Table of contents for April 2016 in Practical Classics

‘The FIVA definition is casual elitism’ Europe’s classic car community is being misrepresented by FIVA. Attending any classic car show demonstrates that its definition of a historic vehicle is unfit for purpose. Owners of patinated classics, modified classics or classics that are in daily use are not a minority group. We are a major contingent. The idea that any of these factors make a vehicle any less historic is hokum. I drive along a Roman road on a daily basis. Does that make it any less of a historic route? Should we fill the chips in the Elgin Marbles with P38 or respray theMonaLisa?They’relookingabit scruffy. Or perhaps we should insist that all central heating is removed from Bourton-on-the-Water? Many of the cars that FIVA approves of don’t fit its own…

A GLITTERING NIGHT The Inaugural National Classic Car Awards was held on the evening of March 5 at The Practical Classics Restoration and Classic Car Show. Mike Brewer MC’d the evening and winners included the Jowett Club (best activity at the show), Don Hayter’s MGB V8 (best car in show), the Midlands Austin Seven Register (best small stand) and the Midget and Sprite Club (best large stand). THE CLUB AWARD WINNERS The TR Register (Best club mag), Volvo owners’ Club (Club of the year), the Morris Minor Owners’ Club Young Members Register (outstanding support for the next generation) and Bob Wilkinson, Ford Model Y&C Register (unsung hero). Recognition was also shown for the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run. In its 50th year it has raised over £500k for charity.…

A new auction house is offering its clients the opportunity to try the cars before purchase. Berlinetta Car Auctions will hold its first sale at the Manor County House Hotel, Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, on the weekend of May 7-8. ‘We wouldn’t invest in a property prior to having it surveyed, and investing in a classic car is not dissimilar,’ says a spokesman. ‘The facility allows potential buyers to talk direct to owners, inspect a vehicle (on ramps if required), hear it run and even be taken on a test drive, prior to bidding.’ The auctions predominantly run online, though cars are shown together at the venue over the weekend for prospective buyers. They can be examined on ramps or even taken for short test drives, to ensure the buyer has as…

Grand Prix Battlegrounds £40 ISBN 978-1-84425-694-5 This book mixes passion with recollections and stats to make one of the best go-to guides to Grand Prix circuits. Even if you aren’t the biggest GP fan, you’ll be hooked. www.haynes.co.uk The BSA Front Wheel Drive Cars £14.99 ISBN 978-1-4456-5371-6 Models covered include the Three Wheeler, the Scout, and it even touches on the prototype Ladybird microcar. We’d recommend this for any enthusiast’s bookshelf. www.amberley-books.com Anatomy of the Works Minis £19.99 ISBN 978-1-845848-70-5 This book was written by a member of the BMC Competitions Department, and details all the changes made to works Mini Coopers to make them suitable for racing. www.veloce.co.uk…

Tell us about your club If you run a club and you want to be in PC, get in touch. If you’ve got a major event, weekend or tour coming up, we want to know about it. We want to hear about club changes, heroes deserving recognition and regional multi-marque clubs, too. Email practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk or ring the office. Club Hero: Ramon Alban: Rover SD1 Club Kev Clark got in touch to nominate Ramon. He says: ‘Since 1993 Ramon has helped other club members immensely and even set up a website (www.vintagemodelairplane.com) to help SD1 V8 ownerd with fuel injection-related problems. He’s produced technical publications and helps with the SD1 Club forum. He’s always on hand to help anyone suffering with technical problems and was our first club member of the…

New MMOC branch starts The Morris Minor Owners’ Club has set up a new Peterborough branch run by PC’s very own Matt Tomkins. The group meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Old Coach House in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, with procedings kicking off at 7.30pm. See tinyurl.com/hq4tacj Online Minor miracle man Meanwhile, Cliff Lloyd has set up a free forum for Minor enthusiasts at www.morris minorowners.co.uk. Says Cliff: ‘We run it as a no fee, big help, internet forum. There’s no committee, no hierachy and just one national rally per year.’ 50-year shot repeated Daimler Lanchester Owners’ Club member David Roscoe bought his first Daimler SP250 in 1965. He says, ‘I kept it for nine years and have since owned another five. I recently found a photo…

