Índex per March 2021 a Practical Classics

A couple of issues ago, we ran a story about so-called ‘Smart Motorways’ and the dangers that they present to anyone who breaks down on one. Well, over the festive break, that ‘anyone’ was me. I’d just returned my Multipla to the road – new MOT, fresh service, all good. I was accelerating onto the ‘smart’ A14 south of Huntingdon when it lost all power; luckily, I had enough speed to coast to a refuge. Refuge areas are every 1.5 miles on smart motorways and have an emergency roadside phone. It was quiet, my ‘coast’ was textbook and the AA was prompt. I’d over-filled the Fiat with oil, so the engine management had cut power as I gave it the beans. By the time the AA arrived, a cooler engine…

GIVING CLASSICS A VOICE The Association of Heritage Engineers’ newly-launched Sustainable Skills Initiative is a project to combine the efforts of all the skills, experience and talents of the UK’s heritage businesses and artisans. Boss Dominic Taylor-Lane told PC: ‘All of our industries face challenges over the coming years, from lack of interest to changes that will cause us to adapt to climate change. Now more than ever we need to explain to a new audience why we are a valuable part of the next generation’s future. We are ideally placed to be front and centre of vibrant local repairbased economies. The project will be officially launched at the AoHE’s ‘Festival of British Engineering’ as a part of Coventry MotoFest and Coventry City of Culture 2021. Visit Instagram: #sustainableskillsnetwork…

My photo of the Nissan at Hack Green nuclear bunker, is not a Bluebird, but a 3-litre V6,300C – Datsun’s answer to the Toyota Crown. Adrian Bull, Chatham, Kent Francophiles will not welcome Danny Hopkins’ reference to ‘Renaultistas’ of, surely, Italian provenance (Bangernomics, PC, January 2021). Try ‘Renaultistes’! A Peter Fawcett, Sheffield The Mercedes-Benz 450 ‘SLC’ on page 73 of your February edition is actually a 450 SL (convertible) fitted with a factory hardtop. The SLC has a longer body and wheelbase and a different roof and window arrangement. Dave Conder, Toddington, Bedfordshire I noticed in Rust in Peace that the Rover P5s should really be described as ‘P5Bs’ as they have the distinctive Rostyle wheels and spotlights fitted below both of the headlights. Julian Booth, Weston-super-Mare…

‘Have models shaped the classic movement?’ There was once a time, not long ago, when playing in public with your Dinkys, or those of someone else, was socially acceptable. Corgis and Huskys could be kept in their dozens and never bite, Spot-On didn’t attack blackheads and a Lone Star had nothing to do with astronomy. All were the names of diecast model producers, the very mention of which made the National Health Service glasses of Fifties and Sixties schoolboys steam up in excitement. Not surprising considering that on offer was everything from Morris Minors to missile launchers, to the Lotus Elan into which Emma Peel from TV’s The Avengers lowered her catsuited self. The mid-Sixties was in hindsight probably the height of this metal model mania, which today’s youngsters with…

£50 STAR FIND Can you do better! Send your high-res images to practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk In association with Surface Processing Ltd surfaceprocessing.co.uk, 01384 242010…

When did you have the idea for LAP LAND? ‘A Christmas event has, for many years, been talked about but we have never found the right concept to go with. This year, what started as a discussion about a COVID-19- safe light show has evolved and Lap Land was born.’ Who was responsible for designing the experience? ‘Silverstone worked with a creative partner on this project. We also worked with lighting partner VHE, who are our key light and laser partner with experience of delivering events for Formula 1 as well as stadium tours for international performers including Take That.’ How many lights were used? ‘1200 Lights, 60 miles of cabling and 48 lasers.’ How long did it take you to sell out? ‘Within four days the most popular pre-Christmas…

