Índex per July 2022 a Practical Classics

In our current post-Brexit, post-Covid, world it is supremely comforting to see the return of the Beaulieu Spring Autojumble. Normality might still be a short way off but, at least, for one weekend in a rusty field of dreams we can indulge our passion for all things automotive, slightly used and entirely reusable. It proves, as if proof were required, that the live trade of secondhand car parts and automobilia is far from dead. We might have online portals and apps to help us in our buying and selling endeavours, but nothing beats the thrill of finding an elusive part on a trestle table, and then paying under the odds for it. So welcome back, and long may we still be rummaging at Beaulieu in early May. In this year,…

Helping hands A charity offering supported living for young people with learning disabilities has hosted the first of two car shows in Stokeseley, Teesside, with a second event to raise funds for the JPC Community farm on September 24. facebook.com/JPC SpecialistMotorsport A superb tour North Berwick Rotary Club raised over £8000 for Stepping Out and East Lothian Young Carers. The tour saw 53 cars travel from North Berwick to Carfraemill in the Scottish Borders, before returning to Gosford House. The event has raised over £30,000 in five years. Hot to trot Engineering students at a college in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, have honed their skills by creating a vintage car-themed log burner. The students at East Coast College will auction off the extremely hot rod to raise funds for the Norfolk…

SUN, JUNE 5 NOTTS Newark Autojumble, Newark Showground, NG24 2NY (newarkautojumble.co.uk). HANTS Simply Porsche at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). WARKS National Mini and Metro Show at the British Motor Museum, CV35 0BJ (britishmotor-museum.co.uk). BUCKS Stony Stratford Classic Gathering, MK11 1BE (classicstony.co.uk). LANCS Burnley & Pendle MGOC Pendle Run, BB18 6XY (bpmgoc.co.uk). FRI-SUN, JUNE 10-12 BRISTOL Volksfest at Birches Farm, Long Ashton, BS48 3RN (bristolvolksfest.co.uk). SAT-SUN, JUNE 11-12 NORTHANTS MG Live at Silverstone, NN12 8TN (mgcc.co.uk). WARKS American Auto Club UK Summer Nationals at Hatton Country World, CV35 8XA (americanautoclubuk.com). BERKS Stoke Row Steam Rally, RG8 7PU (stokerowsteamrally.com). WARKS Classic & Vintage Commercial Show at the British Motor Museum, CV35 0BJ (britishmotormuseum.co.uk). SUN, JUNE 12 N YORKS Classic Car Day at Ripon Racecourse, HG4 1UG (greatbritish-motorshows.com). BEDS Luton Festival of Transport,…

Then why not treat him to a drive out to one of the 10 motoring museums listed here, all around the country? Although most of them aren’t doing anything specific to mark Father’s Day, they’ll have more than enough to keep you entertained. CUMBRIA THE LAKELAND MOTOR MUSEUM is surrounded by scintillating driving roads, so blend the journey there with poring over as many of the 30,000 exhibits as you can, including cars, automobilia, caravans and pedal cars. There’s nothing special taking place on June 19, but you’ll easily fill the day all the same, and it’s top value at £10 for adults. (lakeland motormuseum.co.uk). DERBYS GREAT BRITISH CAR JOURNEY The newest destination here (it opened only last year), the focus of the GBCJ is ordinary cars that you can…

Worst rust you ever had? My Amazon from ‘66 that I had for eight years. Constantly in repair and has been very badly repaired in the past by previous owners. Merijn Broeders A ‘67 Triumph. Rust all over and up in the pinch welds. Inner sills and strengtheners were pretty much gone. Floors usable, but just barely. Bonnet shot. Some 25 years later, now quite enjoyable. Hazen Wardle Toyota Celica T-sport 190. Got a call from the MOT centre saying they couldn’t put it on the lift as they weren’t sure it would survive (it failed the MOT). Dave Court Chrysler Horizon. So rusty that I had two orange stripes on my driveway where I parked it. Anthony Donnelly A 1968 Mini Cooper – had to avoid driving it through…

