Índex per October 2015 a Practical Classics

Joe Kelly, Wolseley Register Wolseley Register secretary Mike Schilling has nominated this month’s club hero, Joe Kelly. Mike explains: ‘Some years ago, the Scottish Group of the Wolseley Register set out its plans for a Drive It Day event to raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Support, and for the first three years all money raised went to this cause. Thereafter the funds have been given to the Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland (CHAS). Over the years we’ve raised over £50,000 and it’s thanks to the hard work of long-standing member Joe Kelly, supported by his family and the membership of the Wolseley Register and other classic car clubs.’ CONTACT wolseleyregister.co.uk To nominate your club hero, email Liam Lloyd at Footman James at: liam.lloyd@footmanjames.co.uk…

Nik Walshe’s Morris Mini Minor – registered as HYA 347D on March 22nd 1966 – was bought for him by his grandparents in 1987. He remembers it fondly: ‘It was my first car and was quite different to the cars my friends drove around in, even back then! I used it for a few years as a student but the rust had set in’. Nik says it used to fill with water when it rained. ‘I remember rainwater sloshing around the footwells!’ The DVLA says it’s SORN and apparently the MoT expired on June 14, 2007. Nik would love to know where it is now.…

Forty years ago? That’s quite a few layers down in the automotive archaeological dig, but it doesn’t seem so long ago to someone like me who seems to be stuck at an unchanging mental age. In 1975 I started my final year as an undergraduate at that hotbed of revolutionary zeal, Sussex University, although membership of the International Marxist Group and the Workers’ Revolutionary Party somehow passed me by. I was too busy trying to reduce the lap time around the campus perimeter road in my tuned-up Imp. There was also the matter of a future living to earn. I was studying biology, because I was thought to be of a slightly scientific bent, but didn’t really manage to grasp the advanced mathematics required to be an engineer. No-one had…

Stop yawning Few subjects are as dull as insurance. So when your classic’s annual renewal drops on the mat, like me you probably look at one thing out of the many sheets of paper filling the envelope: how much this year’s premium is. Nine times out of ten, because classic insurance is generally a nice price, you simply pay it and go back to more interesting stuff like looking at parts or tool catalogues for shiny stuff to buy. But what about that Agreed Value you signed up for – how many years ago was it? When did you last update it? If you haven’t, and disaster strikes, that agreed value is exactly what you’ll get (less excess). With prices of even quite mundane classics having gone up 30-50% in…

1977 Reliant Scimitar SE6A Engine 2994cc/V6/OHV Power 138bhp@5000rpm Torque 192lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual + o/d 0-60mph 9.4sec Top speed 118mph Fuel economy 22mpg Work since last report Mainly driving as the Scimitar took us for a welcome break in mid-Wales. Plus MoT tests for the Scimitar and GT6, and the Scimitar goes for a respray. While it’s away, the carport gets extended. 5 (DAYS) TIME 450 (£) SPENT 850 MILES This month the Scimitar steals the limelight again. My partner Trudi suggested we use the car as Reliant intended by taking it on a touring holiday. With four occupants – two human and two canine – plus associated paraphernalia, the Scim’ transported us around Wales in style. I’m still amazed by the blend of comfort, pace and long-legged cruising…

About Guy Automotive historian, author, publisher, broadcaster and auctioneer. 1958 Jaguar MkI Engine 3442cc/6-cyl/DOHC Power 210bhp@5500rpm Torque 216lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Top speed 120mph 0-60mph 10.4sec Fuel economy 16mpg Work since last report Time spent: 2 days Cost: £3012.65 Total distance: 1387 miles The time had come for my Jaguar MkI’s birthday party. To recap, the car had been returned to Browns Lane to be overhauled by Jaguar’s Heritage Business Workshops. Jaguar’s astonishingly thorough checkover unearthed more than I had feared in my worst nightmares and it was treated to a range of tweaks and improvements. Now it was time to put it to the test with a road trip to a gathering of MkIs at the private museum of Jaguar collector Nigel Webb in West Sussex. I picked…