FRI JAN 29 South West Vehicle Auctions, Dorset. (01202 745466, swva.co.uk). *Postponed to March 26. SAT-SUN JAN 30-31 Anglia Car Auctions’, (01553771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) Live auction to be held online only. THU FEB 4 Bonhams’ Les Grandes Marques du Monde, Paris, France. (020 7648 5801, bonhams.com/departments/MOT-CAR/) FRI-SAT FEB 5-6 Artcurial, La Parisienne 2021, Paris, France. (artcurial.com). Auction to be held online only. THURS FEB 18 Brightwells’, timed online Leominster, Herefordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com) SAT FEB 20 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, Perth. (01821 642574, morrisleslie. com). Auction be held online only. TUE FEB 23 POSTPONED: Barons Auctions’ Classic Winter Warmer, Sandown Park, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com) WED FEB 24 H&H Classic Auctions, live online, Cheshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk)…

1977 Fiat X1/9 1300 Special Series Price: £11,995 A real collectors’ piece – number 188 of 250 made and only 18,000 miles as it lived on one of the smaller Channel Islands until as recently as 2018. 1973 Triumph GT6 Mklll Price: £14,995 This lovely example was completely restored and upgraded 20 years ago at 57,000 miles and has only covered another 6000 miles since then. 1989 Mazda 626 GLX Price: £1750 A one owner 2.0-litre manual with only 51,434 miles on it. Just needs some very minor cosmetics. One of very few that are still left on UK roads.…

Hot hatches are on my mind right now, and I still believe that a well-sorted and fast family car is still the best genre of car in the world, bar none. The problem is that I’m far from alone in thinking this - and you can see that in the values of the best models out there. We all know that star cars such as the Peugeot 205 GTI and Renault 5 GT Turbo are now in the stratosphere, but cast your net wider and go for something newer, and a world of affordable thrills await you. I make no bones of my love of the Peugeot 306 GTI-6 - R754 SLM was part-owned by me and is now fully enjoyed by my son. We stumped up just £1000 for…

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 certifícate 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…

All you need to know about everything important More than twenty rare classics have seen daylight for the first time in almost two decades, thanks to a PC reader in Malta. A local resident and classic enthusiast, Marcus Harrison’s jaw dropped when a friend unexpectedly revealed the two-storey garage filled with dusty cars, amassed by Gerald Zammit and his family. From Sixties exotica such as a Facel Vega III, Austin Sheerline A125 Limo and Lancia Fulvia S1, the collection also includes classics from the Seventies and Eighties, including a Ferrari 208, early Range Rover and the 1977 Lancia Gamma, seen here being rescued. Marcus says he was surprised to learn of his friend’s stash. ‘These vehicles are the result of a shared passion for classics between Gerald, his brother Julian…

Lunaz has announced production availability for classic electric Range Rovers. The company will create an initial run of 50 cars built in 1970-1994. Кор Hill Climb has announced that the 2021 Festival weekend, the 110th anniversary year of the first- ever climb, will now be held on September 25-26. The DVLA has announced that any vehicle bult after January 1, 1980 will not be allowed to display black and silver number plates as of January 1, 2021. Paddy Hopkirk MBE is one of just 100 UK customers to get the MINI Paddy Hopkirk Limited Edition, marking his triumph at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964. British Motor Show organisers have announced that the show will take place in Farnborough on August 19-22, 2021. More info at thebritishmotorshow.live.…

Beaulieu plans The COVID situation is making planning almost impossible, however Beaulieu is optimistic about its autojumbles. The Spring Autojumble is on the calendar for the May 15-16 with Beaulieu currently hoping to be able to hold it with COVID-secure measures in place. PC’s adventures in one place Our latest special publication is out now (priced at £7.49) and available from greatmagazines.co.uk. Sit back and revel in the sort of trips we all hope we’ll be able to goon again in the near future. Not just newer classics Classic Car Auctions (CCA) completed 2020 with another standout auction that saw 89 per cent of the cars sell. Over 120 classics crossed the block on December 12, during its third live online auction of the year. New TR panels now available…