'This is the Flying Tortoise. It finished 38th out of 77 starters on the Le Jog rally last year. It beat several exotics including Porsches, Healeys, BMWs and even an Audi quattro and was also the oldest car to complete the gruelling event. 'I rescued it from years of standing in the open. It's still resplendent in two-tone green and rust and totally standard. It's raised over £2500 for charity and has since taken part in the Monte Carlo Classique. I drove it to the start and back home from the finish – a total distance of 3500 miles. 'My friend Nick Ward and I are fundraising with it – the money raised will go to Hope House Children's Hospice.' See www. justgiving.com/Ian-Glass…

I THINK YOU’LL FIND… A couple of errors crept into your recent Opel Manta B buying guide. The 400 wasn’t LHD only – there was one factory RHD road car, (DPP 17Y) which is still around. You’ve listed specs for the 1.2 – though it was never sold in the UK – but missed off the 1.8. You’ve also got the 1.6 and 1.9 cars as accelerating quicker than the 2.0 injected cars and the coupé and hatch as being the same length – the hatch was actually shorter. The GT/E was also lower than other Mantas and had a five-speed gearbox, not a four-speeder. Steve Hancock, via email Ed: Admittedly, the spec table dimension mistakes are not good and why we included the 1.2 and not the 1.8 does…

Porsche 912 I saw this well-used 912 at a parking lot in downtown San Francisco. It’s obviously an everyday driver for someone. Jamie Sharp, by email Volvo 123 Spotted in Devizes – a Volvo 123GT from around 1968-69 judging by the number plate. Neil Arnold, Ashford Triumph GT6 MkI This early GT6 is a daily… I think they look good in white. Rev Gaz J. Daly, Associate Vicar, St James Church, Muswell Hill Ford Popular I saw this wonderfully patinated Ford Popular in Bristol. The only thing that was not original in its look? Wing mounted indicators! Chris Osborne, Bristol Opel Ascona I found this two-door GT Sport Ascona while walking around Barcelona! It was in very good condition. Richard Bradley, Southampton Ford Falcon I spotted this Eighties version of…

‘Opels were more exclusive, excitingly German and inevitably pricier’ Vauxhall, Opel… what’s the difference? Nowadays none apart from the badges, and it has been like that since the middle of the Eighties. Before the Seventies, too, an Opel badge was unlikely to be seen in the UK. We had our Vauxhalls, Germany had its Opels that filled a similar place in the market but shared only their broad General Motors influences. Some other European markets got both brands, though, and from our H-registration model year so did we, via a dealer chain separate from Vauxhall’s. Our new Opels were more exclusive, excitingly German and inevitably pricier. But Commodores and Mantas were now ours, and some accountant somewhere must have figured that the cost of engineering right-hand drive was worth spending.…

SAT MAR 19 Classic Car Auctions, Warks Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa, Warks (01926 640888, www.classiccarauctions.co.uk) SUN MAR 20 Bonhams’ Goodwood Members Meeting sale, Goodwood Circuit, W Sussex (020 7468 5801, www.bonhams.com) WED APR 6 Barons Auctions’ Spring Classic sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey (08454 306060, www.barons-auctions.com) SAT APR 9 Anglia Car Auctions, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn, Norfolk (01553 771881, www.angliacarauctions.co.uk) WED APR 13 Charterhouse Auctions, Royal Bath & West Showground, Somerset (www.charterhouseauction.com) WED APR 20 H&H Classic Auctions, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs (01925 210035, www.handh.co.uk) FRI APR 29 South West Vehicle Auctions’ classic sale, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset (01202 745466, www.swva.co.uk) SAT APR 30 Barons Auctions’ Int’tional Ford Show sale, Sandown Park, Surrey (08454 306060, www.barons-auctions.com)…

1951 Austin Atlantic Price: £4995 A rare chance to bag one of very few remaining Atlantic project cars. Dry-stored since the Seventies, it is largely complete and sound and looks like great value. 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E Price: £1995 Well-specced example with original alloys, Blaupunkt stereo and rare cruise control. Only done 78,000 miles and has fresh MoT. 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Price: £3995 Rat-look or restoration project? This one has new tyres, brakes and MoT, packs a thumping 389ci (6.4-litre) V8 and its interior is said to be very good.…

