turbo and a real nightmare in which to try to overtake anything. The most comfortable cars we had and you never see one with rust! Malcolm Durnford Went on a pre-launch training course on them. Great cars. Mi16 is an amazing car. Neil Kidby Loved mine! Could never understand why it had remote locking and electric sunroof but also wind-down windows! Paul Jowett-Lawton The 405 was way ahead of everything else at that time. A great driver’s car. Graham Kingston Never had one, but always liked them. We did have a BX that was related to it, except for the hydropneumatic suspension, which was very cool! Joseph Mitchell I had a 2.0 405 Mi16…

Hmm, tatty and flaking paint. Rips in the seats and other torn fabric. Rotten wood. And really, a yellow Wolseley! But touch the wing of this extraordinary car, and it is like sticking your finger into a live plug socket of history. The 1913 Wolseley 16/20 was arguably the highlight of one of the best club stands I have ever seen, at the recent Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show. ‘We wanted to stage a tribute to all those young men who went to fight in WWI and never came back,’ said Veteran Car Club of Great Britain president, Bernard Williamson. A Rolls-Royce armoured vehicle and rows of tables set for an end of war street celebration, accurate down to the correct crockery and flower vases made from shell cases, were…

Ford Zephyr 4 MkIII This wonderful collection of old British classics has been found on sunny Cyprus by holidaymakers Phil Connor and his wife, beginning with this Ford Zephyr. We’re not sure if it has just arrived or if it is being taken away. Ford Corsair It’s very rare to have one Corsair starring in Rust in Peace but here’s a second in a pretty shade of yellow. This one has a straight four-cylinder engine. Ford Corsair This Ford Corsair has its original V4 and is a planned project. The owner already has several running classics, all of which are used. Vauxhall PA Cresta This poorly Cresta has been partially stripped. With the owner running several large Vauxhalls himself these are used as spares vehicles. Vauxhall…

Keith Adams, editor, Parkers Price Guide and Practical Classics alumnus : ‘Since first seeing the wonderful 406 Coupé at the Paris Motor Show in 1996, it’s been something of a poster boy for me. With its sleek looks, tidy handling and Pininfarina dashboard badge – it’s the perfect coupé for people like me with champagne tastes and lemonade budgets. I picked this particular car up a few months ago, and have been smitten with it ever since. It didn’t break the bank, either.’…

The Anglia is an attractive classic for a multitude of reasons. Its free-revving engine provides plenty of zip, even if this is no sports car. Add light steering and a fabulously compliant ride to the mix and the Anglia offers comfort with driving appeal. If you’re much over six feet tall you might struggle to find a comfortable driving position as there isn’t much fore/aft adjustment on the front seats. Even on its rearmost position it might not be back far enough for tall drivers.…

Ever since the first Harry Potter film was released, Anglia values have been climbing thanks to the prominence of the flying 105E that featured. But you can still buy a project for £1000 and a roadworthy car for £3000, although you’re better off spending £5000-8000 to secure something nice. The vans are the most sought after; these can fetch over £15,000, while the ceiling for saloons is more like £12,000. Estates are more sought after than they used to be, but they’re still worth less than saloons despite their added practicality. Especially sought after are entry-level cars with their basic trim; of 128,000 estates made, just 6600 were to Standard spec – just half a dozen are known of now.…

1977 Reliant Scimitar SE6A Engine 2994cc/V6/OHV Power 138bhp@5000rpm Torque 192lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed man + o/d 0-60mph 9.4sec Top speed 118mph Fuel economy 25mpg Work done ‘Smart Repairs’ to address a crack in the Scimitar door and sort the flaky dash top. Also in Nigel’s garage 1972 TRIUMPH GT6 MKIII The alloy wheels could do with freshening up now that paint work and chrome are perfect. 1998 BMW 328I COUPÉ Providing great service. It’s not going to remain a low mileage Beemer much longer! For a long time the window frame on the driver’s door of the Scimitar had felt a bit flexible at the top and the frame seemed to twist slightly every time the door was closed. It wasn’t difficult to see why… at the front edge of…

1959 Lotus Seven Series One Engine 948cc/4-cyl/OHV Gearbox 4-spd manual Power 37bhp@4800rpm Torque 50lb ft@2000rpm 0-60mph 14.3sec Top speed 85mph Fuel economy 30mpg Work done Steering and pedals fitted. Also in Paul’s garage 1964 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA Anyone want it? SIXTIES-STYLE SLINGSHOT DRAGSTER Absolute money hoover. Having finally got the suspension together, my Lotus ‘bitsa’ project was close to being a rolling chassis, so the next job was to find a way of controlling it. The steering rack and column were among the job lot of parts I had bought from specialist Mike Brotherwood, but he warned me that the column would need work to fit the rack. The first 25 or so Sevens were fitted with steering boxes, but this soon changed to a rack-and-pinion set-up, first from a Morris…