In the mid-Eighties, family Simister had a three-door, 1093cc, pre-facelift Golf MkI, albeit a W-reg in ultrabasic trim. Helped by its light weight it had a keenness that belied its modest power, and James’s slightly plusher model feels exactly as I remember. There’s that same fruitiness in the exhaust note, the same panoramic view out compared with a modern car, the same sedate and springy, but light and accurate steering, the same long travel clutch whose cable is not, unlike in many MkIs back then, threatening to pull through the bulkhead. And the gearchange has the same mix of ease and imprecision. There’s nothing cosseting or luxurious about the Golf, though; it’s too Germanically practical for that, and too noisy with the short-legged gearing that gives it its eagerness. But,…

Volkswagen Bugs! A sunny meeting of Volkswagen Beetle Cabrios that I stumbled over in the Malvern Hills recently. Bert Lacey, Malvern 1968 Ford Mustang & 1990 Alfa Spider Two of my favourites from a Supercar Wednesday event at the Hop Pole in Retford (Notts). Eynon Shawe, Retford 1968 MGC GT A rather lovely MG CGT, which I saw while visiting the Laxey Wheel in the Isle of Man. Two engineering masterpieces for the price of one! Clearly a cherished car. Peter Skinner, Lytham St Annes 1996 Ford Mondeo LX This was parked in central Lincoln recently. It appeared to be treated as a regular car, rather than a classic. James Broad, Waddingham Renault JP4 Spotted in Algarve. The owner of the restaurant where we stayed uses it as her everyday…

With its power output having been increased (by dint of an aftermarket chip) to 176bhp, the BMW engine in Jim’s XJ40 is both smooth and refined. Indeed, so smooth is it that the engine and gearbox could almost pass for factory fitted. Almost. The sole blot on the landscape – and it’s really more of an idiosyncracity than a flaw – concerns the gearbox, which looks for input from a speed sensor that isn’t present on the XJ40. As such, there are situations (few and far between, it has to be said) in which it feels like it’s in too high a gear. The solution, says Jim, is simple: lift off the throttle for a moment or two then plant your right foot. As if by magic, the gearbox drops…

£50 STAR FIND Can you do better! Send your high-res images to practlcal.classlcs@bauermedia.co.uk Ford Capri Mkll and Bedford HA Van David Handley has unearthed a fabulous Welsh cache of corroding classics seemingly parked up and left to die decades ago. A Ford Capri Mark II (1974-78) sits motionless as it if were about to overtake a Bedford HA van. Triumph TR7 This Full length sunroofed TR7 FHC has languished in the same field near Overton in the Wrexham borough for many years, another car parked up here and left to die. It looks quite saveable though. MG Midget A desireable early chrome bumpered MG Midget blending in behind a selection of farmyard fare. Morris Minor Pick Up A Morris Minor pick up conversion with an extended wheelbase, spotted in Provence,…

SAT-SUN JUN 11-12 Anglia Car Auctions’ classic sale, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) FRI-SAT JUN 17-18 Mathewsons, live online, Thornton-Le-Dale, North Yorkshire. (01751 474455, mathewsons.co.uk) SAT JUN 18 Classic Car Auctions, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. (01926 640888, classiccar-auctions.co.uk) WED JUN 22 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) WED-THU JUN 22-23 Brightwells’ Classic & Vintage, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire. (10568 611122, brightwells.com) FRI JUN 24 Barons Auctions’. Barons Auctions, live online, Southampton, Hampshire. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com) SAT JUL 9 Manor Park Classics’ sale, Runcorn, Cheshire. (0161 697 5223, manor-parkclassics.com) SAT JUL 9 Letchworth Motor Auctions’ classic sale, Herts. (01462, 338331, letchworthmotor auctions.co.uk)…