‘Flexibility is the name of the game.’ p100 Gary Stretton 1959 Peerless GT ‘Juddering brakes have got me in a spin.’ p102Nigel Clark 1977 Reliant Scimitar SE6A ‘The Jag’s front end was far from saintly…’ p104 Matt Tomkins 1975 Jaguar XJ-S ‘A boring Citroën you say? Surely not!’ p107James Walshe 1997 Citroën ZX ‘I’ve been winding myself up this month.’ p98Kim Henson 1972 Reliant Regal 3/30 ‘Eight tonnes and counting – eek!’ p108 Matt George 1972 Triumph 2000…

1972 Reliant Regal 3/30 saloon Engine 700cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 29bhp@5000rpm Torque 34lbft@2500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60 mph 25+ sec Top speed 75mph Fuel economy 50-60mpg Work done Door window channels refurbished. Heater assembly replaced. Serviced and MoTchecked – and test passed. 2 (days) TIME 210 (£) SPENT 150 MILES Also in Kim’s garage 1938 AUSTIN BIG SEVEN Has been resting lately, but now ready to run once more. 1938 STANDARD FOURTEEN Resting lately, but raring to go. 1955 AUSTIN A50 CAMBRIDGE Long-term restoration; more components acquired. 1956 AUSTIN A50 CAMBRIDGE DELUXE Recent long runs in the countryside. 1959 AUSTIN A55 CAMBRIDGE MKII Still awaiting full restoration; no progress yet! 1964 AUSTIN A60 CAMBRIDGE Local runs only these days. 1965 AUSTIN A35 ESTATE CAR Long-term project. Alas no progress recently. ‘The Regal…

1975 Jaguar XJ-S Engine 5343cc/V12/OHC Power 285bhp@5500rpm Torque 294lbft@3500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 6.7 sec Fuel economy 15mpg Work done Bushes, mounts, brakes, subframe revived, MoT booked… 4 (wks) TIME 1.5k (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also Matt’s garage 1960 MINOR CONVERTIBLE Now at PC Towers, hopefully work will progress faster! 1969 MORRIS TRAVELLER Rustproofed with Dinitrol – out to play again soon. 1970 MINOR TWO-DOOR Awaiting some motivation. ‘Blood, sweat and tears… the subframe was lifted into place’ The Saint’s XJ-S was in need of love when it arrived in the PC Workshop. In the last issue we ripped into it and completed the process of cataloguing the list of parts required to make the iconic Jaguar ready for the road once more. SNG Barratt delivered the parts required quickly…

Like most things in the Seventies, ‘doing-up a car’ involved the abandonment of all notions of taste and style. Imprinted in my mind’s eye is a MkIII Cortina in matted, metallic brown. It can be heard coming from two streets away, if not by its broken exhaust, then definitely by the desperate knocking of its worn camshaft. Featuring sweaty, black vinyl seats complete with aftermarket, clip-on head rests, it’s augmented by jacked-up rear suspension and dreadful, wide-rimmed rear wheels to better handle the raw power of that knackered, 1300cc Kent engine. Terrible sports mirrors, a deep sun-strip on the windscreen and ‘Paddy Hopkirk’ side-rubbing strips seemingly applied during an earthquake complete the vision. What definitely doesn’t spring to mind however is a Moskvich 412, more at home grunting along unmade…

James Cribb has won the Practical Classics’ Restorer of the Year competition. His Metro had been his wife Marg’s first car and was driven by her until she passed away in 2007. James restored the car as a tribute to her. He was announced winner on the Restorer of the Year stand at a ceremony hosted by sponsor Heritage Insurance. Judging was by popular vote among showgoers. Editor Danny Hopkins said: ‘His story was heartwarming and I’m over the moon that the public agree.’ James said: ‘I’m stunned – I didn’t expect to make the final ten, let alone win.’ Third place was awarded to Chris Depledge’s 1968 Sunbeam Stiletto, while Norman Smyth was runner up with his 1967 Jaguar E-type. www.restoreroftheyear.co.uk…