Propulsion Club Meets take place all year round If you’ve got a two- seater rear-wheel drive sportscar and you live in the home counties, the Propulsion Club could be right up your street. That might sound pretty niche, but as club founder Bertrand Dupont told us, the group has grown from 30 members to over 400 in just a couple of years, so it must be doing something right. Says Bertrand: ‘The club’s focus is on cars such as Lotuses, TVRs, Corvettes, Vipers and GT40s, but we’ve also got a number of Fiat X1/9s in our ranks, along with Ginettas, Renault Alpines and Spiders, plus Datsun Zs and air-cooled Porsche 911s. The club is free to join, and in return members commit to events once they’ve RSVP’d. There’s always a…

IN THE NEWS St Paneras Station, London’s magnificent Victorian Gothic cathedral to the railways, was awarded Grade I listed building status following a campaign spearheaded by Poet Laureate John Betjeman. And just in time too, as it was only 10 days away from suffering the same fate of nearby Euston, and being demolished. AT THE FLICKS One of Walt Disney’s most loved animated musicals brought the work of Rudyard Kipling to the big screen in the form of The Jungle Book. It was the very last film to be produced by Walt himself, who sadly passed away before it was released in cinemas. All together now, ‘Look for the bare necessities…’ IN THE CHARTS June 8,1967 marked the start of the Summer of Love; on that day, The Beatles’ Sgt…

It’s not run in yet, so all progreess is tainted by the need to remain calm and restrained with the right foot. The first thing you notice once you press the starter is noise. There is less refinement offered here, simply because there isn’t much in the way of anything you don’t need apart from carpets. The roll cage also transmits noise into the cockpit – and there is no headlining. This is not a problem when the noise on offer is provided by an XK engine on triple SUs with asports exhaust. it just makes you want to play tunes. Immediately pick up is brisk, you can feel the contribution made by the adjustable dampers-every movement is transmitted to the driver – as for torque? Endless. Yet it still…

Tell us about your classic lockdown victories! Engine and gearbox are in! Joe Mann Transit rear crossmember. I fabricated it out of sheet steel and welded it up – my first real go at welding! Andrew Harris I’m not a fabricator or welder, so for me, getting the shape right was a real challenge. But the hoard of empty apple pie boxes come to good use – as I told the family they would! Shaun Henry Tailgate hinge cover on my HB Viva Estate… from a pile of bits, to restored like new! Robert Meldrum New sills finally fitted to my 1963 Rover P4. Next job is spraying them! Jonathan Griffiths Inner arch lip rebuild before outer panel can be fitted on my Rover R8 GTi. Andrew Pullen Police car…

‘Surviving the first cycle of life is crucial’ You’re looking at a picture, next to these words, of a Nissan Qashqai. Why? For four reasons, at least some of which apply to wider questions of what it is that makes a car a classic, and how such cars will survive into the future to ensure that our hobby continues to thrive. First off: the type of car. It’s a modern ‘crossover’, and as such can be seen as the epitome of what has been killing off those car types we once knew and loved: saloons, estate cars, even large family hatchbacks. So, straight away, it’s anti-classic. Or is it? A considered view is that one of qualification for a car’s ‘classicness’ is that it set a significant car-cultural trend, became…

Look at these four. Cars don’t come much odder than this, or more likely to make you ask: why did they do it? What were their creators thinking? Most of today’s new cars are designed to shock the onlooker, so that the cars get noticed. But they have become so similarto each other in their slashes and creases, side dents and fake vents, that we don’t notice them anymore. Not these four, though. All are completely different, and all are properly shocking, even if that wasn’t the intention. Let’s meet them. Flat Multipla Multi-Purpose Vehicles were the future once. Renault’s Scénic was a roaring success and Fiat, riding a new wave of creativity that had brought the Fiat Coupé, Barchetta, Alfa GTV and Alfa 156, wanted a piece of that…

