Índex per January 2023 a Practical Classics

By the time you read this, the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show will have been and gone, and the volunteers who were present in all of the packed out halls will be recovering from what is always a weekend full of fun and hard graft. The NEC is a huge, imposing, expensive and sometimes foreboding venue, but the event itself always makes those issues dissolve into a sea of classic car community goodwill. It always punctuates the year beautifully – a proper end of season party. The show was missed this year by two classic car legends, both of whom represent something of the spirit with which we live out our passions. Actor and classic car enthusiast, Leslie Philips had just passed away at the time of going to press.…

Aston Martin’s one-off Bulldog has blasted its way to 176mph in difficult weather, spurring hopes that in 2023 it will attain the fabled 200+mph speeds that it never quite managed in period. The 1979 concept car, designed by William Towns and powered by a 5.3-litre twin-turbo Aston Martin V8, aimed to become the fastest production car in the world until cost constraints forced management to pull the plug after only 191mph had been reached. Now it’s received a concours-winning, 7000-hour restoration by Shropshire-based Classic Motor Cars who hope to achieve what Aston Martin could not. The Royal Naval Air Station at Yeovilton has been providing access for high-speed testing, with three-times Le . Mans 24-hour class winner Darren Turner at the wheel, accompanied by project leader Keith Martin. The…

DON'T BE DUPED Scams are on the rise, and sadly the classic car world has its fair share of miscreants. The Morris Minor Owners' Club's Mike Dean got in touch with us to say: ‘Some of our members who are advertising their cars online have been approached to advertise in the MMOC magazine for a fiver. Bots scour the internet searching for keywords, then humans call up people selling cars, to promote a £5 'special offer'. It seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a fiver, but the scammers want card details so they can raid bank accounts. We know of people who have been taken in as it's all very plausible, even though it's free for members to advertise in the magazine. Fall foul and you'll…

Mick Clark may be a Ford man through and through, he’s owned countless blue oval badged motors and worked for the global giant, but a few years ago he decided to restore this Triumph. In his words: ‘I was looking for a cheap classic that my student son could enjoy during the holidays, and that I could improve while he was away at university,’ He found the car locally on the Isle of Sheppey ten years ago; the fact it was a convertible was simply a bonus. He thought it wasn’t too bad and would serve through the coming summer before needing work. In a moment of revelation familiar to many restorers, Mick found it to be ‘a lot more rotten than I’d hoped’. Never a man to do half…

If Iever become a mother to a daughter she’s going to be named after a Ford Fiesta 1.25i 16V Zetec, and she’ll have my Gramps to thank for that. His request had more to do with his fondness of my supermini’s official title, Millie, than his admiration of Britain’s most popular car, but now the plucky hatchback has reached the end of the road, I’m even more inclined to pay such a tribute to my long-lost four-wheeled friend. I’ll let you know if the mini-me I hope to have in the future agrees. By the end of June 2023 Ford has said it will have produced its last ever Fiesta, signifying the definitive full stop in one of the most significant automotive success stories written over the course of the…

THE WISEST CLASSIC BUYS FOR 2023 It’s an annual debate, but no apologies. As time moves on so does the value curve on older cars. New classics emerge, older ones mature and sometimes an anomaly occurs… remember when Ford Anglia prices magically doubled thanks to a certain young wizard? So here we are again, with our own take on what’s hot now and what’s going to be in 2023. Our crystal balls have been out, and we have taken the thoroughly scientific approach of going to the workshop and having a long chat about it over several cups of tea. The results are here and, well, even if we are wrong and you don’t double your money in 12 months, you’ll still have a fabulous car in your garage because…