Sharper SL The SL Shop has created a new sporting variant of the R107, following recent trends of modernising classic designs. The Sportline is based on the 300, offering more power, uprated suspension and new trim. It’s more powerful than a 500SL, and offers a 34 per cent torque increase. For more information visit www.107sportline.com Modern classics celebrated If you’ve a fondness for Eighties hot hatchbacks, PC sister magazine Modern Classics has brought together three icons of Eighties GTi motoring from Renault, VW and Peugeot. Elsewhere the Rover 800 meets its executive rivals and TVR’s greatest hits are celebrated. Head to www.greatmagazines.co.uk/modernclassics3 to pick up a copy. P6 rally report wins award The Rover P6 Club has won a special award at the National Car Club Awards for its digital…

Dictator’s merc A Mercedes-Benz 350SL formerly owned by Nicolae Ceauescu is to be sold to benefit a charity supporting his victims. CrossCause was founded in 2003 to support special-needs orphans in Romania. The auction will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart, on Saturday March 19. Porsche resto competition 20 Porsche Centres will be restoring front engined Porsches for the 2016 Porsche Great Britain Restoration Competition. Cars must be completed within six months, and the winner will be displayed at the Silverstone Classic in July.…

Ford’s sportiest models are seriously in vogue so the XR Owners’ Club is riding on the crest of a wave. The club’s AJ Wilcox comments: ‘Every year the club holds a pre-season meet somewhere in the middle of the country and this year’s will be at the newly refurbished British Motor Museum on Sunday April 17. We have our own designated parking on the outdoor hard-standing events arena with a sensational backdrop of the new-look centre. www.xroc.co.uk…

19 SAT MAR LONDON Waterloo Classics, Lower Marsh Street, SE1 7RJ (www.waterlooclassics.com). 20 SUN MAR YORKS Huddersfield Autojumble, HD1 1RG (www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com). WARKS South Midlands Classic Car Meet at the Stratford Armouries Museum, CV37 0JA (01789 242468). 23 WED MAR LONDON Mazda Night at the Ace Café, NW10 7UD (www.ace-cafelondon.com). 26 SAT MAR LINCS Lincoln Autojumble at RAF Hemswell, DN21 5TJ (www.lincolnautojumble.com). WEST SUSSEX Manhood Classics Spring Show, The Aldingbourne Centre, Norton, PO18 0JP (www.manhoodclassiccars.com). 27/8 SUN-MON SALOP Motorfest at Weston Park, TF11 8PX (www.clas www.classicmotorshows.co.uk sicmotorshows.co.uk). 2 SAT APR KENT Heritage Transport Show, Kent Showground, ME14 3JF (www.kentshowground.co.uk). YORKS Rufforth Autojumble at Rufforth Park, YO23 3QH (www.rufforthautojumble.com). 3 SUN APR BERKS Newbury 4x4 & Vintage Spares Day, Newbury Showground, RG18 9QZ (www.4x4sparesday.co.uk). SOMERSET Breakfast meet at the Haynes Museum, BA22…

‘Perhaps the MP for Slough got a good deal on the superb Citroën Big 6’ High price to pay Citroën’s superb Traction Avant came with various engines between 1.3 and 2.9-litres. This is a rare RHD Slough-built Model 6 2.9, built from 1938 to ’55. It never sold well – its thirst, weight and high price seemed to deter buyers. Glamour-puss Sir Martin Lindsay, MP for Solihull (1945 to ’64) bought this, one of just two drophead Rover 75s made by Tickford. Having the MP seen in this former show car was no doubt considered good publicity. Its fate remains a mystery. Wedding belle AUW 102 (a London number) is chassis GGA33, wearing a Park Ward Limousine body (number 3803, design 9235) sold originally to a Mrs E C Osborne…

Electrician Mark borrowed his parent’s garage to restore his Escort. An extension o to the side made the space L-shaped giving just enough room to work as the parts were removed. Lee runs a car detailing business but is equally fanatical about old Fords and gave up hundreds of hours of his time to help restore the Escort. The pair clearly enjoyed the whole restoration and it’s that enthusiasm that got them through all the awkward bits. MARK’S CLASSIC CV 2010-2011 1977 Triumph TR7 ‘An underrated car bought blind online in 2010. Came with a full service history and original bill of sale but still kept me busy under the bonnet anyway.’ 2011-2016 1984 Escort Cabriolet ‘Bought from a friend of mine in 2011 who’d owned it for 16 years…