REVIEW Historic success Just how expensive will early Ford Fiesta XR2s get? Histories ended a remarkable 2020 with yet another strong sale, offering 185 cars and selling 81.6 per cent of them, some to online bidders from as far afield as the US and the Czech Republic. Also notable was the near-20 per cent of lots that exceeded their top estimate. One of those was the Ford Fiesta XR2 Mkl pictured. This nice, original 72,000-miler has recently been used in a couple of period film and TV productions. Lovely without being the best, it made £16,753 against an £11,000- £15,000 estimate. With that form, it will be no surprise to see the next show-standard Mkl to come to auction topping £20k. Another surprise was the £17,920 made by an Alfa…

1970 MGB GT Mkll ENGINE 1798cc, in-line four-cylinder, OHV, two 1.5in SU HS4 carburettors GEARBOX 4-spd man (optional o/d) STEERING Rack and pinion SUSPENSION Front: independent, wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, lever-arm dampers. Rear: live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, lever-arm dampers; anti-roll bar from June 1976 BRAKES 10.75in discs front, 10in drums rear. PERFORMANCE POWER 95bhp@5400rpm TORQUE 110lbft@3000rpm ECONOMY 26mpg TOP SPEED 105mph 0-60MPH 13sec 1968 MGC ENGINE 2912cc, in-line six-cylinder, OHV, two SU 1.75in carburettors GEARBOX 4-speed manual (optional o/d) or 3-spd automatic STEERING Rack-and-pinion SUSPENSION Front: wishbones, torsion bars, anti-roll bar, telescopic dampers. Rear: live axle, semi- elliptic leaf springs, lever-arm dampers BRAKES 11.6in discs front, 9in drums rear, servo-assisted PERFORMANCE POWER 145bhp@5250rpm TORQUE 170lb ft@3400rpm ECONOMY 20mpg TOP SPEED 118mph 0-60MPH 10.9sec 1976 MGB GT V8 ENGINE…

2003 BMW E39 530I Andras Pinter, Hungary Six-cylinder Munich muscle with a proper hydraulic steering rack - what’s not to love? 1999 CITROEN SAXO VTR Matt Payne, Peterborough A rare escapee from the Max Power mod craze - well done for resisting it, Matt. 1983 FORD ESCORT RS1600I Paul Dunsford, Nottinghamshire We hope you’ve got that 51k-mile, restored RS1600Í on an agreed value policy Paul… We can help… So many cars here that we would all love to have on our drives. Call us to discuss your requirements, so we can help turn your modern classic dream into a reality. LANCASTER INSURANCE…

James likes the… WINTRY ONE ‘They never sold it in the UK so I’d have to pop across to Europe for a 325iX Touring. Four-wheel drive combined with extra space, with that BMW build and handing - I spent time in one while on a snowboarding trip in the Swiss Alps a few years ago and loved it. Everyone else there does too, hence crazy values nowadays.’ Matt G likes the… SIX-POT ‘Back in 2015, James Walshe and I took part in a charity rally around Europe. The route covered six countries over six days, and our vehicle of choice was a very early E30… an ’83 323i to be precise. The silky six-pot under the bonnet proved ideal for racking up the miles in both speed and comfort. Happy…

Nigel Clark CONTRIBUTOR 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 Complete bottom end rebuild for the Scimitar’s Essex V6 engine. Also in Nigel’s garage 1967 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE Sold to Martin, a former Spitfire MkIV owner who wanted to try an earlier car. 1997 BMW Z3 1.9 Extremely comfortable in the current winter weather thanks to its new hardtop. While my Scimitar’s cylinder heads were away being converted for use with unleaded fuel, I decided to take time to delve further into the Essex V6 engine. The dear old Scimitar had been running pretty well before fixing an exhaust leak had escalated into a cylinder head removal job. However, it had been…

What is a Metalastik bush and how do they work? What they look like Here are two typical types of bush. The top-hat ones are pressed in until they stop, either at the ‘flange’ or the ribs provided. The plain ones are pressed flush with the suspension part, or up to a shoulder in it. How they work The outer shell of the bush is a tight, press-fit in the suspension arm. The inner sleeve is a looser fit, but is clamped fast when the retaining nut is tightened. The outer shell moves with the arm and the inner sleeve is held fast on the fixed pivot shaft. The rubber flexes to allow the arm to move up and down. How they fail The bush’s rubber deteriorates over time, altering…