What’s the key reason you love your classic? Is it it’s precise handling, the way it goes, or its distinctive styling? Or is it that warm fuzzy nostalgia a glance back at it provides? My own order of preference goes handling, performance, looks and then a long way behind comes the nostalgia. In other words, I can have no link to a car and still be bowled over by it. The interaction between man and machine is what gets me going, especially if said machine has a lot of power and handles it well. That is probably why I struggle to understand the lust for the pedestrian stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I do go a bit gooey inside when I see a Cavalier MkI or a first-generation VW Golf,…

Matt T likes the… 5.0 LITRE BLOWN V8 You only live once! Yes, it’s a bit (OK, a lot) juicy, but the noise from the Jaguar-derived V8 is mesmeric. Blasting away from a toll booth up to motorway speeds in less than six seconds? Almost three tonnes of metal has no right to get off the line that quickly! Danny likes the… 4.4 LITRE DIESEL V8 The best of the L322s was, for me, the woofling great 4.4-litre twin-turbodiesel V8 that arrived in 2009. Plenty of pulling power, and 30.1mpg. It’s way better than the 19mpg of the 5.0-litre V8 supercharged version. I’d go for Autobiography trim as well. Who wouldn’t? James likes the… JAPANESE ONE I’ve never been a big fan, so picking a fave would be dishonest. There is a…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident workshop puppet master, Matt has Morris Minors and A-Series engines in his blood. This month Has been learning to speak Land Rover at Britpart. Martin Domoney WORKSHOP EDITOR Former JLR technician, Martin, knows his classics inside and out. This month Chased a brake fluid leak on his Series III Landy. Theodore J. Gillam ENGINEERING EXPERT Former Motor Vehicle lecturer and classic fiddling perfectionist. Has a love of compression ignition. This month Replaced a soggy set of dampers on a VW beetle. 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 Passenger in a cross-Europe luxury Tatra 603. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival…

Most small-chassis Triumphs – Heralds, Spitfires and their six-cylinder brethren – use a swing-axle, independent rear suspension design. The rear suspension has a halfshaft on either side, connected by universal joints at their inner ends to the central differential. At their outer ends, the halfshafts are supported by bearings in a trunnion that then pivots in a vertical link to allow for suspension movement. Each pivot point consists of pair of nylon top hat bushes pressed into the trunnion, with a steel sleeve running inside the bushes. The nylon bushes are protected from the elements by cupped metal washers enclosing rubber seals at each end. The trunnion assembly is connected to the vertical link by a bolt running through the sleeves and sealing washers. These nylon bushes must act as…

Your two-hour workshop GARY’S JOB CARD KEEPING YOUR HINGE HAPPY These sliding door hinge U-brackets suffer from lack of use and ignored maintenance, leading to them shearing off, with potential damage to the vehicle and the owner. A build-up of dirt and dust, especially from paint respray dust, can dry out the grease or oil lubricant, accelerating wear and seizure. If the U-bracket is stiff or doesn’t pivot correctly, tackling the task before it shears off is both less expensive and prevents damage from failure in use. How tough? You’ll need: ► Spanners ► Wire brushes ► 13mm drill bit ► Flat file ► Circlip pliers Specialists: ► Heritage Parts Centre, heritagepartscentre.com ► Just Kampers, justkampers.com Will take: Will cost: Cash saved: EXPLAINER: EARLY AND LATE HINGES There are two…

All you need to know about everything important Kenelm Lee Guinness set a land speed record of 133.75 MPH at Brooklands Circuit on May 17, 1922 in the Louis Coatalen designed 350hp Sunbeam, a car that would later be developed by Sir Malcolm Campbell as the first Bluebird record breaker. Brooklands museum celebrated the centenary of this event with a day of special activities centred around the Sunbeam, preserved in its Bluebird configuration by the National Motor Museum, and a number of VIP guests including descendants of the key people from the 1922 attempt. The highlight of the day came early, timed to match the setting of the record at 09:42. Bluebird was positioned on the surviving section of the circuit’s Railway Straight to recreate Gordon Crosby’s iconic painting depicting…