‘I trawled the bowels of the internet for expired adverts’ I broke my ankle in December while performing a routine act of stupidity. Having to use both hands to stand up limited my workshop capabilities. I was also unable to drive, stand around in pubs, trespass in scrapyards or generally be a burden on society in the ways I usually enjoy. This resulting frenzy of internet procrastination led to the purchase of a Chevrolet Corvair. The Corvair does it for me on every level. It titillates my predilection for post-war modernist design. I like horizontally-opposed, air-cooled and six-cylinder engines – and the Corvair’s is all three. I approve of fitting engines in places other than the front. I enjoy working on Sixties cars more than those of any other era.…

The driving experience is, as you’d imagine, e ortless, with many driving modes, depending on the demands of the driver. ‘Normal Cruise’ is for manual control of the car, although the radar detection system means KITT takes over in an emergency. ‘Auto Cruise’ enables KITT to become fully automated, so the driver is free to read or sleep during a long journey. The ‘Pursuit’ function sees KITT’s micro-processors coming to life for high speed driving, which is when the Knight Industries Turbojet engine springs into life. Power is instant, braking from the electromagnetic hyper-vacuum discs is strong and handling is awesome, as you zip along at 250mph+. Of course, all of this is nonsense. In reality, Ryan wouldn’t let me have a go: ‘Only me, my best mate and David…

’70s Rover develops its P10 large-car project while Triumph works concurrently on its competing Puma design. The Rover, styled by David Bache like the Range Rover, P6 and P5 before it, is influenced by the Ferrari Daytona among others. Rover wins BL’s internal competition and the project is renamed SD1, as the first fruit of BL’s new Specialist Division. 1976 The SD1, built in a new facility at the Solihull factory, is launched in June as the Rover 3500 to rave reviews. Only the V8 engine is available at the start because the intended smaller-capacity straight-sixes aren’t ready yet. The Rover P6 2200 and Triumph 2000/2500 continue in production. 1977 The 3500 wins the prestigious Car of the Year award as voted by a panel of influential European motoring journalists.…

‘We can get back to enjoying our classics for what they are’ The word is that the rise in classic car prices is finally grinding to a halt after close on nine years of rampant inflation. And amen to that! In fact some values are already falling at the top end of the market, up in high five- and six-figure land, though only back to where they were about 18 months ago. I don’t expect our end of the market to be anything like as volatile – it never is. At the moment the opinion shared by many is that it will be a gentle slowdown followed by a sensible re-evaluation; models whose values have overheated in recent years should settle back to where they belong, other may be considered…

1971 Marina launches with 1.3/1.8 single/ twin-carb engines and in two-door coupé/ four-door saloon forms. Trim from de luxe to TC. 1973 Limited edition Jubilee saloon debuts with tinted glass, laminated screen, opening quarterlights, vinyl roof and extra lights. 1975 New Marina 2 with front disc brakes and anti-roll bars all round. Coupé and saloon versions of the TC become GT and HL respectively. 1978 LE coupé launched. Revamped Marina debuts five months later. From here on coupés are available in 1.3-litre form only. 1980 Ital replaces Marina with new styling and a tweaked A-series engine. Lasts to 1984 – the final car to bear the Morris name.…

1970 Jensen Interceptor II Engine 6313cc/V8/OHV Power 330bhp@5000rpm Torque 425lb ft@2800rpm Gearbox 3-speed automatic 0-60mph 7.4sec Top speed 136mph Fuel economy 14.4mpg Work done Engine finally rebuilt, gearbox rebuilt, wheels and tyres fitted… Jensen victory is in sight at last! 4 (wks) TIME 3954 (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also in Danny’s garage 1950 RILEY RMA Er… this car has happened. 1956 RILEY PATHFINDER It is in a very bad way… need to decide what to do. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 New drive shafts were fitted by Club Triumph at the Resto Show – seats recoloured. 1976 VAUXHALL CAVALIER MoT’d and driving. Needs gasket and clutch bearing. 1986 BMW M535I I’m looking after it for a while… what a car. 1992 SAAB 9000 2.3 TURBO Ex-Sam Skelton – immobile while the gearbox…

