Índex per September 2020 a Practical Classics

Legislation news OLD COMMERCIAL TYRES BANNED Tyres aged 10 years and older are to soon be banned from use on lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales, Roads Minister Baroness Vere announced on Wednesday July 15. However, this forthcoming law will not apply to historic, Mot exempt, vehicles, which are not used commercially – after lobbying from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC). Ben Field from Vintage Tyres told Practical Classics that a simple exemption could leave some classic owners exposed to risk: ‘The tyre age limit would have taken a lot of vehicles off the road unnecessarily. But for the consultation to not even recommend a basic annual condition check for tyres on vehicles that no longer need a MOT is a missed…

The Haematology Cancer Care charity will be the sole beneficiary from the sale of a 50 year-old Volvo endurance rally car. Enthusiast Charles Cook was taken ill at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early March. A long-term patient of University College London Hospital’s internationally-respected Haematology team, he walked into the hospital on a Sunday afternoon feeling unwell. Within 24 hours he was moved into the Intensive Care Unit. Charles was hospitalised for a fortnight before being discharged to recuperate in isolation at home. Having made a full recovery, he didn’t delay in expressing his gratitude by deciding to raise funds for the hospital by auctioning his 1970 rally-prepared Volvo 144 on July 18 at Historics’s Classic Car Auction in Berkshire.…

SECRET MEETS National Microcar Rally September 9-14, Wem, Shrops The National Microcar Rally is one of our favourite events of the year. The 2020 bash takes place on September 9-14 in Wem, Shropshire. Alison McCarthy is organising it and she comments: ‘We always have a large and varied number of microcars attending, from all over Europe. Most of those who come are here for the full five days as it’s based on a camp site with very good facilities. We do a road run most days, with a static show taking up all of Sunday. This year I’m producing a 2021 microcar calendar to be given out at the event; I’d love owners to send me shots of their microcars so I can use them.’ All the information that you…

IN THE NEWS Britain was having a tumultuous economic time of things, with inflation at 24.2 per cent. The out of control price rises saw petrol go up by more than two-thirds in just one year. Oh, and there was a referendum about staying in the EEC. 67 per cent voted yes to Europe. AT THE FLICKS Going to the beach would never be quite the same again thanks to Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg. Because the production’s mechanical sharks often refused to work properly, the big, bitey fish was more suggested than seen on-screen. Coupled with John Williams’ menacing score, this just seemed to make things even scarier. IN THE CHARTS David Bowie scored his first UK number one single in November… with a song that he’d recorded back…

Best automotive innovation in your opinion? Land Rover Series and Defender front wings. You can rest a shaving mirror, mug of tea, glass of Shiraz, Haynes manual, or a machine gun bipod on them – and even change a nappy! David Lewis The Trabant. Transverse engine and FWD three years before the Mini, Duroplast bodywork panels so they don’t rust. Quick to make and have good impact resistance. Few moving parts, two-cylinder, two-stroke engine that utilised what was at the time leading edge racing motorbike technology (disc valve induction). Life expectancy was 30 years. Peter Frost The Volvo Red block engines. Arguably the toughest road car engine ever made, genuinely capable of a million miles with good servicing habits. Will Greer The Cosworth YB. Based on a humble Pinto block,…

Sunbeam Rapier This great looking Rapier was parked next to my hire car in Akaroa, New Zealand while I was on holiday. It was in perfect condition, too.Gerard Konz, NSW, Australia Ford Anglia Spotted this Ford Anglia in Tesco’s car park in Cumbernauld.Gary Marshall, Cumbernauld Porsche 911 I found this 911 in Tesco’s car park in Portsmouth.Steven Bennett, Hampshire BMW Z1 I spotted this superb Z1 at its home in Berlin recently. What a car, and rare now.Tony Rome, by email Austin Maestro I spotted this late Austin Maestro in Thame, Oxfordshire recently. Clearly in regular use – even has all the original plastic hub caps.Anthony Bratt, Oxon Auto Union 1000 Havana… In addition to the amazing array of US classics, we spotted this wonderful Auto Union 1000. Neil Mayo,…

