Índex per Spring 2023 a Practical Classics

‘I just won a Merc, but who are these weirdos?’ ‘Just keep smiling and then floor it!’ We really enjoyed putting together our Fixing Up series with Amazon last year. Two classics, a VW T4 Camper and an R129 Mercedes 320SL were revived at the PC workshop with Amazon sourcing and delivering parts and kit. It was fun, and put the idea of fixing up older cars into the heads of a whole new audience. With the Mercedes we decided to run a competition, the latest in a long line of PC project giveaways (remember the Granada MkI pork pie guessfest or the Cresta ‘spot the key’ comp?). The Merc was won by Aaron Tourle, a young car nut who couldn’t believe it when he found out. He and his…

The Practical Classics Restorer of the Year, in partnership with Adrian Flux Insurance, is the pre-eminent competition for home restorers, and this year the top five are of extremely high quality. Quality you will be able to see in glorious technicolour when they are videoed and showcased as part of the process to find the grand champion of the coveted Golden Spanner. The method for selection was rigorous and competitive. First the top ten were nominated by PC readers and customers of Adrian Flux Insurance. Then an expert panel including PC editor Danny Hopkins and Adrian Flux’s Matt Allen and Jen Gosnell had the unenviable task of choosing the top five cars from that ten. The winner will go forward to meet their public at the Practical Classics Classic Car…

MGs and much more to enjoy Northern club shakes things up Brian Perry dropped us a line to tell us all about the Harrogate MG and Classic Car Club. Brian is the chairman of the group, which was founded 40 years ago specifically for MG owners. But last year the club decided to open its doors to owners of any classic car. Says Brian: ‘We wanted to increase the breadth of the club, so we now welcome any car from any era. We're essentially a social group so if you love your car, you're welcome to join us. The change was very well received and within our ranks we now have marques as diverse as Alvis, Morris, Mercedes and more.’ harrogatemgclub. org.uk YOU'VE BEEN TWINGOED Believe it or not, but…

Ford Fiesta After various smaller cars, Matt's mum, Julie, found her way to the world of MPVs and is currently on her third Renault Scenic. Mini Anna Melton's mum was a Mini gal. She owned four in total including a Minivan. All were driven (and crashed) with verve! Ford Cortina MkI Danny's mum, Pat, drove two MkIs in the mid-Seventies. Both 1200 versions, they were family hacks used for every task. WORDS PC TEAM Hillman Imp Matt Tomkins's mum's Imp taught her basic mechanics and also car control thanks to its odd weight distribution. Ford Capri Richard Usher's mum's Capri 2.0S with vinyl roof was the car love of her life. The one she always talked about in her later years. Honda CRV Steph's auntie Ash chose the CR-V when…

It’s going to raise big money at the PC Resto Show, but first it needs to prove itself and give a bit of love back to the gent who donated the project to PC in the first place. Our plucky little Reliant Rebel, the latest in a long and (sometimes) exotic line of project cars to emerge from the Practical Classics workshop, is about to be auctioned off at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show on March 24-26 at CCA’s auction… (get yourself along and bid!), which means that time left to enjoy its charms is short. So, today we are making the most of it on an epic (ish) drive from St Ives in Cambridgeshire to Colchester NHS Trust Hospital via Papworth Hospitals old and new. Many…

Unfortunately, a machine that can travel back in time is yet to be invented, but memories, our own and those that belong to others, are a portal that transport you to another era. If I close my eyes and consult my mind’s rear-view there’s an assortment of signposts to roads once driven in my MGA that I love to revisit, but there are two that I frequently follow. The first directs me to the B1039, a cross-country stretch that connects Royston to Barley in Hertfordshire. A route well-travelled by myself and my late grandfather, it features a straight that gave him permission to increase the MGA’s canter to a sprint. It’s where, when I go looking, I’ll always find him. The second leads me to Wales and along the A4059…