The wheel deal BENCH-TOP ENGLISH WHEEL £167.98 If a wheeling machine feels like something of a large and cumbersome investment for the home enthusiast, Clarke’s new bench-mounted offering (part no: CBMEW1) should make it that much more manageable. Ideal if you need to fabricate curved panels and wish to avoid hammering or heating, the unit is suitable for shaping steel up all the way up to 16 gauge (1.5mm), and copper or aluminium up to 14 gauge (1.8mm). The storage rack built into its top holds seven different anvil dies, ranging in shape from ½in to 9in and flat, and the yoke mechanism promises quick and easy changing of the anvil, plus a smooth action thanks to sealed bearings. machinemart.co.uk Matt says ‘A wheel is a handy tool for fabrication…

RAF Gaydon, Warwickshire, September 14, 1963 You can be forgiven for not immediately dwelling on the classic vehicles here; few people attending this RAF Gaydon ‘At Home’ Day on September 14, 1963 would have been too distracted by an old Humber Hawk either. Those are English Electric Lightning F.1As of the RAF’s Firebirds aerobatics team overhead, stealing all the glory from the cars. Nevertheless, let us divert our gaze to the ground-based machines that some of the spectators have turned up in. The Copperad heating and air conditioning van over on the left is a Standard 6cwt, based on the small 948cc Ten model. Adjacent is a Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe, serving as the filling in a small commercial sandwich, as its neighbour is an Austin 1/2 Ton van (using…

EMAIL OF THE MONTH Fifty-year runner Besides a love for old cars, motorcycles and steam trains, I also have a passion for our canals and inland waterways. Recently, while searching the BBC iPlayer for a canal programme I had missed, I came across a programme called ‘Nairn across Britain’. Made in 1972, the short series of three episodes is part of the BBC Four Collection and was chosen by Janet Street-Porter. Ian Nairn was a renowned architectural critic of the time, and in episode two crosses the Pennines on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, examining the architecture of the town centres on the way. In episode three, Ian does the same as he travels the Settle-Carlisle line by train. But it’s episode one that will be of most interest to…

Jim Fraser has been a fan of the Jaguar XJ since childhood. ‘My mother owned an old XJ Series 1 when I was a boy, ’ he says. ‘Unfortunately, she parted ways with it before I was old enough to have a driving licence.’ His love for them never wavered over the years that followed, but as he puts it: ‘The running costs did rather put me off buying one.’ A diesel version would have been just the job, but Jaguar never saw fit to offer such a thing. ‘No problem, ’ thought Jim, ‘I’ll convert one myself.’ But which one? With the Series 1 to 3 XJ models having become sought after – and pricey – classics, the newer and less expensive XJ40 presented itself as the ideal candidate…

‘The GB identifier is part of a car’s history’ You will surely have seen them by now. Big oval stickers on the backs of cars, bearing the letters ‘UK’. Simple enough, on the surface: they denote, for the benefit of foreign authorities, that the car is from the United Kingdom. But beneath that surface lie layers of subtext, conflict, unease and the trashing of heritage. The stickers have replaced the former GB identification because, since its creation in 1921, Northern Ireland has felt that the use of ‘GB’, referring only to mainland Britain, unfairly marginalised it as a part of the Union. It has taken a century, and the prospect of the Union’s Brexit-fuelled disintegration as Scotland’s nationalists hold sway and Northern Ireland’s nationalists find themselves in the province’s majority,…

REVIEW Amazing prices at SWVA sale Heartland British saloons go for big money Another strong showing here. Eighty-three lots were offered and all but five of them sold. A large proportion beat their estimates, too. Two results for heartland British saloons really stood out. The first was for a 1968 Morris Minor two-door. This was a very nice car, though a fair bit of underbonnet work away from being a show star. It showed 47,500 miles, though that was an unwarranted ‘decide-for-yourself’ figure. The upper end of the odd £5995-£6995 estimate looked reasonable, but the eventual buyer was willing to go to £9680. Maybe our guide’s wrong. The same could be said about the Ford Cortina MkII 1600E. It had been owned by the seller for 34 years and restored…