You will need Cheap wheeling machine, angle grinder, welder, electric drill, brake cleaner, microfibre cloths, marker pen. Stay in control Speed doesn’t create more crown, so don’t rush. Staying in control is the key to good results. Keep clean Grit and corrosion will ruin the surface finish and damage your anvils. Keep your workspace clean. Wipe the workpiece and anvils with a microfibre cloth and parts cleaner before you start. Make life easy Do yourself a favour and practise on sections of brand new steel cut into 300mm squares. There’s never been a better time to buy cheap metal-shaping tools for DIY use. We have the Americans to thank for the impetus to create specialist tools for our relatively niche market and the Chinese for their mass-production, worldwide distribution and…

THE A TO Z OF AMAZING ENGINES It’s at the heart of every car, every classic… the engine. Laid out in detail, we have deconstructed 31 legendary lumps and revealed their extraordinary secrets in minute detail. This 100-page celebration also examines the workings of the engine, giving advice on everything from the oil pump to Mass Air Flow sensor. With a foreword from the father of the K-series engine (30 years old in 2019), Sivert Hiljemark, this is THE must-have gift for all petrolheads. greatmagazines.co.uk/AE…

Wilts V Dub Club’s Chris Clarke says: ‘We celebrate our 10th birthday in March and the group has grown enormously over the past decade, with members from Wiltshire and the surrounding counties. We have a very active Facebook page but we put on lots of social events; our monthly meet is on the first Sunday of each month in Lacock near Chippenham (SN15 2LQ). Any air-cooled or water-cooled VW is welcome; the split is pretty even. There’s more on our website including a Facebook link, at wiltsv-dubclub.co.uk wiltsvdubclub.co.uk.’…

We’ve always found the dark art of trialling a little bit surreal, as people bounce their car up and down in a bid to get to the top of a steep and muddy course. So, when the Vintage Sports Car Club held its Cotswold Trial on the slopes of Prescott Hilclimb near Cheltenham we couldn’t resist turning up for a laugh. With an entry of 110 pre-war cars, it was enthralling watching dozens of Austin Sevens, Ford Model As plus an array of specials tackling the gradients with mud flying everywhere. See what else the VSCC has in store at vscc.co.uk .…

AUSTIN TATTOO The November 2018 issue of Practical Classics struck a chord with me. From a very early age, both my brother and I have been around Austin Cambridges, both Pre-Farina and Farina following our father’s influence, so much so that I have now got their famous ‘bibber button’ (heraldic crest hooter emblem) tattooed on my calf. Mark Bean, Sudbury Raising a smile I’ve just read the report on your Riley rebuild at the NEC. Danny wrote that he and Theo ‘grabbed your big ends and raced off to get them remetalled’. I never knew what a pair of perverts you are! I realise that it may well be me who has a sick sense of humour, but it raised a chuckle at a difficult time – I have health…

‘Most people think my Skoda is an exotic import!’ 1976 Skoda S110 Coupé Dave Pickett, Winchester Those who know what it is are very enthusiastic, but most people seem to think my Skoda is Italian or assume it’s an exotic import which was never available in the UK. I have owned this one for 25 years. Seven of those were spent rebuilding it from scratch. It was a mess and needed full restoration, so I stripped it right back to the shell. It went well, but the electrics were a challenge. The factory must have run out of coloured wire, because every single one of them was yellow! The car draws a crowd of admirers. I just fell in love with the shape – and being a Skoda – it’s…

I admit it. After many years of following what’s new in the automotive world as well as celebrating the old, I’ve lost track of what the ‘premium’ German manufacturers, in particular, are up to. I have also, mostly, ceased to care. Why? Because the designs are increasingly tedious and unmemorable, the micro-niches of the model ranges are ever more arcane but, most of all, because I can no longer tell which is which either by looking at them or by their names. Those badges, invariably consisting of letters and numbers, have become almost entirely meaningless. It was the latest Audi mathematical mash-up that tipped me over the edge. You might remember the Audi 50, even though it was never available in the UK. It was Audi’s version of the first…

HONDA LEGEND COUPÉ The second-generation model was introduced in October 1990 and continued to offer comfort, but not on shared Rover 800 underpinnings. The Rover 800 was not updated to the new platform, and instead continued with the old XX platform. In Japan, this Legend was also known as the Super Legend due to the much larger 3.2 C32A engine, which was now the only engine offered. Under the radar, these Legend coupés are now legendarily cheap. RENAULT AVANTIME The Renault Avantime was marketed by Renault as a GT – but it was the world’s first (and only) MPV coupé. It was designed and manufactured by Matra between 2001 and 2003 as a one-box design without B-pillars. Styled by Patrick Le Quement, the quirky Avantime was utterly unique… and it…

SAT JAN 12 Silverstone Auctions’ Autosport International sale, NEC, Birmingham. (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com) FRI JAN 25 South West Vehicle Auctions, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. (01202 745466, swva.co.uk) SAT JAN 26 Anglia Car Auctions’ classic sale, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) FRI FEB 8 Artcurial, Rétromobile, Porte de Versailles, Paris, France. (artcurial.com) SUN FEB 10 Charterhouse, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet. (01935 812277, charterhouse-auction.com charterhouseauction.com) SAT-SUN FEB 23/24 Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Sale, Stoneleigh, Warks. (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com) TUE FEB 26 Barons Auctions’ Classic Winter Warmer, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com ) S AT MAR 2 Historics at Brooklands, Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk)…