1955 Austin A30 Engine 948cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 37bhp@4750rpm Fuel economy 40–45mpg Works done Serviced, battery, brake shoes. Since I last reported on Pru in this magazine, the car has been used and enjoyed on a very regular basis. But what of repair work? Well, with the exception of a new battery and front brake shoes, thankfully none has been required during the last four years or so. Of course I have maintained the car, including greasing and checking the running gear components, and carrying out servicing, engine oil and filter changes, to try to keep it running sweetly. My wife and I have enjoyed some memorable trips in the car. Places visited have included the Isle of Wight and Cornwall (notably a re-visit here for our wedding anniversary trip in the…

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 A service for the Scimitar and engine removal for the GT6. 1½ (days) TIME 30 (£) SPENT 250 MILES Also Nigel’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Still awaiting more attention to the undignified oiliness of its engine and gearbox. ‘A genuine oil filter restored normal pressure’ It’s been 18 months since I acquired and fell in love with my Scimitar. I gave it a full service as soon as I got it home, so another thorough going-over is now due. Having rebuilt the front suspension last month, a fair chunk of the front-end servicing has effectively been done, so this month I’ve attended to everything…

1997 Citroën ZX Leader Engine 1905cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 71bhp@4600rpm Torque 90bhp@2000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 14.2sec Top speed 98mph Fuel economy 42mpg Work done Major service including new glowplugs. New headlight. 1 (day) TIME 40 (£) SPENT 850 MILES In James’ garage 1971 CITROËN AMI 8 CLUB Running well at long last. 1978 AUSTIN MAXI Planning a big adventure. 1985 RENAULT 5 GTL Needs some cosmetic work. 1988 CITROËN CX GTI TURBO Almost ready for welding. 2004 SMART ROADSTER Electronics causing hassle. I’m struggling to keep up. The Maxi’s clutch pedal is doing weird things, the Renault 5 doesn’t start in the cold and the Peugeot 104 needs suspension work. Meanwhile, there’s a running problem with Ami Number One, while Ami Number Two is still slowly dissolving outside and my Citroën…

1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Engine 3499cc/V8/OHV Power 197bhp@5800rpm Torque 211lb ft@4000rpm Gearbox 4-speed automatic 0-60mph 9sec Top speed 130mph Fuel economy 18mpg Work done Strip and repaint the shell. 3 (days) TIME 2k (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also in Matt’s garage 1959 VÉLOSOLEX Largely ornamental. Top Gear, mortgage, Mercedes-Benz W108 280SE, GQ, wedding, baby. That’s an abridged version of my life since I last appeared in PC . The observant among you will notice that, between the boring stufflike job changes and how-the-hell-did -that-happen life events, there’s a vehicle. And, as per protocol, it is very large and incurably German. But, much to my surprise, it’s all turned out quite well. For your own sakes, I’ll give you the radio edit of its origin story. After waiting six months to…

DIFFICULTY RATING TIME MONEY In-line filter Not all pumps have a built-in fuel filter. If in doubt, fit one between the tank and the pump. Fuel hose Buy hose that’s marked as being suitable for fuel. It’s most commonly 8mm or 10mm. You will need Screwdrivers, wire, spanners, fuel hose and clips, crimp terminals. Fuel hose clips Use fuel hose clips of the correct size for the hose, rather than universal worm-drive clips. Most carburettor-equipped cars have a mechanical fuel pump. These are normally perfectly adequate. However, there are some instances where upgrading to an electric fuel pump is a sensible idea. Firstly, mechanical pumps inevitably require new rubber valves and diaphragms on occasion. If your classic is obscure and these parts are unavailable or expensive, an electric pump is…

If your club’s contact details have changed, please let us know! A 750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641 AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250 AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345 www.americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY www.southambpres.org.uk CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120 PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170 AEC SOC yellowayreliance@hotmail.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER www.giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC www.aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB David Moseley, 19 Bramham Gardens, London SW5 0JE ALVIS OWNER CLUB www.alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, www.alvisregister.com ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 0121 459 0742, www.siddeley.com, www.siddeley.net A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, www.aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400 AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 AUDI OC 07788 588449 , www.audiclub.co.uk CLUB…

The Black Boy ran a monthly meet for four years, but had to abandon it two years ago when boy racers started turning up and spoiling things. But in April the gathering will be relaunched on the first Tuesday of each month and run until September. Says event helper Andrew Lyndon: ‘It starts at 7pm, with all sorts of classic cars and bikes turning up. There’s space for 300, which is why we’ve had club support in the past.’ www.theblackboy  knowle.co.uk…