A former RAF pilot lost his life after the jet aircraft he was flying crashed during a display at the recent CarFest North event. Kevin Whyman, aged 39, was serving with the Gnat Display Team. He was the only person involved in the accident that occurred just after 2pm on Saturday August 1 and which is currently being looked into by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Carfest founder Chris Evans described the crash as a ‘tragic accident’, adding that police had advised that the safest response was to continue with the event. ‘On Sunday we held a minute’s silence on the main stage in Kevin’s honour, which I’m pleased to say was hugely attended by almost all the 30,000 people present.’ Whyman founded the Gnat Display Team with colleagues in…

YEARS AGO 10  Start your engines and press those throttle pedals, we’re celebrating foot down fun. We look at five big-engined European dropheads, and examine the enduring legacy of the Standard four-cylinder engine. We also track reader Alexander Boucke’s journey from Aachen to Longbridge in his Austin Three Litre. 20 YEARS AGO It’s a Morris Minor special edition of your favourite magazine – complete with a feature on driving and maintaining Britain’s favourite classic family car taking centre stage. We also find out all abut how reader Graham Vallance restored a tired 1950 Commer tipper truck, and we also showed you how to buy a decent nick MkIV Ford Zephyr/ Zodiac. 30 YEARS AGO Our October 1985 issue was giving away a Triumph Spitfire… although one slight catch was that…

Mazda lives Further to my recent letter – thank you for publishing it – a visit to my nearest Mazda dealer, Perrys of Huddersfield, informed me that clutch parts for my Mazda 323 were shown as still available in Japan, and if I would like to come to their parts department with £133.33 in cash they would have the parts sent over! Six weeks later, they delivered the parts to my local garage in Halifax – so the equilibrium has been restored – as well as my faith in dealers! Thanks for your help – must get back to my MkI Marina automatic now… Paul Anderson, Halifax. Mk2 in miniature Has anyone ever fancied a Mk2 Jaguar but couldn’t afford one? How about buying this odd-looking vehicle I spotted in…

The wide rear tyres lost purchase on a patch of gravel on the apex of the thirtieth hairpin. The back-end skittered excitedly sideways as we powered out of the corner and gathered speed towards the next, the car’s fast steering and goat-like surefootedness making oversteer an exploitable pleasure. The engine had the urgency of a witty retort and the virile growl of Brian Blessed, thrusting us vigorously uphill with the help of a gearchange as snappy as a hungover man distracted from his tax return by an annoying child. Undulations were contemptuously dismissed, suspension maintaining composure as the wheels pounded up and down like a hermit’s fist. The fortieth hairpin climaxed at the snow-capped mountaintop, revealing a serpentine toboggan run into the misty valley below. We plunged down safe in…

Saturday Sept 5 Bonhams, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, Hants (020 7468 5801, www.bonhams.com/cars) Saturday Sept 5 Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé sale, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire (01926 691141, www.silverstoneauctions.com) Sunday Sept 6 Classics Central auction, Bedford Autodrome, Thurleigh, Beds (0800 122 3335, www.classicscentral.co.uk) Monday Sept 7 RM Sotheby’s, Battersea Evolution, London SW11 (020 7851 7070, www.rmauctions.com) Saturday Sept 12 Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival sale, Goodwood, nr Chichester, West Sussex (020 7468 5801, www.bonhams.com/cars) Tuesday Sept 15 Barons Auctions’ British Heritage sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (08454 306060, www.barons-auctions.com) Wednesday Sept 16 Charterhouse Auctions, Royal Bath & Western Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset (01935 812277, www.charterhouse-auction.com…