The world’s oldest one-make car club, The Jowett Car Club is 100 this year. It’s continued success is down to many things, one of which is an absolutely fabulous spares service. Still keeping the cars going strong almost 70 years after the company ceased trading, and still based in Bradford, without the spares service any Jowett would soon become an expensive ornament. As it is, the cars are on the road, the club is active, thriving even, with thousands of members around the globe still flying the flag for West Yorkshire. Being given a tour of the stores by club members Chris Spencer and Paul Beaumont, it is a lesson in organisation and the art of the possible, with volunteers using their individual skills and contacts to source, make, catalogue…

James Bond, clearly a BMW driver, right? Well he’s often angry enough to live up to the outside-lane hugging stereotype but, for the benefit of you younger readers, he also infamously swapped his Aston Martin DB5 for a 750iL in Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997. An odd choice awkwardly fudged into the film, without doubt, but even more so as there was a better choice even staying within the E38 lineage – the Alpina B12. Few finer automotive examples of an iron fist in a silk glove exist anywhere, as this gentleman’s club on wheels boasts a monstrous 385bhp V12 engine that can propel its lavishly ensconced occupants to 174mph – no 155mph limiter here. B12 ownership was even more strictly controlled than the aforementioned club for cads. Just nine…

Somewhat eclipsed by its booty-shaking successor, the original Megane was no less handsome. Its design was heavily influenced by Patrick Le Quément’s work on the original Laguna. Patrick was keen to install a family design language at Renault and Michel Jardin’s penwork on the 1995 Megane did that. The Megane’s engine options were varied, starting with a 1.4-litre 8-valve and climbing to 2.0-litre 16-valve – the latter would go on to find favour in Dieppe with Renault Sport’s engineers. There were even efficient turbo diesels, which still weren’t the norm, even by 1995. The reason most of us remember this era of Megane however, is its ‘Maxi’ outing in the WRC – you could ‘drive’ one in Colin McRae Rally 2. Where have they all gone?…

The past month or so has been all about getting cars ready for the summer season ahead of us – and making some decisions about what cars I’m going to focus my time on in 2023. The good news is that I have a lovely 1983 20,000-mile Audi 80 that can serve the purpose of doing all the shows and events, and it’s good to go. Box ticked. There are some other bits and pieces that I’ve been exercising in readiness, too, and very much in the realms of the modern classic era. The first is a Peugeot 306 GTI-6, which joined the family five years ago when Modern Classics reader Martin Curtis got in touch offering his to the team, as he was looking to buy a BMW 318iS.…

Matt Tomkins WORKSHOP ED 1969 Morris Minor Traveller Engine 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 37bhp@4750rpm Torque 50lbft@2500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 32.6sec Top speed 76mph Fuel economy 45mpg Work done Engine refreshed and bottom end balanced. 3 (days) TIME 450 (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also in Matt’s garage 1937 AUSTIN SEVEN SPECIAL Registered for the Grimsthorpe Vintage Speed Trials in July. Lots to do! 1960 MORRIS MINOR CONVERTIBLE Waiting for some Spring sun to shine. 1970 MORRIS MINOR SUPERCHARGED SALOON Grin-inducing and very silly. Last month I mentioned my decision to give the Traveller’s engine, which was rather oily and nasty after eight years of hard use, a freshen up with new gaskets and a coat of paint to bring the engine bay back up to show standard. Now, I could have done…

PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS A COPY! See p56 Super Cooper Meet the man who restored his stunning Sixties Mini to perfection Big is best Offensively large classics – we choose our favourite! Wise buy How to buy the best example of Peugeot’s class-leading supermini PLUS We escape the London ULEZ on a 100-mile dash in three £100 classics destined for scrap, meet the man whose wife had his Ford Crayford Corsair restored in time for their wedding and revisit a Fifties British classic that took us to Switzerland and back. There’s also an in-depth guide to the pre-war MG T-Series and pages of tech advice, including tips on overhauling a trolley jack, plus we explain how four-stroke cycle works. No other car magazine does quite so much as Practical…

The friendly show is back! Preparations are underway for the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show where enthusiasts will assemble to mark dozens of classic milestones this year. Held on March 24-26 at the NEC, 150+ car clubs will attend what promises to be the biggest yet. This year’s show incorporates numerous celebrations, many of which focus on anniversaries of cars launched at the glitzy 1983 Motorfair in London. The Earl’s Court event saw the debut of numerous models, notably the Austin Maestro, Peugeot 205, Fiat Uno and VW Golf Mk2. Their 40th birthday year will be marked at this spring's NEC event, where the PC team will host its Classic World Stage once again. This time, alongside experts and special guests, the team will pay tribute on stage…