1974 Lancia Stratos ENGINE 2419cc/V6/OHC GEARBOX 5-spd man BRAKES Discs front and rear SUSPENSION Front: independent, double wishbones, telescopic dampers, coil springs, anti-roll bar. Rear: Chapman struts, lower wishbones, telescopic dampers, coil springs, anti-roll bar. STEERING Rack and pinion POWER 190bhp@7400rpm TORQUE 166lb ft@4000rpm TOP SPEED 140mph 0-60MPH 6.8sec ECONOMY 23mpg COST NEW £7600 VALUES NOW £210K-£320K 1988 Ferrari F40 ENGINE 2936cc/V8/OHC GEARBOX 5-spd man BRAKES Discs SUSPENSION Front and rear: independent, double wishbones, telescopic dampers, coil springs, anti-roll bar. STEERING Rack and pinion POWER 478bhp@7000rpm TORQUE 424lb ft@4000rpm TOP SPEED 201mph 0-60MPH 3.7sec FUEL ECONOMY 16mpg COST NEW £163,000 VALUES NOW £575K-£1M 1985 Porsche 911 Turbo ENGINE 3299cc/6-cyl/OHC GEARBOX 4-spd man BRAKES Discs SUSPENSION Front: independent, MacPherson struts, torsion bars, anti-roll bar. Rear: independent, oblique arms, transverse torsion bars,…

171 LEFT ON UK ROADS While its burbly narrow-angle V6 cousin has been not so quietly stealing the limelight, the supercharged Corrado has been all but overlooked. Well-documented issues with VW’s innovative, but ultimately flawed G-Lader scroll-type supercharger plus its lack of grunt, have no doubt played their parts, but a mere 171 G60s taxed on UK roads is still a shock to see. We’re not immune to the charms of the VR6- engined ’Rado, quite the opposite in fact, but the chassis remains the sweetest thing about this parts-bin VW coupe. The 16V was a great entry-level model, but the G60’s extra ponies really made more of this Nineties coupé’s inherent poise. It’s just a shame Volkswagen and so few early owners understood the servicing requirements of that clever,…

It is a truly great car my GTV, the last proper Alfa sports car. I love every second behind the wheel but, boy it’s flaky. Having had my replacement window motor fail on me and the immobiliser begin to enjoy its role a bit too much, I decided to bite the bullet and SORN my 2.0 TS so I could get all the other jobs done, of which there were many. Starting with the lower rear engine mount, which was allowing the whole engine to pivot and needed replacing. Of course, as is often the case with steel bolts going into aluminium holes, the main mounting bolt had seized, to the extent that, with a long bar, its head sheered. No matter, I could take the mounting plate off and…

The cover photograph for the July 1992 issue of Practical Classics highlighted a buying guide within, that I had suggested to the magazine, covering the Austin A40 Devon, Dorset and Somerset models, plus the A70 Hampshires and Herefords. At that time I had been freelancing for the magazine for four years, producing a variety of ‘buying’ and other articles for the title. With the great help of the Austin Counties Car Club, a photograph session was arranged in Hampshire and the article, entitled ‘The County Set’, duly appeared. I have just re-read it and thankfully it still seems appropriate in most respects (apart from prices!). Fast forward 30 years, and I was contacted by Peter Ridgway, who suggested that it would be a terrific to bring together the cars used…

Ford has confirmed that it will end production of the UK’s bestselling car, the Fiesta, next June. The factory in Cologne, where the last Fiestas are made, will switch to producing two new electric models at that time. Ford also confirmed the end of production, in Valencia, of the S-MAX and Galaxy multi-purpose vehicles in April. The Mondeo was axed last year and the Focus will be next (in 2025) as Ford splits into three business units: Model E for electric, Ford Blue for internal-combustion-engine vehicles and Ford Pro for commercials. More than 47 years since the first Fiestas left the Valencia factory, 22 million have been sold around the world. Of those, 4.8m were in the UK, where it was our top-seller for 12 years from 2009 to 2020.…

Nominate! Do you know someone aged 16-25 who is aspiring to work with classics? Spends their weekends with them, or is involved in a club? We want to hear from you: visit lancaster.co.uk/ competitions/bright-young-sparks and get nominating! Earliest classic memory? 'Visiting my dad’s 1963 Mini in a lock-up with my brother. I was three, and then driving it up and down the drive with no doors when I was seven. I have always loved tinkering with things and built a race BMX with my dad. I first started working with him on the Mini at home. We got it running then stripped it down to a bare shell and put it on a spit we made from timber and scaffold poles.' What keeps you motivated? 'I love being around classics:…