1995 FSC Zuk Engine 2417cc/4-cyl/diesel Power 70bhp@4200rpm Torque 108lb ft@2500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph n/a Top speed 59mph Fuel economy 40mpg Work since last report Stripped to bare metal, welded, reshaped, prepped and repainted. Treated to a DIY MoT. Purchased a robust hoard of engine, suspension, steering, brake and interior parts. Fiddled with the engine a bit. 6 (MTHS) TIME 2800 (£) SPENT 0 MILES The full story of how I came to own a threadbare FSC Zuk van in Wroclaw, Poland, is documented in the September issue of Practical Classics . The purchase was based on dodgy pub logic. My friend Kris Radzikowski and I reasoned that any unloved Soviet-era van would require some sort of restoration, so we might as well start with an obviously bad example rather…

1991Peugeot 309 GRD Engine 1768cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 78bhp@4300rpm Torque 115lb ft@2100rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 15.3sec Top speed 109mph Fuel economy 45mpg Work since last report Bought the Peugeot. Overhauled the injectors and replaced fuel pump diaphragm. Replaced the electric window actuators. Repaired corroded MGF sill for the MoT. 1 (WEEK) TIME 774 (£) SPENT 0 MILES Time for a new classic… and it is indeed a new classic. Yet another addition has been made to the Simpson fleet of vehicles in the shape of a very tidy Peugeot 309 GRD Turbo. Purchased on Ebay for £550 with a known smoking problem, I decided to take a risk. When idling it used to drop off a cylinder and produce lots of blue/grey smoke, I removed the injectors and sent them for…

About Michael Also owns a standard road-going 1979 Spitfire and American Dodge van with a 5.2-litre V8. 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Engine 1493cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 71bhp@5500rpm Torque 82lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual + o/d Top speed 101mph 0-60mph 11.3sec Fuel economy 29mpg Work since last report Time spent: Three months Cost: £££s Distance: 0 miles With the gearbox tunnel ready to be fitted and a fully functioning brake system, my list of jobs remaining on the race car project was getting shorter. It was at this point I realised I’d never reconnected the speedometer drive since the gearbox had been mounted. Predictably the new, lower mounting position meant there now wasn’t enough room between ‘box and chassis rail. A right angle drive was annoyingly expensive given that it’s operating an electronic…

In 1958, there was no shortage of products to help protect your beloved motor car. Nuchass (or ‘Nachos’ if you rely on computer spellchecks) was advertised as ‘Guaranteed for the life of your car.’ The brand has slipped away into the ether, possibly attached to all the rusted steel it failed to protect for those promised lifetimes. Nuchass has almost escaped the tentacles of the internet; even Wikipedia is stumped. Its manufacturer, Cadulac Chemicals Ltd, went on to distribute the US upstart WD-40. Did Nuchass morph into a different product with a name people couldn’t cruelly satirise? The truth is out there.…

A  750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641 AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250 AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345 www.americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY www.southambpres.org.uk CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120 PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170 AEC SOC yellowayreliance@hotmail.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER www.giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC www.aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB David Moseley, 19 Bramham Gardens, London SW5 0JE ALVIS OWNER CLUB www.alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, www.alvisregister.com ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 0121 459 0742, www.siddeley.com, www.siddeley.net A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, www.aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400 AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 AUDI OC 07788 588449 , www.audiclub.co.uk CLUB AUDI www.club-audi.co.uk AUDI QUATTRO OWNERS’ CLUB www.quattroownersclub.com AUSTIN A30-A35…

Some of the best engineers in the world are gathering in Bristol to prepare the 1000mph Bloodhound SSC for her first test run. Ahead of the record attempt in the South African desert next year, the supersonic car is being assembled in the city before being taken to Cornwall for a shakedown on the runway at Newquay Airport, scheduled for this winter. ‘Depending on the weather, we’re aiming to get her up to 200mph on the day’ says Chief Engineer Mark Chapman. ‘There’ll be a systems check to see how she performs. After eight years of development, there’s a real buzz on the team!’ Chapman was present at Pendine Sands recently, where Sir Malcolm Campbell’s grandson drove Blue Bird exactly ninety years after the world land speed record of 150.76mph…