Why is nothing ever straightforward nowadays? Can’t we please just have in-car entertainment with only three knobs – off/on, tune and mode? Savour the sight, sound and even the performance of a V8 engine and not fear being branded a planet murderer? Or even enjoy Carry On films for the ‘comedy’ and the cars without being labelled a misogynist? Yup, things seem much more complicated in 2023 than an era when Strictly Come Dancing didn’t have the first word of its title and the only controversy was whether the Home Counties North team had really mastered the mambo side step. And so to the classic movement, which is in probably the best state of just about anything at the moment. More people, even the young and hopeful are signing up…

Jaguar E-type What a discovery! Philip Jordan has unearthed a virtually complete and intact Jaguar E-type in North Wales. The bodywork looks solid with only a few easy-to-source bits of trim missing. It’s hidden away on private land, but will make a fabulous restoration project for its owner. Ford Consul Classic A patina-laden Ford Consul Classic that Nick Tumbler spied outside a workshop in Norfolk. It’s almost complete and ready for a restoration soon we hope. 1968 Minor A Minor Nick found sitting outside a house in Deal, Kent. This sentimental keepsake has sat untaxed since the early Nineties. Ford Sierra An early low spec Ford Sierra under a mountain of timber and debris is well worth bringing back to life, we reckon. Sent in by Jonathan Holland. 1972 Citroën…

Why you want one Does classic family motoring in 2023 get more charming than this? Somewhat in the shadow of the car it was meant to replace, the Wolseley 1500 and its sportier twin, the Riley One-Point-Five, have never been more appealing. Truth is, the Morris Minor was doing so well back in the late Fifties, it made sense to slot these two new models higher up in the range and give them an identity all their own. Its larger engine and high axle ratio give the Minor’s cousin a relaxed cruising gait in modern traffic as well as decent economy and make it a more usable car than many of its contemporaries. The Wolseley 1500 is an affordable and relatively easy classic to live with, as that B-series engine…

WITH MODERN CLASSICS Why you want one The first generation MR2 was always going to be a hard act to follow. This now highly-prized Eighties gem breathed life into the affordable sports car segment occupied by just a tiny handful of others at the time. Up against the MR2, Fiat’s X1/9 looked ancient. However, hot hatches had taken the world by storm and by the late Eighties, the little MR2 had begun to look a bit out of place. A successful replacement would have to be something sportier and altogether more usable. Mazda went its own way with the MX-5 but Toyota set its sights on a level above. Risky, perhaps… but the intense development of this mid-engined two-seater, with its brilliant dynamics and ‘mini-Ferrari’ feel absolutely paid off. More…

I’ve been completely unafraid to use my in-the-family-from-new Triumph 2000 this winter, despite the wet and salt. Simple reason, last autumn I invested in a full-on, end to end, deep as you like, rust prevention regime at Corotec. Boss man Mike Calusmo had previously treated my old Saab 95 Aero to a full session and I was only too happy to join him for another oily marathon, this time on a car that means a whole lot more to myself and my family. Mike is a bodywork man, as well as a wax injection expert, so I knew he would also be giving my family heirloom Triumph a good once over before he started with the gloop, pointing out potential issues and giving me the option to rectify them. It…

DIY? 'Doing this job yourself at home is eminently possible. Just be sure to take your time, measure twice and cut once!' Nigel Clark CONTRIBUTOR 1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 130bhp@5500rpm Torque 140lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-spd man + o/d 0-60mph 8sec Top speed120mph Fuel economy 25mpg Work done New boot floorboards made for the GT6. 4 (hrs) TIME 49 (£) SPENT 1280 MILES Also in Nigel’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Recently prepared for the summer season following a winter lay-up, as detailed in a tech feature in this issue of PC (see p124). The GT6’s rear hatch luggage space has a floor made of two fibreboard panels, the left one covering the fuel tank and the other above the spare wheel. The originals have inevitably suffered over the…