I replaced the bushes as you suggested and it was actually far more straightforward than I’d imagined, so I went on to replace every bush on the car over a couple of weekends. The car now rides so much better and clonks and squeaks are banished. I visited my local tyre bay and had the wheel alignment checked and adjusted after a couple of days of use. It was alarming how much adjustment was required, especially as it had been set recently, which goes to show how overdue the bush replacement was. Solved!…

NIGEL’S JOB CARD FINISHING TOUCHES We’re on the home straight with our thorough overhaul of this Spitfire engine. We’re fitting the cylinder head, followed by pushrods and rockers. The head will sit on a top quality Payen gasket and we’re also using brand new studs and nuts, which will be torqued in the specified sequence. The next task will be to set the valve clearances, then the rocker cover can be fitted, completing the top end. To finish up, at the rear of the engine there’s the backplate, flywheel and clutch to fit. At the front, we need to fit and torque up the crank pulley, completing the build-up. Then the engine is ready to fit. How tough? You’ll need: Basic tools including: ► Socket set ► Torque wrench ►…

Floor standing sheet metal folder £395.94 sealey.co.uk This 910mm floor standing sheet metal folder has already proved its worth in the PC workshop and is ideal for making repair sections for classic car body repairs. Suitable for folding up to 22 gauge sheet steel, it should be beefy enough for most applications while being small enough (with the support brace removed and base folded) to stack out of the way when not in use. Boasting a lifetime guarantee, it’s a tool that will prove useful for many years to come. Part no: DF910.…

Secret Fords £39.95 ISBN 978-1-8382232-0-5 Volume One of a two-book set, this book tells how, Ford of Europe’s stellar Seventies and Eighties design team created hundreds of prototypes in secret. A must have for all Ford fans – in fact a must have for all petrolheads. It’s superb stevesaxty.com/secretfords The book of the Honda S2000 £30 ISBN 978-1-787112-14-8 Explore the history of Honda’s masterpiece from 1995 prototype to the end of production. Whether you want to establish the authenticity of a potential purchase or simply learn about the car’s story, this definitive history is an interesting read. veloce.co.uk British Leyland – From Triumph to Tragedy The BL story is one of complex highs and lows; this near-300-page, colourfully illustrated and well-researched book is an exhaustive, but very readable analysis of…

Here at PC, we love Tom Karen and we love his work even more, so it was great to hear through the Reliant Scimitar Sabre Owners’ Club (RSSOC) magazine, Slice, that the design legend has set up a new website to showcase his career. The RSSOC’s Jim Pace comments: ‘The site is an ongoing development, but it already contains plenty of fascinating information about his work with Reliant (including a four-door Scimitar GTE proposal), the Bond Bug and additional information on aircraft design work, Ford ideas and the Ogle Aston Martin among others.’ You can find Tom Karen’s website at tomkarendesigner.co.uk, while the RSSOC can be found online at scimitarweb.co.uk.…

Q Being a car designer is many a youngster’s dream, but how did it all start for you? ‘As a child it was always about cars. From a very early age, I wouldn’t go to sleep until my parents had drawn me a car to colour in the following morning. I was obsessive about it, and would wake up and colour the car in before breakfast every day. As I got older, I started to draw them myself, but even then, it never occurred to me that I’d make a career out of it. When I left school, I wasn’t sure of my career plan, but the Industrial Design course at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) appealed, so I did that. My break in the car industry came with a…

‘Fear and Fearlessness (in Car Bothering)’ It is often said that safety is all about common sense, but that statement is as leaky as a polystyrene cup with its bottom-nipple unwittingly picked off. No, safety is more about having a vivid imagination and asking the comedy question, ‘what could possibly go wrong...?’. Only seriously. The problem here is that imaginations come in different grades. At one end, YouTube is littered with people firing airbags hidden under co-workers’ chairs, anticipating the hilarity enjoyed by the person as their spine compresses at the moment of impact with the office ceiling. And at the other end of the scale is mine. I once had a majestic Petter Atomic single-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine, whose piston could clearly be seen opening and closing the exhaust…