1 How did it start? Dave Salmon founded the club in 1993. Sandra Mitchell took over as chairman in 2003 and was later joined by Dean Reader. It’s still the only club in the UK for historic funeral vehicles. 2 What’s the deal? Membership costs £23 per year for UK members, in return for our full-colour bi-monthly A5 newsletter, Mourning News. Discounted insurance is another key benefit, but most members join because they want to be a part of one of the most individual clubs in the UK. 3 What’s in the club? We cater for American, European and British classics and funeral limousines. One of our members has 23 hearses including several rarities. Austin, Jaguar, Daimler, Vanden Plas and Rootes are well represented, but we’ve got quite a few…

IN THE NEWS Petrol rationing ended in 1950 but rebuilding a network of filling stations took longer – BP takes a full-page ad in Autocar in August this year hinting it will be back soon. Meanwhile in America, the first commercial computer, the UNIVAC, goes on sale and the world’s first experimental nuclear power station opens in Idaho. AT THE FLICKS There’s The African Queen with Bogart and Hepburn, a young Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire and sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, with its final instruction to the sinister robot, Gort: ‘Klaatu barada nikto’! IN THE CHARTS Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats (actually Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm) was characterised by its cool beat and fuzzy guitar sound – ironically the…

'I recently fell in love with this rare 1979 1st generation Honda Accord saloon with less than 32,000 miles on the clock. Reverting back to a Seventies design has revived my interest in classic car ownership. What a joy it is to be able to work on a car that doesn’t need diagnostic equipment or special tools. My rare Hondamatic car is in San Remo metallic green and has absolutely no rust. It sports a period Britax folding sunroof and colour-coded vinyl roof. Parts are easily obtained – even a rocker-box gasket. I'd recommend joining the HondaRama car club – if you own one of these vastly underrated cars.' Send us your car photos To practical.classics@ bauermedia.co.uk , marked ‘Your Cars’. Make sure your pictures…

Tell us about your favourite Vauxhall… Here are my grandparents and their Victor 101. Simon Hammond I’ve had a Viva van, a Viva saloon, a 1969 Victor 2000 and a 1983-ish Senator 2.5. I liked the Victor best. It came from Luton, it was hand-painted blue and fitted with a cassette player. John Hill Only 973 of these five-speed FE VX4/90s were ever made, so this must be the finest lucky survivor. This is as close to a three year-old VX as you’ll find and I’m still in touch with the original family owner. Loulou Clark At the age of 13 in 1963 I helped my dad rebuild his Velox’s engine in a freezing cold garage in the middle of winter. At the height of Beatlemania I saw the Fab…

I’m reminded of my dad’s old Escort 1.4 as soon as I climb behind the wheel. The RS is obviously faster, but everything else feels just the same. It might only have a 1.6-litre engine but it’s very light and swapping cogs with the long gearstick is a joy. That sub-nine second 0-60mph time was genuinely something to be proud of in the early Eighties and the acceleration still feels decent today. The quick, light steering points the car with precise accuracy and it really does feel like a little track car; the front end grips well, even in the wet. The whole thing is very eager and user-friendly with all controls within easy reach. Better still, enough of the original car has been kept to retain a wonderful old…

Jaguar E-type An epic find, spotted by Richard Butt on a walk in Greeba on the Isle of Man where Richard is the editor of the local newspapers. The crusty Jaguar E-Type has been sitting out in the open on a farm for years. Not a lot of detail left on the car to go by but it’s likely to be a 4.2-litre Series II 2+2 (1968-70). Renault 16TL The same walk but another location… Richard found a 1976 Renault 16 TL, with moss growing in the window rubbers and a geographically appropriate plate. The early Sixties four-light 2CV next door has a ‘Man’ plate as well, this prefix being allocated to Isle Of Man cars from 1935 onwards. On the end is a Honda Legend or Prelude. Morris Minor…