UK staging International A pair of VW Karmann Ghia enthusiasts will be staging the first UK Karmann Ghia International, following an 1800 mile journey to Denmark to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the world’s first Karmann club. For more information, contact Graham Filmer at KGInternational2016@gmail.com No room for MG’s history MG Motors UK has snubbed the chance to reference its heritage in its high profile new showroom in Piccadilly, alongside its MG3 and MG6 family car ranges. A spokesman said: ‘We’re limited for space in our new showroom. MG’s heritage is not where our future is.’ France to the Future An event at RAF Cosford saw generations of classic Citroëns coming together to celebrate ten years of the Citroën C6. Still just a decade old, the most recent big Citroën…

How did it start? ‘Bored with the regular classic car scene, Chris and Pat Glaseby wanted to put on events with a difference. The result was the Sporting Bears Motor Club. Its premise was to allow classic car owners to enjoy some great events while raising cash for children’s charities.’ How does it work? ‘Members bring their cars along to events and people make a donation for a ride, with every penny going to our nominated charities. We also run social events throughout the year. The club’s costs are covered by the £20 annual subscription, plus £5 for each additional family member. We have over 650 members.’ What’s in the club? ‘Membership is open to owners of all classic saloons and sports cars as well as kit cars and modern…

I In 1975, the young me was a teenage schoolboy and already car-obsessed. I had worked myself into a youthful mad frenzy over the arrival of the new Triumph TR7, having seen pictures in the Daily Express and finally glimpsed a new example in the showroom of Gales Motors in York Road, Hartlepool. ‘TR7! TR7! TR7!’ yelped the boyish me on a virtual 24-hour loop. Mrs Grace Larkin, long-suffering mother of the accused, was not normally inclined to give in to my demands to be taken to places where children/young adults were not normally allowed – pubs and bus depots among them. However a softer line would be taken with a TR7 showroom visit. Firstly it might shut me up. Secondly Gales Motors was nearby a recently opened frozen food…

CONTRIBUTOR Gary Stretton 1959 Peerless GT Engine 1991cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 100bhp@4800rpm Torque 117lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual + o/d Top speed 120mph 0-60mph 10.8sec Fuel economy 28mpg Work since last report Tried to fit the driver’s side door glass. Discovered door fit had gone awry, due to a welding error at the factory. Beefed up the door hinge welds. Hopefully door will go on soon. 12 (HRS) TIME 2 (£) SPENT 0 MILES With it being summer holidays and all they entail with three kids and a planned trip to Ireland, I had to use my Peerless time carefully, as it was sandwiched between another week’s holiday. I returned from Ireland to fit the driver’s side door glass. I’ve wanted to do this for some time, having previously created a new…

1992 Mazda Eunos Roadster Engine 1598cc/4-cyl/DOHC Power 113.5bhp@5500rpm Torque 100lb ft@5500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Top speed 117mph 0-60mph 8.5sec Fuel economy 30mpg Work since last report None yet – but there’s a growing list! Passenger door window refuses to go all the way up, so it’s currently sealed with gaffer tape… 4 (HRS) TIME 1000 (£) SPENT 600 MILES Some avid readers of Practical Classics may already know me, as I won the 2015 Restorer of the Year award for my Morris Minor Traveller project, which featured in the December 2014 issue. I stated that I drive one of my three Morris Minors daily, and they cope well with the needs of a student. However, now I’m a graduate heading into the world of work. With a long daily commute…

The B-series’ ancestry can be traced at least as far back as 1947 and the launch of a new 1200cc OHV engine for the Austin A40. Keen archaeologists can follow the A40 engine’s evolution from the sidevalve Austin 10 engine of 1932. When Austin and Morris merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, both firms needed a bigger engine. The A40 unit gained length and thus better potential for expansion. The first car to receive this new B-series was the 1953 MG Magnette ZA. The B-series went on to appear in vehicles by Morris, Austin, Wolseley, Riley, Rochdale, Elva, Nash, TVR, Gilbern and of, course, MG. The MGA offered both 1500cc and 1600cc versions. The MGB kept the 1800cc B-series in production at Longbridge until 1980. [A] TINWARE…