Just when you thought there was now nothing to see in Derby following the desecration of two great tourist attractions, out of the blue comes news of surely the most significant new facility for the classic car movement since Bicester Heritage. The hairs on the back of my neck rose like sentries when Shaun Matthews, the man behind Great Northern Classics unveiled his plans. Except they are not just plans. As you'll have read in PC last month, this venture is being backed with a £1.25m loan from Derby City Council. A former Rolls-Royce factory building and one time trolleybus depot is being transformed to become a one-stop shop for car restoration. Independently run businesses from bodyshop to trimmers will be on one site in an enterprise compared to TV’s…

1983 Ford Fiesta XR2 Stuart Harland was on holiday in Ambleside and spotted this little gem, an XR2 that has been there for years. It has recently been moved – hopefully into the hands of a restorer! 1970 Morris Minor Here's a pretty little Minor, spotted by Ian Lawrence on a recent trip to the Lake District. It’s on SORN, but it looks very saveable… hopefullya light winter project for its owner. Jensen Interceptor Craig Tiley says this Seventies Interceptor has been languishing on a Kent driveway since, at least, 2009. Looks rotten as a pear and bruised as a peach, but what a project this would make! Austin FX3 Taxi David Sanders from Peacehaven has been scratching his head every time he passes by this rusting wreck in the…

FORD STREETKA The StreetKa is a dead cert for future stardom. Ford clearly targeted females at the time but these days, in a brave new world that doesn’t idiotically market cars with such gender-based twaddle, the StreetKa is for everyone who appreciates great design, driving dynamics and joyful ownership. If you can find yourself a good one, you’ll own one of the most fun motors you can get right now for a grand. JW MORRIS 8 Values of less exotic people’s cars from the Thirties to the Fifties are on a downward trajectory. Any standard transport from that era will be suffering from a lack of recognition and so, now is the time to make a low offer and bag yourself something fascinating, usable and quaint. My choice, Morris 8…

Remember the AC Ace from the Nineties? If you don’t, we’re here to enlighten you. AC had been bought by Ford and Autokraft in 1986, as part of the former firm’s march towards owning everything sporty and British. A plan was hatched to rekindle some of the old Cobra’s magic, so a new Ace prototype – called the Ace of Spades – appeared on the Ford stand at that year’s Birmingham InterMotor Show. The response was uniformly positive, leading AC to green-light the AC Brooklands Ace for production. A bigger, less extreme machine than the Cobra, it was envisioned as a mid-level GT to compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz SL and Jaguar XJ-S. Two prototypes powered by Ford V6s were produced, one with permanent four-wheel drive. Neither proved…

Alfa Romeo 155 Few Nineties motorsport heroes are more criminally undervalued than the Alfa Romeo 155. It isn’t for lack of provenance either – the 155 won the Italian, Spanish, German and British Touring Car Championships between 1992 and 1994. Last year marked 25 years since the model left production. Early 155s fell a little flat with performance drivers and Alfa fans alike when it replaced the much-loved 75 – though the ‘Series 2’ 155 fared a lot better. New Fiat-derived Twin Spark engines added much-needed fizz, while the ‘widebody’ flares and quicker steering rack gave the boxy Italian a meaner finish and crisper driving manners. The Q4 – basically a Delta Integrale in drag – is already appreciating, too. The V6 and special edition Silverstone (complete with its spoiler in…

SUCCESS! Show win is a testament to the care car received from previous owners. Fifty years ago – yes, 50 – Iowned a 1959 Singer Gazelle Series III, bought from a bombsite car dealer in Battersea for £35. It was my first usable car, and I took my driving test in it – both times. I fitted a glassfibre front wing to it with too few pop rivets, saw it breach 90mph on its ludicrously optimistic speedometer, learnt vital maintenance and repair skills and finally sold it to a colleague of my father for £50. And now I'm a Gazelle owner again. As happy and long-standing members of the Singer Owners' Club, Mrs S and I fancied an example of the marque better suited to modern roads and weekends away…