‘Don’t be afraid to rev it,’ says Paul. ‘I do.’ So, I do, too, and am instantly transported back to 1985 when Motor magazine, on which I was a staffer, acquired its long-term test 190E 2.3-16 in the same metallic blue-black of Paul’s 2.5-litre version. There’s the same raspy revvability, slightly soft-centred steering (via a worm- and-roller ‘box), springy gearchange, firm seats with their check fabric panels and deep leather bolsters. Also familiar is the view along the bonnet, a three-pointed gunsight at the prow to help when you’re aiming this precise, pointy projectile into another bend. And I love the understatedness of this monochrome machine with its subtle air dam, sill skirts and rear spoiler. No small Merc meant business like this one – and Actually, Paul’s car is…

However skilled we think we might be at fixing old cars, there are times when those skills run out. Or, if not the skills, the repertoire of equipment that we have acquired over the years. My plan was to replace most of the wishbone bushes – 16 out of the 22, the other six having been done by me a few years ago – on my 1989 Eunos Roadster. The banging and crashing over certain bumps had got just too much, and when I throttled off in a bend the tail always threatened to fly into oversteer even though it never actually did so. New bushes, genuine Mazda items, came from the excellent Autolink. I had fitted polyurethane bushes to my previous MX-5 and I wasn’t going to make that…

1963 Jaguar Mk2 Price: £14,995 Only a 2.4, but with manual overdrive gearbox and the same owner for 40 years. Just 57,000 miles and always garaged. Lovely. 1960 Ford Prefect 100E Price: £4000 Nice example of the four-door version of the 100E, restored just over ten years ago. Comes with loads of spares and ready to show. 1972 Triumph Stag Price: £10,450 One for the stylish, but cautious in nature – it’s fitted with a 2.5 TC engine. Otherwise extensively renovated and comes with a hardtop.…

Having come to the conclusion that a cracked cylinderhead was the reason behind my TR’s engine allowing coolant into the oil, I’d sourced a replacement head and sent it to the machine shop for tests to determine its health (PC, July 2020). Having passed both the crack and pressure tests, it was proclaimed to be fit for purpose, so I gave the go ahead for a set of new valves to be fitted, while the exhaust valve seats were also replaced with hardened versions. Once the ‘new’ head was back with Jason Wright at Mass Racing, he gave it a final light skim in order to bring the compression ration up to 10.1:1, against the 9.8:1 ratio of the incumbent head, in order to achieve optimum performance output. With the…

The Rover P4 Drivers’ Guild was formed in 1977 to cater for owners of the Rover 60, 75, 80, 90, 95, 100, 105, and 110 range built between 1950 and 1964. The aim of the Guild is to help P4 owners to preserve their cars for regular use by assisting them to locate spares, literature, advice, competent mechanics and other services to keep their cars in a roadworthy condition. If you are restoring a P4, the help and support from the Guild is invaluable. No matter what job you’re tackling, there is always someone who has undertaken such a task and has some top tips and advice. The Guild produces a bi-monthly magazine that brings not only technical tips, but also historical articles, a marketplace and news of social events.…

The 2CV has been busy during lockdown – from local runs, to 400-mile round trips to see my parents. For reasons that’ll become clear in PC soon, I’ve joined another club – this time the Fiat Motor Club. One final tranquil trip in my ‘88 Citroën CX before end of lockdown saw a return to normal traffic levels. The reason for the hydraulic failure on my ‘85 CX. Just one tiny stretch of neglected high-pressure pipe. With lockdown over, I’ve been back in my beloved Smart again (p86) and grinning from ear to ear.…

Pre-production Cossie for sale A rare, pre-production, 1985 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth has come up for auction with TheMarket.co.uk. The car in question is one of only 10 right-hand drive cars, and one of only three road cars. Online auction will begin on July 23 and close on July 30 with an estimate of £39,000 to £59,000. Jag parts sell off Classic Motor Cars (CMC), is to sell 12,000 heritage Jaguar parts collected over the years. Parts Manager Paul Peach said: ‘We have decided to sell them to the Jaguar community.’ Parts are available for most classic Jags – if you are looking for anything in particular, then send Paul an email on Paul.Peach@classicmotor-cars.co.uk or call 01746 765804. A really fair Kop The Kop Hill Climb, as we know it,…