1983 FORD SIERRA XR4I Dianne Goodge, Suffolk From wreck to winner, Dianne’s tasty XR4i eventually came good once more. 2006 AUDI RS4 (B7) Lucy Robinson, Midlands Monster performance and restrained looks in a tempting package from the days when Audi was classy… 1991 VAUXHALL NOVA GSI Keith West, Sunderland …and the total opposite. Keith’s overtly early-Nineties Nova GSI. Wicked! 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.…

Buying & selling modern classics Danny Hopkins I bought my dad a cheap V8 X350 five years ago and, guess what, he still loves it. Dad always coveted a Jaguar saloon and having owned an XJ40 and an X300 Daimler, I wanted to help him explore the delights of the next in the series – the X350. In my hunt for a good cheap example I saw a lot of back street dealer dross, had a look at a Japanese import, which was a high spec, low mileage joy: but I baulked at the £8995 asking price. Eventually I bid on an example in Hampshire and won it. £3350 for a Jaguar XJ8 3.5 V8 SE described as being ‘In great condition. MOT until November 2017. Good service history with…

If you just can’t get a firm brake pedal after bleeding and you’ve double checked everything, try wedging the brake pedal down overnight with a plank jammed against the seat. Release it the next morning and it’ll either be fixed… or there’ll be a telltale puddle somewhere! Graeme Follett, Basingstoke A cordless drillscrewdriver has a torque setting. To undo a rusted screw, set it to the maximum torque, lean into it and let it click away. It’ll take without slipping and the shocks often set the screw free. John Offwell, Kettering…

Save £600 in nine hours CRAIG’S JOB CARD RECOVER CAMPER SEATS Regular readers will recall our recent T2 VW camper project. Today I’ll show you how specialists Newton Commercial retrimmed its front seats for us, and how you can do the same with your own camper, or indeed other similarly constructed classic seats at home. Our seats had been retrimmed as part of a previous restoration, but cheaply and not to the highest of standards. With the help of Tom Balls at Newton Commercial, which supplies off-the-shelf seat covers for the Type 2 alongside a vast range of covers for British models such as the Mini, most MGs and Triumphs, we recovered the front seats in a day, but allow a full weekend if this is your first time. How…

Engine ► Oil: SAE 10w30 Ford synthetic ► Capacity: 4.25 litres ► Coolant: OAT ► Capacity: 7 litres ► Spark plugs: Motorcraft AZFS-22FE or equivalent ► Plug gap: 25 thou Gearbox ► Manual Hypoid EP gear oil SAE 75w80 GL4 ► Automatic ATF Dexron III or equivalent Power Steering Reservoir ► Automatic Transmission Fluid Brake System ► Hydraulic fluid DOT4 Torque Wrench Settings ► Engine sump plug 37 Nm ► Spark plugs 15 Nm ► Roadwheel nuts 110 Nm Ford Specified Service Intervals ► Basic Service (oil change, oil filter replacement and inspection) 12,500 miles or 12 months ► Intermediate Service (as above plus cabin filter replacement) 25,000 miles or 24 months ► Major Service (replace all fluids and filters plus spark plugs) 50,000 miles or 48 months…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH I’m sure I’m not alone in being thrilled to see the return of car shows across the UK, with so many events cancelled over the past couple of years. Going out and seeing several old cars on the road has always been a bit of a highlight, especially when so many of them are attending events that – at their core – are raising money for good causes. Aside from the really big events, the majority of which come with huge overheads and staffing costs attached, most smaller shows are operated for fundraising purposes and here at PC, we’re always happy to support them with a bit of publicity – so if you’re planning a show, an event or a charity rally of some description, please let…

The first Rootes Heritage Day is set to take place at the British Motor Museum on July 17, with a massive array of cars expected to turn up. One of the team behind the event is Andy Bye, who helps to run the Rootes Archive Centre Trust, which is working with the British Motor Museum to make the day happen. Andy told us: ‘We felt that it was time we took the initiative and tried to get all of the Rootes community together for one big event, where we can celebrate the history of Rootes and beyond. We’re hoping many ex-employees will join us to celebrate their working lives in the motor industry. The aim is to make this an annual event, which becomes a must-do for individuals as well…