‘Holier-than-thou virtue signalling’ Driving a classic car is an all-embracing experience, something that pushes the buttons of most of our senses. Loving them isn’t a shallow matter of what they look like – it’s as much or more to do with the range of sounds they make through the rev range, the whine of a gearbox, the feel of the wheel as you thread together a series of bends, the slightly oily whiff of a hot engine. Which is why I drive an Alfa and am not on board with the growing number of companies that are popping up to convert classic cars to electric power. For the past year or so there has been a steady drizzle of press releases into my inbox proclaiming how they’ll help save the…

Fiat 130 Coupé The only explanation we can offer for this quite sharp rise is a necessary correction. These inherently deeply cool coupés have looked undervalued for some time. Even now you can still pick up a great one for £20k. Jaguar E-type S1 4.2 Probably not a great year for those who saw the E-type as a rock-solid investment. Then again, at £85k (coupé) to £110k (roadster) for a minter, they are still worth around 50 per cent more than they were just six years ago.…

Pitched as a luxury grand tourer, very few were sold in the UK. Others went mad for it though, including the Japanese who went through a major classic Brit phase. The majority of the 2000 cars built ended up there. There are plenty of examples to choose from, with many now having returned from Japan, often with low mileages, and undecipherable service histories. Colour matters, by the way. More than 60 percent were Woodcote Green, so reds and blues fetch a small premium. Prices have been rising gently for years, so if you want an RV8, buy sooner rather than later. I know we often say that but honestly, this is a seriously unique classic unlike any other. The fact there’s an MG badge on the front will make it…

The ICE isn’t dead yet Recent news that the days of internal-combustion power are numbered hardly came as a huge surprise to me. The somewhat knee-jerk panic it caused among many car fans however, was. Though - contrary to the nonsense that some hysterical loons are spouting on social media - this doesn’t mean that we have less than a decade left to enjoy our beloved old motors, before the government sends someone around to take our keys in 2030. Instead, it means manufacturers and government have just nine years to get EVs and their infrastructure figured out; no mean feat. I don’t like to dwell on a potential future where a Honda S2000, Porsche Boxster, Lotus Elise (S1), BMW M5 (E39) or even a Mazda MX-5, is simply deemed…

Mazda RX-7 10 LEFT ON UK ROADS Mazda’s first RX-7 (FB) was a wonderful break from the sporting norm. As pioneers of rotary-powered machines, the Hiroshima firm gave its new coupe a piston-less edge over its competition in the Seventies. But customers in the Eighties expected more of, well, everything. Power, comfort, handling and cool-factor needed upping, and it was down to the second-generation FC to deliver the goods, which it most certainly did. The big-dog second-gen RX-7 was powered by a 182bhp, twin-rotor, turbocharged 13B engine. Combined with brand new independent rear suspension – incorporating passive rear-steer – this RX-7 was designed to go Porsche hunting. It even bore more than a passing resemblance to a contemporary 944. Yet despite Mazda making nearly 300,000 FCs from ’85 to ’92,…

The best MOT’d six-pot saloons are £2000-£8000 while equivalent ragtops cost anywhere from £1200 for a project to £11,000 for the best. Six-pot E30s carry a 25 per cent premium over equivalent four-cylinder cars, with four-door saloons the least valuable. There are no dogs in the range – they’re all superb so don’t overlook a mint four-cylinder car. Oh, did I mention the M3? Sixty grand for the best and about £20,000 buys a project. It’s in a different league – and for good reason. It is an epic thing but nowadays, it’s a collector’s car with prices to prove it. I’d say buy a really tidy 325i and smile!…