Fun for all ages HOTWHEELS TEAM TRANSPORT £15.99 ‘Team Transport’ is the latest addition to the more detailed ‘Car Culture’ range of models from Hotwheels, featuring iconic race cars and transporters to take them to the next race in the lounge or bedroom. smythstoys.com Care package CLEAN, RESTORE & PROTECT KIT £52 Here’s a posh care care gift set suitable for any petrolhead. This kit includes 350gsm and 450gsm microfibre cloths, plus a Laysons sticker, air freshener and bottle opener – but what you’re really paying for are the four car-care products. You get body shampoo, an all-purpose cleaner/degreaser (suitable for interiors as well as external bodywork and alloys), a polish for your paintwork, and a detail sealant for finishing the job off. Each one comes in a 500ml bottle…

Why you want one Stylish, effortless and beautifully made, the C107 SLC and R107-series SL showed the rest of the world how to make a luxury cruiser. It was so good, in fact, that it took Mercedes-Benz almost 20 years to replace it. Arriving on the scene in 1971, the model was launched as a roadster (SL) with a soft-top and optional (tiny!) rear seats plus a removable hard-top. The SLC was the coupé version, SL-based but with proper rear seats and an optional sunroof. Was there ever a classier, yet more attainable Mercedes-Benz sports car? We don’t think so. They’re not the cheapest classic to run these days but with its ability to chew up miles so stylishly and effortlessly, keep your SL/C away from road salt and it’ll…

1999 FORD MONDEO ST200 Tim Bourne, UK Tim’s fast Ford doesn’t require a re-mortgage to buy, not yet at least… 2003 BMW330CI (E46) Mark Jackson, London Affectionately called ‘The Beast’. The BMW, not its owner... 2004 RENAULT SPORT CLIO 182 Westley Maffei, Somerset Cheddar Gorge is Westley’s playground in his Clio 182. Good lad! 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.…

What excellent news to find out that Team PC has chosen the Audi A2 as one of its Hot Buys for 2023 (see p76). In my eyes, it’s already a classic car, so to gain wider recognition as such by the boys and girls who eat and drink this stuff, has me feeling more than a touch smug with myself. But it was always going to happen, wasn’t it. I’ve a thing about Audi A2s, and have run them on and off since 2015, when I picked up my first one – arather tired Y-reg 1.4-litre model – for a smidgeon under a grand. Back then, it had a myriad of warning lights, not much in the way of MOT, a decent history – mainly of abuse – and the…

Over the weekend of September 10-11, my Land Rover Ninety project was the star of the Britpart Workshop Theatre at our sister publication Land Rover Owner International’s annual show. It was a weekend of immense progress, but one that passed in a flash. Throughout the weekend, I played the role of apprentice while the experts from the LRO workshop team, led by Workshop editor Martin Domoney, worked alongside Steve Grant, Britpart’s in-house mechanic, to completely strip the Ninety of both axles, brakes and suspension and rebuild them to ‘as new’ while TV’s Alex Riley presented on proceedings at intervals throughout the day. We started by raising the front of the Ninety and, after spinning a few spanners, rolling the front axle, complete with radius arms and brakes, out and on…

DIY E-TYPE! An E-type 'shed dream' comes true for Philip Ackers, as we open the voting for Restorer of the Year! JOIN OUR CLUB & PAY LESS EACH MONTH! See p52 Fantasy Alfas Which classic Alfa is best? Time to make our choices Classic Winter Adventure Cumbria in November… will the teams' classics survive? SD1 and MX-5 guides All you need to know about buying the Mazda or Rover A Vauxhall fan takes a bodged Cavalier MkII and restores it to as-new condition and we tell the story of two friends who revived the Outspan Orange car at Beaulieu. There’s a guide to the Mazda MX-5, plus technical tips on buying, restoring and maintaining your classic. This month, we look at how to safely jump start your car, improve your…