Tools on the move LEATHER TOOL ROLL £57.91 Keep your on-the-road tool kit organised with this stylish new tool roll from Gunson.This genuine leather, traditionally designed tool roll is both practical and stylish — and will look great in the boot of your classic car, or on your workbench. This is a sturdy tool roll, with strong stitching, reinforced with metal rivets and a buckled strap. It features 12 slots for spanners or screwdrivers, plus three useful press-stud secured pockets for small items like screws or fuses. Part no: 77168. gunson.co.uk Cut to the chase TELWIN TECHNOLOGY PLASMA 41 XT 230V £838.80 This powerful yet compact inverter, compressed air plasma cutting system, from Telwin allows rapid, distortion-proof cutting of all conductive materials such as steel, stainless steel, galvanised steel, aluminium,…

SAT, AUG 8 KENT St Christopher’s Hospice Classic Car Show, TN14 7NN (stchristophers.org.uk). SAT-SUN, AUG 8-9 WARKS Classic & Vintage Commercial Show at the British Motor Museum, CV35 0BJ (tinyurl.com/wvxxb48) SUN, AUG 9 LANCS Classic Car Show at Stonyhurst College, BB7 9PZ (classicshows.org). SUN, AUG 16 NORFOLK Classic Car Show at Holkham Hall, NR23 1AB (classicshows.org). ESSEX The Warren Estate Breakfast Club, CM9 6RW (warrenclassic.co.uk). WEST SUSSEX Southern Classics Society Show at Worthing RFC, Angmering, BN16 4AX (southernclassics.org.uk). SUFFOLK Stonham Barns Classic Car Show, IP14 6AT (stonhambarns.co.uk). SUN, AUG 23 HANTS Simply Mercedes at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). WARKS Old Ford Rally at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon CV35 0BJ (tinyurl.com/wvxxb48). FRI-SUN, AUG 28-30 SUFFOLK Knuckle Busters Hot Rod Weekend at Stonham Barns, IP14 6AT (stonhambarns.co.uk). SUN, AUG 30 YORKS…

Q How did you come up with the idea? ‘I like to think that, back in the early Seventies, I was one of the first to identify Fifties and Sixties cars as ‘classics’, and worth preserving. Then, in 1973, Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (now simply Classic Cars) became the first magazine dedicated to this new group of enthusiasts. I had been on a sister magazine, the weekly Motor, for approaching nine years, but couldn’t wait to jump ship and join the editorial staff of T&CC – which I did within a year of its launch. One of my jobs was to look after the Our Cars section, and it was soon evident that readers had a great interest in using and maintaining classics.’ Q How long did that idea ferment?…

Farts in a rubber bladder, rancid chip fat, highly enriched uranium, and water. Just a smattering of the many alternative fuels suggested for motor vehicles. When vehicular propulsion was still at the ‘focus group’ stage in the 19th century, interest was centred on stuff that died millions of years ago and could be exhumed and set on fire. And why not? The energy density of archaeology is rather impressive, allowing goodly distances to be traversed. There’s only so much of it left, however, and despite preventing parts of Los Angeles from dissolving in the Seventies by cleaning up the internal combustion engine (ICE), they’re still not ideal and no matter what we bolt onto them, it’s really just rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. So how about electricity? It’s nothing…

FANCY A PUNT? ‘A steady supply tea and Kit-Kats’ Tuning into YouTube to watch Anglia Car Auctions’s recent sale was an odd experience. But some traditions were happily maintained, like a steady supply of tea and Kit-Kats, along with an open messaging line for banter with fellow auction reporting scribe Richy Barnett. It promised to be a good sale, spread over two days and with 245 cars on offer, but we were in for surprises on all levels. Firstly with how professional the presentation was, despite ACA never having broadcast and sold online before. Then there were the results. Not only did all but 14 of those cars sell – that’s almost 95 per cent of them – but 40 per cent of those that did sell went for over…

Buying and selling classic cars The closest I have ever come to owning a new car was a two-year-old Rover 75 back in 2003. It was something of a revelation to me: big, comfy and beautifully made. That late Nineties/early Noughties era of big saloon was among the first to demonstrate a seemingly indestructible build quality that all of today’s cars now possess. Major advances in safety, security and quality at the turn of the century cost their makers millions, yet we can now own a slice of sophisticated engineering for a few hundred quid. The small fortune Volvo spent in developing its own flagship was available to me for just £300 in 2017. The price seemed oddly low, but the nice Cornish gent simply wanted rid, having bought himself…