You’d have to call the result of H&H’s Feb 24 sale at Donington Park healthy but cautious. Three quarters of the 99 lots sold, which is good – but most of the action was with sub-£10k cars. The percentage of ‘no sales’ above that line was much greater. But it didn’t lack interest, and H&H did very well to get £8176 for a 1972 Citroën 2CV Fourgonette against a £5-7k estimate. This was a sweet little thing – quite literally: it was still wearing ‘Gibraltar Confectionery’ logos and signwriting, a legacy of having lived there until 2007. Upgraded with a later saloon engine and GS Pallas wheel trims, it still looked a good buy. Even better was the 1971 MGB GT that someone snapped up for a bargain £4592. Maybe…

It’s easy enough to find a project through the Marina Owners’ Club, but you can’t be too choosy about which derivative you want – it’s the luck of the draw. Says Pete Pearce: ‘Very few panels are held in stock but bide your time, be prepared to search and you can find most things. It helps that few of these cars are being restored at any one time, so demand for panels isn’t great, which in turns keeps prices reasonable.’ Front wings are £100-£120 each and floorpans crop up for around £50. Inner and outer sills are readily available at £30 each but rear quarter panels and front and rear valances are less common. The Club can arrange reproduction Marina and Ital panels using genuine panels as patterns. The most…

1976 Vauxhall Cavalier 1600GL Engine 1584cc/4-cyl/OHV Top Speed 100mph Fuel economy 27.2mpg Work since last report MoT’d, wheels revived and tyres fitted. Serviced and driven! My Cavalier 1600 GL has an MoT. That’s a very happy sentence to write and one which I’ve been aiming for, for quite a while. The test was initially failed on eyewateringly high emissions. An investigation of the Solex carb revealed a mass of seized componentry and varnish deposits. Two hours with a rebuild kit (found in the boot) helped immensely and it went through the retest without an issue. I then set to work with Matt Tomkins completing the refurbishment of the Rostyle wheels and fitting them with the Michelin XAS tyres that I had procured from Longstone. The completed ensemble looked good and…

1959 Peerless GT Engine 1998cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 100bhp@4800rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d Torque 117lb ft@5600rpm Top speed 120mph 0-60mph 10.8sec Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Driver’s door built up, window winder working. Door gaps have been sorted. 6 (Hrs) TIME 12 (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also in Gary’s garage 1980 SAAB 99 TURBO Ex-Saab press car in need of complete restoration. ‘I had to lift the driver’s door to get it to shut properly’ I had hoped to be preparing parts of the engine prior to assembly after last month’s electrical push, but a few items have remained elusive. So I changed focus to my Peerless nemesis – the driver’s door. Previous welding repairs to a cracked hinge entailed removing the doors and sure enough – the fit had changed…

1972 Triumph 2000 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 135bhp (est) Torque Plentiful Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d Top speed 102mph 0-60mph Unknown Fuel economy 25mpg Work done Front balljoints replaced, damaged wing resprayed. 1 (Day) TIME 26 (£) SPENT 310 MILES Also in Matt’s garage 1968 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Got my friend Laura to the church on time. Ding dong! 1994 FORD MONDEO 1.8 GLX Still on the daily run to PC Towers without any issues. ‘Peeling the 10CR stickers off didn’t go very well…’ Last time out I fitted brand new top mounts to the front suspension on my 2000 ( PC April 2016). While completing that job I noticed that the balljoints in the front wishbones looked past their best. So I decided to order up a new set, which was…

I may be a sheltered sort of a person – but I can think of no better way of whiling away a weekend than shut in a workshop with a meaty project to obsess over. This issue includes two ideal candidates: welding on new wings and building a wheeling machine. Basic cutting and welding skills are all that are required. The only hard bit is getting on with it. Gather together the stu you need, fashion a clear afternoon, put the kettle on and get going. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you get satisfying results.…

DIFFICULTY RATING TIME MONEY Buying bits All necessary wiring and connectors are available from car accessory shops or online. Upgrades Some refurbished radios include adaptors to play music from smartphones or MP3 players. You will need Tools, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, soldering iron, terminal crimping tool, multimeter or test lamp. Old radios aren’t rubbish. Patchy reception, muddy sound, annoying buzzes and mysterious crackles are often quick and easy to solve. More often than not, they’re symptoms of dodgy installation, degraded wiring, tired speakers or interference from other components. There’s a good chance that a little fettling will restore a radio you assumed was knackered to full working order. If not – or if your classic’s never been fitted with a radio – there’s no reason to spoil its dashboard with…