‘They’ve got to be used – so that’s what we do’ Peter Badham, Saundersfoot 1963 Triumph TR4 This TR4 had a nut-and-bolt restoration before my ownership, and it’s been more-or-less in this condition ever since I bought it a decade ago – although I did need to have the engine rebuilt three years ago. I’m the secretary of Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club, so it goes to runs and shows all over the place. We recently completed an 1100-mile round trip in it for our wedding anniversary – down to Goodwood, then up to Cambridge, Lincoln and York. They’ve got to be used.’ ‘I recovered from my stint at being normal’ David Giles, Suffolk 1966 Morris Minor I had two Minors when I was younger, then I had to succumb to…

‘A crisis overcome becomes an anecdote’ A six-hundred-mile round trip to eat a Cornish pasty in Cornwall. I’m an advocate of conjuring absurd reasons to hit the road, especially if it means letting my stomach lead the way, but it wasn’t just our appetite for an oggy (from the Cornish word hoggan, meaning pie) that prompted our latest dad and daughter odyssey; it was an opportunity to test my sexagenarian roadster’s ability to keep on, keeping on, ahead of a gruelling endurance rally the three of us embark on this month. Our plan; to drive my MGA to the four furthest points of mainland UK in 48 hours, covering an approximate distance of 2000 miles, without stopping. Our aim; to raise £2000, that’s £1 for every mile, for the Herts…

‘Buying unseen would make me shudder’ Anyone who has read this column on a regular basis will know that I have a bit of the thing about auctions. Because there’s a special atmosphere about an auction that simply doesn’t exist in almost any other form of buying and selling. A bustle and buzz as each unscripted drama unfolds. Infinite possibilities for elation and disappointment as myriad different factors play out. When you look at it like that, auctions can perhaps be compared to a football match; one where there’s really something at stake. It’s not just classic car sales either, I’ve also enjoyed buying and selling at antique and household auctions too, with the same very mixed level of success. You learn something every time. ‘Watching online is not the…

1988 Porsche 924S Price: £12,990 This one looks a tad expensive until you realise that it is a fully historied 2.5-litre model with just 30,000 miles from new. That’s very special indeed. 1971 Jeep Gladiator Price: £10,500 This RHD pick-up was imported from South Africa six years ago and fitted with Lexus V8. Needs some cosmetic work, but what a parts chaser. 1975 Datsun 120Y Sunny Price: £5995 A rare survivor that has been resprayed and thoroughly rustproofed. Now a cult classic, this one even still has its pie-dish wheel trims.…

Why you want one The Volvo 300 series is an intriguingly off-the-wall chapter in European automotive history. Nobody could have imagined a vehicle with such oddball beginnings becoming so overwhelmingly popular on Britain’s driveways – particularly in the Eighties and Nineties. Originally Developed by Daf, Volvo took a major stake in the firm in 1973 and rebadged the car as a Volvo when it was launched three years later. The Swedish company had been keen to develop a compact car, so the move saved them a small fortune in development costs. The 300 didn’t get off to the best start, however, with a few quality glitches and a reluctance from buyers to accept its unusual Variomatic gears. The model was developed over time and got all manner of modifications to…

1937 Austin Seven(Ruby) Special Engine747cc/4-cyl/SV Power 25-30bhp (predicted) Torque Unknown Work done Rewound 12v dynamo from CDRC fitted. I mentioned in brief last time that it was back, but finally this month I’ve got around to fitting the dynamo to the Austin Seven special, freshly rebuilt and rewound to charge at 12v by Classic Dynamo Regulator Conversions Ltd. The Austin Seven’s dynamo is driven via a gear on the end of the crank, with the distributor drive taken from its tail end. So, swapping the dynamo also involves distributor removal and the potential to upset the ignition timing. For ease of access, I removed the radiator and its cowl, as well as the bonnet side panels that will soon be off to Leeds for an appointment with friends of PC…