1 Bodywork isn’t too much to worry about compared to many other cars of the era but those straight panels and quality shutlines can still hide corrosion. Look for rust caused by sunroof drain hole blockages and at the base of the windscreen. The sills can also suffer – especially as they’re hidden behind plastic trim. E34s also rust at the bottom of the front wings, fuel filler area and around the rear lights. Rear arches can go too. 2 Cooling your M5 properly is a must. If the original hoses are still fitted, it’s worth renewing them as a matter of course. Other cooling issues that can arise include leaky water pumps plus failed thermostats and viscous couplings. 3 Exhausts weren’t made of stainless steel, but they are reasonably…

1972 Triumph GT6 MklII 2500 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 130bhp@5500rpm (est) Work done Good secondhand distributor sourced and fitted. I’ve noticed when setting the ignition timing on the GT6 with a strobe there’s quite a bit of flutter on the timing marks at tickover. The timing evens out as the revs rise, but the tickover has never been as smooth as I would expect on a rebuilt motor. It’s tempting to think the timing flutter and rough idling may be connected. With the cap removed, wiggling the rotor arm showed a bit of radial and axial play in the distributor shaft itself. The distributor either needed an expensive rebuild – these Delco units are difficult to overhaul – or replacement. Fortunately, a good secondhand distributor turned up on eBay, for sale…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident workshop puppet master, Matt has Morris Minors and A-Series engines in his blood. This month: Spent most of his month stripping an Austin 7. Martin Domoney WORKSHOP EDITOR Former JLR technician, Martin, knows his modern classics inside and out. This month: Has turbocharged a Land Rover Freelander because, well, why not? Theodore J Gillam ENGINEERING EXPERT Former Motor Vehecle lecturer and classic fiddling perfectionist. Has a love of compression ignition. This month: Is preparing for GRP bodywork fettling. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern and will keep it that way. This month: Has revived a 10-year dormant Lada. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of pro mechanics.…

The 1300 engine can be a surprisingly serious bit of kit. The three-bearing crank is often considered to be the engine’s Achilles heel because it has insufficient rigidity for long bearing life under high states of tune, but up to 120bhp is possible with reasonable longevity. The MkIII Spitfire used a version of the 1300 engine with camshaft bearings and also benefited from lighter internals than its successors, allowing racers to push it to 9000rpm! A useful mod you can make to a MkIII or Herald engine for high-compression performance tuning is to have the block machined to fit recessed rings around the top of each bore. This allows better sealing and was a standard feature of the later MkIV engine. Real longevity gains can be made by fitting an…

SHADOW £75 ISBN 978-1-910505-49-6 Pete Lyons lifts the veil from enigmatic American Don Nichols and the extraordinary racing cars and world-class team he created. The only US-based team to win a Can- Am championship, and one of only three to score a victory in Formula 1. evropublishing.com Veteran Motor Cars £8.99 ISBN 9781784424206 A concise illustrated history of the earliest cars in Britain up to 1905, and the people who manufactured and drove them. It is packed with fascinating facts about the experimental origins of the motor industry, and novel measures to overcome challenges of the time. ospreypublishing.com Your Expert Guide: Triumph TR4 & TR4A £14.99 ISBN 978-1-787115-64-4 This comprehensive troubleshooting guide is a must-have for any TR4/4A owner to learn from. Describing the cars’ main components and their foibles…

Bridport, Dorset April 1975 The cars here would probably be getting a lot more use soon. Despite its run-down, boarded up appearance, the background building was still in use – as the railway station for Bridport in Dorset. However, it had been unstaffed since 1969 and grown increasingly, even alarmingly, decrepit. Passenger services finally ceased on May 5, 1975, just weeks after this picture was snapped. The structure was demolished in 1977. It seems surprisingly busy here though. Is the 1965 Vauxhall Viva HA (in SL form with more elaborate grille and contrasting side-stripe) waiting to pick somebody up or just searching for a parking place? Among those blocking it from a decent spot are a Ford Corsair and 1968 Hillman Imp Super. This survived until 1985 before it disappeared…

Classic day release How many times do we read about classics not getting used enough? How often do we hear of cars being put in the garage and never used, but too much part of the family to be sold? My RMB Gentry starts first time, even after time without use, but I do less than 1000 miles a year in it. Other commitments mean I cannot go to weekend rallies, so it is serviced more than driven, which is such a waste. How many people are there who would love to have an old car, but do not have the means or storage to own one and how good would it be to let these people share our under used classic? I would be very happy to let such…