James Walshe Soon after leaving university in the late-Nineties, I stumbled into work placements at What Car? and Top Gear magazine. Each day, I parked my Talbot Samba at their London offices and spent the day writing stories with appalling pun-infested headlines, being barked at by a man called Roger (and sometimes, a man called Jeremy) and would occasionally be asked to shunt cars between HQ and road test locations such as Millbrook Proving Ground. Generally, I was only allowed to drive the terrible cars - one of which stood out, in particular. Having almost toppled over onto an M25 embankment in an Isuzu Trooper, a car with the dynamic stability of a one-legged millipede, I concluded off-road vehicles weren’t for me. Neither was motoring journalism, as my career took me…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR 1937 Austin Seven Ruby (Special) Engine 747cc/4-cyl/SV Power 12bhp@2400rpm Torque Skin… rice pudding… Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-50mph 58sec Top speed 51mph Fuel economy 45mpg Work done Steering, hubs and wheels fitted to create rolling chassis. Also in Matt’s garage 1960 MORRIS MINOR CONVERTIBLE Tucked away for winter. 1969 MORRIS MINOR TRAVELLER Parping along snowy roads. 1970 SUPERCHARGED MORRIS MINOR SALOON Now tucked up in a friend’s barn. Last month, the Seven was quickly beginning to take shape. The chassis and suspension had been restored, the former strengthened to prevent flex and the steering box mounts cross-tubed through the chassis to prevent it and the brake pedal being torn off while cornering hard. That presented a challenge. The rear steering box mounting doubles as a pivot for…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident workshop puppet master, Matt has Morris Minors and A-Series engines in his blood. This month: MGB brake shoe replacement escalated quickly… Martin Domoney WORKSHOP EDITOR Former JLR technician, Martin knows his modern classics inside and out. This month: Back and forth to Britpart for a special LRO project. Theodore J Gillam ENGINEERING EXPERT Former Motor Vehicle lecturer and classic fiddling perfectionist. Has a love of compression ignition. This month: Rolling a Mercedes over for welding proved tricky… 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: Completely rebuilt the brakes on a friend’s Volga. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of professional…

How do I support the wishbone while I’m doing the job? You’ll need wooden chocks to support a pressed wishbone securely in a vice. Change bushes before painting suspension parts to avoid unsightly damage. What else should I do while it’s apart? Before fitting new bushes, clean all mating surfaces and check parts for fatigue cracks and terminal corrosion. Cleaning is not only a great form of inspection but will aid the fitting of the bushes without dragging detritus between the outer bush and the wishbone. Replace oil-damaged bushes singly or as a pair. If age- deteriorated, change the complete set. Should I use grease on reassembly? Yes. Use silicone grease on washers which contact rubber; brake assembly grease elsewhere. Can I not just burn the old bush out? It…

YOU WILL NEED Fire retardant overalls, goggles/visor, respirator, ear defenders, disc spanner, selection of discs Cutting Most grinders in the UK use 115mm (4.5in) discs. Choose a thin cutting disc (0.6-1.0mm) for thin steel as it’ll create less heat. A Type 1 disc is flat; a Type 27 disc is dished. Inox discs can be used for mild or stainless steels. Never ever use a cutting disc for side-grinding. Grinding and sanding Grinding discs are thicker to accept side-loads, although it’s possible to buy multipurpose discs. Always choose the correct disc for the material. A flap-disc is a good alternative to a grinding disc for blending-in bodywork welds. Never sand into an edge or the disc can grab. Everything else It’s possible to buy all sorts of discs. A poly-disc…

Head gasket reliability often raises questions among Triumph owners. We always fit cylinder heads with new fasteners – studs, nuts and their special washers – and we always use a top quality gasket. Of course, it’s also important that the top of the block and cylinder head face are perfectly flat, so these have been lightly skimmed. We also use Wellseal sealant all over both sides of the gasket. After that, the cylinder head should be torqued up in stages, using the workshop manual’s recommended sequence. It’s good practice to re-torque the head nuts after about 250 miles. Follow this procedure to the letter, and there’s no reason that Triumph head gaskets shouldn’t last for the engine’s lifetime.…