I have always got on well with Alan, my local Alfa specialist, and a chance visit resulted in my finding a super-rare, as-new Alfa 146 Junior sitting in his yard awaiting collection by a customer. I was besotted. A quick look around, inside and (importantly) underneath, revealed this really was a genuine 28,000-mile and completely rust-free car. Following a tentative enquiry, I managed to acquire it after two months of negotiation. The one previous Derbyshire-exiled Neapolitan owner had only ever used the car once a year to drive to Italy to visit family before ill-health curtailed his trips. The rest of Junior’s life saw it living in a heated garage. I feel privileged to be its owner and the immaculate and original car attracts admiring glances wherever it goes. It’s…

Excellent parts supply plus conventional construction and engineering mean there’s nothing to faze the competent restorer. The owners’ club has a comprehensive spares scheme which can supply most bits such as body panels (through Ex-Pressed Steel panels with a 10% discount), while the trim comes from Aldridge Trimming and there are discount arrangements with some other key suppliers. There’s not much that’s unavailable on a new or used basis. Just bear in mind some bits are made in batches so you may have to wait for a part to come back into stock. Although the estate shared most of its panels with the saloon, the van is fitted with different doors and the windscreen is a different size. The van’s seals are also unique. If you fit a more powerful…

1975 Citroën CX 2200 Engine 2175cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 110bhp@5500rpm Torque 123lb ft@3500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 11.6sec Top speed 115mph Weight 1281kg Work done Welding completed; cooling system, pumps, filters, fuel tank and new tyres sorted. Also in James’ garage 1971 SAAB 96 V4 Shrieking me around the Northants countryside each day. A real hoot to drive. 1988 CITROËN CX 22TRS Jealous of all the attention that her older sister is getting, no doubt. 2003 VOLVO S80 D5 Warbling five-cylinder £300 barge with seats hotter than the sun. New winter daily. Why do we do it? Mild insanity is most certainly involved but I’d like to think that much of it comes from a simple love of beautiful things. In my case, it’s the CX. For every penny I have spent…

1962 Morris Minor 1000 Engine 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 48bhp@5500rpm Torque 72lb ft@2400rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual Top speed 77mph 0-60mph 24.8sec Fuel economy 34mpg Work done Head gasket replaced, radiator changed, duo-tone interior trim sourced. Also in Ben’s garage 2004 ROVER 75 TOURER My delightful new daily driver… more details soon. I pity the fool,’ said Mr T. Admittedly, the mohawk-adorned TV star wasn’t talking about the folly of taking on too many classic projects, but his catchphrase fits neatly with my automotive adventures. Snapping up my old Minor for a second go at ownership, just weeks after saying goodbye to my Humber Sceptre due to it being one project too many, wasn’t exactly a plan coming together. Yet I’m delighted to have the Morris back on my classic A-Team. My goal…

Theodore J Gillam treated my Morris 1800’s transaxle to a thorough spring-clean in readiness for victorious reunion with its B-Series engine. There was an awful lot of carbon-rich gack inside and the magnet at the base of the swirl filter (pictured) had harvested a quantity of metallic gunge. As the engine and gearbox share their lubrication system, simply plonking the freshly-rebuilt engine straight back on top of the filth-filled gearbox would’ve done its virginal bearing surfaces no good at all.…

You will need Balljoint splitter, penetrating lubricant, jack and axle stands, torque wrench. Find torques Check your workshop manual and torque the suspension bolts to their recommended settings. Support car Support the car securely on axle stands with the front suspension arms hanging down. Buy good arms Buy track control arms from a top quality supplier, ideally OEM. Cheap reproduction parts may be inaccurately made and may not last long. Change the arms on both sides at once. Since being mass-productionised by Ford after WWII, the humble MacPherson strut has become a commonplace form of front suspension. The top of a coil-over damper is mounted to the car’s body and used as a steering swivel. The hub and brake assembly is attached to the lower section of the strut. The…

Engine oil 8.8 pints (5.0 litres) good quality 20w50. Auto gearbox oil C3 gearbox – 11.2 pints (6.4 litres); C4 gearbox – 13.2 pints (7.5 litres). Ford ‘Type F’ ATF. Manual gearbox oil 2.5 – 2.9 pints (1.8 litres); 3.0 – 3.5 pints (2.0 litres). SAE 80 EP gear oil. Final drive oil 3.2 pints (1.8 litres) SAE 90. Power steering fluid Ford ‘Type F’ ATF. Cooling system 2.5 – 17.1 pints (9.7 litres); 3.0 – 17.3 pints (9.8 litres). Ethylene glycol (blue) antifreeze mix. Ignition timing 10° BTDC @ 800rpm (early 2.5 and 3.0); 14° BTDC @ 700rpm (2.5 from September 1973); 14° BTDC @ 800rpm (3.0 from May 1975). Valve clearances Inlet: 0.013in (0.33mm). Exhaust: 0.020in (0.51mm). Points gap 0.025in (0.64mm). Spark plugs Gap: 0.023in (0.60mm). Motorcraft AGR32…