‘Owning this car is a bit like reliving my youth!’ 1971 Ford Cortina GXL Clive Frears, Lincolnshire My first car was a 1600L Decor in Sebring Red that I bought secondhand in 1977. I think TV had much to do with my affinity with Ford; The Sweeney, The Professionals… just two popular programmes showcasing Ford products. I then spent nineteen years working within the Ford retail network from 1980, all sales related, watching them produce good, bad and sometimes ugly cars. I watched the industry move from having distinctive cars, through to an era of technically smart vehicles, but ones that, for me, failed to distinguish themselves! Having decided recently to buy a classic MkIII, I looked at many overpriced examples and had almost given up the chase when I…

1 OCT 2018 A cam-do attitude First job was to get the engine running once more. Twin-cam 16V engine was still in good shape at 170,000 miles. 2 DEC 2018 Vital repairs Paul fabricated and butt-welded new sections for both the wheelarches and rear quarters. 3 JAN 2019 Taking a brake You don’t feel the cold when you’re enjoying yourself, as Paul found! 4 MARCH 2019 A sill, cornered Inner and outer sill repairs included new jacking pads, made by Paul himself. 5 MAY 2019 Screen Test With the MOT passed, Paul set about the rest of the bodywork including challenging rot at the base of the rear window. 6 JUNE 2019 Paint Metalwork repairs are complete and the body is ready for paint. In a month’s time the Mercedes…

James says… ‘Project R4s can be hard to find now but are worth the effort. However, it’s very unlikel y there’ll be a single part worth saving on this one!’ In association with Surface Processing Ltd surfaceprocessing.co.uk, 01384 242010 £50 STAR FIND Can you do better! Send your high-res images to practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk…

WED AUG 19 H&H Classics, online, Cheshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) SAT AUG 22 Anglia Car Auctions’ classic sale, online, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk SAT AUG 5 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, online, Perth. (01821 642574, morrisleslie.com) SAT AUG 22 Mathewsons, Thornton- Le-Dale, Pickering, North Yorkshire. (01751 474455, mathewsons.co.uk) SAT SEP 12 Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale, nr Chichester, W Sussex. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/departments/MOT-CAR) WED SEP 16 H&H Classics, online, Cheshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) SUN SEP 20 Classic Car Auctions, online, Warks. (01926 640888, classiccarauctions.co.uk) TUE SEP 22 Barons Auctions’ Jaguar Heritage sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com)…

When Dan told us he had found a cheap replacement for my wife Pat’s previous 45 (she loves her Rovers), I was a bit sceptical. The PC team has a workshop and the time and energy to sort out any wobbles they might encounter on their Bangernomics buys – we don’t. I used to do all my own work on my cars (it’s where Dan caught the bug), but these days, I prefer someone else to do the dirty work. Still, we had a look and immediately fell for the car. It had all the toys, leather interior, low mileage and, in racing green, looks the part as well. We opened the garage door and Dan brought it over, in the knowledge that, as our son, he would be the…

James likes… THE STURDY ONE As the former owner of Eighties Audi 100s, I love a German saloon. Some suggest they’re lacking in character, but I’d rather not watch my exec rotting in the driveway or steaming at the roadside. It’s a different kind of charisma – solidity, dependability and an arm around you when you simply need to be somewhere. And fast. The E34 M5 is probably the greatest perfomance saloon of all time. Matt G likes… THE TOURING ONE My dad had a 1995 525i Touring in Hellrot, with a caramel leather interior. And boy, did we love it. Good looking, oh-so comfortable and capable of covering long distances in doublequick time, it’s no exaggeration to say that M220 RAN was the reason for my enduring love for…

John Hamilton’s lack of clutch release on his Midget sounds familiar (PC, May 2020). Did he fit a new release bearing with his new clutch? If not, the worn state of the original may mean it’s not able to push far enough to release the brand new friction disc. I had this problem even though my re-used release bearing still appeared in serviceable order. The system has no adjustment, so relies on everything being matched up correctly to everything else in the first place. David Cogman, via email A tyre valve dust cap makes a perfect blanking cap for the vacuum breather pipe on an SU carburettor. Ideal if you’re fitting a non-standard carburettor to an engine that doesn’t require the breathing system to run negative pressure. Bill Hope, via…

Prices are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. 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 full rebuild, but may be driveable and MoT’d. PLEASE NOTE You can’t value any car without seeing it – don’t buy blind. Russ says ‘Buying and selling should be fun, but sometimes, it’s a nightmare. Follow these three rules…