Q I can feel a vibration through the steering of my Toyota Corolla, both at low and high speeds. What is causing it? John Macdonald, Kilmarnock Ed says A The most obvious suspicion is that one or both of the front wheels is out-of-balance. Try to detect if it comes from the left or right alone, which isolates it to that particular wheel. Simple imbalance is easy to diagnose because it's usually most noticeable at a certain speed, often around 50-70mph and it more-or-less goes away if you slow down or speed up by about 10mph. Having the wheel(s) balanced should cure this. Look out, though, for other issues. Low speed vibration (with or without high speed wobble) may mean the wheel or tyre is distorted. Find a stretch of…

Q I hit a large pothole in my Austin Metro and now it twitches noticeably on bumps in the road. What's been damaged, and what can I do? Becky Marple, Lymington Matt says A Inspect the suspension and steering (track) rod on that side for any obvious bends (compare to the other side). Anything that's damaged should be replaced. Make sure the suspension bushes are not obviously out-of-round. Jack the car and pry under the wheel with a long bar to look for movement in the bushes. It's most likely, though, that the tracking (toe) has simply been knocked out of adjustment due to a slight bend in the track rod or steering arm on the hub that's too small to detect. In this case, simple tracking adjustment will sort…

Q On bad surfaces, my Ford Escort MkII's rear suspension really reacts badly. The axle hops, displacing the car if it's cornering, and even on the straight it makes a terrible hammering noise over holes or bad repairs. Jon Rothwell, Bamber Bridge Ed says A If the noise is a sonorous knocking, then look at the bushes of the dampers and the leaf springs and their shackles. If worn away, solid metal parts hammer at each other and resonate through the body. Bashes and crashes may be down to the multi-leaf springs being stiff. A well-rusted spring's leaves can't slide along one another as they should and the whole thing becomes stiff and inflexible. The final cause of the symptoms you describe is that one or both rear dampers has…

Starting HANDLE Matt Tomkins on girl power You may notice that I was missing in person from our Mothers’ Day shoot (see p32). That’s because I was at home enjoying the first precious days with the newest member of our family, my beautiful baby daughter. While I was away, however, my thoughts were very much with the spirit of this issue, and the female role models I want for my little girl. Closest to home, her own mother had a huge part in restoring our Land Rover Ninety and enjoys driving it, but it doesn’t require a great deal more thought to bring to mind some of the other great women in the classic community. Whether it’s the fabulously sideways Bron Burrell, who so regularly flies the flag for historic…

Get a grip WATER-PUMP PLIERS FROM £35.88 These new super-grippy, rapid-adjustment water pump pliers are designed to hold pipes, components and fixings with a tenacious grip that won’t let go! Three sizes are available: 180mm (part no: 8478), 250mm (part no: 8479) and a mighty 300mm (part number 8480). They all feature a rapid-adjust, push-button mechanism that locks the pliers in the desired position. Manufactured from high-carbon steel for wear-resistance, the adjustable jaws feature directional serrations that bite into the job. Combined with grippy texture-dipped handles, these pliers are not going to slip. lasertools.co.uk TESTED ‘These are as brilliant as they are simple. The locking feature is a great win over traditional pliers and they grip very firmly’ Smile, you’re on camera! MIOFIVE DASH CAM DUAL £249 Offering bumper to…

1986 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6 Engine 2492cc/V6/OHC percyl, Power 160bhp@6000rpm Torque 157lb ft@4000rpm Transmission Five-speed manual Suspension Front: independent. Rear: De Dion axle Steering Rack and pinion Brakes Vented discs front, discs rear, servo-assisted Top speed 132mph 0-60mph 8.8sec Fuel economy 26mpg COST NEW £11,320 VALUES NOW £4500-£16,500 1998 BMW Z3M Roadster Engine 3201cc/6-cyl/DOHC Power 321bhp@7400rpm Torque 258lb ft@3250rpm Transmission Five-speed manual Suspension Front: independent. Rear: independent Steering Rack and pinion, power-assisted Brakes Vented discs front and rear, servo-assisted Top speed 155mph (limited) 0-60mph 5.2sec Fuel economy 25mpg COST NEW £40,500 VALUES NOW £10,000-£20,000 1970 Triumph TR6 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 150bhp@5500rpm Torque 164lb ft@3000rpm Transmission Four-speed manual Suspension Front: independent. Rear: independent Steering Rack and pinion Brakes Discs front, drums rear Top speed 119mph 0-60mph 8.2sec Fuel economy 23mpg practicalclassics.co.uk…

Yes, we’re suggesting both sound financial advice and buying a Rover in the same sentence – in this area, these aren't polarising concepts. The 200 made the ideal platform for a driver’s car. Rover’s reputation was far from its lowest ebb in the mid-Nineties, and with a cash injection from BMW, Longbridge set about making a go-faster 200 to appeal to the vital younger audience. Sadly, in yet another own goal, Rover chose to appeal to the ‘yoof’ by evoking an F1 team that last won a GP in 1972. Despite the BRM name being irrelevant by 1998, the car that bore its name was actually fantastic – including that orange snout. The 200 BRM LE took a K-series powered 200Vi, added a short-ratio manual transmission and limited-slip differential, and…

Danny Hopkins Nostalgia is so often tinged with sadness, our memories alive with vivid activity where now there is silence, or at least an unfamiliar difference. That is exactly what I was expecting when I pointed the nose of my Peugeot 306 SW Meridian in the direction of Ryton-on-Dunsmore near Coventry recently, Ryton being the location of the factory that built the 306 in the UK. It was my quiet attempt to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Peugeot’s excellent mid-size 309 replacement, built for nine years from March 1993. I was expecting the visit to be depressing. First up, yes, my SW isn't actually a product of Ryton, it being built at Peugeot’s Poissy plant near Paris. The 206 SW, the car that came after the 306 estate was a…

Some years ago, for a good ten years or so, I taught basic motor vehicle technology to school age kids for a local land-based college. Classic cars obviously featured quite a lot in my lessons as I drove one to work every day; we used to have them on site and even did some project restorations under my leadership (Austin A30 VSL 939, hello to you!). Everyone knew me for my Morris Minors and my Austin 1300, which were my daily commuters. All of this is now history as I’ve moved on to other things career-wise. Pleased to recently get a new job, but also accepting a 60-mile a day round trip to get there and back, I considered whether using my blue 1098cc Minor again would be in its…

Q I recently discovered, when tackling some general maintenance jobs, that the handbrake only works on one wheel of my Seat Ibiza. Why might this be? Keith Grey, Hartlepool Matt says A It may simply need adjusting. Normally, the cable(s) have an adjustment under the car, close to the lever itself. Apply the lever by three to five clicks. Chock the front wheels, jack up the useless wheel, support the car on an axle stand and adjust the cable until the brake is firmly applied. Then check the other wheel is firmly braked, but also that it fully releases with the handbrake off. If no joy, check the cable has not seized or broken at one side. Remove the drum and watch for movement of the shoes as the lever…

Q The mechanical pump on my Suzuki Samurai takes a long time to drag fuel from the tank to the carburettor. Would it be useful to fit an in-line electric pump as a primer? Paul Budge, Christchurch Nigel says A Yes. If placed in-line, it will push fuel through the original pump without bother and will fill the carburettor for instant starting. A few seconds' operation should be sufficient. When it stops ticking, you can turn it off. However, an electric pump is so efficient at pressure and flow regulation that we'd be inclined to just bypass the mechanical pump altogether. Either remove the pump and pushrod and blank off the hole in the engine, or loop a short pipe from one pump hose stub to the other. Use a…

Featured Insurer: Lynbrook Insurance Nearly 20 years ago there were about half a dozen firms specialising in Classic Car and/or Motorcycle Insurance. We were one of them – so what happened to the rest? We are still here because our (then) newly introduced products were innovative – and still are. Our cost was lower – and generally still is (you won’t see full page ads by us, for instance). Yet we did not stand still. We were one of the first to include UK & Europeanwide Breakdown & Recovery. Others had to follow. As a true enthusiast, you will welcome our “self repair option” where you may fix your own car following an accident – and be paid for YOUR labour, as well as for parts! You will welcome cover…